South Africa: Police urged to act decisively against criminals The Police Ministry has urged members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to act decisively whenever confronted by criminals and not to compromise their safety. According to the National Crime Statistics of the 2020/2021 financial year, 80 officers of the SAPS were killed on and off duty. Seventeen of those members were killed in the Eastern Cape, the second highest figure after KwaZulu-Natal province, which accounts for 21 police murders. Police Minister Bheki Cele made the call on Tuesday during the seventh leg of the Safer Festive Season Inspection Tour in the Eastern Cape. Cele, who was accompanied by Police Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale, National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sitole and SAPS senior management, visited Mthatha to assess the operational plan the province has in place for the holiday season. During the holiday season, the province attracts thousands of visitors, the Ministry said in a statement. While addressing a police parade of officers, Cele warned of the desperation some criminals may have, who wont hesitate to end the life of a police officer, in pursuit of what they want. Police officers, you are the countrys assets. You are useful to the country when you are alive and well. Im making a call to all of you this festive season, while enforcing the law, protect yourself as stipulated by the law. Simply put, when confronted by gun-toting criminals, dont hesitate, because when a criminal pulls out a gun on you, the only thing that will follow after, is you getting shot and possibly getting killed. As the Eastern Cape prepared for more visitors in the run up to Christmas Day, SAPS had vowed to clamp down on violent crimes, including sexual assault, especially as many cases of rape and sexual violence occur during social gatherings and other festivities associated with the holiday season. According to the latest National Crime statistics for the 2020/2021 reporting period, Lusikisiki police station recorded the second highest rape cases in the country, after Inanda station in KZN. The ministry said it was concerned that a minor had been arrested for a series of rapes in Mdantsane. The 14-year-old boy faced seven counts of rape, with the first case dating back to 2019 when the youngster was only 12 years old. It is on that score that all operational members of the SAPS are instructed to prioritise gender-based crimes and constantly improve their services to rape survivors. A call has also been made for all officers to ensure police stations are not centres of secondary victimisation for victims of gender-based violence, said the ministry. The eighth instalment of the Safer Festive Season Inspection Tour on Wednesday moves to the Northern Cape before concluding in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-12-22. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. South Africa: SANDF soldier killed in Mozambique The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has confirmed that it has lost a soldier deployed in Mozambique as part of Operation Vikela. According to a statement, on 20 December 2021, soldiers came under attack from the insurgents during an ambush around east of Chai Village. The members managed to fight through the ambush. However, while at the rendezvous awaiting the chopper, they got attacked by the insurgents again, the statement read on Tuesday. During this incident, an SANDF member was shot and declared dead on the scene. This comes after the SANDF was deployed in Cabo Delgabo province as part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM), also known as Operation Vikela. The remains of the member have since been flown back to the SAMIM Chai Tactical Base. Further investigation is being conducted to determine the extent to inquiries of personnel and loss of equipment during this unfortunate incident, the SANDF said. The Extraordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government approved the deployment of SAMIM on 15 July 2021 as a regional response to support Mozambique to combat terrorism and acts of violent extremism. The country has been plagued by continued acts of terrorism perpetrated on innocent civilians, women and children in some districts of the Cabo Delgado. SAMIM comprises troops deployed from eight personnel contributing countries from SADC, namely Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia, working in collaboration with the Forcas Armadas de Defesa de Mocambique (FADM) and other troops deployed to Cabo Delgado to combat acts of terrorism and violent extremism. Defence and Military Veterans Minister, Thandi Modise, and her office have extended their condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of the deceased. May the departed soul rest in peace, the department said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-12-22. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. RTHK: Prosecutors want life sentences for downing MH17 Dutch prosecutors on Wednesday called for life in prison for four suspects on trial in absentia accused of downing Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine with a surface-to-air missile, killing 298 people. The ill-fated flight heading for Kuala Lumpur took off from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport in July 2014, and prosecutors this week launched closing arguments in the closely watched trial. A verdict is not expected until late 2022 at the earliest. The four suspects on trial are Russian nationals Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky and Oleg Pulatov, and Ukrainian citizen Leonid Kharchenko, accused of launching the BUK missile that hit the plane over war-torn eastern Ukraine. "We are asking that the suspects Girkin, Dubinsky, Pulatov and Kharchenko, each for their responsibility of crashing a plane leading to the death and murder of 298 people, be sentenced to life in prison," prosecutor Manon Ridderbeks told the court Wednesday. All four have refused to appear in court in the Netherlands and are being tried in absentia. Prosecutors have argued this week that the four suspects played pivotal roles in securing the BUK system, which was most likely intended to strike a Ukrainian warplane. International investigators say the missile was originally brought from a Russian military base, ostensibly to be used in the fight against Ukrainian forces. "Our evidence is convincing and abundant. We have many sources where the evidence comes from and they support each other," chief prosecutor Digna van Boetzelaer told AFP. Prosecutors said the missile's deployment was planned and organised, and that it did not matter whether the suspects made a mistake in targeting a passenger plane. "If we consider how much time the defendants put into planning and organising the deployment of the BUK, it is all the more poignant how little attention they appear to have given to the risk of inadvertently shooting down a passenger aircraft," prosecutors argued, according to trial documents Wednesday. "In legal terms, the defendants were civilians and were therefore not allowed to shoot at any aircraft, whether civilian or military." Anton Kotte, who lost his son, daughter-in-law and grandson in the crash, welcomed Wednesday's proceedings. "There were children from one year old on that plane. They had their whole life... there's no life. It's awful," he told reporters outside the court. Piet Ploeg, who lost three relatives in the crash, said the sentence request was called for. "There's only one sentence that's appropriate for this crime, and that's life imprisonment," he said. The hearings come as fresh tensions soar over Ukraine, with the West accusing Moscow of planning an invasion. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2021-12-22. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 BTO-Tiep tuc chuong trinh ky hop bat thuong lan thu nhat, Quoc hoi XV, chieu nay 6/1, ong chi Duong Van An - Uy vien BCH Trung uong ang, Bi thu Tinh uy, Truong oan ai bieu Quoc hoi tinh chu tri thao luan to tai iem cau tinh Binh Thuan. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets Cambodian Government leaders President Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An on December 21 in Phnom Penh as part of his State visit to Cambodia. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen (Photo: VNA) During the meeting with the Cambodian PM, President Phuc congratulated Cambodia over the great accomplishments in socio-economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control that the Cambodian Government and people have gained, which he said helped contributed importantly to Cambodias strong growth and enhanced position in the region and the world. He wished Cambodia success in the organization of the communal elections in 2022 and general 2023, which will create a momentum for the country to realise its goal of becoming an upper middle income level country in 2030 and a high income level country in 2050. PM Hun Sen hailed the significance of the Vietnamese Presidents state-level visit, which he said contributes to further consolidating the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive, sustainable long-term cooperation between the two countries. The two leaders informed each other on the socio-economic situation in their respective countries, and expressed satisfaction at the increasing effective and comprehensive development of the Vietnam-Cambodia cooperative relations throughout the past 55 years. Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two sides have made efforts to maintain mutual visits and high-level contact and discussion, optimize bilateral cooperative mechanism. As a result, bilateral collaboration in national defence-security, trade-investment and between localities continued to make progress. Trade and investment are the bright spots, with two way trade topping 8.63 billion USD in the first 11 months of 2021, up 84 percent year on year. Vietnam has had four more investment projects in Cambodia with total registered capital valued at nearly 90 million USD, almost four times the figure for the same period last year, raising the total valid Vietnamese investment projects in the neighbouring country to 188 valued at 2.85 billion USD, the fourth largest amount of an ASEAN country in Cambodia. The two leaders hailed the outcomes reached at the 19th session of the Joint Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Commission for Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation held on December 19, 2021, which made a deep review of bilateral ties across the fields and outlined specific proposals to promote the ties. They reached consensus on the directions for enhancing bilateral cooperation in the time ahead, focusing on the effective implementation of reached agreements between the two Parties and States. The two sides will maintain visits and contacts at all levels and bilateral cooperative mechanisms, and coordinate to organize activities in the Vietnam-Cambodia, Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Year in 2022 to mark the 55th anniversary of the two countries diplomatic relations. The two leaders affirmed to further deepen cooperation in security-defence, including joint work to ensure border security and accelerate the search and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who died during the war in Cambodia. They agreed to promote connectivity, both hard and soft, between the two economies, especially in transport, telecoms, trade, investment, finance-banking, agriculture, tourism, energy and local cooperation. They pledged support for efforts to early complete a master plan on Vietnam-Cambodia economic connectivity to 2030, and to effectively carry out signed agreements, while coordinating to implement the pandemic-control customs clearance model for vehicles and goods at land and water border gates and continuing to study the building of border markets in border provinces. The two leaders highly valued the completion of an agreement on border trade, and pledged to continue paying attention to facilitating business and investment activities of businesses of the two countries on the basis of mutual benefit. They also agreed to promote partnership in education-training, justice, agro-fishery-forestry, natural resources-environment and tourism. The two sides will speed up negotiations on mutual recognition of each others vaccine passports/ COVID-19 vaccination certificates. The two sides reached consensus on the full, serious implementation of treaties and agreements related to the border, including the two legal documents recognizing the result of the Vietnam-Cambodia land border demarcation and marker planting with about 84 percent of the total workload completed. The two sides will continue to conduct negotiations on the remaining 16 percent of workload, and coordinate to seek solutions to remaining issues in the spirit of solidarity and friendship towards building a peaceful, stable and cooperative borderline between the two countries. PM Hun Sen expressed deep gratitude to Vietnam for its great support and help for Cambodias cause of national liberation and escape from genocide, and pledged to continue working to develop bilateral ties. President Phuc thanked Cambodia for the precious support that Cambodian leaders and people gave Vietnam in its struggle for national independence and reunification and the present national construction. He asked Cambodia to continue creating favourable conditions for Cambodians of Vietnamese origin, especially regarding their legal status. The two leaders appreciated the effective coordination between the two countries in regional and international forums, especially the ASEAN framework. President Phuc affirmed Vietnams strong support for Cambodia as Chair of ASEAN in 2022, and expressed a hope that the two countries will continue to work together to uphold ASEANs principled stance on the East Sea. The two sides underlined the importance of maintaining security, safety and freedom of maritime and aviation, building trust, using no force and not threatening to use force, respecting international law and addressing disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1992 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. They supported the full, serious implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea ASEAN and efforts to reach an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea in accordance with international law. President Phuc invited PM Hun Sen to visit Vietnam and the latter accepted the invitation with pleasure. After the meeting, the two leaders witnessed the signing and handing over of seven cooperative documents between the two Governments, ministries and sectors, along with many contracts and business agreements. The same day, President Phuc hosted a reception for Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc receives Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An (Photo: VNA) Phuc thanked the Cambodian Government, mass organisations and people for providing support for the Vietnamese counterparts in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, including 50,000 USD donated by the Cambodia Vietnam Friendship Association. Men Sam An stressed that Cambodia always treasures and thanks Vietnam for assisting Cambodia in the cause of national liberation and overthrowing genocidal regime as well as in national development at present. She vowed to do her best to keep developing the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive, sustainable long-term cooperation between the two countries. The Deputy PM also agreed to step up people-to-people exchange activities and raise public awareness of the significance of bilateral traditional friendship, especially among young generations. Hanoi restores old French-period villa Authorities in Hanoi have decided to restore an old French villa at 49 Tran Hung Dao Street. The old French villa lies at the busy Tran Hung Dao-Hang Bai intersection in Hoan Kiem District. Built in the early 20th century, the villa is situated on an area of nearly 1,000 square metres at a prime location in the city. It is said that each square metre of land here is valued at between VND 700-800 million (USD 30,435- 34,783). The villa used to be the headquarters of the Literature Publishing House at the end of the 1980s. It was then used by several other state agencies between 1998-2003. And the villa has been left unused after that due to its serious deterioration. Hoan Kiem District People's Committee on December 18 announced that it was co-operating with the Paris Region Expertise (PRX-Vietnam) to restore the villa. Chairman of Hoan Kiem District People's Committee, Pham Tuan Long, said that this was the first project of this kind in the city which would help local authorities have better plans to restore and preserve other old villas in the area. The villa still displays typical examples of French architecture style with all the bricks brought in from France. Vietnam, Cambodia issue joint statement Vietnam and Cambodia have issued a joint statement on the occasion of the State visit of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc to Cambodia on December 21-22. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and King Norodom Sihamoni (Photo: VNA) The following is the full text of the joint statement. JOINT STATEMENT Between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam on the occasion of the State Visit of H.E. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the Kingdom of Cambodia From 21 to 22 December 2021 1. At the invitation of His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia, H.E. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam led a high-level Vietnamese delegation to pay a state visit to the Kingdom of Cambodia from 21 to 22 December 2021. During the visit, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a Royal Audience with His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni and called on Her Majesty Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk. The President also held meetings with Samdech Vibol Sena Pheakdei Say Chhum, President of the Senate, Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin, President of the National Assembly, and Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia. His Excellency President Nguyen Xuan Phuc also called on His Holiness Buddhist Supreme Patriarch General Tep Vong, Buddhist Supreme Patriarch of Dhamma Mahanikaya of the Kingdom of Cambodia and His Holiness Samdech Preah Abhisiri Sugandha Mohasangharajah Dhipati Bour Kry, Great Supreme Buddhist Supreme Patriarch of Dhammayuttikanikaya of the Kingdom of Cambodia; laid wreaths at the Monument of His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk Preah Borom Ratanak Kaudh, the late King Father of Cambodia, the Independence Monument and the Cambodia Viet Nam Friendship Monument. His Excellency President Nguyen Xuan Phuc also joined Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin at the groundbreaking ceremony of the new administrative building of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, a present from the Communist Party of Viet Nam, the State and the People of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the Government and the People of the Kingdom of Cambodia. 2. The two sides highly valued the significance of His Excellency Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phucs first state visit to the Kingdom of Cambodia in his capacity as President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. The visit also marked the opening of the Viet Nam - Cambodia, Cambodia - Viet Nam Friendship Year 2022. In an atmosphere of solidarity, friendship, mutual understanding and trust, Leaders of both countries briefed each other on the current developments in their respective countries and had in-depth exchange of views on all dimensions of the bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international issues of mutual interests. Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, the King of Cambodia and other Cambodian Leaders warmly welcomed His Excellency President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the high-level Vietnamese delegation on their visit to Cambodia, which contributed to furtherance of the solidarity, friendship and traditional ties between the two neighbouring countries. They praised the great achievements that the nation and the people of Viet Nam have recorded in the course of national reform, construction and development, and wished the Vietnamese people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, to successfully implement the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, for a more prosperous Viet Nam with an increasingly important role and position in the region and the world. His Excellency President Nguyen Xuan Phuc applauded the historic and significant achievements that the Kingdom and the People of Cambodia have attained in the wise reign of His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, the King of Cambodia and the wise leadership of the Royal Government led by Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia in the course of national construction and development, socio-political stabilization and elevation of the role and profile of Cambodia in the regional and global arena. He sincerely wished Cambodia to successfully hold the communal elections in 2022 and the general election in 2023, contributing to the realization the goal of turning Cambodia into an upper middle- income country by 2030 and a high-income country by 2050. 3. The two sides expressed satisfaction over the comprehensive, close-knit, increasingly substantive and effective development of the Viet Nam - Cambodia cooperation over the past 55 years, which have brought substantial benefits to the peoples of the two countries. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, political ties between the two countries have been continuously strengthened through maintaining exchanges of high-level delegations, face-to-face meetings, phone calls and virtual discussions, while ensuring the continued effective operation of the bilateral cooperation mechanisms. Building on the tradition of mutual assistance in difficult times, the two sides have closely coordinated and provided regular mutual support in a timely and effective manner in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The Cambodian side expressed their sincere gratitude for the strong support and assistance that various generations of leaders and people of Viet Nam have accorded to the people of Cambodia in the past and at present, affirming that they will always keep in mind the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers assistance to the Cambodian people in liberating Cambodia from the Khmer Rouge genocide regime in 1979. The Vietnamese side underscored that Viet Nam always treasures the friendship and valuable support that the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk, His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, and the leaders and people of Cambodia have extended to the people of Viet Nam in her past struggle for national independence as well as the current national development. 4. Both sides emphasized importance and need to prioritize the continued strengthening and advancement of bilateral relations under the mantra of good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term stability. At the same time, both sides should continue to fully observe the principles stated in the Viet Nam - Cambodia Joint Statements in 1999, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019; to respect each others independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in each others internal affairs and to settle problems arising between the two countries by peaceful means. 5. To mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of Viet Nam - Cambodia diplomatic relations (24/06/1967 24/6/2022), the two sides agreed to promote high level contacts and delegation exchanges at all levels, encourage people-to-people exchanges, especially between bordering provinces. The two sides underscored the importance of communication and educating the public, especially the youth of both countries, on their time-honored friendship, solidarity and mutual trust. 6. The two sides applauded bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation. Bilateral trade, in particular, was a highlight as two-way trade volume maintained an upward momentum despite the Covid-19 pandemic. The two sides agreed to promote the implementation of the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and the Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation, facilitate the development of border trade by accelerating the signing of the Border Trade Agreement, effectively implement the MOU on the development and connection of border trade infrastructure, continue exploring the construction of new border markets and Special Economic Zones in bordering provinces. The two sides agreed to expedite the completion of the Master Plan on Viet Nam Cambodia Economic Connectivity 2030 by the end of 2022. 7. The two sides underlined the importance of working together in addressing the medical, economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this regard, the two sides will accelerate discussions towards mutual recognition of vaccine passports/certificates, facilitation of travel for citizens of both countries, timely resumption of direct flights between the two countries in a safe manner, thus making practical contribution to each country's sustainable socio-economic recovery in the new normal and post-pandemic era. 8. The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in defence and security based on the principle of not allowing any hostile forces to use their respective territories to harm the other's security, and effectively implement the existing agreements on defence and security cooperation; enhance coordination in maintaining political stability, security, social order and safety in each country; improve the effectiveness of border management and protection; make effective use of the existing cooperation mechanisms and continue joint efforts to search for, retrieve and repatriate remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who sacrificed their lives in Cambodia. 9. The two sides reiterated their commitment to fully respect and implement the treaties on delimitation, demarcation and marker planting of the land boundary and the border-related agreements between the two countries. They commended the efforts of the Cambodia Viet Nam, Viet Nam - Cambodia Joint Commission on Land Border Demarcation and Marker Planting to complete approximately 84% of the land border demarcation and marker planting works and welcomed the entry into force on the 22nd of December 2020 of (i) the Supplementary Treaty to the 1985 Treaty on the Delimitation of the National Boundary and the 2005 Supplementary Treaty and (ii) the Protocol on Demarcation and Marker Planting of the Land Boundary between the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Kingdom of Cambodia and urged the Cambodia Viet Nam, Viet Nam Cambodia Joint Border Commission (JBC) to find mutually acceptable solutions to the approximately 16% remaining un-demarcated land boundary. Building on those achievements, the two sides were resolved to work together and exert joint efforts towards the completion of a land boundary of peace, stability and cooperation between Viet Nam and Cambodia. The two sides agreed on the need to conclude the agreement on land border checkpoints, which shall substitute provisions in the 1983 Agreement on Border Statute relating to the border checkpoints management in the near future. The two sides also agreed to promote the effective operation of the border checkpoints system, including through the opening and upgrading of the border checkpoints agreed between the two countries, and to include Meun Chey Tan Nam International Border Checkpoint to the Designated Border Gates for transit under the Agreement on the Transit of Goods between the Government of Cambodia and the Government of Viet Nam, signed in 2013. 10. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed appreciation to the Kingdom of Cambodia for the continuous support and non-discriminatory treatment extended to the people of Vietnamese origin living in Cambodia over the past years. 11. The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of public health. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc reaffirmed Viet Nam's continued provision of health care and treatment for Cambodian patients in Ho Chi Minh City-based hospitals similar to Vietnamese patients and in accordance with Viet Nam's payment scheme for uninsured patients. 12. The two sides also agreed to promote and improve the effectiveness of cooperation in other important areas such as legal and judicial affairs, labour and social affairs, information and communication technology (ICT), culture, sports, tourism, aviation, banking and finance, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, among others. 13. The two sides exchanged views and agreed to continue the close cooperation and collaboration within the multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and ASEAN to address global and regional challenges, as well as sub-regional frameworks including the Mekong cooperation mechanisms to ensure the sustainable management and utilization of the Mekong water resources. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc highly appreciated the support and cooperation that Cambodia extended to Viet Nam during the Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2020, and reaffirmed that Viet Nam would lend its utmost support to Cambodia during the Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2022 under the theme of ASEAN A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together, jointly contributing to the promotion of ASEAN's unity, solidarity, enhanced centrality and resilience in response to the emerging challenges, for peace, stability, sustainable development and prosperity in the region. 14. The two sides reiterated ASEANs common position on importance of maintaining peace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea, promoting dialogues and trust building, exercising self-restraint, upholding international law, resolving disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), without resorting to the threat or use of force, ensuring the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in its entirety, working towards the conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) consistent with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS. The two sides also supported ASEAN and China to organize meaningful activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the signing of the DOC. 15. During the visit, Samdech Techo Prime Minister and His Excellency President Nguyen Xuan Phuc delightfully witnessed the Signing Ceremony of a number of bilateral agreements, namely: (i) 2022 Cooperation Plan between the Ministry of Interior of Cambodia and the Ministry of Public Security of Viet Nam; (ii) Annual Cooperation Plan for the year 2022 between the two Ministries of Defense; (iii) Agreed Minutes of the 19th Meeting of the Cambodia - Viet Nam Joint Commission on Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation; (iv) Agreed Minutes of the meeting between two Chairmen of the Cambodia - Viet Nam Joint Border Commission; (v) Memorandum of Agreement on Education Cooperation for 2021-2025; (vi) Memorandum of Understanding on the Conclusion of the Border Trade Agreement between Cambodia and Viet Nam; (vii) Work Plan for 2022-2023 between the two Ministries of Justice. On this occasion, the two countries businesses also signed a number of business contracts and cooperation agreements. 16. The two sides expressed high appreciation for the outcomes and the profound significance of the state visit to Cambodia of His Excellency President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, which has kick-started a series of activities in celebration of the 55th Anniversary of the Establishment of Cambodia-Viet Nam Diplomatic Relations, contributing to further strengthening mutual trust, adding greater depth, substance and effectiveness to the good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, long-lasting stability between the two countries, for the benefits of the two peoples, and contributing to lasting peace, stability, multifaceted cooperation and sustainable development in the region and the world at large. His Excellency President Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed gratitude to His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia, Cambodian Leaders and the Cambodian people for the warm hospitality extended to the Vietnamese high level delegation. His Excellency President Nguyen Xuan Phuc warmly extended an invitation to His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia, Her Majesty Queen-Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, and Cambodian Leaders, to visit Viet Nam. His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, Her Majesty Queen-Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk and Cambodian Leaders accepted the invitation with thanks and pleasure. The specific time of these visits will be arranged through the diplomatic channel by the related agencies in due course./. Phnom Penh, 22 December 2021 Chinese president talks with German chancellor over phone Xinhua) 08:10, December 22, 2021 Chancellor candidate of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) Olaf Scholz attends a press conference at the headquarters of SPD in Berlin, Germany, on Sept. 27, 2021.(Xinhua/Shan Yuqi) Xi said he hopes Germany will continue to play a positive role in stabilizing China-EU ties and inject stability and positive energy into the China-EU relationship. BEIJING, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday held a phone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In the conversation, Xi congratulated Scholz once again on his inauguration as German chancellor. Xi stressed that China attaches great importance to its relations with Germany. In recent years, China-Germany cooperation has always been a "bellwether" of cooperation between China and the European Union (EU), which is a right choice made by the two countries in line with the development trend of the times, he said. Xi noted that the next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany. Over the past half century, China-Germany relations have demonstrated ample vitality, endurance, resilience and potential, Xi said, adding that for the next 50 years, the two countries should embrace a global vision from a long-term perspective, forge ahead and strive for new development of China-Germany relations. First, Xi suggested, the two countries should chart the general course of bilateral relations from a strategic perspective. Both China and Germany are major countries with important influence, Xi said, adding that a sound development of bilateral relations not only serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and their people, but also contributes to world peace and stability. Xi stressed that the two sides should unwaveringly view each other's development as an opportunity, maintain the fine tradition of high-level leadership, and set the direction for the development of China-Germany relations. The two sides should give play to the role of bilateral dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, and particularly make good use of their intergovernmental consultation mechanism, so as to promote cooperation in various fields, Xi said. He added that the two sides should strengthen communication and coordination, and jointly plan the 50th-anniversary celebration activities next year. China-Europe freight train "Shanghai Express" is seen in Hamburg, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Qing) Second, Xi said, the two countries should actively promote mutually beneficial cooperation in a practical manner. The Chinese and German economies have benefited a lot from each other's development, Xi noted, adding that China has been Germany's largest trading partner for five consecutive years, and bilateral economic and trade cooperation has kept growing despite the pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic. He pointed out that the two sides should actively explore new areas of cooperation such as new energy and green and digital economy, and unleash the growth potential of trade in services. German enterprises are welcome to leverage their advantages and seize the new opportunities brought by China's opening-up, Xi said, adding that the Chinese side hopes that Germany will provide a fair business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Germany. Noting that Germany is an important node of the China-Europe Railway Express, Xi said he believes that enhanced cooperation between China and Germany within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative will benefit countries along the route and promote connectivity of the Eurasian continent. Third, Xi pointed out, the two sides need to work together to meet challenges and make new contributions to global governance. Both China and Germany are defenders of multilateralism and contributors to global development, Xi noted. He suggested that they increase coordination and cooperation in international affairs, and find practical solutions to problems concerning the shared future of mankind, such as fighting COVID-19; promoting fair distribution of vaccines; spurring post-pandemic economic recovery across the globe, especially in developing countries; tackling climate change; alleviating poverty; and achieving sustainable development. He called for concerted efforts to seek settlement of regional hotspot issues through dialogue, uphold and strengthen the principle of democracy in international relations, and firmly oppose all forms of hegemonic behavior and Cold War mentality. Only when countries develop together can there be true development, he said, adding that China is ready to work with Germany to promote the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Xi underscored that China and the EU are two major independent forces in the world with broad strategic consensus and common interests. Visitors tour the Germany exhibition booth during the 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Tiancong) The two sides, he added, should stay committed to the comprehensive strategic partnership and the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit, so as to ensure consistent sound and steady development of China-EU relations. Xi said he hopes Germany will continue to play a positive role in stabilizing China-EU ties and inject stability and positive energy into the China-EU relationship. For his part, Scholz thanked Xi for sending a congratulatory message on his election as German chancellor, adding that he still has fresh memories of his exchanges with Xi, and is ready to inherit and advance Germany-China friendship and cooperation. At present, Germany and China are witnessing sound development of their trade and investment ties, close cooperation in confronting such global challenges as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, and close communication on such regional affairs as Afghanistan and the Iranian nuclear issue, which constitute the three pillars for the sustained development of Germany-China relations, Scholz said. Germany is willing to work with China in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual trust to push for further development of the Germany-China all-round strategic partnership, he said. Germany, Scholz said, stands ready to take the 50th anniversary as an opportunity to hold a successful new round of intergovernmental consultations, strengthen practical cooperation in such areas as clean energy, digital economy and the service sector, and promote EU-China relations in a constructive manner. Scholz said that he hopes the EU-China investment agreement will enter into force at an early date, and that Germany is ready to work with China to uphold multilateralism in international affairs. In the conversation, the two leaders also exchanged New Year greetings, and agreed to maintain regular communication and make joint efforts to advance China-Germany and China-EU relations to new levels. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) China's Xiamen SEZ marks 40th anniv. of establishment Xinhua) 08:39, December 22, 2021 Aerial photo taken on Dec. 9, 2021 shows Xiamen International Conference &Exhibition Center, International Conference Center and surrounding buildings in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The Xiamen SEZ has made important contributions to the country's reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, and played a unique role in promoting national reunification. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on Dec. 8, 2021 shows the city view of Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The Xiamen SEZ has made important contributions to the country's reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, and played a unique role in promoting national reunification. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on Sept. 29, 2021 shows the city view of Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The Xiamen SEZ has made important contributions to the country's reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, and played a unique role in promoting national reunification. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on Dec. 12, 2021 shows the sculpture of a symbolic "golden key" for the China International Fair for Investment and Trade in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The Xiamen SEZ has made important contributions to the country's reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, and played a unique role in promoting national reunification. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on Dec. 9, 2021 shows Xiamen International Conference Center and surrounding buildings in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The Xiamen SEZ has made important contributions to the country's reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, and played a unique role in promoting national reunification. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on Dec. 12, 2021 shows people enjoying their leisure time on the beach in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The Xiamen SEZ has made important contributions to the country's reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, and played a unique role in promoting national reunification. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on Sept. 29, 2021 shows people enjoying their leisure time in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The Xiamen SEZ has made important contributions to the country's reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, and played a unique role in promoting national reunification. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Will COVID-19 pandemic truly come to an end in 2022? By Zhang Hui (Global Times) 08:48, December 22, 2021 After the World Health Organization (WHO) chief on Monday sounded the alarm over the fast spread of the Omicron variant while stating the world must end the pandemic in 2022, Chinese observers said the precondition for ending the pandemic lies in whether the WHO can play a leading role in ending vaccine inequity and developing more effective vaccines, truly unite member states and global scientists, and abandon politicization. Days ahead of the Christmas festival, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned during a media briefing that there is now consistent evidence that "Omicron is spreading significantly faster than the Delta variant," and it's more likely that people who have been vaccinated could be infected. "There can be no doubt that increased social mixing over the holiday period in many countries will lead to increased cases, overwhelmed health systems and more deaths," Tedros said, calling on countries to cancel or delay events, as "an event cancelled is better than a life cancelled." Tedros stated that "2022 must be the year we end the pandemic," and WHO is committed to doing everything in its power to end the pandemic. He said "if we are to end the pandemic in the coming year, we must end inequity, by ensuring 70 percent of the population of every country is vaccinated by the middle of next year." In answering the Global Times' questions on whether the WHO has made plans for the world to end the pandemic, a spokesperson replied in an email on Tuesday that the organization doesn't have anything to add beyond the media briefing. Meanwhile, Chinese health professionals are apparently cautious about ending the pandemic in 2022, as some who said they were hopeful listed several preconditions and urged the WHO to strengthen its role. Others said they have not yet seen any tangible evidence showing the pandemic is ebbing. Jin Dongyan, a biomedical professor at the University of Hong Kong, said right now is "the beginning of an end," adding there is hope that we could end the pandemic in 2022. "But a most important thing is that the WHO can truly play a leading role in some critical preconditions such as ending vaccine inequity, and researching new vaccines and medicines," Jin said. On the evolution of variants, Jin said current evidence showed that later variants tended to be stronger in infectivity, but less pathogenic, as Omicron spread faster than Delta, but has not necessarily caused more deaths. The key is how to make sure enough people get vaccinated to build herd immunity and develop more effective vaccines that can offer prolonged protection, Jin said. Similar to influenza, Jin suggested that the WHO coordinate with member states to regularly review and update the virus needed for the COVID-19 vaccine, based on the spread of the actual variant. Lu Hongzhou, head of the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen and member of the expert committee of national disease control and prevention, told the Global Times on Tuesday that ending the pandemic must rely on scientific and technological means, namely, more effective vaccines. Current COVID-19 vaccines can prevent deaths and reduce the severity of the illness, but they can hardly prevent infections. Effective vaccines should be inhaled vaccines, which can generate protective antibodies in the upper respiratory tract, Lu said, noting "this is the path to prevent the virus from entering our bodies, and it could both prevent infection and transmission." Chinese vaccine producer CanSinoBIO and researchers from the Institute of Military Medicine under the Academy of Military Sciences led by Chen Wei jointly developed China's first inhaled vaccine, which many experts see as a promising candidate for booster shots that use inactivated vaccines. Meanwhile, people should also receive effective intramuscular vaccines that can offer prolonged protection, he said. The world would achieve herd immunity after people received effective vaccines. "We can truly control the pandemic by then," he said. However, a Beijing-based immunologist who requested anonymity told the Global Times that there is no evidence to say there is an end of the pandemic, as we don't have very effective vaccines and the variants are constantly mutating. "Even if the WHO declared the end of the pandemic next year, it's more about ending it politically rather than biologically," he said. While urging the WHO to truly play its leading role, analysts stressed that the WHO must firmly adhere to science. At the same media briefing, while warning of the severity of Omicron, Tedros also said China must be more forthcoming with data and information related to the origin of the SARS-CoV-2, Reuters said. The immunologist said that Tedros was obviously influenced by the US-led West by raising the issue of the origin and attacking China, as countries like the US - facing a growing pressure of cases - need desperately to ease their domestic pressures and governing crises by shifting the blame of their failures in COVID-19 response to China. The Omicron variant is ragingthrough much of the world. The fast-spreading variant is the main coronavirus strain in the US, accounting for 73.2 percent of the new cases over the past week, but President Joe Biden did not plan on "locking the country down," the White House said on Monday. Biden is expected to address the nation about his administration's plans for combating the surge of cases. Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Tuesday that she had tested positive for COVID-19 after taking a rapid test. In Europe, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that the COVID-19 situation was "extremely difficult," and he said "we have to reserve the possibility of taking further action to protect the public." Germany's Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has ruled out a Christmas lockdown but warned a fifth COVID-19 wave could no longer be stopped, Reuters reported. Obsessing over the origins of SARS-CoV-2 when the world is facing the rapid spread of the disease is actually politicizing the issue of the origins of SARS-CoV-2, Lu said. He said the world should be more focused on how to scientifically prevent the spread of the pandemic, and developing and administering more effective vaccines. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) China urges Western countries to stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs (People's Daily App) 08:58, December 22, 2021 Some Western countries should face up to the reality that Hong Kong has returned to China for 24 years and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, China said on Tuesday. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijian praised the just-concluded election for the seventh-term Legislative Council (LegCo) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) at a routine press briefing in Beijing. It is an important leap in the development of a democratic system in line with Hong Kong's actual conditions and has Hong Kong's characteristics, he said. The electoral process is fair, just, open, safe, and clean. The democratic rights of voters are fully respected and guaranteed. Foreign ministers of the Five Eyes Alliance, the Group of Seven and senior representatives of the European Union issued a joint statement on the election. Zhao emphasized that under British colonial rule, Hong Kong had no democracy at all. But while Hong Kongs democratic forms have been enriched and developed, and the quality of democracy has continued to improve, a few Western countries have jumped out, brazenly expressing so-called concerns about democratic elections in a local administrative region in China, and aggressively attacking and condemning Hong Kongs democracy and the rule of law, he said. This fully exposed their hypocrisy and their sinister intentions to mess up Hong Kong and contain China's development, Zhao said. (Compiled by Lin Rui and Xie Runjia) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Five Eyes Alliance must stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs 09:01, December 22, 2021 By Zhong Sheng ( People's Daily The recent election for the seventh-term Legislative Council (LegCo) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) was exactly a testament to the broad representation, political inclusiveness, balanced participation and fair competition. The election was of vital importance for developing democracy that suits Hong Kongs actual conditions, shaping a new and sound paradigm of governance in Hong Kong, and promoting the long-term and stable development of the one country, two systems principle. However, Five Eyes Alliance countries, including the United States and the UK, are unwilling to see Hong Kong implement the new electoral system and embrace stability and prosperity. They deliberately turned a blind eye to the election results which were achieved according to the will of the people in Hong Kong and relevant legal procedures, and blatantly published a so-called joint statement to smear the election, saying there was an erosion of democratic elements. Such mean and sleazy acts were the gross interference in Chinas domestic affairs, and will inevitably come to a dead end like a repeat of the past. Facts have proved that the election for the seventh-term LegCo was a success. Altogether 153 candidates competed in the election and displayed their patriotism and governance capability. The election was also joined by all walks of life in the HKSAR. More than 1.35 million Hong Kong citizens exercised their democratic rights, expressing their firm support and high recognition for the new electoral system with concrete actions. 90 members of the LegCo with different backgrounds and political views were elected. They will better balance interests among different regions, different functional constituencies and the special administrative region as a whole, and better represent the will of the people. A Hong Kong citizen told Peoples Daily that the election this time was more diversified and representative than ever before, and it totally conformed to the general interests of Hong Kong and was a milestone of Hong Kongs democratic system. The Five Eyes Alliance countries, slandering Hong Kongs electoral system and smearing the LegCo election under the disguise of the so-called democracy, revealed their true intention to meddle in Hong Kongs politics, interfere in Chinas domestic affairs, and contain Chinas development. They see those who remain in prison or fugitive for opposing China and attempting to destabilize Hong Kong as meaningful political opposition. Their mean practices are exactly what undermine Hong Kongs rights, freedoms and high degree of autonomy. Its known by all that Hong Kong had never enjoyed democracy under the 156-year British colonial rule, until the door of democracy was opened when it returned to its motherland. The Five Eyes Alliance countries should open their eyes widely to see the fact they are never grade-A students of democracy, or qualified to lecture other countries about democracy. The election for the seventh-term LegCo fully indicated that the aspiration of the Hong Kong people for social stability and their firm determination to oppose anti-China and destabilizing forces are unchallengeable, and the democratic development of Hong Kong is unstoppable under the once country, two systems principle. Hong Kong must be governed by those who love China, and anti-China disrupters must be knocked out. Thats what guarantees a brighter future of the special administrative region, and a common aspiration of the Hong Kong society. The annoying noises made by the Five Eyes alliances are only a piece of evidence of external forces meddling in Hong Kong affairs, and reveal that the anti-China disrupters are indeed the chief culprit that undermines Hong Kongs progress of democracy. Hong Kong is part of China, and its affairs are purely China's internal affairs. Whether Hong Kongs democratic system is good shall be judged by the Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots. The Chinese government will continue to implement the principle of One Country, Two Systems fully and faithfully, and it will support Hong Kong in developing a democratic system that conforms to the regions constitutional status and actual conditions. Hong Kong will embrace a wider road to democracy and brighter prospects of democratic development as the principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong" becoming more and more consolidated. We sternly warn the Five Eyes Alliance that any plot to interfere in Chinas domestic affairs and disrupt Hong Kong in the name of democracy is doomed to fail, and it should better stop such mean practices as soon as possible. (Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by Peoples Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.) (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Flood-destroyed ancient bridge to reopen in east China Xinhua) 09:08, December 22, 2021 Photo shows the repaired Zhenhai Bridge in Tunxi District of Huangshan, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 21, 2021. An ancient bridge destroyed by floods in east China's Anhui Province will reopen soon after repair, local authorities said. The repair work, which started on Nov. 13, 2020, has been completed and passed quality inspection on Tuesday. The Zhenhai Bridge, built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), was a state-level cultural relics protection site in the city of Huangshan. Floodwaters destroyed the 131-meter-long bridge during a heavy rainstorm on July 7, 2020. (Photo by Shi Yalei/Xinhua) HEFEI, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- A 480-year-old bridge destroyed by floods in east China's Anhui Province will reopen soon after over a month of repair, local authorities said. The repair work, which started on Nov. 13, has been completed and passed quality inspection on Tuesday. The Zhenhai Bridge, built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), was a state-level cultural relics protection site in the city of Huangshan. Floodwaters destroyed the bridge during a heavy rainstorm on July 7. Salvage operations started on Aug. 12 and lasted for 19 days. Over 4,500 cubic meters of material from the wrecked structure were retrieved, paving the way for repair work. The 131-meter bridge with seven arches was initially constructed in 1536 and was repaired several times in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) after being damaged by flooding. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Chinese rap song goes viral, critiques 'American-style democracy' (People's Daily App) 09:11, December 22, 2021 A satirical song named "Cokecracy" created by a young Chinese rap group has gone viral on overseas social media. With lines like, "My democracy just like Coca-Cola," the song personifies the US in an ironic manner and states that so-called "American-style democracy" is actually the "America first" policy in disguise. In April this year, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that democracy is not like Coca-Cola, which promises the same taste everywhere in the world, urging the US to respect the path and system independently chosen by China. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Commentary: West-led small circles blind to democratic progress in Hong Kong Xinhua) 09:29, December 22, 2021 BEIJING, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The West-led small circles are putting on a clumsy show after rushing one after another to groundlessly smear the election of the seventh-term Legislative Council (LegCo) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). With ridiculous statements, the "Five Eyes" intelligence alliance, the Group of Seven (G7), and some others continued to meddle with China's internal affairs and chose to turn a blind eye to the democratic progress in Hong Kong. Over 1.3 million people in Hong Kong went to the polls on Sunday despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the cold weather, and interference from individuals and forces associated with external forces. The LegCo election, the first since the improvement in the HKSAR's electoral system, was smooth and orderly with great enthusiasm and active participation from voters in Hong Kong, fully demonstrating the true will of the people while slapping the face of those bent on destabilizing the city and China at large. The voters, fed up with meaningless infighting previously choking the LegCo and looking forward to good governance in Hong Kong, used their ballots to full the seats with legislators who truly love Hong Kong and their motherland rather than pawns of certain Western countries. Western cliques and bodies are trying to distort the facts by ignoring the diversity of new LegCo members, which include both natives and Mandarin-speaking "Hong Kong drifters," as well as legislative veterans and newcomers, from a broad range of communities, such as business, politics, education, health care, law, and accounting. The newly-elected Hong Kong legislators differ in backgrounds, ideas, religious beliefs, and demands of interests, serving as a good illustration that there is plenty of room to accommodate different political views and groups in the Chinese city. It should be made clear to exclusive clubs like the "Five Eyes" and the G7 that actions have been taken to improve the HKSAR's electoral system because there were loopholes that anti-China agitators had taken advantage of to extend tentacles to Hong Kong's governance framework and interfere with its affairs. The 2019 unrest in Hong Kong revealed a severe lack of security in the special administrative region's electoral system. From the enactment of the national security law to the improvement of the electoral system, a new order of "patriots administering Hong Kong" has been established institutionally, clearing the way for the return of social security and political stability to the "Pearl of the Orient." The latest LegCo election has laid the foundation for good governance in Hong Kong, with strongly qualified and diversified representatives becoming part of its governance system. The reason why certain Western countries have been sparing no efforts to nitpick the seventh-term LegCo election in Hong Kong lies in anxiety that they won't be able to implant puppets through the previously-flawed electoral system. Their tricks of making trouble in Hong Kong appear to be unmasked one by one. Western forces, as history and reality have revealed, doesn't really care about democracy in Hong Kong, which had enjoyed no such rights during more than 150 years under the British colonial rule. What they really want is to use Hong Kong to contain China, with democracy as a pretext and a tool. The process and results of the LegCo election have manifested that lies and smearing fabricated by the West are doomed to futility and that desperate efforts to suppress China by destabilizing Hong Kong are leading nowhere. It is high time certain countries and groups opened eyes and fairly acknowledged democratic progress in Hong Kong before further humiliating themselves in front of the international community. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Commissioner's office of Chinese foreign ministry denounces external defamation of Hong Kong's LegCo election Xinhua) 09:33, December 22, 2021 HONG KONG, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has strongly disapproved of, firmly rejected and condemned the misleading statement made by foreign ministers of some countries about the election of the seventh-term Legislative Council (LegCo) of the HKSAR. The foreign ministers of the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand smeared Hong Kong's new electoral system, questioned the authority of the election results, emboldened anti-China elements in Hong Kong and interfered in China's internal affairs, said a spokesperson of the office on Monday. The white paper titled "Hong Kong: Democratic Progress Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems" released by China's State Council Information Office Monday clearly stated that the Chinese government designed, created, safeguarded and advanced Hong Kong's system of democracy, the spokesperson said. "The electoral system improved by the central government shows that democracy in Hong Kong is advancing with the times and it lays a solid foundation for the sound long-term development of democracy in Hong Kong," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson stressed that under the new electoral system, the LegCo election embraced its original mission of choosing the able and serving the people, minimized the internal rifts and pan-politicization, and reflected Hong Kong's mainstream public opinion of seeking stability and development, kicking off a new era of quality democracy in Hong Kong. The spokesperson pointed out that administration by patriots is a common political ethic, and ensuring a sense of national identity and political loyalty of public office-holders is an international common practice, adding the new electoral system features great inclusiveness and diversity and serves the fundamental interests of Hong Kong people. The spokesperson stated that facts have proved the national security law in Hong Kong is an effective law that serves Hong Kong's interests, which only targets a small number of criminals who seriously endanger national security, and protects the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people. The spokesperson said some politicians in the relevant countries repeatedly played up the so-called "chilling effect" of the national security law in Hong Kong to create social panic of "everyone is at risk." "However, it only laid bare their dark mentality of trying to disrupt the stable Hong Kong and made us even more determined to fully and faithfully implement 'one country, two systems' and the national security law in Hong Kong," the spokesperson noted. The spokesperson pointed out that the Constitution and the Basic Law established the system of democracy in the HKSAR, adding the provisions relating to the British side in the Sino-British Joint Declaration were all fulfilled at the time of the return of Hong Kong and the completion of all follow-up work, and Britain has no sovereignty, jurisdiction or "right of supervision" over Hong Kong after its return to China. The spokesperson said that as stated in the white paper, there was no democracy in Hong Kong under British colonial rule, the British colonial government maintained a repressive rule in Hong Kong, and Hong Kong people never enjoyed true democracy, human rights and freedom. Some politicians in the United States are obsessed with undermining the democratic development and sowing social discords in Hong Kong, proclaiming to advocate "democracy" and "freedom," but in effect engage in activities of using Hong Kong to contain China, the spokesperson said. Australia, Canada and New Zealand also have a bad track record in supporting anti-China elements and damaging democracy and the rule of law in Hong Kong, the spokesperson added. "We urge politicians in the relevant countries to respect the historical trend of the times, abide by the principles of international law such as non-interference in others' internal affairs and the basic norms governing international relations, and stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs in any form," the spokesperson said. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Afghanistan receives new batch of China-donated supplies Xinhua) 09:34, December 22, 2021 KABUL, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) has received a batch of assistance donated by the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC). A handover ceremony was held Tuesday at ARCS complex in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, attended by Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu and ARCS Secretary General Mawlawi Matiul Haq Khalis. "As Afghanistan's friendly neighbor and sincere friend, China attaches great importance to the difficulties that Afghan people currently face," Wang said at the ceremony. In order to help Afghanistan overcome the current difficulties, China has taken a number of measures and has provided batches of emergency assistance to Afghanistan, Wang added. The Chinese ambassador said that 1,500 tons of Afghan pine nuts have reached China since November, generating a revenue of more than 16 million U.S. dollars for the Afghan people. China will continue to import Afghan agricultural products. During the ceremony, Khalis expressed gratitude to China for the humanitarian assistance including the RCSC batch. "The latest Chinese donation is very important for the people of Afghanistan in this critical situation," Khalis said. In addition to medical equipment, the RCSC supplies also included a batch of medicine and school bags for school children. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Chinese embassy spokespersons remarks on the Hong Kong-related joint statement issued by the UK and a handful of countries People's Daily Online) 10:13, December 22, 2021 Question: On December 20th, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK issued a so-called joint statement with the Secretary of State of the United States and the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand expressing grave concern over the election results of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and making irresponsible comments on Chinas measures to improve the electoral system in Hong Kong. What is the comment of the Chinese Embassy in the UK? Embassy Spokesperson: The election for the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is Chinas internal affair, which no foreign country has the right to interfere in. The irresponsible comments, distortion of facts and malicious discrediting of the election made by the UK Foreign Secretary in collusion with the foreign ministers of the other four countries gravely interfered in Chinas internal affairs and violated the basic norms governing international relations. The Chinese side expresses firm opposition and strong condemnation. The election for the Seventh Legislative Council of the Hong Kong SAR on December 19th is the first Legislative Council election following the improvement of the electoral system. The SAR Government, overcoming the risks of Covid-19, organised and ran the election in an orderly manner and in strict accordance with law. The election was smooth, fair and just, ending the chaos and the viciously antagonistic and divisive campaigns that had plagued previous elections for years. This election has displayed a rational and constructive culture and is held with extensive representation, political inclusiveness, balanced participation and fair competition. It is a successful model of quality and true democracy, and bears important and far-reaching significance to developing a democratic path that suits the real conditions in Hong Kong. It must be pointed out that Hong Kong residents today enjoy far more rights and freedoms than under the British colonial rule. The fact that chaos has given way to order and order had led to prosperity in Hong Kong fully proves that the decision to adopt and enforce the Law on Safeguarding National Security, improve the electoral system and implement the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong in the Hong Kong SAR will only strengthen the rule of law in Hong Kong, provide better safeguards for the rights and freedoms of the majority of Hong Kong residents, expand public participation in political affairs in a balanced and orderly manner, and promote the healthy development of the democratic system in Hong Kong. All these will better safeguard the long-term stability and prosperity in Hong Kong. We will remain committed to developing the democratic system that suits the real conditions in Hong Kong under the framework of One Country, Two Systems. The future is bright and the road is broad for the development of democracy in Hong Kong. As for the Sino-British Joint Declaration, its core content is China resuming exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong. It does not give the UK any responsibility over Hong Kong after the handover, nor does the UK have sovereignty, jurisdiction or right of supervision over Hong Kong. The Chinese Government governs the Hong Kong SAR in accordance with the Constitution of China and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR, not the Joint Declaration. No foreign country has the right to use the Joint Declaration as an excuse to interfere in Hong Kong affairs. The Chinese Government remains unwavering in its determination to safeguard Chinas sovereignty, security and development interests and oppose any external interference in Hong Kong affairs. Attempts to create trouble in Hong Kong or use Hong Kong to contain China will never succeed. China strongly urges the handful of countries, including the UK, to take off their mask of hypocrisy, recognize the reality and major trend, respect Chinas sovereignty and unity, and stop any form of interference in Hong Kong affairs, which are Chinas internal affairs. Source: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Dramatic final snowboard tune-up for Beijing 2022 Xinhua) 10:54, December 22, 2021 COPPER MOUNTAIN, United States, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The last of two December pre-Olympic qualifying events saw drama and uncertainty unfold as snowboarding Olympians squared off in the final 2021 tune-up before the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. In the women's snowboarding superpipe finals on Saturday, Spain's Queralt Castellet was in the gold medal spot with China's Cai Xuetong in second place when Chloe Kim, the defending 2018 PyeongChang Olympic gold medalist, looked down the superpipe for her last of three runs. "Last run for Chloe Kim," NBC announcer Todd Richards boomed to the crowd of hundreds lining the walls of the 600-foot-long halfpipe, and more than 1,000 fans clustered at the bottom, at the Copper Mountain ski resort, located 77 miles west of Denver in the Rocky Mountains. "Huge pressure on this young lady," added one fan standing atop the superpipe wall, in attendance with his 10-year-old daughter. But Kim, who took a year off snowboarding after the PyeongChang games to concentrate on her studies at Princeton University, saved her best for last and "seemed unfazed by the pressure as she strung together a 1080, cab 900 and a perfectly executed cab 1080 to score a 96 and capture the title," the Steamboat Pilot reported. At the bottom, as the crowd roared in appreciation, Kim fell to her knees and was immediately mobbed by Cai, Castellet and the other women snowboard competitors, who piled on top of her with whoops and cheers of appreciation. "This is what makes snowboarding so special," onlooker Dave Pyle told Xinhua. "These women are fierce competitors, but above all that, they support each other regardless of the outcome. They are all class acts." "I am never putting myself in that situation again," Kim told the audience after her dramatic come-from-behind victory. "That was horrible. I was so happy that I was able to land, seriously." Castellet finished second, and Cai took third. Next month's Olympic qualifier at California's Mammoth Springs will decide the final spots on the U.S. ski and snowboard Olympic teams. On the men's side, the snowboarding superpipe drama was replaced by the uncertainty that looms over the head of snowboarding legend Shaun White, a four-time Olympian who stumbled on his first two runs and only finished seventh overall with a top score of 82. "Shaun White struggles again in Olympic snowboard qualifier," the San Diego Union-Tribune headline said Sunday, as "the three-time gold medalist continued to underwhelm in the 2021-22 season and is down to one remaining qualifier," the Union-Tribune said. "It looks like the 35-year-old icon from Carlsbad will need a discretionary pick from U.S. Ski &Snowboard to get to Beijing," the report added, noting that White was eighth two weeks ago "on this same halfpipe" at the U.S. Grand Prix. Japan's Yuto Totsuka won Sunday with a score of 95.5 points on his final run, followed by American Taylor Gold (92.0), Japan's Ruka Hirano (89.0), Switzerland's Jan Scherrer (88.0). On Sunday, Japan's Ayumu Hirano became the first person in snowboard history to land the elusive triple cork (three diagonal revolutions above the 22-foot pipe) in competition. "Halfpipe snowboarding has just changed," NBC's Richards announced. "This is where we're going, ladies and gentlemen. Good luck, everybody." Aside from White, the American best positioned to prevent a Japan sweep is Gold, who finished second on the day off the strength of his very first run, Forbes said Sunday. "It was a highly technical run that saw Gold go McTwist, frontside 1260 with a tailgrab, his signature double Michalchuk 1080 and then a switch McTwist as a setup trick for the switch 1080," Forbes noted of team USA's best Olympic hope after White. In the men's snowboard superpipe final, four Americans made up the 10-man field, including White, Gold, Chase Josey and Joey Okesson. After his final run, White threw his goggles and gloves to the fans. "I'm so happy to put one in. Thank you everyone for being here," White told the crowd. "This is my last Dew Tour so thank you, Dew Tour. Thank you everybody here. I appreciate you!" (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Feature: Chinese vaccine helps Indonesian kids fight COVID-19 Xinhua) 11:22, December 22, 2021 JAKARTA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- In a primary school in the eastern part of Indonesia's capital Jakarta on Tuesday morning, 6-year-old Dedi Permadi got his first COVID-19 jab. Despite being afraid of needles, Permadi knew that the vaccination would help him to fight COVID-19. The school was decorated with stickers of cartoon superheroes to encourage kids to get injected. Students and parents listened to teachers explain the importance of vaccination. "Many children are afraid of getting injections because they are scared of the pain," Nurliza Yanti, one of the school teachers, told Xinhua. "Some of them were crying afterward, so, we asked their parents to comfort them." Indonesia, home to 270 million people, has been vaccinating children aged 6 to 11 since last Tuesday, planning to vaccinate 27 million with Sinovac, the only vaccine currently used for kids in the archipelago, according to the country's drug and food agency. By Monday, at least 540,000 children in the age group had been vaccinated, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said on Monday. He called on the public to immediately get their vaccinations to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant. The country's second wave triggered by the more Delta variant peaked at over 50,000 cases in July. Daily cases have come down significantly since then, but the country is still facing the threat of other variants. Indonesia started its mass COVID-19 vaccinations in January when authorities approved the Sinovac vaccine. By Monday, Indonesia had registered 4.3 million cases with more than 144,000 deaths since March last year. Authorities are accelerating vaccination programs. To date, more than 152 million people have received their first doses of vaccines, while over 107 million have had second doses. After his jab, Permadi received a bravery medal and gift packs containing masks, modeling clay and chocolates as reward for his bravery. "Now, I can fight COVID-19!" he said. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) NW Chinas Xinjiang builds big business with expanding regional nang industry People's Daily Online) 13:18, December 22, 2021 Northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has turned nang, a kind of crusty pancake and a staple food of local people, into a huge industry, which has been thriving all over the region. Xinjiang listed the nang sector as one of the top 10 industries to see better and stronger development during the 14th Five-year Plan period (2021-2025). Workers make nang flatbread at a food industry park in Payzawat County, Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Ma Kai) Xinjiang has been promoting the high-quality development of its nang industry, making it an advantageous industry that helps increase the incomes of farmers and herdsmen living in the region. Kashgar prefecture stands as a typical example of the development of Xinjiangs nang industry. To promote the standardized development of the sector, Kashgar has set up a multi-level nang industrial system consisting of nang production bases, nang industrial parks, nang cooperatives and nang workshops. The prefecture has also developed a standardized management system for the nang industry to guarantee the sanitary conditions and quality of products. Thanks to such efforts, Kashgar now produces an average of more than 10 million nang per day. Osman Memet is a nang baker at a nang industrial park in Kashgar city, Kashgar prefecture. In the past, Memet burned coal or firewood to bake nang in adobe nang pits. Nowadays Memet makes nang using an electric oven at the industrial park. The electric oven is environmentally-friendly and can guarantee the sanitary conditions and quality of products, Memet said. Before working at the industrial park, Memet had already made nang for more than 10 years in a village, earning a monthly salary of about 1,000 yuan (about $157). Now Memet earns a salary of more than 3,500 yuan a month at the industrial park. Meanwhile, Xinjiang has realized the integrated development of the nang sector alongside its culture and tourism industries. So far, the region has built 83 nang cultural industrial parks, where visitors can enjoy Xinjiang folk dance performances, a variety of nang products and other local foods. At present, the development of the nang industry in Xinjiang has gradually realized the integration of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries, facilitating the development of agricultural and sideline products. Xinjiang has also strengthened brand-building for its nang products. For example, Kashgar has established a unified management system for employees in the industry beyond Xinjiang and set up a nang industry association to help build a brand for the prefectures nang products. So far, Kashgar has developed 36 nang brands covering 153 varieties of nang. Now the prefectures nang sells well across China and even in foreign countries. Recently, 300 boxes of nang from a nang industrial park in Kashgars Shule county were exported to Tajikistan in Central Asia. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Belt and Road projects yield fruits, forge ahead amid pandemic in Asia-Pacific Xinhua) 13:45, December 22, 2021 HONG KONG, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- In early December, landlocked Laos took a quantum leap toward the nation's dream of becoming a land-linked hub thanks to the inauguration of the China-Laos Railway. Laos is the only nation in Southeast Asia without direct access to the sea. Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith called the occasion "a proud moment and the dream of all ethnic groups of Laos." The first electrified railway in Laos was made possible by the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China's grand plan for a better-connected world was also behind Vietnam's first metro line, which went into commercial operation in capital Hanoi in November. The Asia-Pacific is home to an extending infrastructure network which was further energized over the past year by new bridges, dams, highways, power lines and railroads, among other BRI projects. Even the COVID-19 pandemic did not slow down work for long. The East Coast Rail Link in Malaysia had almost its entire staff fully vaccinated by October. Around the world, 141 countries and 32 international organizations, including 19 UN agencies, have participated in the BRI. CHINESE TECHNICAL STANDARDS In Bangladesh, the awe-inspiring Padma Bridge nears completion. The rail-road bridge is expected to speed up development and poverty reduction in the southwest of the riverine country, and to complete a key link in the envisaged trans-Asian rail network. The Padma Bridge has 40 piers sunk into the sandy riverbed. According to Bangladeshi project engineer Dewan Muhammad Abdul Kader, "Every pier and span presented numerous challenges" to the Chinese engineers. The China-Laos Railway has 75 tunnels in the 422-km Laos section. There -- and in Belt and Road projects elsewhere -- advanced technology and techniques are making short work of geological complexities. Chinese management and technical standards are extensively applied. VR systems providing a virtual workplace for safety training help protect Malaysian workers, while state-of-the-art equipment like China's tunneling machines boosts progress in building the railway in eastern Malaysia. Phase-II of the Karakoram Highway was declared one of the best projects in the world this year by U.S. weekly Engineering News-Record in September. Part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the highway is just one of 46 corridor projects underway or completed. Pakistan sees the corridor as a gamechanger for its national development. CLEAN AND GREEN No more coal-fired power plants will be built as part of the BRI, and a large number of hydropower projects are completed, underway or in the pipeline. Notably, the Sirindhorn Dam in northeastern Thailand combines a floating solar farm with an existing hydropower plant. The Thai government plans to reproduce this model in 15 other locations as part of its climate commitment to a green low-carbon growth. All Belt and Road projects are constructed in an environment-friendly manner, with a strong imperative to protect the local ecosystem. Construction of the railway created some 110,000 jobs in Laos, but the route remains just as verdant and lush as before the earthmovers arrived. "After construction, revegetation goes. This is not just high-quality engineering, but also common sense. We want to leave the trackside in the condition we found it," said chief engineer Huang Daiwen. Huang's team has even applied for a patent for "roadbed slope revegetation devices" developed during their work in Laos. Building hydro dams, of course, takes into account habitat protection for terrestrial wildlife. In the water, dams on the Nam Ou River in Laos have been restocked with native species of fish. Over 2 million fry have been released into the river over past years. And that's not just good for the health of the biosphere, it's good for local people too. Fish restaurants have sprung up, attracting customers from Luang Prabang, dozens of kilometers away. Songkham Yathika, 55, likes boasting about his personal journey from mountain man to fisherman to restaurateur. LIVELIHOODS AND RISING HOPES Thanks to the resumed BRI arrangement of chartered freight, in November the flow of pine nuts from Afghanistan to China got moving again, much to the relief of rural people whose only income comes from the nut. The whole pine-nut industrial chain provides at least 40,000 jobs in Khost and Paktia provinces. This trade is a lifeline in Afghanistan amid what might otherwise be a harsh winter of food shortages, economic crises and COVID-19. To Sri Lankans, the BRI will bring more things than clean water to 450,000 Katana residents and a new outpatient building in commercial capital Colombo. In September, a children's picture book, A City Rising from the Ocean was published. It tells the story of Colombo Port City, a financial hub growing on land reclaimed from the sea for the past seven years. Port City marina staged Colombo Fashion Week shows in November. A PwC study in November said that, once fully operational, the port city project will add 13.8 billion U.S. dollars to Sri Lanka's economy. The China-funded 60,000-seat Morodok Techo National Stadium, built in Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, was handed over to Cambodia in September. The country is now ready to host the Southeast Asian Games in 2023. BROADER CONNECTIVITY "The stadium serves as another bridge to connect the hearts of the two peoples," said Cambodian government's chief spokesperson Phay Siphan. In inaugurating the eighth Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge in November, Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen thanked the BRI for benefiting the Cambodian people and thanked China for COVID-19 vaccine supplies. Those supplies have been instrumental in achieving the country's very high vaccination rates, with 13.56 million people or 84.8 percent of the population being fully vaccinated as of Dec. 15. Cambodia is also setting up a Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine filling factory. It is among the 29 countries in Asia-Pacific that began Belt and Road partnerships on COVID-19 vaccines cooperation and green development this June. To return to the biggest BRI event of the year, the China-Laos Railway connecting Kunming in Southwest China to Lao capital Vientiane is a docking project between the BRI and Laos' development strategy. According to President Thongloun, the shining green line of high tech through primal forest symbolizes the spirit of a community of a shared future and the shared dreams of peoples. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Heroes in harm's way: forest firefighters carry out rescue tasks in NE China's Heilongjiang People's Daily Online) 16:19, December 22, 2021 (Photo/Courtesy of the No.1 detachment of the Heilongjiang Forest Fire Brigade) Building 12 Huoyan (Fire Eye) Laboratories in nine hours to support nucleic acid testing during the COVID-19 epidemic; filling over 20,000 sandbags in 72 hours for flooding These are firefighters from the No.1 detachment of the Heilongjiang Forest Fire Brigade, stationed in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. Formed in 2003, the detachment is mainly responsible for forest fire fighting, flood rescue and earthquake rescue. For nearly two decades, the firefighters have carried out more than 60 emergency rescue tasks, becoming heroes in harm's way. "The fire brigade is the closest to the people. We will always be there when people need us," said Ren Mingshuang, an officer with the detachment. (Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Liang Jun) China offers more assistance to Philippine typhoon victims Xinhua) 16:55, December 22, 2021 MANILA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- China offered 1 million U.S. dollars in cash and another 4,725 tons of rice on Wednesday to help the victims of Typhoon Rai in the Philippines. Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian announced the assistance at the handover ceremony of the rice, the last batch of the 10,000 tons that China donated to the Philippines. The emergency cash assistance is to support the relief and recovery efforts of the Philippine government and people against the disaster brought by the devastating typhoon, Huang said, expressing hope that the fresh batch of rice will contribute to the Philippines' humanitarian relief operations in typhoon-hit areas. On Tuesday, the Chinese embassy in Manila raised 20,000 food packages containing rice, canned food, and noodles packs. Huang said the relief goods had reached typhoon-affected areas such as Cebu, Leyte, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Cagayan de Oro City, Surigao City, among others. Huang said China will continue to support the Philippines' relief and recovery efforts "to the best of its ability." "China and the Philippines are close and friendly neighbors who always help and support each other through trying times," the ambassador said. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared Tuesday night a state of calamity in several regions to speed up relief efforts for victims of Typhoon Rai. Philippine Social Welfare Director Emmanuel Privado, who received the donated rice from China on Wednesday, thanked the Chinese government for its generosity. Privado said the Chinese donations are timely, saying his government is in the thick of distributing relief goods to the typhoon victims. "We express our heartfelt gratitude to the people of Chinese for these donations. This is so timely. The typhoon victims will benefit from these," he said. Typhoon Rai, which battered the Philippines last week, affected more than 1.3 million and is feared to have killed at least 375 in the central and southern Philippine and parts of the main Luzon island. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Major countries should shoulder responsibilities amid Omicron surges: Chinese ambassador Xinhua) 16:55, December 22, 2021 WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Major countries must shoulder their responsibilities, take the lead to provide COVID-19 vaccines for low-and middle-income countries, and help them foster production capacity as the Omicron variant is rapidly spreading around the globe, said Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang on Tuesday. "As the Omicron variant is rapidly spreading around the globe, we are facing a very severe situation. Therefore, it is pressing to ensure ample supply and fair distribution of vaccines," said Qin. As representative of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Qin made the remarks when he attended the Virtual Meeting on COVID-19 Omicron Variant hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The meeting, joined by several foreign ministers and representatives of regional organizations, discussed issues such as the global impact of and response to the COVID-19 Omicron variant. China has been working hard to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, and help meet the vaccination targets of the World Health Organization, said Qin. According to the ambassador, up till now, China has provided nearly 2 billion doses of vaccines for more than 120 countries and international organizations, making China the largest supplier of vaccines to other countries. On top of the 100 million U.S. dollars of donation to COVAX, China has pledged to donate an additional 100 million doses of vaccines to fellow developing countries, and provide another 1 billion doses of vaccines to Africa. Now for the 5.6 billion shots of COVID-19 vaccines administered outside China, one third of them were provided by China, said Qin. Calling on the international community to fight the pandemic together, the ambassador said, "We must oppose disinformation and vaccine discrimination, and raise the vaccination rate." China will continue to work with the international community to advance international cooperation on COVID-19, narrow the global "immunity gap" and jointly build a global community of health for all, said Qin. Noting that Omicron variant poses a new challenge to Beijing Winter Olympic Games, he said, "China will take more effective measures to protect athletes and guests of all countries. We are confident to host a streamlined, safe and splendid Winter Olympics." (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Herbert Diess, CEO of the world's second largest carmaker Volkswagen AG, has called for more cooperation with China, saying the carmaker will not keep pace with innovations if it does not face the competition in the Chinese market. "We need more cooperation and presence in China, not less," said Diess in his social media account on Monday. "It would be very damaging if Germany or the EU wanted to decouple from China," he said. Diess said Volkswagen is a global company and it will not stop advocating for globalization, a multi-lateral rules-based trading system and engagement. China is Volkswagen's biggest market worldwide. In the first three quarters this year, its deliveries in the country reached 2.55 million units, over 35 percent of its total sales globally in the same period. Total vehicle sales in China would reach 26.1 million this year, up 3 percent from 2020, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Electric cars and plug-in hybrids are highlights. Their combined sales are expected to hit 3.4 million units this year in China and 5 million in 2022, said the CAAM. Diess said Volkswagen has significantly raised its NEV sales target in China in 2022. It has launched the electric ID.3, ID.4 and ID.6 models in the country and is planning to introduce more. He said the carmaker is changing its marketing, 80 percent of which is now on social media, in an effort to attract the younger customers who are showing more interest in local Chinese startups. Volkswagen is also partnering with Chinese companies including battery maker Gotion to sharpen its competitive edge. Headquartered in Hefei, Anhui province, Gotion will help produce battery cells at Volkswagen's plant in Salzgitter, Germany, with production expected to start in 2025. The battery maker will serve as a technology partner "for the cell factory layout, machinery and production processes," said Volkswagen in a statement earlier this year. Gotion, with Volkswagen as its largest shareholder, will supply batteries for the carmaker's plants in China as well. Volkswagen unveiled in July this year a campaign called New Auto that focuses on electrification, autonomous driving and software-driven mobility. "We have to use the Chinese speed and local technology platforms to remain worldwide relevant in New Auto," said Diess. HEFEI, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- A 480-year-old bridge destroyed by floods in east China's Anhui Province will reopen soon after over a month of repair, local authorities said. The repair work, which started on Nov. 13, has been completed and passed quality inspection on Tuesday. The Zhenhai Bridge, built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), was a state-level cultural relics protection site in the city of Huangshan. Floodwaters destroyed the bridge during a heavy rainstorm on July 7. Salvage operations started on Aug. 12 and lasted for 19 days. Over 4,500 cubic meters of material from the wrecked structure were retrieved, paving the way for repair work. The 131-meter bridge with seven arches was initially constructed in 1536 and was repaired several times in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) after being damaged by flooding. Enditem Japanese Self-Defense Force ground-based Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptors are seen in position on the grounds in Ishigaki, Okinawa prefecture on February 7, 2016.Photo: AFP Japan's Ishigaki Island, which is close to Okinawa Prefecture, could have been a tranquil tourist attraction. However, foreign media reports show that construction of a missile base is underway there by Japan. Previously, there were reports that Japan's Ministry of Defense was planning to deploy the Ground Self-Defense Force missile units on the island of Ishigaki by the end of 2022, with the units to be manned by 500 to 600 Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) troops. As a sovereign country, Japan has the right to deploy missiles on its own territory. However, as a defeated country in the World War II, Japan is only allowed to possess the "Self-Defense Forces" as part of the existing international order. There is nothing wrong with deploying missiles with only defensive functions, but it's obvious that when a missile base is established, the functions of missiles can be switched at any time. The Ishigaki Island is only 300 kilometers off the coast of the island of Taiwan. More and more analysts believe that Japand's construction of a missile base on the Ishigaki Island is likely not just for countering the "increasingly active Chinese navy in the first island chain." Japan's intention to intervene in the Taiwan Straits situation is only too obvious. This view is not without basis. For some time, Japanese politicians have made no secrets of their attempts to interfere in the Taiwan Straits. Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said arrogantly in his speech on Sunday that the Chinese mainland wants to "invade Taiwan." Previously, he claimed that "a Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency." Right-wing Japanese politician Sanae Takaichi insisted that "diplomatic means alone are not enough" to peacefully resolve cross-Straits questions. She said that the US and Japan should formulate a joint combat plan and incorporate Taiwan into the international cooperation mechanism as soon as possible, with a special focus on the implementation of joint military exercises. Neither Abe nor Takaichi are incumbent officials within the Fumio Kishida administration, but when their influence in the political arena is taking into consideration, the relations between their remarks and the Japanese government's position are actually ambiguous. More noteworthy is the fact that Japan has shown more signs of military coordination with the US and Europe. Since the beginning of 2021, Japan has conducted many joint military exercises. For example, it is very enthusiastic about the military cooperation among the US, Japan, India, and Australia, and it has conducted joint naval exercises with France, Germany and the UK. Although Japan claims the exercises are not "aimed at a third country," anyone with a discerning eye can see that the exercises are obviously targeting the Chinese mainland. This shows that Japan is trying to use more international coordination to "oppose China," and this is far more dangerous than political and economic coordination. Besides, the US has long had plans to deploy medium-range missiles in Asia. But because no country is willing to be dragged into risks of war, none of US allies wants to join the plan. However, some analysts believe that Japan, which is eager to create a disturbance, is very likely to accept this plan, and the specific location is very likely to be on Ishigaki Island. Previously, Japan had deployed anti-ship and air-defense missiles on its southwest islands of Amami Oshima, Okinawa Main Island, and Miyako Island. Japan's weaponization of its southwest islands is in fact helping the US to promote its containment strategy against China in the Asia-Pacific. Tokyo has regarded itself as the "deputy sheriff" of the Indo-Pacific. However, the strategic deterrence that Japanese politicians are imagining will have no effect, but only show their arrogance as they play with fire. If they dare to launch missiles at the Taiwan Straits, we are fully capable of turning the base on the islands into shards of rocks. The international community should be highly vigilant about Japanese right-wing forces' mentality of playing with fire. Japanese militarism has brought grave disasters to many countries in Asia and around the world. On December 7, the 80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, nearly 100 Japanese lawmakers from several political parties visited the Yasukuni Shrine which enshrines infamous Japanese WWII war criminals including 14 A-Class individuals. Regrettably, US political elites were unconcerned about this kind of blatant commemoration of historical sinners. They turned a blind eye to this and did not hesitate to disgrace the US' anti-fascism martyrs. Japanese politicians are dreaming of interfering in the Taiwan Straits, and they hope that the Japanese people will follow them into this hypnosis. The missile base on Ishigaki Island will not turn this delusion into reality but only breaks it into shards. Facts will eventually prove that, compared with China's firm national will and strong countermeasures, those Japanese missile bases attempting to target China are nothing but paper tigers. Editor's note: The United States has been at war for more than 200 of its 245 years of existence. Between the end of WWII and 9/11 barely 50 years the U.S. initiated 201 conflicts that ravaged 153 countries and regions. "America: War by Another Name" is a special eight-part series that explores the sinister motivations for its warmongering. Episode 5 is on America's right-wing extremism. On August 3, 2019, the American far-right online forum 8chan published a post titled "The Inconvenient Truth" in support of the Christchurch Mosque shooting in New Zealand, and against a Hispanic "invasion" of Texas and the "cultural and ethnic replacement" of white people by ethnic minorities. Soon after it was posted, 21-year-old white male Patrick Wood Crusius, whom the police believed to be the author of the post, walked into a Walmart store in El Paso and opened fire at shoppers in opposition to the "great white replacement" he believed to be underway. Before this day, a 2-month-old baby, Paul Anchondo, never knew he would lose both parents in an ordinary grocery shopping trip; a 60-year-old veteran like Arturo Benavides might have never expected that even though he survived a war, he would die in an everyday event and leave behind his wife whom he had spent over 30 years with; 86-year-old Angelina Englisbee had absolutely no idea that the phone call she had with her son at the cashier would be the last in her life The 2019 El Paso shooting in Texas led to 23 deaths. Although the deadliest attack in 2019, it was but one of the many far-right terrorist crimes to have occurred in the U.S. over the past few years. In August 2017, as thousands of white supremacists staged a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, 40 people were injured or killed. In October 2018, the white supremacist terrorist attack in Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue killed 11 and injured seven. On April 28, 2019, the Poway synagogue shooting in California left one dead. On January 6, 2021, the Capitol building saw severe chaos and casualties after Trump supporters at the instigation of right-wing extremists swarmed it in a bid to overturn the results of the 2020 general election. The rise of homegrown terrorism, particularly the surge of far-right extremism, is one of the biggest threats to the U.S. today. American right-wing extremism has three main types: white supremacy, anti-government extremism and social ultraconservatism. The first is a kind of racism in nature, and it is the most popular and the fastest growing far-right ideology in the United States. An important branch of anti-government extremism is the Militia Movement mainly made up of ex-soldiers. The Militia Movement put up training camps that are actually the gathering place for white separatists. Although this extremist strand primarily targeted government authorities, it has become increasingly anti-immigration and anti-Muslim, overlapping with the white supremacist ideology since 2008 when Barack Obama became the U.S. president. Social ultraconservatism is a movement and ideology calling for a return to the American tradition. It includes anti-abortion extremism, anti-gay extremism, anti-immigration extremism and involuntary celibacy (Incel). Many social ultraconservatist movements, for example, the Incel movement, anti-immigrationism and antisemitism, share ideological similarities with white supremacy. In 2019, 48 Americans were killed in domestic terrorist attacks, 39 of them by white supremacists. Although less people died in 2020 for this reason, the number of domestic terrorist plots and attacks was at the highest level since 1994, with two-thirds of them being conducted by right-wing extremists. The rise of far-right forces in the American society is fundamentally enabled by a strong sense of frustration and an identity crisis among the white people due to the deterioration of their financial situation and the marginalization of their culture. This is a result of drastic economic and structural changes in American society. It is also inextricably linked with American government's endless "War on Terror." After the 9/11 attack, Washington invested enormous efforts and resources in anti-terrorism wars overseas. This took a heavy toll on the domestic economy. Starting from 2001, the U.S. ratcheted up its military spending. The Department of Homeland Security budget, which was $16 billion for the year 2001-2002, peaked at $74 billion for the year 2009-2010. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, America's military spending in 2020, standing at $738 billion, was four times as much as that of China and accounted for 40 percent of the global total. To tackle terrorist groups overseas, the U.S. has launched regional wars over the past 20 years, including attacks on Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen. This has incurred huge losses to both local and American troops. The latest research from Brown University shows that the 20-year war in Afghanistan cost $2.3 trillion. That is equivalent to the spending of $6,949 per American citizen. In the meantime, America's overseas war on terrorism has deepened the bias of white Americans against the Muslim population. Especially since the global financial crisis sent the U.S. economy on a rapid downturn in 2008, such bias and hostility has escalated to target almost all ethnic minorities, further consolidating the influence of white supremacists. This, at the instigation of far-right forces, has led to serious racial conflicts and social unrest. The only beneficiary of the wars is probably the military-industrial complex. American defense companies are the leader of the world's arms industry. In 2019, the total sales of the global top five, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrup Grumman, Raytheon and General Dynamics which are all American reached a whopping $166 billion. In 2019, 12 American firms were on the list of the top 25 global defense companies, representing 61 percent of global arms sales. Among the $2.3 trillion spent in the war in Afghanistan, around 87 percent went into the pockets of the top five defense contractors. By funding and lobbying members of Congress, American defense contractors have gained tremendous influence in national policymaking, and, with the help of senators and representatives they have funded, obtained more resources to manufacture weapons. Through infiltration into and influence over academia, Hollywood and the video game industry, the military-industrial complex is able to propagandize at home that it is of necessity to uphold the U.S. hegemony and promote militarism. By doing so, it could keep the war machine running indefinitely to advance the defense industry. The military-industrial complex shrouds American ideologies, politics and culture with a militarist sentiment, creating a fertile ground for the rapid development of far-right terrorism. America "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," then American President Dwight Eisenhower warned in his famous farewell speech in January 1961. Sixty years later, however, the U.S. is turning itself into an imperialist military machine, creating a hot bed for domestic far-right terrorism and sowing the seeds for social division and turmoil. (The author, Yu Feng, is an assistant research fellow at the Institute of American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.) Russian President Vladimir Putin attends an expanded meeting of the Defense Ministry Board in Moscow, Russia, December 21, 2021. /Reuters Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed European security issues and the Ukrainian situation during a phone conversation on Tuesday. It was the first call between the two leaders since Scholz took over as German chancellor. According to a Kremlin press release, Putin informed Scholz of Russian proposals for long-term and legally-binding security guarantees that would prohibit the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) from expanding eastward and deploying offensive weapons near Russia. Putin also provided "detailed commentary on the contents" of the Russia-U.S. and Russia-NATO draft agreements on security, which Russia previously handed over to the Western partners, including Germany, the Kremlin added. Scholz "expressed his concern about the situation and the urgent need for de-escalation" in Ukraine, according to a statement from the German Chancellery. Ukraine and the U.S. say Moscow may be preparing an invasion of Ukraine as early as next month with an estimated 100,000 Russian troops currently on the border with eastern Ukraine. Russia has rejected the accusation. It said it needs pledges from the West including a promise not to conduct NATO military activity in Eastern Europe because its security is threatened by Ukraine's growing ties with the West and the possibility of NATO missiles being deployed against it on Ukrainian territory. Russia has pressed for an urgent U.S. and NATO reply to proposals it made last week for a binding set of security guarantees from the West. (With input from agencies) Palestinian workers remove the rubble of al-Jawhara Tower which was targeted by Israeli air strikes in Gaza City, on Nov. 28, 2021. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) "We must not allow 2022 to become yet another year misspent. We hope that Palestine and Israel will seize the opportunity brought by the recent high-level engagements, continue to build the momentum, gradually rebuild mutual trust, and resume dialogue on equal footing at an early date," said a Chinese envoy. UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday expressed concern over the security situation in the occupied Palestinian territory and called on the parties to exercise restraint. The security situation in the occupied Palestinian territory is worrying. Since the beginning of this year, operations by security forces in the West Bank have caused massive Palestinian casualties. Violence by the Israeli settlers has intensified. Attacks have occurred frequently, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. "We urge all parties to remain calm and exercise restraint, refrain from measures that could lead to further escalations, avoid harming civilians, and work together to de-escalate the situation," he told the Security Council. Israel should earnestly fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law, ensure safety for the people of the occupied territory and their property, thoroughly investigate attacks by settlers and incidents of violence against civilians and to bring the perpetrators to justice. At the same time, Israel's right to exist and its legitimate security concerns should also be respected, he said. Two days from now, it will be the fifth anniversary of the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2334. Regrettably, the resolution has yet to be implemented. In contravention of the resolution, settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory have continued to expand. China is deeply concerned over this, said Dai. Settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory violate international law and continuously jeopardize the prospects of the two-state solution. China once again urges Israel to abide by Resolution 2334, cease all settlement activities and return to the track of the two-state solution, he said. A Palestinian protester uses a slingshot to hurl a stone at Israeli soldiers during clashes after a protest against the expanding of Jewish settlements in Kufr Qadoom village near the West Bank city of Nablus, on Dec. 10, 2021. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua) The per capita gross domestic product in the West Bank and Gaza has been shrinking for years. The Palestinian Authority is faced with a financial crisis. Gaza, after the escalation in May, is in dire need of recovery and reconstruction. The people in the occupied Palestinian territory find themselves in hardships, he said. The international community should take urgent actions to offer assistance to Palestine through multiple channels, and support the work of the UN agency for Palestine refugees. Israel should facilitate access for humanitarian aid and reconstruction materials, and lift the blockade and siege on Gaza as soon as possible, he said. The question of Palestine has always been at the heart of the Middle East question. The international community should keep to the right direction of the two-state solution and make greater efforts to advance the Middle East peace process on the basis of relevant UN resolutions, the land-for-peace principle and other international consensuses, he said. "We must not allow 2022 to become yet another year misspent. We hope that Palestine and Israel will seize the opportunity brought by the recent high-level engagements, continue to build the momentum, gradually rebuild mutual trust, and resume dialogue on equal footing at an early date," said Dai. China calls for broader international efforts for peace and supports the United Nations, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and countries with significant influence in playing a more positive role. The Security Council should also shoulder its responsibilities, have a greater sense of urgency and work actively toward the just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question, he said. By Zang Yaqi and Sun Xuesong JUBA, Dec. 22 -- The 350-member 2nd echelon of the 8th Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan (Juba) arrived at the mission area in Juba on December 21. This marked that all 700 troops of the 8th Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan have arrived in the mission area and started to perform one-year peacekeeping mission. The 350-member first echelon arrived on December 1. After medical isolation, they completed the handover of a number of materials including vehicles, weapons and ammunition, medical equipment, and logistic materials with their predecessors on December 15. The command handover ceremony was held on December 16 and the members of the first echelon officially started to perform the peacekeeping mission thereafter. Formed mainly from the 82nd Group Army under the PLA Central Theater Command, the peacekeeping battalion includes infantry, armored, reconnaissance, and artillery, engineering and medical troops. They will perform tasks including armed patrols, cordon and search, armed escorts, and protection of civilians, and participate in medical assistance, cultural exchanges, humanitarian rescue and other UN activities. President Xi Jinping meets with Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Ho Iat Seng, who is on a duty visit to Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Wednesday met with Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Ho Iat Seng, who is on a duty visit to Beijing. During the meeting, Xi heard a report from Ho on Macao's current situation and the Macao SAR government's work. Noting that Macao celebrated the 22nd anniversary of its return to the motherland on Dec. 20, Xi extended festive greetings to all compatriots in Macao. Xi highlighted the work of Macao over the past year in maintaining the sound momentum of stability and development, effectively taming COVID-19, achieving gradual economic recovery, and successfully completing the election of the seventh Legislative Assembly of the Macao SAR. The central authorities fully acknowledge the work that Ho and the Macao SAR government have done, Xi said. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Macao society has gained a clearer understanding of existing problems in the region's economic structure and deeper reflections on its future development, Xi said. The motherland will always act as a strong support for Macao in maintaining prosperity and stability. The central authorities will firmly implement the principle of "one country, two systems" and support Macao in appropriately diversifying its economy, Xi said. Senior officials including Han Zheng, Ding Xuexiang, Guo Shengkun, You Quan, Wang Yi and Xia Baolong attended the meeting. President Xi Jinping meets with Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Ho Iat Seng, who is on a duty visit to Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) President Xi Jinping meets with Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam, who is on a duty visit to Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Wednesday met with Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam, who is on a duty visit to Beijing. During the meeting, Xi heard a report from Lam on Hong Kong's current situation and the HKSAR government's work. Over the past year, Hong Kong has consolidated the achievements in restoring order and the situation has constantly improved, Xi said, adding that the region has achieved notable results in COVID-19 response, steadily recovered its economy and maintained social stability. Lam has led the HKSAR government in making systematic changes and improvements to Hong Kong's electoral system in accordance with relevant decision of the National People's Congress (NPC) and relevant legislation of the NPC Standing Committee, Xi said. Lam has also led the HKSAR government in successfully holding elections of the Election Committee and the Legislative Council (LegCo), resolutely implementing the Hong Kong national security law, and taking active measures to promote the HKSAR's integration into the overall development of the country and comprehensively deepen its exchanges and cooperation with the mainland, Xi said. The central authorities fully acknowledge the work of Lam and the HKSAR government, Xi said. Xi said the elections of the Election Committee and the seventh LegCo held under the new electoral system were both successful, with democratic rights of Hong Kong residents reflected, the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" implemented, and a political landscape established with wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies. Practice has proven that the new electoral system adheres to the "one country, two systems" principle and fits Hong Kong's realities, Xi said, calling it a good system that will provide strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of "one country, two systems" and Hong Kong's enduring prosperity and stability. Noting that "one country, two systems" is conducive to safeguarding the fundamental interests of the country, the HKSAR and Hong Kong compatriots, Xi said the central authorities will continue to unswervingly implement the "one country, two systems" principle. Senior officials including Han Zheng, Ding Xuexiang, Guo Shengkun, You Quan, Wang Yi and Xia Baolong attended the meeting. President Xi Jinping meets with Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam, who is on a duty visit to Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) Japan hanged three death-row inmates on Tuesday, its first executions in two years, amid growing criticism by human rights groups of the country's use of the death penalty. One of the three, Yasutaka Fujishiro, was convicted of killing seven people and setting fire to their house in 2004, while the other two, Tomoaki Takanezawa and Mitsunori Onogawa, were convicted in the 2003 killings of two pinball parlor employees. Executions are carried out in high secrecy in Japan, where prisoners are not informed of their fate until the morning they are hanged. Since 2007, Japan has begun disclosing the names of those executed and some details of their crimes, but information is still limited. Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa said at a news conference that the three had committed "extremely ghastly" crimes and the punishment was appropriate. Furukawa declined to comment on the timing of the executions, often carried out during the year-end holiday season when parliament is in recess, which opponents say is an attempt by the government to reduce criticism. Japan's parliament had its final session of the year on Tuesday. "As justice minister, I authorized their executions after giving extremely careful considerations again and again," Furukawa said. A Harvard University professor on Tuesday was convicted of U.S. charges that he lied about his ties to a China-run recruitment program, in a closely watched case stemming from a crackdown on Chinese influence within U.S. research. A federal jury in Boston found Charles Lieber, a renowned nanoscientist and the former chairman of Harvard's chemistry department, guilty of making false statements to authorities, filing false tax returns and failing to report a Chinese bank account. Prosecutors had said that in 2011, Lieber, in his quest for a Nobel Prize, agreed to become a "strategic scientist" at Wuhan University of Technology in China and through it participated in a Chinese recruitment drive called the Thousand Talents Program. Prosecutors say China uses that program to recruit foreign researchers to share their knowledge with the country. Participation is not a crime, but prosecutors contend Lieber, 62, illegally lied to authorities about his involvement. Defense lawyer Marc Mukasey had countered that prosecutors had "mangled" evidence to prove Lieber's guilt, lacked key documents to support their claims, and relied too heavily on a "confused" FBI interview with the scientist after his arrest. Lieber, who is battling cancer, sat emotionless as the court announced the verdict, which followed nearly three hours of jury deliberations and six days of trial. Mukasey declined to comment outside the courtroom. White fox appears in metro station By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-12-22 18:43 A white fox was sent to Shanghai Zoo after being spotted by staff at a metro station in Shanghai. It showed up at a metro station on Taopu Road, Putuo District, causing some panic among the passengers. The police, after receiving the report, rushed to the scene, and trapped the fox with some food. (Video by Jiang Meiqing, Cai Huanghao) Press Release December 22, 2021 De Lima urges Congress to honor legislative franchise of CASURECO III Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima urged her Senate colleagues to reject House Bill (HB) No. 4437 seeking to grant franchise to distribute electric power in the City of Iriga and the towns of Baao, Balatan, Bato, Buhi, Bula and Nabua in Camarines Sur to Bicol Light and Power Corporation (Bicol Light). De Lima, who hails from Iriga City, said the important stakeholders, including incumbent Mayors of Camarines Sur, Bicol Electric Cooperative Association (BECA), and Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (PHILRECA) have all spoken out against the said measure. "The people of Camarines Sur deserve better from the Senate. I, as a daughter of Iriga City, join my fellow Iriguenos and my province mates in Cam. Sur in opposing this measure," she said. To date, CASURECO-III (Camarines Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc.-III) is facing a privatization battle against Bicol Light. The former strongly denounced and opposed HB No. 4437 that would grant franchise to the latter to "take-over" the cooperative. "I call on my colleagues to reject HB 4437. Let us honor the existing legislative franchise of CASURECO III and protect the people of Camarines Sur," added De Lima, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development. De Lima explained that the determining circumstance in this case is the existence of a legislative franchise granted to CASURECO III in the area that overlaps with those which Bicol Light seeks to serve. CASURECO III's franchise will not expire until 6 June 2029. "We are all witness to the dramatic turnaround of CASURECO III from a Category C electric cooperative in 2017 to a Category AA in 2019. This is testament to the resilience of this cooperative and its commitment to progress," she said. "The grant of a second distribution franchise in the area will undo this progress and set aside the hard work of the people of CASURECO III and its members," she added. Unlike Bicol Light, De Lima pointed out that CASURECO III seeks to provide electrification to its consumer-members within the framework of social justice and economic development. "It is not driven by a capitalist appetite but by an overarching intent to serve and provide rural electrification," she said. The lady Senator from Bicol stressed that two power distribution companies cannot co-exist in one area as one is bound to put the other out of business because of the limited nature of the market. "If Bicol Light puts CASURECO III out of business, it will be free to force its consumers to pay the cost of their entry to the market. Bicol Light does not seek to end a monopoly. It wants to be one," she said. If the Congress wants to give a chance to anyone to serve the people of Rinconada in Camarines Sur, De Lima said the former should give it to CASURECO III. Rinconada is the collective name of Iriga City and its six neighboring towns. "We already gave them a franchise. We might as well honor it. They have been, thus far, proving that they can go the distance in providing good and affordable service to their consumer-members," she said. "It behooves us to let them stay the course and show to us that even electric cooperatives have their place in our country's progress," she added. Press Release December 22, 2021 Dispatch from Crame No. 1193: Sen. Leila M. De Lima on the call of CamSur Mayors and Cooperative Associations to reject Bicol Light Franchise 12/22/21 The people of Camarines Sur deserve better from the Senate. The stakeholders that matter most: Incumbent Mayors of Camarines Sur, Bicol Electric Cooperative Association (BECA), and Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (PHILRECA) have all spoken out against House Bill No. 4437, or the bill granting franchise to distribute electric power in the City of Iriga and the towns of Baao, Balatan, Bato, Buhi, Bula and Nabua in Camarines Sur to Bicol Light and Power Corporation (Bicol Light). I, as a daughter of Iriga City, join my fellow Iriguenos and my province mates in Cam. Sur in opposing this measure. The determining circumstance in this case is the existence of a legislative franchise granted to CASURECO III in the area that overlaps with those which Bicol Light seeks to serve. CASURECO III's franchise will not expire until 6 June 2029. We are all witness to the dramatic turnaround of CASURECO III from a Category C electric cooperative in 2017 to a Category AA in 2019. This is testament to the resilience of this cooperative and its commitment to progress. The grant of a second distribution franchise in the area will undo this progress and set aside the hard work of the people of CASURECO III and its members. Bicol Light is a private company with very different goals from an electric cooperative. While the proponents behind Bicol Light promise the moon and the stars in terms of electrification, it does so with the understanding that it will get a not insignificant return of its investment. CASURECO III, on the other hand, seeks to provide electrification to its consumer-members within the framework of social justice and economic development. It is not driven by a capitalist appetite but by an overarching intent to serve and provide rural electrification. Two power distribution companies cannot co-exist in one area. One is bound to put the other out of business because of the limited nature of the market. There is no doubt that Bicol Light can gather enough capital to outspend CASURECO III, but it is also certain that the consumers will pay the price of that competition. If Bicol Light puts CASURECO III out of business, it will be free to force its consumers to pay the cost of their entry to the market. Bicol Light does not seek to end a monopoly. It wants to be one. If our Congress wants to give a chance to anyone to serve the electricity needs of the people of Rinconada in Camarines Sur, we should give it to CASURECO III. We already gave them a franchise. We might as well honor it. They have been, thus far, proving that they can go the distance in providing good and affordable service to their consumer-members. It behooves us to let them stay the course and show to us that even electric cooperatives have their place in our country's progress. I call on my colleagues to reject HB 4437. Let us honor the existing legislative franchise of CASURECO III and protect the people of Camarines Sur. ### (Access the handwritten version, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_1193 ) Press Release December 22, 2021 Learn from Subic Bay's transformation, Gordon tells BARMM officials Senator Richard J. Gordon has assured the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) of his unequivocal support in building a formidable region in the South. Speaking during the recent inaugural BARMM Donor's Forum, Gordon encouraged BARMM officials to take a page out of Subic's success book which had proven to be an outstanding formula in building a community from the ground up. "At this point in time, we start anew. I'd like to think of this as an effort at restoring the wonderful effort at creating the Bangsamoro. We want to promote the promise of the future now, and this is a very strong indication that we can do this. It can be done," he said. "May I remind you that this is basic in developing BARMM that we must follow the rule of law, that is predictability, consistency and continuity. But, above all, the people of Bangsamoro must be part of the process of change," he added. As former chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Gordon successfully rallied around 8,000 volunteers to rebuild the former Subic Bay Naval Base into the vibrant freeport, which generated over 200,000 jobs and international recognition. He then underscored the importance of self-reliance and cooperation as essential building blocks in erecting the BARMM into a sustainable economic zone that will gain the respect of the international community. The industries of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, which make up 35 percent of its economy, must be developed, according to Gordon, to help raise the residents' standard of living. One of the poorest regions in the country, Gordon provided hope for the BARMM as progress is a sure thing with reforms and credible leadership. "Bangsamoro is an integral part of our nation. With dedication and support, the region will flourish and prosper into a thriving community," he said. "We've got the poorest in our country and that should give us time for optimism. The only way to go for Bangsamoro is to go up. And we must inform our public, our fellow citizens about that," he added. As principal author and sponsor of Republic Act (RA) 11593, Gordon extended the life of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority by postponing its first elections from 2022 to 2025. Serving as volunteer-chairman of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) since 2004, Gordon has provided more than PhP900 million worth of relief and assistance to the residents of BARMM. Among the various projects the PRC had done was the construction of 20,500 houses built for approximately 13,000 families affected by earthquakes, Typhoon Vinta, and the Marawi armed conflict. To adequately respond to the pandemic in the area, the PRC opened a molecular laboratory in Cotabato City, which caters to thousands of residents in the area. As the country's largest testing facility, the PRC has tested over 5,000,000 samples since April 2020. Gordon also bared the PRC's plans for 2022 by initiating a PRC campaign that will focus on hygiene and vaccination for over 100,000 individuals, and the continued stimulation of its local economy through conditional cash grants that will provide purchasing power for its residents. Press Release December 22, 2021 Lacson Pushes 2-Pronged Approach to Speed Up 'Odette' Relief Efforts An initial Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) that can help pinpoint areas to prioritize relief efforts on one hand, and calling on the international community for relief assistance on the other. This is the two-pronged formula that can ensure Filipinos affected by Typhoon Odette will get their much-needed assistance, Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson said. Lacson, who chairs the Senate Committee on National Defense and who served as Presidential Assistant on Rehabilitation and Recovery (PARR), said these will complement the initial steps taken by the government to address the situation. "It is imperative that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), through the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), expedite the submission of their initial PDNA (Post Disaster Needs Assessment), in order to have an accurate data-driven information on the ground so the national government can prioritize relief, rehabilitation and recovery efforts and assistance to the hardest hit communities," he said. "For its part, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) may also call on the international community of nations for relief assistance just like how they responded to Haiyan (Yolanda) eight years ago," he added. Lacson noted the designation of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rolando Bautista as the interim crisis manager is one move toward the right direction. But he added the NDRRMC must convene soonest to make sure that the agencies involved in relief work are on the same page. "In calamities like this, putting somebody overall in charge is the best and right thing to do. Also, the NDRRMC will need to convene ASAP," he said. During his stint as PARR, Lacson put together the Yolanda Comprehensive Reconstruction Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan (CRRP) to serve as a basis for immediate government interventions in the affected areas. The CRRP also facilitates international donor assistance and provides Projects, Programs, and Activities (PPAs) to meet the needs as identified in the PDNA (ground verified information from the OCD). As PARR from 2013 to 2015, Lacson had seen first-hand what challenges a massive catastrophe can bring to government, the private sector and affected communities. As chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Lacson also heads the Joint Oversight Committee on the NDRRMC Act of 2010. "This is beyond a policy or a legislative issue already. The issue of implementation is a big factor, too. We have to systematically approach the way we plan, prepare, deploy, recover and rebuild from any disaster - whether natural or man-made. Given its whole-of-nation, multi-sectoral nature, I believe a more experienced, more hands-on President will go a long way in ensuring that better policies and strategies, better planning, a more coordinated response, and more institutional and sustainable mechanisms are all put in place," he said. Press Release December 22, 2021 Pangilinan thanks foreign govts, international aid agencies for Odette help ILOILO CITY -- Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan expresses his gratitude to foreign governments and international aid agencies for their timely outpouring of assistance for victims of Super Typhoon Odette. "We thank our neighbors once again for being one with the Filipino in this time of great need. We are deeply humbled and thankful. Maraming salamat po," said Pangilinan, who was among the first to call for international assistance in the aftermath of the Category-5 typhoon. United States, China, Japan, and United Kingdom were among the countries that have sent the Philippines relief goods that include food, bottled drinking water, generators, tents and sleeping pads, water containers, and plastic sheets. "The world has come together anew to bring succor and hope to Filipinos who now face Christmas without homes, food, potable water, and electricity," Pangilinan said. "Foreign governments and aid agencies, which are also battered by the Covid-19 pandemic, did not think twice about giving what they can to our people," he said. "Hindi sila nagreklamo na lubog sila na utang o kaya naman ay hirap din sa pondo dahil sa pandemya. Hindi sila nagdalawang-isip, nagbigay agad ng tulong," he added. Pangilinan said international aid is necessary because in confronting the escalating effects of climate change, the Philippines' resources are likely to be strained to the limit. Odette, known internationally as Rai, is the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, leaving a trail of destruction in parts of Visayas and Mindanao where food and water are still scarce, while power and communication lines have yet to be fully restored. As of December 22, the cyclone has killed 177, displaced over half a million people, and damaged over P300 million worth of agricultural products and infrastructure worth P225 million, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. The Florida Department of Health in Leon County Recognizes One Year of COVID-19 Vaccines in Leon County The Florida Department of Health in Leon County Recognizes One Year of COVID-19 Vaccines in Leon County Since December 2020, more than 169,000 doses of vaccine have been administered across Leon County TALLAHASSEE, FL One year ago this month, the first COVID-19 vaccine shipment arrived in Leon County. In late December, the Florida Department of Health in Leon County (DOH Leon) began sponsoring COVID-19 vaccine clinics. Since December 2020, our immunizations team has directly administered 30,893 doses. Countywide, more than 169,000 doses of vaccine have been successfully administered. Additionally, nearly 60 % of eligible people (age five and older) in Leon County have received at least one dose of vaccine. DOH Leon recognizes that these remarkable milestones could not have been achieved without the hard work and dedication of health care workers, public health providers, first responders, community members, and countless others who have protected our communities by giving out life-saving vaccines. It is amazing to see how far we have come in just one year, said Claudia Blackburn, DOH Leon Health Officer. From mass vaccination sites, to public-private partnerships, mobile vaccination, neighborhood pop-up events and more, it is clear this response has taken an immense amount of ingenuity and hard work. With the holidays approaching and people gathering, it is critical and urgent to act now to protect yourselves and your family and friends. Vaccinating and boosting against COVID-19 remain the most effective ways for people to protect themselves from serious illness, hospitalization, and death. Vaccine eligibility is now expanded to include children as young as five. Seeing children as young as 5 get their COVID-19 vaccines is another great illustration of the progress that has happened over the past year, said Blackburn. As we head into 2022, I want to encourage everyone to get vaccinated and boosted to protect yourself, your loved ones, and our community as a whole. Booster doses are now recommended for everyone 16 and older six months after completing an mRNA vaccine series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) or two months after receiving the single shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Visit https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/ to learn more about COVID-19 in Florida including monoclonal antibody therapy treatment sites. If you have questions specific to Leon County, please call our DOH Leon COVID-19 Call Center at 850-404-6300, then press 2 or talk with your trusted health care provider. Our helpline is staffed Monday through Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. ### Kuwaits Interior ministry has deported after interrogation two Egyptians charged for providing financial support to Iran-backed and Lebanese powerful movement Hezbollah, blacklisted terrorist organization by several western countries, reports say. The two Egyptians not identified, were considered threat to the Gulf countrys national security. They feature among 23 people interrogated for two months over working for Hezbollah charges. Kuwait also blacklisted the movement in 2016. Last month, prosecutors in Kuwait also detained 18 people suspected of financing the powerful Shia Lebanese group. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: [December 22, 2021] EMRIT ANNOUNCES YEAR-END DEVELOPMENTS & LATAM EXPANSION AS THEY GROW WEB3 ADOPTION BUILDING A NEW BLOCKCHAIN CATEGORY ATLANTA, Dec. 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Emrit, Inc., a pioneering distributed blockchain infrastructure company, announced today year-end developments including a strategic partnership with C3ntro, a leading telecommunication company supplying Voice, SMS, Data, and Fiber services to carriers around the world and Versa a mining company focused on developing mining rigs for REITs in Mexico. Additionally, Emrit Inc. announced new appointments to their leadership team, including Harumi Urata-Thompson as Chief Financial Officer, and Ryan Derouin, as Head of Commercial. A visionary in the blockchain space, Emrit's businesses model is accelerating the deployment of energy-efficient Web3 applications that mine cryptocurrency, including Helium, the world's first decentralized IoT network, and PlanetWatch, a global air-quality monitoring system using blockchain and IoT. The partnership with C3ntro has Emrit supplying Helium IoT gateways that also mine cryptocurrency, allowing C3ntro to offer their customers new revenue generating services while Emrit subsidizes network deployment costs with cryptocurrency mining rewards. C3ntro VP of Global Carriers Abraham Smeke commented, "Our partnership with Emrit allows us to deploy new, innovative solutions to our customers at a fraction of capex associated with a typical IoT deployment. This Web3 model has the potential disrupt the telecommunications industry, particularly during the current challenges for Mexican tower companies, and we're excited to be at the forefront of this potential shift." In 2021, Emrit deployed tens of thousands of Helium hotspots to consumers and enterprises in North America and Europe, proving a business model of sharing cryptocurrency mining rewards for hosting ready-to-deploy blockchain solutions works. The C3ntro/ Versa partnership marks the first major commercial partnership in Latin America as Emrit aggressively expands the Helium IoT network in new markets. Emrit CEO, Jiten Varu, commented, "Our consumer and enterprie hosts have earned tens of millions in cryptocurrency rewards over the last year, for simply providing a steady internet connection and electricity equivalent to a 5-watt lightbulb. As we look to hyperscale our business, partnerships with C3ntro will significantly speed the adoption of Web3 applications, and we're delighted to welcome exceptional executives like Harumi and Ryan to help us accelerate this growth." Harumi joins Emrit from Celsius Network, where she most recently served as a Chief Financial and Investment Officer. Her initial focus will include overseeing the finance department and investor relations initiatives. Her expertise includes leading companies on a growth trajectory from a strategic, operational, and financial perspective from an array of fintech categories including, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, and cybersecurity. Having started in the investment banking industry, she held several leadership positions at both finance and fintech companies. Ryan joins Emrit from OKdo where he served as a Vice President of Commercial. He has strategically led the commercial and global sales teams of several businesses including startups and IoT solutions. He has wide industry experience from Oil & Gas to Power Generation, IoT/M2M, telecommunications, logistics and medical equipment industries. During his previous stints, he worked with Carnegie Technologies, SIGFOX, GE, and with the US Army as a Captain. About Emrit, Inc. Emrit Inc. has pioneered the new category of distributed blockchain infrastructure, sharing cryptocurrency rewards with a global community of consumers and businesses. Established in 2018, Emrit provides customers out-of-the box Web3 applications, allowing them to earn a share of cryptocurrency rewards in exchange for a steady internet connection and a small amount of electricity. Emrit makes it easy for anyone to earn cryptocurrency, expanding access to Web3 opportunities so the entire community can benefit. With fully integrated ready-to-deploy blockchain solutions for both consumers and enterprises, Emrit is committed to making a decentralized web a reality. To learn more, please visit Emrit or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. About C3ntro We are an international carrier with 25 years of unparalleled experience supplying Voice, SMS, Data & Fiber services to carriers around the world. C3NTRO Telecom is the operator of choice for advanced international Voice and Data connectivity backed by our reliable, state-of-the-art global network, with more than 300 direct interconnections and in-country partners worldwide. As a licensed Local operator in Mexico e also provide integrated solutions for Mexican enterprises & multinational organizations, which include: UCaaS, SMS Integration, DID's, Videoconference, Microsoft enterprise solutions and Cloud Contact Center services, Digital Signage, Security, and SDN networks. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/emrit-announces-year-end-developments--latam-expansion-as-they-grow-web3-adoption-building-a-new-blockchain-category-301449654.html SOURCE Emrit [ Back To SIP Trunking Home's Homepage ] Rogue planets are elusive cosmic objects that have masses comparable to those of the planets in our Solar System but do not orbit a star, instead roaming freely on their own. Not many were known until now, but a team of astronomers, using data from several European Southern Observatory (ESO) telescopes and other facilities, have just discovered at least 70 new rogue planets in our galaxy. This is the largest group of rogue planets ever discovered, an important step towards understanding the origins and features of these mysterious galactic nomads. "We did not know how many to expect and are excited to have found so many," says Nuria Miret-Roig, an astronomer at the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux, France and the University of Vienna, Austria, and the first author of the new study published today in Nature Astronomy. Rogue planets, lurking far away from any star illuminating them, would normally be impossible to image. However, Miret-Roig and her team took advantage of the fact that, in the few million years after their formation, these planets are still hot enough to glow, making them directly detectable by sensitive cameras on large telescopes. They found at least 70 new rogue planets with masses comparable to Jupiter's in a star-forming region close to our Sun, located within the Scorpius and Ophiuchus constellations [1]. To spot so many rogue planets, the team used data spanning about 20 years from a number of telescopes on the ground and in space. "We measured the tiny motions, the colours and luminosities of tens of millions of sources in a large area of the sky," explains Miret-Roig. "These measurements allowed us to securely identify the faintest objects in this region, the rogue planets." The team used observations from ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA), the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) and the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope located in Chile, along with other facilities. "The vast majority of our data come from ESO observatories, which were absolutely critical for this study. Their wide field of view and unique sensitivity were keys to our success," explains Herve Bouy, an astronomer at the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux, France, and project leader of the new research. "We used tens of thousands of wide-field images from ESO facilities, corresponding to hundreds of hours of observations, and literally tens of terabytes of data." The team also used data from the European Space Agency's Gaia satellite, marking a huge success for the collaboration of ground- and space-based telescopes in the exploration and understanding of our Universe. The study suggests there could be many more of these elusive, starless planets that we have yet to discover. "There could be several billions of these free-floating giant planets roaming freely in the Milky Way without a host star," Bouy explains. By studying the newly found rogue planets, astronomers may find clues to how these mysterious objects form. Some scientists believe rogue planets can form from the collapse of a gas cloud that is too small to lead to the formation of a star, or that they could have been kicked out from their parent system. But which mechanism is more likely remains unknown. Further advances in technology will be key to unlocking the mystery of these nomadic planets. The team hopes to continue to study them in greater detail with ESO's forthcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), currently under construction in the Chilean Atacama Desert and due to start observations later this decade. "These objects are extremely faint and little can be done to study them with current facilities," says Bouy. "The ELT will be absolutely crucial to gathering more information about most of the rogue planets we have found." Notes [1] The exact number of rogue planets found by the team is hard to pin down because the observations don't allow the researchers to measure the masses of the probed objects. Objects with masses higher than about 13 times the mass of Jupiter are most likely not planets, so they cannot be included in the count. However, since the team didn't have values for the mass, they had to rely on studying the planets' brightness to provide an upper limit to the number of rogue planets observed. The brightness is, in turn, related to the age of the planets themselves, as the older the planet, the longer it has been cooling down and reducing in brightness. If the studied region is old, then the brightest objects in the sample are likely above 13 Jupiter masses, and below if the region is on the younger side. Given the uncertainty in the age of the study region, this method gives a rogue planet count of between 70 and 170. More information This research was presented in the paper "A rich population of free-floating planets in the Upper Scorpius young stellar association" to appear in Nature Astronomy (DOI: 10.1038/s41550-021-01513-x). It has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 682903, P.I. H. Bouy), and from the French State in the framework of the "Investments for the Future" Program, IdEx Bordeaux, reference ANR-10-IDEX-03-02. The team is composed of Nuria Miret-Roig (Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux, Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, France [LAB]; University of Vienna, Department of Astrophysics, Austria), Herve Bouy (LAB), Sean N. Raymond (LAB), Motohide Tamura (Department of Astronomy, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Japan; Astrobiology Center, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Tokyo, Japan [ABC-NINS]), Emmanuel Bertin (CNRS, UMR 7095, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris,France [IAP]; Sorbonne Universite, IAP, France) David Barrado (Centro de Astrobiologia [CSIC-INTA], Depto. de Astrofisica, ESAC Campus, Spain), Javier Olivares (LAB), Phillip Galli (LAB), Jean-Charles Cuillandre (AIM, CEA, CNRS, Universite Paris-Saclay, Universite de Paris, France), Luis Manuel Sarro (Depto. de Inteligencia Artificial, UNED, Spain) Angel Berihuete (Depto. Estadistica e Investigacion Operativa, Universidad de Cadiz, Spain) & Nuria Huelamo (CSIC-INTA). The European Southern Observatory (ESO) enables scientists worldwide to discover the secrets of the Universe for the benefit of all. We design, build and operate world-class observatories on the ground -- which astronomers use to tackle exciting questions and spread the fascination of astronomy -- and promote international collaboration in astronomy. Established as an intergovernmental organisation in 1962, today ESO is supported by 16 Member States (Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom), along with the host state of Chile and with Australia as a Strategic Partner. ESO's headquarters and its visitor centre and planetarium, the ESO Supernova, are located close to Munich in Germany, while the Chilean Atacama Desert, a marvellous place with unique conditions to observe the sky, hosts our telescopes. ESO operates three observing sites: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope and its Very Large Telescope Interferometer, as well as two survey telescopes, VISTA working in the infrared and the visible-light VLT Survey Telescope. Also at Paranal ESO will host and operate the Cherenkov Telescope Array South, the world's largest and most sensitive gamma-ray observatory. Together with international partners, ESO operates APEX and ALMA on Chajnantor, two facilities that observe the skies in the millimetre and submillimetre range. At Cerro Armazones, near Paranal, we are building "the world's biggest eye on the sky" -- ESO's Extremely Large Telescope. From our offices in Santiago, Chile we support our operations in the country and engage with Chilean partners and society. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. SpaceX has rolled out its Falcon 9 rocket with the Cargo Dragon vehicle attached to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Falcon 9 is due to lift off at 5:06 a.m. EST on Tuesday placing the Cargo Dragon into orbit for a docking at the International Space Station at 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Expedition 66 Flight Engineers Raja Chari and Thomas Marshburn of NASA will be on duty monitoring the Cargo Dragon's automated docking to the Harmony module's space-facing port. Dragon is delivering about 6,500 pounds crew supplies and new science experiments including a cancer treatment study and a handheld bioprinter. Live launch coverage begins at 4:45 a.m. on Tuesday on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website. The orbiting lab has returned to its occupancy rate of seven crew members after three visitors departed and returned to Earth on Sunday. Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin led spaceflight participants Yusaku Maezawa and Yozo Hirano inside the Soyuz MS-20 crew ship when they undocked from the Poisk module at 6:50 p.m. EST. The trio aboard the Soyuz parachuted to landing in Kazakhstan less than three-and-a-half hours later completing an 11-day station mission. On-Orbit Status Report Payloads: Advanced Nano Step: The crew removed the Nano Step experiment cartridge and Nano Step specimen cell from the Solution Crystallization Observation Facility (SCOF) and stowed the items in The Freezer-Refrigerator Of STirling cycle-2 (FROST-2). The Effects of Impurities on Perfection of Protein Crystals, Partition Functions, and Growth Mechanisms (Advanced Nano Step) experiment monitors and records how the incorporation of specific impurity molecules affect the development and quality of protein crystals as they grow in a quartz cell aboard the ISS. The crystals grown on the ISS are returned to Earth and characterized using synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The protein crystal and impurity interactions are managed and monitored jointly by both scientists on the ground and the ISS crew. Bio-Analyzer: The crew collected a finger blood sample, processed the sample by mixing with reagents and centrifuging, and then analyzed the sample using the Bio-Analyzer system. Two different samples were processed to confirm reliability. Bio-Analyzer is a CSA onboard instrument that serves as a platform for scientific experiments on the ISS. The instrument performs on-orbit quantification of biological molecules and cellular composition in samples collected and prepared aboard the ISS. Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF): The crew reconfigured the cables on ELF to support a planned software load, and then put the ELF back in its nominal configuration. ELF is an experimental facility designed to levitate, melt and solidify materials by containerless processing techniques using the electrostatic levitation method. With this facility, thermophysical properties of high temperature melts can be measured and solidification from deeply undercooled melts can be achieved. Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Ellipsoids-4 (InSPACE-4): The crew set the appropriate parameters and adjusted the camera field of view to begin processing of run 95. InSPACE-4 studies the assembly of tiny structures from colloids using magnetic fields. These structures change the properties of the assembled material, such as its mechanical response to or interaction with light and heat. Microgravity allows observation of these assembly processes free of confining sample walls and sedimentation and during timescales not possible using simulated microgravity. Results could provide insight into how to harness nanoparticles to fabricate and manufacture new materials. Kubik setup: The crew set up Kubik-5 and Kubik-6 and connected them to the Multi-Purpose Computer Communication (MPCC) system. Kubik is a small controlled-temperature incubator or cooler with removable inserts designed for self-contained, automatic microgravity investigations such as those using seeds, cells. Materials Science Research Rack/Materials Science Laboratory/Sample Cartridge Assembly (MSRR/MSL/SCA): The crew exchanged SCAs to prepare for the next experiment run, currently scheduled for early next year. The MSL is used for basic materials research in the microgravity environment of the ISS. The MSL can accommodate and support diverse experiment modules. In this way many material types, such as metals, alloys, polymers, semiconductors, ceramics, crystals, and glasses, can be studied to discover new applications for existing materials and new or improved materials. Systems: Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis & Data Record: The crew performed an analysis of the Water Processing Assembly (WPA) using the TOCA. The TOCA unit oxidizes organic carbon species present in the water to carbon dioxide gas and measures the concentration using nondispersive infrared spectroscopy. Analysis of the potable water using the TOCA occurs on a weekly basis. Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Mobility Unit (EMU) Return Prep Activities: Today crew performed preparation activities for EMU return on SpX-24. A suit reconfiguration was performed which consisted of the EMU Lower Torso Assembly disassembly and packing of Brief/Waist Assembly and Boots for SpX-24 return. The EMU was then prepped for installation into the Short EMU (SEMU) Launch Enclosure (SLE) by configuring the EMU for landing and installing ancillary hardware. Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) In Flight Maintenance (IFM): As part of regularly scheduled preventative maintenance, the crew performed a manual WHC flush tank fill. By using a post-flight analysis bag to capture any pressure relief, also known as the burp, they depressurized the flush water tank and water valve block to protect the dose pump. This pump is critical as it injects the pre-treat required to properly recycle waste urine. Lab Vestibule Leak Check: The crew successfully completed the Lab Vestibule Leak Checks today in order inspect seal integrity following damage revealed upon inspection of the Lab Forward and Lab Aft Hatch seals. The 65S and Crew-3 crews were isolated aft and forward of the Lab respectively. Access to life support and personal items was prepped, with CO2 and O2levels remaining within acceptable levels for the duration of the 4.5 isolation timeframe. Crew depressed the Node 1/Lab Vestibule to 5 psi and performed a leak check, followed by the Lab/Node 2 Vestibule depress using the Pressure Management Device (PMD). The crew then terminated the leak check and repressed for re-ingress, after which crew reopened the hatches and tore down and stowed the leak check support equipment. Dragon SpX-24 Arrival Preparations: The crew completed SpX-24 Dragon On-Board Training (OBT) activities today, beginning with a review of rendezvous docking target assessment using Computer Based Training (CBT) and Dynamic Onboard Ubiquitous Graphics (DOUG). This was followed by a review of the ISS Homepage, Ops Product tab, Controlled Documents, and SpaceX Crew Dragon: Rendezvous and Departure CBT. These activities concluded with a debrief and Q&A between ISS crew members and SpX-24 ground team and instructors. Completed Task List Activities: IFM OGS Internal ACTEX Pre-Flush (12/18) COL WOOV Audit (12/19) Thermo-mini Headbands packing (12/19) Vacuum Coordless Big Picture Words (12/19) WHC Pump Separator R&R (12/19) ESA PAO Message with Matthias Maurer (12/18, 12/19, 12/20) Today's Ground Activities: All activities are complete unless otherwise noted. DDCU Powerdown ARS Lab CDRA Deactivation Enable Node 3 PPR and Node 2 Cabin Pressure cautions THC IMV Reconfiguration THC IMV Valve Reconfiguration HD Video Downlink Expansion Checkout Restore Node 3 PPR and Node 2 Cabin Pressure C&W to nominal configuration VDS EHDC for ISS External Survey Look Ahead Plan Tuesday, December 21 (GMT 355) Payloads: CIR/ACME bottle exchange InSPACE-4 experiment runs and stow LMM hardware pack LSG setup NutrISS POLAR proc review Ring Sheared Drop setup for motor t/s Systems: Cargo Dragon - Station Support Computer Relocate ECLSS Recycle Tank Drain PMD Equipment Setup for H2 Vent Valve Leak Rate Characterization ERA training Crew opens H2/N2 Vent Male Purge Adapter in support of the H2 Vent Valve Characterization Urine Transfer System Offload EDV Swap Dragon Rendezvous Operations Conference Review Cargo Ops products prior to the Cargo Conference Dragon Cargo Operations Conference Wednesday, December 22 (GMT 356) Payloads: DCB unpack EasyMotion Food Acceptability Ice Cubes Micro Age NutrISS PAUL XFR/install PCG-20 Rhodium Cryptobiology Systems: Docking Dragon Monitoring Tools Setup Dragon Zenith Approach Monitoring Node 2 to Dragon Pressurization and Leak Check Dragon Monitoring Tools Teardown Node 2 to Dragon Final Pressurization and Vestibule prep for Ingress OBT Dragon Emergency Review Dragon Cargo Transfer Thursday, December 23 (GMT 357) Payloads: AWP DCB unpack Dragon locker remove Food Physiology LSG setup Low Temp PCG Micro Age Moderate Temp PCG Nanoracks module 63, 94, 100 installation NutrISS PCG-20 Tangolab-4 Touching Surfaces Systems: Dragon Cargo Transfer OBT Dragon Emergency Review ERA manipulator checkout under Dragon Docking Station Support Computer Relocation SSC 10 and 20 Swap CMS ARED Cable Arm Rope Flip Dragon-24 Locker Removal IMS Conference Today's Planned Activities: All activities are complete unless otherwise noted. Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis INSPACE-4 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 4) Experiment Run Ops MELFI 2 Ice Brick Transfer Advanced Nano Step Cartridge and Nano Step Specimen Cell (S/N ANS003) Removal Extravehicular Activity Extravehicular Mobility Unit SpaceX-24 Reconfiguration Crew Alternate Sleep Accommodation (CASA) Duct Disconnect/Reconnect Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Short Extravehicular Mobility Unit (SEMU) Launch Enclosure (SLE) Return Preparation Kubik 5 setup on COL1D2 Kubik 6 setup on COL1D3 Ring Sheared Drop Procedure Review MELFI 1 Ice Brick Transfer Bio-Analyzer Cellular Labeling Microbubbles Analysis Session 2 Ring Sheared Drop Hardware Gather Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Manual Fill Initiation & Termination Atmosphere Control and Supply (ACS) Node 1/Lab Vestibule Leak Check PREGATHER LAB Isolation Preparation INSPACE-4 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 4) Experiment Run Conclude Material Science Laboratory SCA Exchange MSL Historical Photo Pressure Mangement Device (PMD) Equipment Setup for Lab-N2 Vestibule Leak Check Solid Combustion (SCEM) and Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Item Gathering Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Manual Fill Termination MSL Support Plate Handle fastener bolt installation CHeCS Emergency Health Maintenance System Contingency Drill Training Atmosphere Control and Supply (ACS) Node 1/Lab Vestibule Leak Check Prep Steps Atmosphere Control and Supply (ACS) Node 1/Lab Vestibule Leak Check Part 1 and Part 2 Photo/TV Camcorder Troubleshooting Solid Combustion (SCEM) CPU Board Removal N2 Aft MPEV open SpaceX-24 Dragon Rendezvous review CBT EasyMotion Suit stow HRF Rack 2 PC Software Integrated Build Load Installation Preparation Public Affairs Office (PAO) Social Media Event On-Board Training (OBT) Conference after Rendezvous CBT review Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT) Atmosphere Control and Supply (ACS) Node 1/Lab Vestibule leak check tear down and Stow Lab-N2 Vestibule repress via MPEV Downlink Expansion Audio and Video Checkout Bio-Analyzer Microbubbles Conclude and Stow Pressure Management Device Equipment Teardown. XF705 Camcorder Setup Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Software upload Cable Disconnection/Connection Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record ISS HAM Kenwood Radio Power Up Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. A SpaceX Dragon resupply spacecraft carrying more than 6,500 pounds of science experiments, crew supplies, and other cargo is on its way to the International Space Station after launching at 5:07 a.m. EST Tuesday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The spacecraft launched on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy for the company's 24th commercial resupply services mission for NASA. It is scheduled to autonomously dock at the space station around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22, and remain there for about a month. Coverage of arrival will begin at 3 a.m. on NASA Television, the agency's website, and the NASA app. A SpaceX Dragon resupply spacecraft carrying more than 6,500 pounds of science experiments, crew supplies, and other cargo is on its way to the International Space Station after launching at 5:07 a.m. EST Tuesday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Among the science experiments Dragon is delivering to the space station are: Bioprinting bandages Bioprinting uses viable cells and biological molecules to print tissue structures. The German Aerospace Center study Bioprint FirstAid demonstrates a portable, handheld bioprinter that uses a patient's own skin cells to create a tissue-forming patch to cover a wound and accelerate the healing process. On future missions to the Moon and Mars, bioprinting such customized patches could help address changes in wound healing that can occur in space and complicate treatment. Personalized healing patches also have potential benefits on Earth, providing safer and more flexible treatment anywhere needed. Improving delivery of cancer drugs Monoclonal antibodies, used to treat a wide range of human diseases, do not dissolve easily in liquid and so typically must be given intravenously in a clinical setting. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space Protein Chystal Growth 20 (CASIS PCG 20) experiment continues work on crystallizing a monoclonal antibody, pembrolizumab, that Merck Research Labs developed. It is the active ingredient in Keytruda, a drug that targets multiple cancers. Scientists analyze these crystals to learn more about the structure and behavior of the component to create drug formulations that can be administered at a doctor's office or even at home. Assessing infection risk Scientists have observed that spaceflight sometimes increases the virulence of potentially harmful microbes and reduces human immune function, increasing the risk for infectious disease. Host-Pathogen assesses space-induced changes in immune status by culturing cells collected from crew members before, during, and after spaceflight with both "normal" bacteria and bacteria grown under simulated spaceflight conditions. Results could help assess the potential risk infectious microbes may pose and may support development of countermeasures. This could improve care for those with compromised immune systems on Earth. Roots, shoots, and leaves Multi Variable Platform (MVP) Plant-01 profiles and monitors the development of the shoots and roots of plants in microgravity. Plants could serve as a vital part of human life support systems for long-duration spaceflight and habitation of the Moon and Mars. However, space-grown plants experience stress from various factors and recent studies indicate changes in plant gene expression in response to those stressors. Improved understanding of these changes could enable the design of plants that are better suited for growth in spaceflight environments. Toward lunar laundromats Astronauts on the space station wear items of clothing several times, then replace them with new clothes delivered on resupply missions. Limited cargo capacity makes this a challenge, and resupply is not an option for longer missions, such as those to the Moon and Mars. In a collaboration with NASA, and sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory, Proctor & Gamble has developed Tide Infinity, a fully degradable detergent specifically designed for use in space, and the P&G Telescience Investigation of Detergent Experiments (PGTIDE) study the performance of its stain removal ingredients and the formulation's stability in microgravity. Once proven in space, Tide plans to use the new cleaning methods and detergent to advance sustainable, low-resource-use laundry solutions on Earth. Parts made in space Turbine Superalloy Casting Module (SCM) tests a commercial manufacturing device that processes heat-resistant alloy parts in microgravity. Alloys are materials made up of at least two different chemical elements, one of which is a metal. Researchers expect more uniform microstructures and improved mechanical properties in superalloy parts processed in microgravity compared to those processed on Earth. These superior materials could improve the performance of turbine engines in industries such as aerospace and power generation on Earth. Students and citizens as space scientists Students enrolled in institutions of higher learning can design and build microgravity experiments as part of NASA's Student Payload Opportunity with Citizen Science (SPOCS). As part of their experiments, selected teams include students in kindergarten through 12 grade as citizen scientists. Citizen science allows individuals who are not professional scientists to contribute to real-world research. The NASA STEM on Station project is funding experiments flying on this SpaceX resupply mission, including a study on antibiotic resistance in microgravity from Columbia University in New York and one on how microgravity affects bacteria-resistant polymers from the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. These are just a few of the hundreds of investigations currently being conducted aboard the orbiting laboratory in the areas of biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, and Earth and space science. Advances in these areas will help keep astronauts healthy during long-duration space travel and demonstrate technologies for future human and robotic exploration beyond low-Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars through NASA's Artemis program. Learn more about SpaceX's mission for NASA at: https://www.nasa.gov/spacex Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov has said that more than 12.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas have been transported via TANAP and TAP pipelines so far. He made the remarks during the conference "Model of Azerbaijan's development: yesterday, today and tomorrow", Trend reported. Shahbazov stated that about 545 million tons of oil have been produced since the commissioning of the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli block of fields. He added that so far, about $155 billion has been received from the sale of gas from the ACG block of fields. At the same time, the minister stated that the 140 MW Khudafarin and Giz Galasi hydroelectric power plants will be built on the Azerbaijani liberated territories within the next two-three years. He added that the region will turn into a "green energy" region thanks to these hydropower plants. One of our main priorities is the implementation of a number of big projects on the liberated Azerbaijani territories through foreign investments, he said. He mentioned that the first example of foreign green investments in these spheres is cooperation with BP on a 240-MW solar power plant. Another project with foreign investments is planned to be implemented in Kalbajar and Lachin regions. A document requesting information was sent for investors to reveal interest in a 100 MW wind power project, he said. The minister added that the corresponding work is also underway to use the hydropower on the liberated territories. It should be noted that Azerbaijan is taking measures to develop renewable energy resources on its territories liberated from Armenia's occupation in 2020 and to turn the Karabakh region into the green energy zone. In this regard, the Energy Ministry and BP have signed an Implementation agreement to build a 240MW solar power plant in liberated Zangilan and Jabrayil regions. TANAP is the central part of the Southern Gas Corridor, which connects the giant Shah Deniz gas field in Azerbaijan to Europe through the South Caucasus Pipeline and TAP. The pipeline has strategic importance as it allows the Azerbaijani gas exports to Europe. The capacity of the pipeline is planned to be increased up to 23 billion cubic meters by 2023, 31 billion cubic meters by 2026, and at the final stage 60 billion cubic meters. TAP is part of the Southern Gas Corridor and is a pipeline project to transport natural gas, starting from Greece via Albania and the Adriatic Sea to Italy and further to Western Europe. The pipeline is supplied by natural gas from the second stage of Azerbaijans Shah Deniz gas field development in the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian Sea through the South Caucasus Pipeline and TANAP. The initial capacity of the pipeline is about 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year, with the option to expand the capacity up to 20 billion cubic meters. By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova Azerbaijan intends to expand cultural cooperation with Norway. The prospects of further cooperation have been discussed between the Culture Minister Anar Karimov and the Norwegian Ambassador to Azerbaijan and Turkey Erling Skjonsberg. In his speech, Anar Karimov noted that there are favorable opportunities for further expansion of cultural ties between the two countries. He stressed the importance of exchanging experience in culture, cinema and music. The Culture Minister drew attention to the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, which has been traditionally held since 2011 within the Baku Process initiative initiated by President Ilham Aliyev in 2008. He also informed the Norwegian Ambassador about "Peace4Culture" global campaign aimed at preserving cultural heritage and creating peaceful and sustainable societies. The Norwegian Ambassador expressed his deep interest in the global campaign. He emphasised the importance of cooperation within the project. Mr. Erling Skjonsberg stressed that culture is the most powerful tool that unites peoples and countries. The meeting continued with a discussion of a number of issues of mutual interest. The Culture Minister Anar Karimov has also met with the Spain's Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue and Mediation Ramon Blecua Casas to discuss the cultural cooperation. In his remarks, Anar Karimov praised the favorable opportunities for further expansion of cultural ties between the two countries. Noting the importance of joint activities, Anar Karimov reiterated the successful cooperation within the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, traditionally held since 2011 within the Baku Process initiated by President Ilham Aliyev in 2008. The Culture Minister invited Ramon Blecua Casas to join "Peace4Culture" global campaign. The Spanish Ambassador expressed his deep interest in the global campaign and stressed the importance of preserving Azerbaijan's cultural heritage. The Ambassador noted that culture is the most powerful tool that unites peoples, countries and humanity in general. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Georgian Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze on December 21. The sides hailed the development of bilateral Azerbaijan-Georgia friendly relations in various areas, including in the field of military cooperation. They expressed the confidence that the Georgian Defense Minister's visit to Azerbaijan would contribute to the expansion of bilateral ties between the two countries. By Trend Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev played a leading role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic in the world by taking various initiatives and stressing the need for equal opportunity for all the peoples of the world to have vaccines, former Director-General of ICESCO, Member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center Abdulaziz Altwaijri told Trend. Altwaijri added that this humane spirit shows the high feeling of responsibility by President Ilham Aliyev towards all the people of the world especially those who can not have access to vaccination due to economic constraints. The former Director-General of ICESCO also highly appreciated the efforts of President Ilham Aliyev to ensure sustainable peace in the South Caucasus. The South Caucasus countries can create a prosperous and developed region if Armenia joins Azerbaijan and Turkey with constructive mentality and abandons its aggressive and destructive policies, former Director-General of ICESCO said. Altwaijri added that President Ilham Aliyev has always called for dialogue and cooperation and he is still calling for it. The environment is now very suitable for reconciliation and opening a new chapter in the relations between the three countries, former Director-General of ICESCO said. To make the provisions of the trilateral statement signed by Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia successful and beneficial for the concerned countries there must be a cessation of all hostility and propaganda from Armenia, and fair and faithful supervision from Russia to implement those provisions, Altwaijri said. It seems that after the last meeting of the leaders of the three countries there is some hope that this might happen. Former Director-General of ICESCO said that the region will have great opportunities for economic integration that will benefit all of its people and will create a strong market that can attract more investments. Altwaijri added that the Nizami Ganjavi International Center has always received support and encouragement from President Ilham Aliyev which enables it to carry its responsibilities and do its work in the best manner and advance its position in the world. The Nizami Ganjavi International Center has become one of the most prestigious forums in the world and has contributed to solving and tackling global issues, the former Director-General of ICESCO said. We, as members in it, are very proud of the President's support and patronage of its work, and are very appreciative of its achievements. By Vugar Khalilov Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Kyrgyz Security Council Deputy Chairman Talatbek Masadykov have discussed economic ties, regional and global security issues, the ministry reported on December 21. Azerbaijani-Kyrgyz relations are improving rapidly and that political communication between the two countries is at an all-time high, Bayramov said at the meeting with Masadykov. He stressed the importance of the existing Azerbaijani-Kyrgyz economic ties, as well as the activities of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission in the economic and humanitarian spheres. The minister remarked on the continued growth of the effective cooperation between the two countries as well as within international organizations. Furthermore, Bayramov briefed the guest about the regional situation, Azerbaijans vision for the future development of it, the post-conflict rehabilitation and reconstruction carried out by the government in the liberated lands, as well as the normalization of relations with Armenia and implementation of trilateral statements signed by Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia in 2020. In turn, Masadykov stated that the two countries have traditionally had good relations. He added that the Kyrgyz people celebrated Azerbaijans every victory that had grown gradually during its first years of independence under national leader Heydar Aliyev's leadership and later under President Ilham Aliyev's leadership. The parties discussed the future of bilateral relations, emphasizing that contacts between the two nations, especially high-level visits, will help to propel ties forward. The senior officials also touched upon the situation in Afghanistan, its impact on surrounding countries, and the outcomes of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's Council of Foreign Ministers' emergency session on Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Azerbaijans Digital Development and Transport Deputy Minister Rovshan Rustamov and Kyrgyzstans State Communications Agency Director Talant Kalikov discussed bilateral cooperation in space and the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) field. Kalikov is visiting Azerbaijan to participate in the first business meeting of space agency representatives and organizations of Turkic-speaking countries. During the meeting, the guests were informed about the operation mechanism of the registration system for mobile devices IMEI in Azerbaijan. It was also noted that there is an opportunity to exchange experience in this area. Earlier, Kyrgyz ambassador Kairat Osmonaliyev said that the two countries will sign a strategic partnership declaration in 2022. According to Osmonaliyev, relations between the two countries are reaching a higher level of strategic partnership. "Besides, from 2022 its planned to intensify cooperation in all areas, such as education and transport sectors, preparation and approval of joint projects, the establishment of an investment fund, construction of an oil refinery in Kyrgyzstan, and others," he said. The diplomat also noted that next year the two countries are expected to sign documents in the field of economic cooperation. "Next year, its expected that an agreement on twinning, as well as on perpetuating the memory of [famous Kyrgyz writer] Chingiz Aitmatov will be signed between Baku and Bishkek. We can also talk about strengthening political and diplomatic ties, maintaining economic, cultural and humanitarian relations. In the humanitarian field, its planned to hold mutual days of culture," stressed Osmonaliyev. By Vugar Khalilov Training and methodological sessions have been held for senior army officers at the military training and education center, the Defence Ministry reported on December 21. The deputy commanders of the Army Corps, different troop types, special educational institutions, as well as independent units and psychologists working with military personnel attended the sessions, the report added. The chief of the army's ideological work department, Maj-Gen Bakir Orujov, provided detailed information about the work carried out during the 2021 training year in the military-patriotic education and moral-psychological training spheres. Noting the importance of strengthening military discipline in various areas, Orujov underlined the upcoming tasks assigned for the 2022 training year. The head of the department stressed that along with personnels combat readiness, military-patriotic education, moral-psychological training, and military discipline played a huge role in Azerbaijans victory in the 44-day war with Armenia. Furthermore, Orujov informed the servicemen about the requirements of the high command instructing them about the safety rules, military regulations and the correct way of conducting individual educational work among military personnel. Officers in charge of training and education reported on the work conducted in 2021 to enhance ideological work, moral and psychological support, success, and the eradication of shortcomings. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian. The head of state recalled his meeting with Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi in Ashgabat, during which many issues related to future cooperation were discussed and Azerbaijan-Iran friendly relations were reaffirmed. Hossein Amir Abdollahian extended Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi's greetings to the head of state. President Aliyev thanked for Raisi's greetings and asked the minister to extend his greetings to the Iranian President. Pointing to the meeting between Aliyev and Raisi in Ashgabat, the Iranian foreign minister described the meeting as a turning point in relations between the two countries. The sides underlined the importance of continuing joint efforts to deepen cooperation in political, economic, energy, transport, humanitarian and other fields. They pointed out the broad agenda of bilateral cooperation and expressed their hope that good results would be achieved. Zand, the first digital bank to provide both retail and corporate banking, is set for imminent launch in the UAE, (subject to final regulatory approvals from the Central Bank of UAE) following the acquisition of a majority stake in the Dubai Bank from Emirates NBD by its shareholders. In addition to innovative banking services, Zand aims to set to be a digital economic accelerator, providing the foundations for a broader generation of digital services. Through fully digital offerings, Zand will make banking quicker and simpler, and provide tools that put customers in control of their financial lives. The shareholders of Zand have successfully completed the acquisition of the majority stake in Dubai Bank as per its establishment roadmap. On the strategic move, Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman of Zand, said: "Todays announcement marks another major milestone for us, and we are excited to be closing in on our goal of establishing the UAEs first native digital bank." "In line with the UAE's digital agenda and inspired by the nations spirit of innovation, we have been actively working with design, technology and financial partners to create a platform that will change the way people bank," he stated. "As a commercial, financial, and technology hub, coupled with a progressive approach to regulation, the UAE provides the ideal environment into which to launch, and we cannot wait to welcome our first customers," he added. Zand Co-founder and CEO Olivier Crespin said: "We have re-imagined banking, freeing ourselves from the legacy mindset and processes of traditional banks while putting the customer at the centre of everything we do." "We are now in the final stage of going live and all remaining steps including regulatory approval are well on track for an imminent launch," he added. With the global autonomous vehicles market topping $1.65 billion and UAE planning to test self-driving vehicles, a session at Expo 2020 Dubai addressed the importance of the era of multimodal mobility and the emerging customer demands. The session Lead the path to autonomous mobility noted that Dubais Autonomous Transportation Strategy calls on 25% of trips to be driverless by 2030. Shahzeb Memon, Vice President and Global Head of TaaS at SWVL, identified three main challenges for the future of mobility: access and reliability, safety, and the costs of inefficient operations. During his speech, he said: These mobility challenges need to be tackled in a smart and efficient manner, focusing on the daily commute, order in travel, and technology for end-to-end transportation services. With SWVL, we provide an on-demand, self-optimising, supply agnostic, and asset-light mass transit solution. This is packaged into a suite of cloud-based software that can be used by corporations, educational institutions, and transit agencies. SAP had hosted a day-long event which brought together Honeywell, the industrial software company that delivers industry-specific solutions, SWVL, a Dubai-based provider of transformative mass transit and shared mobility solutions, Beeah, the regions leading sustainability pioneer, and SAPs partners Deloitte and Google Cloud to discuss on how to leverage technology to build, deliver and operate a smart, human-centric city. Aligned with Urban & Rural Development Expo Week, SAP organised the Smart and Human-Centric Urban Development Day with the overall objective of providing insights on the importance and how to leverage technologies in the future of urban development, enabling attendees to discover and exchange ideas on how digital can provide a competitive advantage for their businesses. In the opening speech, Dr Mark A Smith, Managing Director for Capital Projects at Deloitte Middle East, highlighted the importance of the data-driven digital lifecycle of projects and said: The organisations who get technology and digital transformation right becomes a true differentiator in the industry with 5-30% productivity increase. Following the events theme, Kashif Siddiqui, SAP CX Expert, shared how future cities are built on trust and delivering seamless customer experience. He highlighted that governments could consider adopting technology to listen to, understand and act on behalf of their citizens. Dr Selda Konucku, leading Honeywell Connected Building Business for Meta region, said: We believe that smart building insights play a crucial role in improving the overall building performance and enhancing the quality of life for occupants/visitors. With Honeywell Forge, we create system of record to maximise building health while driving real-time improvements in sustainability, operational excellence and occupant experience. Combining Honeywell Forges operational capability with SAPs financial data, we are also able to provide visibility into portfolios financial performance; insights into portfolios financial problems thus enable the business leaders to make data driven investment decisions. Moderated by Slawomir Klimowicz, an Industry Advisor at SAP, a fireside chat with Bart Cornelissen, Leader of Deloittes Energy, Resources & Industrials industry practice, and Jihad Tayara, CEO of EVOTEQ, Bee'ah's digital venture, discussed about how technologies can drive in the waste management area in the next five years and the future of utility, using Beeah as an illustrative success story. Jihad said: We focused on two pillars of sustainability and digitalisation to deliver better customer experience and retain talents. Customer centricity and human factors are always key success factors for any business.-- TradeArabia News Service Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has announced steady progress on its ambitious Barakah nuclear plant project coming up in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi with the last two units - Units 3 and 4 - in the final stages of commissioning. Enec is part of ADQ, one of the regions largest holding companies with a broad portfolio of major enterprises spanning key sectors of Abu Dhabis diversified economy. The Emirati firm said Unit 3 is already undergoing operational readiness preparations. The development of the Barakah Plant as a whole is now more than 96 percent complete. When fully operational, the four units of the Barakah Plant will prevent 21 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year for more than 60 years, said senior Enec officials during the inspection tour of the visiting International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. Grossi was welcomed by Ambassador Hamad Al Kaabi, the Permanent Representative of the UAE to the IAEA, Engineer Ali Al Hammadi, CEO of Nawah Energy Company, the operation and maintenance subsidiary of Enec and Nasser Al Nasseri, the CEO of Barakah One Company. Grossi commended the Enec team for the major progress that has been made at the Barakah Plant, which is now generating clean electricity and rapidly decarbonizing the Nations power sector with Unit 1 commercially operational. Grossi also toured Unit 2 of the plant, which was connected to the UAE grid in August and recently achieved 50% power for the first time as part of the power ascension testing prior to commercial operation of the Unit. "It was very impressive to visit Barakah and see first-hand all what the UAE has achieved over the past decade in becoming the first Arab country to build and operate a nuclear power plant. The world needs nuclear power and more of it as an indispensable part of the solution to the climate crisis," remarked the IAEA chief. "Nuclear is a low-carbon energy source that can also provide round-the-clock baseload power in all types of weather to complement wind and solar. The UAE is one of the 32 countries that currently operate a total of 442 nuclear power reactors around the world, producing about 10 per cent of global electricity and more than a quarter of all low carbon electricity," he stated. "As countries step up efforts to decarbonize their economies, interest in nuclear power is growing," added Grossi. Lauding IAEA for its guidance, Al Kaabi said: "It has provided a clear path for the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program to follow that has guided our every step since inception, along with continuous guidance and regular inspections to support the UAE Program since its launch in 2009." "This support has helped to ensure that the Barakah Plant meets the highest international standards of nuclear safety, security, quality and non-proliferation," he added. Al Hammadi said: "With the support of the IAEA, the UAE became the first country in the Arab world with a multi-unit operating nuclear plant and is today leading the largest decarbonization effort in the region. The close cooperation with the IAEA contributed significantly to establish the UAE Program as a role model for other new nuclear energy projects globally." "The Barakah Plant is powering a clean and sustainable future for the UAE by generating abundant clean electricity around the clock to fulfil growing demand while in parallel tackling climate change. We look forward to many more years of cooperation with the IAEA and wider international nuclear energy community," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Fat (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands, parent company of Fatburger, Johnny Rockets, and 13 other restaurant concepts, has announced a new deal to enter Libya with 10 new franchised restaurants. The new stores will be made up of five co-branded Johnny Rockets and Hurricane Grill & Wings locations and five co-branded Fatburger and Buffalos Express restaurants, which are slated to open over the next three years. Franchisee Al Majmoua Al Moutakamila is spearheading the 10-store deal which will also mark the first co-branded Johnny Rockets and Hurricane Grill & Wings location to date in the region. On the heels of recently announced expansion plans in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait, the Libya development deal further reinforces Fat Brands commitment to growing in the Middle East. The Middle East is an important growth area for Fat Brands, said Fat Brands CEO Andy Wiederhorn. With a growing appreciation for quick-service restaurants in the region, we look forward to bringing our beloved burger and wing brands to Libya. Similarly, we are excited to unveil the first co-branded Johnny Rockets and Hurricane Grill & Wings location in the region. We saw tremendous success when we co-branded Fatburger and Buffalos Express and expect to see the same with this burger and wing pairing with locals.-- TradeArabia News Service Dewalt, one of Stanley Black & Deckers largest power tool brands and a leader in total jobsite solutions, has announced that its Powerstack 20V Max Compact Battery has been awarded a Popular Science 2021 Best of Whats New Award. The award recognizes the years top 100 breakthroughs that are paving the way for a better future. Newest Dewalt breakthrough innovation, Dewalt Powerstack 20V Max Compact Battery is the worlds first major power tool brand to use pouch cell batteries designed for the construction industry. The award recognizes the years top 100 breakthroughs that are paving the way for a better future. "Dewalts newest breakthrough technology is a gamechanger for the construction industry and is a direct result of its extraordinary team of innovators that are obsessed with optimizing performance for our customers," remarked Jaime Ramirez, the Executive VP and President of Global Tools and Storage for Stanley Black & Decker. "Our revolutionary engineering of the Dewalt Powerstack 20V Max Compact Battery marks the next dimension in cordless power tool performance and our commitment to the cordless jobsite of the future," stated Ramirez. The Dewalt Powerstack battery was recognized in the home category for its design that utilizes flat, pouch battery cells delivering Dewalts lightest and most powerful compact battery3. The Dewalt Powerstack Battery is ideal for cutting, drilling and fastening applications, precision and finishing tasks, and when working in tight spaces. The battery is compatible with all Dewalt 20V Max tools and chargers in its 20V MAX system. The Popular Science 2021 Best of Whats New Award is the second industry accolade the Dewalt Powerstack Battery has received since its unveiling in October. UK-made steel from the countrys largest producer Tata Steel is playing a role in helping create the worlds largest offshore wind farm. Capable of providing green energy for six million homes in the UK, the Dogger Bank Wind Farm is due to be complete by 2026. The wind farm is being developed in three 1.2 giga-watt phases: Dogger Bank A, B and C. Dogger Bank A and B is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni (20%). In November 2021 SSE Renewables and Equinor, 50:50 joint venture partners in Dogger Bank C, announced Eni will take a 20% stake in the final phase, with SSE Renewables and Equinor maintaining 40% stakes each, in a deal which is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2022 subject to regulatory approvals. In the first two phases of construction the vast GE Renewable Energy turbines, each one rated at 13 mega-watts enough to power a home for two days with a single rotation will sit on foundations featuring Tata Steel products used in safety-critical transitions pieces. These steel structures form the junction between the tower above the surface of the sea and the foundations below the water. Fabrication companies Sif and Smulders were awarded contracts to provide the wind turbine foundations for the first two phases of Dogger Bank in November 2020, with Dogger Bank C awarded a year later. Steel made in Tata Steels Port Talbot plant and processed into hollow sections at the companys Corby and Hartlepool sites is being fabricated by one of the thousands of contract companies helping to build the first two phases of the wind farm. Sandip Biswas, Chairman of the Board of Tata Steel UK, said: We are proud to be able to help support UK jobs and manufacturing through this project. Hundreds of tonnes of Tata Steel products, able to endure the harsh North Sea conditions, will be used in the first two phases of the giant wind farm project, which is located 130 kms off the North East coast of England. Sandip added: Huge amounts of steel will be needed to help the UK achieve its net-zero goals to build everything from renewable energy and low-CO2 transportation to hydrogen production and distribution. At the same time, we have targets for our own decarbonisation as a steelmaker. Our own transition to a decarbonised future will rely on a secure supply of competitively priced renewable energy whether that be to create hydrogen for future steelmaking or power new low-CO2 furnaces. The more we can help in delivering these landmark projects the better. Dogger Bank Wind Farm Project Director, Steve Wilson, said: This is another great example of how were taking advantage of UK skills and expertise to build the worlds largest offshore wind farm. Our transition pieces are among the largest to be installed on an offshore wind farm, and this UK-manufactured steel will form some of the supporting components. Dogger Bank Wind Farm is already creating or supporting more than 3,000 jobs in the UK supply chain, and giving companies the chance to work on a pioneering project which will help them become increasingly competitive as the world adapts to produce energy that doesnt cost the earth.-- TradeArabia News Service Union Coop, the largest consumer co-operative in the UAE, received a delegation from Italy's retail trade sector, which included a group of heads of several Italian companies specialised in general trade and independent entrepreneurs, with the aim of reviewing the practices followed by the co-operative in the retail field. During the tour, the visiting delegation heard about the services that Union Coop provides to consumers in food retailing, delivery, customer happiness services, expansion strategies and digital solutions for retail, in addition to updating them of information about the culture of retail trade, according to a press release. The visiting delegation included heads and owners of companies and supermarkets in Italy, such as Macfrut, TR Turoni and many others. The two parties exchanged experiences during a session organised by Union Coop at Al Warqa City Mall, which was followed by a guided tour inside the hypermarket carried out by Fresh Category Trade Dept. Manager Yaqoob Al Balooshi, Trade Development Sec. Mgr Sana Gul and Sr. Showroom Supervisor Al Warqa Branch Mohammad Abbas, and they also discussed ways of commercial co-operation in the near future. On being asked about his overall experience, Macfrut President Renzo Piraccini said he considered Union Coop to be an expert in supply chain, especially in terms of managing Producers & Exporters of Fruits and Vegetables and of the latest supply chain technologies. We as a group of companies visited the city as a part of Dubai Expo 2020 and a visit to Union Coop opens the door for future business prospects as well. Union Coop is a global platform as we can see from the varieties of fruits and vegetables and other products available here, said Piraccini when asked about the reason why he chose to visit Union Coop specifically.-TradeArabia News Service Oman Air, the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, has signed a service agreement with Paul Maxence Lounge at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, offering complimentary access for its business class passengers. The agreement coincides with Oman Airs route resumption between Muscat and Paris, which took effect on October 31. Business class passengers and Sindbad Gold tier members can access the lounge for free, while economy class passengers can purchase access to the lounge for $70. Equipped with a full range of amenities, the lounge provides passengers a quiet, private space to dine, work or freshen up before their flight. Oman Air Country Manager for France Rocio Jolivet said: In signing this service agreement with Paul Maxence Lounge, Oman Air business class passengers and Sindbad Gold members flying from Paris can now enjoy an enhanced travel experience. Economy class passengers can also access the lounge for a fee and elevate their travel journey. Complimentary Wi-Fi, a la carte menu prepared to Halal-certified standards offering hot and cold food and beverages, shower facilities, outdoor smoking terrace, and prayer room are just some of the amenities available to lounge visitors between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily in Terminal 2A.-TradeArabia News Service Saudia Dairy and Foodstuff Company (Sadafco), a Saudi food brand, has announced the 'Saudi Chef Competition' for youngsters who are passionate about cooking to share their culinary skills. The contest is an opportunity for food aficionados to showcase their creativity and cooking skills and win valuable prizes. The competition will run for four episodes. Each episode will have three main segments through which three contestants will be judged by professional chefs. The winner of each episode will qualify for the final round in the fourth episode, where all three finalists will battle for the 'Chef of Saudi Arabia' title. The company has always been at the forefront of launching events that engage communities and families in Saudi Arabia. Marketing Manager Wajdi Badawi said: "We are thrilled to launch this initiative and connect with the younger audiences. We have many hidden chefs and talents around the Kingdom. As a household brand connected to local culture, discovering, enabling and promoting budding chefs is important to us." The first episode will stream on January 3, 2022.-TradeArabia News Service Help India! In this interview with TwoCircles.net, acclaimed documentary filmmaker Somnath Waghmare talks about the production of films and the social landscape that constitutes film-making in India. Support TwoCircles Nikita D | TwoCircles.net Films are a potent visual medium with the capacity to fascinate and influence viewers profoundly. Today, we cannot think of culture and popular discourse without looking at the cinema that is viewed by millions of people. Both what happens on-screen and off-screen have immense social relevance. Documentary films aim to capture the real world around us and showcase realities and histories in the form of motion pictures. Sometimes these realities are such that attempts are made to erase them. Other times, it shows viewers what is right in front of them but for some reason, they cannot see it. TwoCircles.net spoke to one such documentary film-maker Somnath Waghmare, who through his work, has portrayed the lives of people who have historically been denied a space in the mainstream discourse to share their stories and culture. Somnath Waghmare is a PhD scholar at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, and a documentary filmmaker. The focus of Waghmares work is the social lives, struggles, assertions and cultures of the Dalit community, who have faced and continue to face violence and dominance from caste Hindus in the Indian society. Waghmares most acclaimed film, The Battle of Bhima Koregaon, has been screened across India and abroad. The film is a critical and well-researched source of information about the history and the people of the place. Waghmares other film, I am not a Witch, showcases the story of an old Adivasi woman in the Nandurbar District of Maharashtra, who has been branded as a witch and shunned from her village and home. The film depicts the violent tradition of witch-branding that is used by men to oust women who they consider dangerous either because they have property or because they are living without the protection of a man. Following are excerpts from the interview: How do you view the relationship between an art form like film and politics? How do you think the medium of films has been used to represent and shape identities? We need to look keenly at the cinema being produced in India. Cinema as an art is a form of knowledge production. We need to see who asserts dominance in this area of knowledge production. It is the people of dominant castes. Any art form in India be it literature, art, or film is in the control of a particular social group that dominates their production. If we look at Bollywood, without saying anything, it propagates the ideology of the dominant culture through its films to the masses. For shaping the political ideology of individuals, cinema is a very significant medium. Historically dominant groups have used the medium to further their cause. Every film is a political film. There is no film story that is not political. How did you come to use this medium? I am not a full-time filmmaker. Film-making is a medium for privileged people. It has been practised by those who have resources in their family, who have historically belonged to the dominant caste groups. My purpose for making documentaries is to bring the stories of the marginalised into the mainstream discourse. Stories of marginal communities, their histories, and assertions, should come in the mainstream discourse. Two of your films are available for viewing I am not a Witch and The Battle of Bhima Koregaon. Can you tell us about your experience of shooting these films? Shooting documentaries is more difficult than shooting fiction because the latter has a time period, set-up and a big team. But for someone like me with no social capital and family background, shooting is tough. Even a lot of documentary filmmakers have good capital and family background to support their work. But I do not have that. For instance, someone gifted me a camera recently and I have been using that for my work. In the beginning, the sound for the films was recorded on a mobile phone. I did not have any money for recording equipment. This is the biggest difficulty. We somehow make do with the minimal resources we have to make films. There is a word for it in Hindi called jugaad. If we get better resources and equipment, we will be able to get good technical output. We have content of immense potential. We have global stories. We try to work well with few resources. We have to travel by bus. Most people travel to shooting locations by car. This year, one of my friends was shooting in Mumbai. We roamed around on a bike for 50-60 kilometres to get the shot. We dont have money to hire cabs. We fund everything by ourselves. During this process, we meet different people. Some incidents are good, some not so good. But shooting a crowd is very painful. People have varied reactions. But we try not to disturb people. We dont want it to look like a news story. We want to capture only what is happening. We dont want to make people uncomfortable or ask them stupid questions. This has always been my goal. How do you assemble your team for film-making? This is a very important question. I do not have a professional team. I am part of a group based in Bangalore called Pedestrian Pictures. I go there for post-production. But I do not have any support group in Maharashtra. Here, I am producing my upcoming film Chaityabhumi. A member of our team works as a driver. He is interested in film-making. He wanted to work on the project and a few other friends too. Thats how the team is made. If we hire a cameraman, we have to pay at least 3000 rupees per day. I do camera work on my own. Your next film is titled Gail and Bharat. What was the inspiration behind this film and what is it that you want to show through this film? I am a PhD scholar at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). I am working on films alongside pursuing my PhD. Right now, I am working on two projects. First is a biopic on Gail Omvedt, who passed away recently. I have been following her since 2018. I followed her for almost 2 years. The other movie is Chaityabhumi which is in the editing phase. I am not getting the time to work on it because of PhD work. The movie is about a gathering in Mumbai that takes place on December 6 every year to commemorate Dr B.R. Ambedkars death anniversary. The movie is based on the cultural relevance of that day and event. The motive behind working on Omvedt is that her work is really interesting. Imagine someone coming from America and writing so much about Phule, Ambedkar, and anti-caste writing. A lot was written in the media about her after her death, but the mainstream discourse does not discuss her work properly. My aim is to document her life for the next generation and produce a good source of information on her. That was the reason why I took up the topic. I am generally very interested in documentation work especially recording histories, political assertions, social activities etc. At present, OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime etc. have come up with new content for the audience. How successful or unsuccessful have they been in portraying Bahujan identities? These spaces seriously need to think about diversity. Just like in Bollywood, a particular group has control over the production. In the same way, OTT platforms also have a group of people comprising of dominant community members who produce content with no social diversity. There is no space for Dalits, Adivasis, and other minorities. If we look at their context and look at their caste content, we will find dominant caste artists and their stories. I find it very problematic. The Oscar committee has implemented a diversity policy for Oscar awards. It says that a particular number of Blacks, Asians, Indian Americans have to be there. When will these mediums in India think about this? Because only when diversity is there, will it be considered global content. It is important for the stories to have diversity. They should think and produce and give space to people coming from marginal communities. Nikita D is an intern with TwoCircles.net. Help India! President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH) Maulana Mahmood A. Madani said that JIH is expecting that the law would create confidence among the socially and economically weaker sections. He demanded other states should also follow suit to ban such heinous acts through effective legislation. TCN News Support TwoCircles NEW DELHI President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH) Maulana Mahmood A. Madani has hailed the legislation passed by the Jharkhand Assembly to curb mob lynching. In a statement, Maulana Madani said that JUH is expecting that the law would create confidence among the socially and economically weaker sections. Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has been demanding such legislation from the beginning in the context of the nature of the crimes, he said. The Jharkhand assembly on Tuesday cleared the Prevention of Mob Violence and Mob Lynching Bill, 2021 that provides for jail terms ranging from three years to life imprisonment and fines of up to 25 lakh against those involved in mob lynching leading to injury or death of an individual, The Hindu reported. Other states should come up with similar legislations Maulana Madani urged other states to follow suit and ban such heinous acts through effective legislation. Maulana Madani said that incidents of mob lynching have been reported from Jharkhand and other parts of the country. The current problem of mob violence is a crisis of hate violence against minorities, particularly Muslims and Dalits. Hate crimes against minorities create a pervasive environment of vulnerability where members of these communities feel that they can be subjected to violence anytime and anywhere, he said. Maulana Madani noted that the targeting of specific communities leads to the destruction of the social fabric of the country, and compromises tolerance and freedom. Treating the problem of mob violence only as a problem of vigilantism misses this social dimension of the violence since it is a manifestation of the social and institutional exclusion of vulnerable minorities, he said. Maulana Madani said that Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind is fighting against Islamophobia, hatred and violent aggression within the framework of the constitution of the country. In order to create even an opportunity for effective implementation, the new law against mob violence must strengthen official accountability and facilitate victim empowerment, he added. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Omicron variant has been detected in Erie County, UB scientists report Donald Yergeau (left) is associate director of genomic technologies at the CBLS; Jennifer Surtees is associate professor of biochemistry and co-director of UBs Community of Excellence in Genome, Environment and Microbiome. If you have any symptoms at all, please stay home and away from others, and get tested. This is about taking care of each other while we are taking care of ourselves. BUFFALO, N.Y. The highly transmissible omicron variant of the novel coronavirus has been detected in Erie County, University at Buffalo scientists and Erie County health officials reported today. The variant was found in virus samples, analyzed by a UB team that has been sequencing the virus in the region, of Western New Yorkers who tested positive this month. Based on what other countries and other parts of New York State are experiencing, the omicron variant is more transmissible than previous SARS-CoV-2 viral strains, said Erie County Commissioner of Health Gale Burstein, MD. Whether this variant causes more severe illness or not, we expect that this variant will have the strongest impact on people most vulnerable to COVID-19 unvaccinated or immunocompromised, added Burstein, who is also a clinical professor of pediatrics in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB. This is all the more reason to use all the tools in our toolkit to protect the most vulnerable in our community, with vaccination, mask wearing and other interventions. The omicron variant was detected by the same team of researchers from the Jacobs School that reported the arrival of the delta variant in Erie County in June, as well as other variants of concern. Led by Jennifer Surtees, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry, the team includes her colleagues at UBs New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences; together, they have been conducting the only genomic sequencing of COVID-19 samples in Western New York. Our researchers at UB are hard at work sequencing positive test samples to inform county health officials what variants are present in the county, said UB Vice President for Health Sciences Allison Brashear, MD, who is also dean of the Jacobs School. Thats critical information that health officials and members of the community need to protect our region and one another. We have a new variant in our community and we need to respond accordingly, said Surtees, also co-director of UBs Community of Excellence in Genome, Environment and Microbiome. This virus has evolved; its not the same virus it was at the start of the pandemic or even during the delta wave. And while weve only been looking at omicron for less than a month, there is a tremendous amount of data available from around the world that can help us prepare for this. We have the tools to mitigate the spread, but we need to work together as a community. While its hard to pinpoint exactly when omicron arrived in Western New York, Surtees said that her team had sequenced about 800 samples in November, all of which were delta. So its possible that omicron didnt arrive here until this month, she said. More transmissibility, less immunity Surtees and other researchers worldwide have noted the attributes of omicron that make it such a serious threat. This variant appears to be even more transmissible than the delta variant, she said. Part of that is due to its ability to replicate quickly, and part of it is its increased ability to evade our immune system as compared to delta. She noted that the experience the United Kingdom has had with omicron is illustrative for the U.S. and for Western New York. Unfortunately, cases in the UK have exploded with the arrival of omicron, and hospitalizations have spiked in parts of the country, she said. The system in the UK is at risk of being overwhelmed, as are hospitals in the U.S. She noted that unlike in South Africa, where cases were pretty low when omicron arrived, both the UK and the U.S. were in the midst of a delta wave when omicron appeared. In the UK and the U.S., everything is already under significant strain from delta; omicron just ramps it up further, she said. She noted that while vaccines are still the strongest defense against the virus, the latest scientific evidence indicates that all fully vaccinated people need to get a booster shot as soon as they are time-eligible. People who are six months past the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, or two months after one dose of the J&J vaccine are poorly protected against omicron, she said. The good news is that third dose, a booster, brings that protection way up again. People who have had booster doses are significantly better protected against omicron. However, our vaccines are not perfect, added Thomas Russo, MD, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine at the Jacobs School. Even boosted individuals can be infected and potentially spread the virus (albeit less so than the unvaccinated or those not boosted); but importantly, he said, disease is likely to be mild in those who have received booster shot. Erie County has been doing the right things in terms of responding to the delta surge, said Russo. That includes encouraging the unvaccinated to get vaccinated and those eligible to receive their booster dose, requiring people to mask in public places indoors, emphasizing the importance of avoiding risky behavior, and increasing the availability of testing. Omicron makes all of these things even more critical, he said. Urgent need to get all 3 doses of the vaccine For example, there is an urgent need now for people to get both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine as well as the booster, Russo said. To be optimally protected against omicron, all three doses of these vaccines are needed. CDC officials have expressed a clinical preference for individuals to receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine over the J&J COVID-19 vaccine, Russo said, except in rare circumstances. Russo cautioned that another difference is that some of the COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatments that have been successful in the past are not effective against omicron. So far, it looks like only one monoclonal antibody (sotrovimab) appears to be effective against omicron, he said. So thats going to limit your monoclonal antibody treatment options if you do get sick. Thats why its even more critical now that people do whatever they can to avoid getting infected. However, there was some good news today," he continued. "An EUA was approved by the FDA for Paxlovid, an oral treatment option. If taken within the first 5 days of infection, high-risk individuals had a nearly 90% decrease for hospitalization and death. It is predicted that Paxlovid will be active against omicron, although supply will be initially limited. Russo emphasized people need to take more precautions with the increase in social gatherings over the holidays. So in addition to getting vaccinated and boosted, we need to wear high-quality masks that fit well in indoor settings, public and otherwise, and utilize rapid tests to screen for infections before we spend time indoors with family and friends when masks cannot be worn (e.g. eating and drinking), he said. And if you have any symptoms at all, please stay home and away from others, and get tested, Russo added. This is about taking care of each other while we are taking care of ourselves. The Wednesday walkouts come at a crucial time for last-minute shoppers just three days before Christmas. On its website, Amazon said Thursday is the last day to order from more than 15 million items eligible for one-day delivery. On Friday, shoppers can order from a smaller selection of items available for same-day delivery, or send food from Amazon Fresh, if groceries are the gift of choice. In November Betsy Leonard joined the nonprofit organization as executive director. The idea, Quinn told me, is to start looking for a new artistic director or some other way of taking over a big chunk of what Ive done. Im sure Ill continue to play a role in the organization. What I do best, I think, is working with filmmakers on projects. But next year Ill be 80. So, were looking to bring in someone new. The Chicago Park District owns Soldier Field and its adjacent parking lots, so "opening the parking lots for a longer period than what is typical (four hours prior to the show start) will require resources from a variety of city service departments during a very busy weekend in Chicago," Serra said in an email. "This evaluation is going to take place over the next several weeks to ultimately make a determination that is in the best interests and the safety of the city and the people coming to the shows." Moore was not a klansman before working for the FBI, he said. He said he joined because the government approached him, and asked for his help. As a veteran and Army-trained sniper, he said he felt that if his country asked him to protect the public from domestic terrorists, he had a duty to do so. He saw himself, he said, as a safety net between the violent extremists and the public. I know many community members feel that (the Army Corps) reneged on a deal to turn the land back to the community to make it a park, but we are also really upset about the fact that this is yet another toxic development on the Southeast Side, which is a heavily burdened community as is, NietoGomez said. To continue having toxic developments be concentrated on the Southeast Side is devastating. Over the past three months, Billy, who escaped while she and her sister were being delivered to Milk & Honey Farmstead, has roamed up to 12 miles, Comstock said. There were reports of Billy sightings in Volo and Crystal Lake, and shed been seen on both sides of the Fox River. The women allege the management of 101.9 FM protected Ferguson because of the popularity of his show. Station management initially said Ferguson would be off the air through October. Then, in late October, a statement from Ferguson was circulated to station employees announcing he planned to step away from the show and felt energized to move forward and defend myself against claims made against me and the station and look forward to seeing them through to their conclusion. A line of fire trucks, ambulances and police vehicles made their way to the medical examiners office, their lights flashing. Just outside the office, a U.S. Flag hung from the ladders of two fire trucks that faced one another almost touching the ground. He doesnt know how hell pay the fine that almost certainly will be imposed, but he applied for several jobs and is hopeful about getting at least one of them. His mother said it will be up to him to figure it out. Chicago police had carried out a raid on Youngs home when they acted on a bad tip and made her stand naked and handcuffed as she repeatedly insisted they had the wrong place. The raid in February 2019 became national news the following year in large part because Lightfoot officials sought an extraordinary order to prevent CBS-2 from airing the footage, setting off a public relations nightmare for the mayor as her office mishandled the situation. Lightford, the second highest-ranking member of the state Senate, could not be reached for comment but later issued a statement saying she was thankful that my husband and I are alive and physically unharmed. The men were arrested in 2007 and charged with Shaws killing, along with the attempted killings of two of the three other people in Shaws apartment. Parker and Fillyaw were tried together and found guilty in 2009, but an appeals court reversed their convictions two years later, finding that the original defense lawyers had not provided effective counsel. Judge Moody knows Lake County as well as anyone. He was entitled to make that judgment focusing primarily on the seriousness of Buncichs offenses and the need for general deterrence in the larger community. The sentence here was not unreasonable, the court ruled. On December 21, the US-China Policy Foundation hosted its Annual Gala. Chinese Ambassador to the US Qin Gang delivered remarks. In his remarks, Ambassador Qin said, over the past few years, the China-US relationship has gone through serious difficulties. This is not in the fundamental interests of the two peoples. China's development is aimed at meeting the people's aspiration for a better life, not to enter into a win-lose competition with any country. In fact, China's sustained and stable development is not a threat to the United States. It is a major opportunity and benefit. Common development should become a major consensus of China and the US. We hope that the US will respect the Chinese peoples right to pursue a better life and accept Chinas development. President Xi Jinping stressed that China and the US should respect each other, coexist peacefully and carry out win-win cooperation. I hope all of you will pool wisdom, jointly explore how our two countries can get along with each other, and how to take China-US relations back to the right track of healthy and stable development. The US participants review the history and look forward to the future of US-China relationship. They mainly emphasize the importance of strengthening exchanges and communication, as well as enhancing mutual understanding and trust between the US and China. The US-China Policy Foundation (USCPF) was founded in 1995, dedicated to promote mutual understanding between policy makers, government officials and researchers between the US and China to promote US-China relationship. Representative of Washington State and co-chair of the "US-China Working Group" from the United States House of Representatives Rick Larsen, The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Department of State Rick Waters, Former United States Ambassador to China J. Stapleton Roy as well as others attended the event. On December 3, 2021, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a virtual meeting with Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith. Wang Yi said that today was an important day and a great day for China-Laos relations. General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith had a successful virtual meeting and jointly attended the opening ceremony of the China-Laos Railway. At the conclusion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Laos diplomatic relations and the Year of China-Lao Friendship, the strategic communication between the top leaders of both parties and countries is of great and far-reaching significance and injects strong momentum into the development of the China-Laos community with a shared future. We should earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, continuously push forward China-Laos relations, and better benefit the two countries and two peoples. Wang Yi introduced the important outcomes of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, particularly the important and far-reaching significance of its Resolution. He stressed that both China and Laos are socialist countries led by communist parties and share common ideals and striving goals. We should remain true to our aspiration and join hands to make respective contributions to the undertakings of safeguarding socialism and human progress. Wang Yi said that both sides should make efforts to elevate the mutual strategic trust to a new height, bring the Belt and Road cooperation to a new level, and make new achievements in the people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and Laos. First, we should maintain high-level strategic communication, intensify exchanges of experience in national governance, jointly strengthen our governing capacity, and safeguard each other's political and institutional security. Second, we should work together to ensure the operation, maintenance and safety of the China-Laos Railway, enhance the comprehensive development along the routes, make the two support each other to form a sound circulation, and synchronize the "hard connectivity" and "soft connectivity", so as to maximize the economic and social benefits. Third, we should make sustained plans for and bring forward the youth, people-to-people, cultural and sub-national exchanges and cooperation, so as to make the spirit of China-Laos community with a shared future rooted in people's hearts and further consolidate the social and public foundations for China-Laos friendship. Saleumxay extended warm congratulations on the significant fruits of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, saying that Laos is exhilarated by the successful meeting between the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, and is proud of the opening of the China-Laos Railway at Laos' national day. This is a valuable gift from the Chinese people to the Lao people and makes the years' dream of Laos come true. Laos sincerely thanks China's strong supports for the fight against the pandemic and the economic recovery of Laos. Laos and China are both socialist countries. Laos absolutely agrees that both sides should strengthen strategic communication, safeguard solidarity and mutual trust, and firmly oppose interference by external forces. Laos is willing to deepen cooperation with China in various fields and promote to present greater achievements in building China-Laos community with a shared future. Laos supports China in hosting a successful Beijing Olympic Winter Games and wishes Chinese athletes good performances. The two sides had in-depth communication on regional cooperation, agreeing that both sides should take the upgrading of China-ASEAN relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership as an opportunity, implement the important consensus reached at the Summit Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Establishment of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations, and work together to build peaceful, tranquil, prosperous, beautiful and friendly homelands. Both sides agreed to give full play to the positive effects and driving role of the opening of the China-Laos Railway in regional connectivity, bring the Belt and Road cooperation to a new stage in the region, and enhance coordination and cooperation on implementing the outcomes of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders' Meeting. Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation regarding the Global Development Initiative. Saleumxay said, President Xi Jinping's important initiative will not only promote China-ASEAN cooperation but also lead the international community to jointly promote global development. Both sides also exchanged views on Myanmar and other issues. Archaeologists from Israel, Germany and the United States have found the evidence of beer consumption in northeastern Israel some 7,200 years ago, the University of Haifa (UH) in northern Israel said on Tuesday. It was found in the pre-historic site Tel Tsaf, in northeastern Israel, where a 7,200-year-old thriving Chalcolithic settlement with hundreds of residents existed. It was one of only a few settlements in the region at the time, in a period of transition from small agricultural societies to large urban ones, said the university. "Tel Tsaf was a wealthy village, with a large-scale agricultural production, and now the new evidence shows production and consumption of alcohol as well, with grain-made beer," the researchers noted. In their microscopic study, the researchers examined starch grains of wheat and barley, found in pottery vessels that included strainers. It was found that the grains underwent a molecular change in the fermentation process. Earlier evidence of beer consumption was found in 2014 at a Natufian burial site in a cave on Mount Carmel in northwestern Israel, from about 14,000 years ago, where beer was used in burial ceremonies. Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday held a phone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In the conversation, Xi congratulated Scholz once again on his inauguration as German chancellor. Xi stressed that China attaches great importance to its relations with Germany. In recent years, China-Germany cooperation has always been a "bellwether" of cooperation between China and the European Union (EU), which is a right choice made by the two countries in line with the development trend of the times, he said. Xi noted that the next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany. Over the past half century, China-Germany relations have demonstrated ample vitality, endurance, resilience and potential, Xi said, adding that for the next 50 years, the two countries should embrace a global vision from a long-term perspective, forge ahead and strive for new development of China-Germany relations. First, Xi suggested, the two countries should chart the general course of bilateral relations from a strategic perspective. Both China and Germany are major countries with important influence, Xi said, adding that a sound development of bilateral relations not only serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and their people, but also contributes to world peace and stability. Xi stressed that the two sides should unwaveringly view each other's development as an opportunity, maintain the fine tradition of high-level leadership, and set the direction for the development of China-Germany relations. The two sides should give play to the role of bilateral dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, and particularly make good use of their intergovernmental consultation mechanism, so as to promote cooperation in various fields, Xi said. He added that the two sides should strengthen communication and coordination, and jointly plan the 50th-anniversary celebration activities next year. Second, Xi said, the two countries should actively promote mutually beneficial cooperation in a practical manner. The Chinese and German economies have benefited a lot from each other's development, Xi noted, adding that China has been Germany's largest trading partner for five consecutive years, and bilateral economic and trade cooperation has kept growing despite the pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic. He pointed out that the two sides should actively explore new areas of cooperation such as new energy and green and digital economy, and unleash the growth potential of trade in services. German enterprises are welcome to leverage their advantages and seize the new opportunities brought by China's opening-up, Xi said, adding that the Chinese side hopes that Germany will provide a fair business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Germany. Noting that Germany is an important node of the China-Europe Railway Express, Xi said he believes that enhanced cooperation between China and Germany within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative will benefit countries along the route and promote connectivity of the Eurasian continent. Third, Xi pointed out, the two sides need to work together to meet challenges and make new contributions to global governance. Both China and Germany are defenders of multilateralism and contributors to global development, Xi noted. He suggested that they increase coordination and cooperation in international affairs, and find practical solutions to problems concerning the shared future of mankind, such as fighting COVID-19; promoting fair distribution of vaccines; spurring post-pandemic economic recovery across the globe, especially in developing countries; tackling climate change; alleviating poverty; and achieving sustainable development. He called for concerted efforts to seek settlement of regional hotspot issues through dialogue, uphold and strengthen the principle of democracy in international relations, and firmly oppose all forms of hegemonic behavior and Cold War mentality. Only when countries develop together can there be true development, he said, adding that China is ready to work with Germany to promote the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Xi underscored that China and the EU are two major independent forces in the world with broad strategic consensus and common interests. The two sides, he added, should stay committed to the comprehensive strategic partnership and the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit, so as to ensure consistent sound and steady development of China-EU relations. Xi said he hopes Germany will continue to play a positive role in stabilizing China-EU ties and inject stability and positive energy into the China-EU relationship. For his part, Scholz thanked Xi for sending a congratulatory message on his election as German chancellor, adding that he still has fresh memories of his exchanges with Xi, and is ready to inherit and advance Germany-China friendship and cooperation. At present, Germany and China are witnessing sound development of their trade and investment ties, close cooperation in confronting such global challenges as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, and close communication on such regional affairs as Afghanistan and the Iranian nuclear issue, which constitute the three pillars for the sustained development of Germany-China relations, Scholz said. Germany is willing to work with China in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual trust to push for further development of the Germany-China all-round strategic partnership, he said. Germany, Scholz said, stands ready to take the 50th anniversary as an opportunity to hold a successful new round of intergovernmental consultations, strengthen practical cooperation in such areas as clean energy, digital economy and the service sector, and promote EU-China relations in a constructive manner. Scholz said that he hopes the EU-China investment agreement will enter into force at an early date, and that Germany is ready to work with China to uphold multilateralism in international affairs. In the conversation, the two leaders also exchanged New Year greetings, and agreed to maintain regular communication and make joint efforts to advance China-Germany and China-EU relations to new levels. Flash China decided to take reciprocal countermeasures and sanction four U.S. individuals in response to the U.S. sanctions against four Chinese officials over issues related to Xinjiang. The individuals are U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom chair Nadine Maenza, vice-chair Nury Turkel, and commissioners Anurima Bhargava and James Carr. Henceforth, these four individuals are prohibited from entering China (including the mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao). Also, their properties in China are frozen, and they are banned from doing business with Chinese citizens and institutions, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian. Zhao noted the United States imposed illegal sanctions against four Chinese officials under the pretext of the so-called human rights issue in Xinjiang according to U.S. domestic laws. He said the move gravely interfered in China's internal affairs, violated the basic norms of international relations, and damaged China-U.S. ties. "China expresses firm opposition and strong condemnation," he said, adding that China decided to take reciprocal countermeasures according to the anti-foreign sanctions law in response to this wrong move. "Xinjiang affairs are purely China's internal affairs, and the United States has no right or qualification to interfere. The United States should revoke the so-called sanctions and stop interfering in issues related to Xinjiang and China's internal affairs," Zhao said. China will further respond depending on the development of the situation, he added. UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths on Wednesday welcomed the adoption of a Security Council resolution that allows a humanitarian exception in the UN sanctions regime applicable in Afghanistan. The Security Council resolution exempts humanitarian assistance and other activities that support basic human needs in Afghanistan from the asset freeze against designated leaders of the Taliban and associated entities. "This milestone decision will enable urgently needed humanitarian action to save lives and livelihoods in Afghanistan. It is evidence of how seriously member states take the shocking levels of need and suffering in the country," said Griffiths in a statement. Some 160 national and international humanitarian organizations are providing critical food and health assistance in Afghanistan, as well as education, water and sanitation, and support to agriculture. There is an urgent need to ramp up this work. Humanitarian operations in Afghanistan are set to be the largest anywhere in the world in 2022, reaching some 22 million people, he said. "This humanitarian exception will allow organizations to implement the work we have planned, and it will give legal assurances to the financial institutions and commercial actors we rely on to engage with humanitarian operators," he said. "The road ahead in Afghanistan is neither easy nor straightforward. The impact of our assistance also depends on the cooperation of the de facto authorities in the country and on the flexibility of the funding we receive. We must all do everything we can to preserve the life, dignity and future of all Afghans," he said. Enditem RAMALLAH, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday told a senior U.S. official that Israel's unilateral actions in the Palestinian territories undermine the world-backed two-state solution, the Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported. Abbas made the remarks during a meeting with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in the West Bank city of Ramallah, according to WAFA. On Tuesday, Sullivan arrived in Israel to discuss several issues with both Israeli and Palestinian officials, including the revival of the Middle East peace process which has been stalled since 2014. According to WAFA, Abbas urged Sullivan to exert pressure on Israel to stop its actions against the Palestinians, implement the signed agreements and launch a real political process in accordance with the legitimate international resolutions. Abbas, who briefed Sullivan on the latest Israeli actions in the Palestinian territories, called for ending both the Jewish settlement and the Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territories including East Jerusalem since 1967. The Palestinian president also asked Sullivan to urge Israel to respect the historical situation in the Old City of East Jerusalem, stop the expulsion of Palestinian residents from the city, halt tax revenue cuts, and stop stifling the Palestinian economy. Meanwhile, Sullivan told Abbas that the United States is committed to the two-state solution and the importance of all parties working jointly to move forward to achieve peace and stability in the region. On Tuesday, Abbas also met with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Yael Lambert in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Abbas briefed Lambert over the latest developments in the Palestinian territories, mainly the unilateral Israeli practices against the Palestinians that undermine the two-state solution, WAFA reported. The last direct peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, sponsored by the United States, lasted nine months and broke down in 2014 over their deep differences on the issues of borders, security, and settlement. Since then, there have been no diplomatic ties between Israelis and Palestinians because of the Palestinian rejection of the Israeli expansion of settlements and Israeli measures against the Palestinians in East Jerusalem. The Palestinians want to establish an independent state alongside Israel on all the territories occupied by Israel in 1967, including the entire West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Enditem TEHRAN, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that Western countries have always stoked tensions in the region, in reaction to an anti-Iran joint statement recently issued by foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members and Britain. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss met with visiting foreign ministers of the GCC on Monday and they issued a joint statement after the meeting, voicing "grave concern" about Iran's regional activities and what they called "nuclear escalation." Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh called the claims made through the statement "baseless" and "repetitive," according to a statement published on the ministry's website. He said the joint statement was issued as part of the attempts by certain circles, which are concerned about the creation of an atmosphere of interaction and cooperation among the regional countries, to sow discord in the region. Iran has always played a responsible role in ensuring peace and stability in the region and has invited regional states to interact and hold dialogue with each other, Khatibzadeh noted. The spokesman regretted that some Western countries, through measures such as exporting modern weaponry to some regional states, are important factors in the region's tensions and human catastrophes. On the claim about "nuclear escalation," Khatibzadeh said Iran has always remained committed to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the comprehensive safeguards agreement and will be able to benefit from the peaceful use of nuclear energy within the NPT framework. Enditem MADRID, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Spain is to impose the mandatory wearing of face masks outdoors and step up booster COVID-19 vaccination, the country's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Wednesday. The measures were announced following a virtual meeting with Spain's regional leaders. "One measure with very broad consensus among all the regional presidents ... is the mandatory use of face masks outdoors," Sanchez told the press after the meeting. He also announced that his executive will use members of the armed forces to aid regional contact tracing and vaccination teams, and military hospitals will be made available if required. All of Spain's regions, except Asturias, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon and Madrid, have called for the COVID-19 passport to be required to enter restaurants, bars, nightlife venues, and for visits to hospitals and care homes. The country's Ministry of Health reported some 60,000 new cases on Wednesday. Enditem Lights flashed and sirens screamed from inside my work colleagues car as he jammed on the brakes and decelerated from 150km to 100km, to pass the traffic cop unnoticed. As we rounded the next bendhe quickly sped up,making the most of the power and warning systems inside his car, until another obstacle appeared in his path to slow him down. This was a trip that would normally take 40 minutes, and up to 90 minutes in peak traffic, but in my work colleagues souped up Nissan Sentra it was possible to arrive at work within 25 minutes. And he was well prepared, having installed not one but two early warning radar systems, to create a fail-safe way to speed to work without penalty. Occasionally I would use this adrenalin inducing method to travelby car to workearly and save myself 15 minutes. This was my worldly way of saving time.It was not until I found God, I discovered it was possible to find other ways to savetime. God and time travel Once on a mission trip to Turkey, I witnessed a miracle in time travel which I still find difficult to fathom to this day. Our group were travelling by bus from Cappadocia to Tarsus when we hit a snow storm which blocked the highwayfor over two hours. The bus did not have an on-board toilet and after being on the bus for well over four hours I was desperate. After holding on for what seemed like hours we passed a road sign that readTarsus 20 kms. I cried out to the Lord that I could not hold on for another 20kms. Two minutes later we arrived at the Tarsus railway stationand in relief,I made a dashfor it to the toilet cubicles. To this day I cannot explain this. Perhaps, I misread the sign and it said Tarsus 2kms, but why would a sign say 2kms to Tarsus? There is an example in the Bible when Philip appears to be miraculously transported to another place by the Spirit of God, after baptising an Ethiopian eunuch. Acts chapter 8, verses 38-40 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and travelled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea. At church gatherings I have heard others talk about God enabling them to travel to places in a much shorter time than what is humanly possible. God the time organiser Another time I witnessed a time miracle was at work. It was a busy period and our management reports were dueby the end of the day. However, I had made contact with a person from Bethel Church who was in Wellington for a couple of days. The only time he was free to meet with me was 5pm that day. Although inconvenient, I felt it was important to meet up so I arranged the appointment. The meeting with my Bethel friend was very encouraging and insightful.We talked about how God was moving in the USA and New Zealand and after three hours I returned to my office invigorated, but resigned to the fact that I would be working into the late hours of the night. To my surprise I discovered a note on my desk. My Finance Manager had completed the work for me. This had never happened before and has never happened since. God knew this meeting was important and had orchestrated for my reporting work to be done in my absence. Another friend of mine has a similar story about how after he prayed, he was able to complete two to three hours work in an hour. Always time One of the things I have found interesting in my journey with God is that God will often bring somebody or something across our path at the most inconvenient time. For example, somebody may need help on the street when we are rushing to an appointment, or we could be invited to an event when we already have a full schedule. It would be easy to say no, but these may be opportunities that could impact our destiny. This is a timely reminder that God is outside time and holds all things together. Colossians chapter 1, verse 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. The changing face of Christianity All across the world, the landscape of Christianity is changing. When compared to the Christian world of our parents' and grandparents' generations, the future of the Christianity appears to be vastly different. While in the 20th century (and many centuries before) Christianity was synonymous with Western civilisation and the people of Europe, the 21st century is already beginning to break the stereotype. While in Western EuropeChristianity's perceived traditional heartland Christian affiliation remains relatively strong, figures on church attendance paint a different picture. In a survey conducted last year by The Economist, the region with the highest church attendance was not Western Europe, or even North America. Rather, it was in Africa. While the good news is that across the world the Church is growing and thriving, the bad news is that Western countries are increasingly entering a post-Christian phase. Christianity in New Zealand In New Zealand, we can see the same trends affecting Europe repeating on a smaller scale. Over the course of the last 100 years, New Zealand's religious affiliation has changed dramaticallyfrom over 90% Christian in 1916 to around 48% today. According to most estimates, while nearly half of all New Zealanders identify as Christian, only about 15% of New Zealanders regularly attend church every week. Partially contributing to this change, there has been a growth of other religions in New Zealand, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. However, these changes are relatively insignificant when compared to the growth of New Zealanders who identify with no religion. As of the last census in 2013, about 41% of New Zealanders had no religious affiliation (up from 29% in 2001). Theological wilderness While there are many implications for Christians to consider from these trends, one of the most important is the trend towards theological illiteracy. In New Zealand in generations past, Christianity had been part of the social and cultural fabric of our society. Most people, even if they didn't regularly go to church, identified themselves as Christians. And from a fairly young age, most New Zealanders had at least a basic understanding of Christian faith and of the Bible itself. In the 21st century, this model is becoming increasingly less representative of our country. Indeed, a large proportion of the next generation of New Zealanders will grow up barely knowing the Christian faith, any more than they would be familiar with Buddhism or Islam. Theology matters In such an environment, having a basic understanding of theology is essential for every Christian. While of course having such knowledge should be essential for a Christian in any era, it is perhaps even more urgent in a culture which has forgotten its Christian roots. Unlike in previous generations, Christians cannot simply assume their morality and values are considered the norm in society. Indeed, over the last 1520 years, Christians have been fighting (and losing) many legislative battles in parliament over what are considered traditional Christian values. In this context, it is not enough for Christians to be able to state what they believe, but more importantly they must be able to articulate why they believe it. Similarly, good theology is necessary to separate Christianity from other religions. For the majority of people who fall into the atheist/agnostic category, Christianity is simply 'religion'. While they may wear different clothes, say different prayers, and worship in different ways, the sceptic will argue that all religions are essentially the same just wrapped up in different packaging. In an era where the news is dominated more and more by stories of religious extremism and terrorism, it is becoming increasingly important to articulate what is unique about Christianity, in order to differentiate it from other religions which have completely different philosophies, morals, and concepts about God. As time goes on, Christians in New Zealand will find themselves swimming against an increasingly rapid current of popular opinion. We need to be ready to give an answer to those who ask us the reason for the hope we have (1 Peter 3 chapter 3, verse 15). Many folks are planning to shift to Miami that is the wonderful city of Florida. Those who are thinking to go to Miami for trips or long lasting residence need a residence, and a number of individuals are thinking to buy their own residence, plus some are thinking about rental homes. There are plenty of folks who would like to enjoy the warm weather along with ambiance in Miami, and it's a quite good expertise to stay in Miami. Absolutely everyone gets attracted via the attractiveness of a number of white beaches as well as other spots in Miami, and it is a major city that is full of a myriad of facilities. Inside the city, selecting a house for rent is the key difficulty for every single individual. Those who go for vacations or business purposes need the proper home in Miami which is a hard task for them because of a huge rush of vacationers in the city. 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The product demand in the packaging industry is driven by high consumerism in major economies, such as China, India, Germany, the U.S., and Brazil. Various regulatory bodies have stipulated guidelines regarding packaging materials in food contact applications. Polypropylene (PP) compounds offer a cost-effective packaging solution and help enhance impact strength, flexibility, clarity, and process efficiency. High demand for Polyethylene (PE) in the packaging industry has majorly contributed to the growth of the packaging end-use segment. The global COVID-19 pandemic moderately affected the product demand in packaging application in 2020. The demand for packaging for healthcare products, food products, groceries, and e-commerce transportation increased sharply, while the demand for luxury, industrial, and some B2B transport packaging witnessed decline owing to the slowdown and halt in industrial operations. The recommencing industrial operation is expected to positively influence the demand in industrial, and B2B transport packaging in the coming years. The glass fiber reinforce filler segment is estimated to witness significant growth over the forecast period as these compounds are widely used in building & construction applications. Moreover, they are used to construct domes, fountains, columns, planters, panels, sculptures, facade, roofs, and various other construction components. Components produced using glass fiber reinforced plastics have one-fourth of the weight of steel with similar tensile and compressive strength. Thus, the growth of the building & construction activities across the globe is likely to drive the segment over the forecast period. Glass fiber reinforced plastic is also used for manufacturing boats, which requires water resistance to prevent corrosion and improve the service life of boats. Request a free sample copy or view report summary: Plastic Compounds Market Report Plastic Compounds Market Report Highlights In terms of revenue, the automotive end-use segment accounted for the largest revenue share of the global market in 2020 and is expected to witness prominent growth over the forecast period Asia Pacific was the dominant regional market in 2020 owing to the growing demand for automobiles in the region coupled with favorable FDI norms by various governments encouraging the adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) Strategic partnerships, capacity expansions, and new product developments are popular strategies adopted by a majority of players operating in this market For instance, in January 2021, Eurostar Engineering Plastics was acquired by Ascend Performance Materials, a Houston-based manufacturer of polyamide 66 resin This acquisition helped both the companies to expand their compounding product market globally Access Press Release@ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-plastic-compounds-market Plastic Compounds Market Segmentation Grand View Research has segmented the global plastic compounds market on the basis of basis of resin, technology, filler, end use, and region: Plastic Compounds Resin Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028) Polypropylene (PP) Polyethylene (PE) Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE) Thermoplastic Styrenic Elastomers Saturated Unsaturated Thermoplastic Polyolefins (TPO) Thermoplastic Vulcanizates (TPV) Polystyrene (PS) Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) Polyamide (PA) Polycarbonates (PC) Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) Bioplastic Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA) Styrene Acrylonitrile (SAN) Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) Polyoxymethylene (POM) Blends (PC/ABS, ABS/PBT, PS/PP) Plastic Compounds Technology Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028) Injection Molding Extrusion Blow Molding Others Plastic Compounds Filler Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028) Unfilled Calcium Carbonate-filled Talcum-filled Glass Fiber Reinforced Long Glass Fiber-filled Flame Retardant Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Compounds End-use Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028) Automotive Appliances Electrical, Electronics & Electrotechnical Building & Construction Furniture Power Tools Packaging Agriculture Sport & Leisure Healthcare Others Plastic Compounds Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028) North America Europe Asia Pacific Central & South America Middle East & Africa List of Key Players of Plastic Compounds Market Adell Plastics Asahi Kasei Corp. BASF SE Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC China XD Plastics Co., Ltd. Covestro AG Dow Inc. DuPont Qingdao Gon Science & Technology Co., Ltd. Foster Corp. 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. ABVP state secretary Praveen Reddy said the TRS government had neglected academics during the Covid-19 pandemic. Lapses of the Intermediate Board had resulted in several students dying by suicide. Representational image/ANI HYDERABAD: Junior colleges were affected by a bandh on Tuesday, called to protest the alleged negligence of the TS Board of Intermediate Education (BIE) and state government in the declaration of Intermediate results after over half the first year students were declared failed in the annual exams. In response to call given by the ABVP, private and government colleges remained shut in several districts. The ABVP staged a dharna in front of the BIE office here on Tuesday. Speaking at the dharna, ABVP state secretary Praveen Reddy said the TRS government had neglected academics during the Covid-19 pandemic. Lapses of the Intermediate Board had resulted in several students dying by suicide, he allege. He demanded that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao intervene in the issue and rectify the errors in Intermediate results. Praveen Reddy said that revaluation of answer sheets should be taken up for free. He demanded that the BIE secretary be shunted out as he failed to conduct the regular classes and complete the syllabus. He urged students not to resort to extreme steps over the Intermediate results , and that the ABVP would fight on their behalf. Belagavi: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday emphasised upon practical based education system and said the NEP would bridge the gap. "A practical based education system is needed to meet challenges of rapid change in the present era. There is a huge difference between the syllabus being taught and the practical needs of the world," the Chief Minister said after laying the foundation stone for the Rani Chennamma University building complex at Hirebagevadi. According to him, the New Education Policy(NEP) is being implemented to bridge this gap. "Present generation of students need the power of knowledge to face the challenges with confidence and courage and the NEP would empower them with necessary knowledge," Bommai explained. Stating that Rani Chennamma was the inspiration behind the university, Bommai said Kittur Rani Chennamma fought against the British with great courage and confidence and made history as the first woman freedom fighter He added that Sangolli Rayanna too played a big role in repulsing the British. The Chief Minister called upon those associated with this university to show the commitment to take this institution to international level. "Universities should not become mere centres of awarding degrees. They should foster innovation, experimentation and develop into centres for finding solutions for problems being faced by society. They should keep pace with technological and social changes happening in the world," Bommai said. Bommai also stressed upon universities inculcating logical and lateral thinking and creating a conducive eco-system for learning. He assured all help from the state government to enable Rani Chennamma university to bring changes in the education system. The State government would complete the works of providing a beautiful environment, roads and other infrastructure with modern buildings within a year, the chief minister told the gathering. He said every room in the building will be digitised and become a global link of knowledge. "This is the knowledge century. Those with knowledge would rule the world," Bommai said. Enforce strict home isolation of Covid patients, take steps to ensure those at home do not spread Omicron, if infected, to others living with them. Representational image/DC Hyderabad: The Centre on Tuesday told all states not to wait for Covid-19 cases to reach 'threshold levels', and initiate containment measures to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus among the population. In a letter to Chief Secretaries of all states, the Union health ministry told the states to "activate the war rooms and keep analyzing all trends and surges," of Covid cases. It said: "No matter how small," such surges must be met with "proactive action" at the district and local levels. The containment measures recommended by the Centre include imposition of night curfew, strict regulation of large gatherings, curtailing numbers in marriages and funerals, restricting numbers in offices, industries, and in public transport. However, health officials in the state said there were no immediate plans to set up containment zones as the situation does not warrant it. "ln case of all new clusters of Covid positive cases, prompt notification of 'containment zones', 'buffer zones' should be done, strict perimeter control of containment zone as per guidelines must be ensured," Rajesh Bhushan, secretary, health ministry, said in his letter to the Chief Secretaries. He said the template provided by the Centre for stepping up action to contain Covid-19 is only a 'normative framework'. "However, based on the local situation and population characteristics such as density etc., and keeping in mind the higher transmissibility of Omicron, States and Union Territories can take containment measures and restrictions even before these thresholds are reached," he said. The standard operating procedure of the framework for action at the district level says steps can be taken for containment if the test positivity is 10% or more for a week, or bed occupancy of 40% or more on oxygen supported or ICU beds. The guidelines say that if either parameter is met in any district, then district level containment measures and restrictions should be immediately imposed. Bhushan said Omicron was at least 3 times more contagious than other Coronavirus variants and hence, there was a greater need for dynamic decision making and strict and prompt containment action at district and local levels. The decision making must be very prompt and focused, he said. Rai said the CISF was established under the CISF Act, 1968 for better protection and security of industrial undertakings owned and controlled by central and state governments, joint venture or private industrial undertaking. (PTI photo) New Delhi: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is providing security to 64 airports and 11 private establishments, including those of Reliance Industries, Tata Steel and Infosys, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said on Wednesday. The minister said the deployment of the CISF is considered on the basis of threat perception and the commitment of the management concerned to bear the cost of deployment. "At present, the CISF is deployed in 11 private sector companies, including in electronics and information technology sector, he said replying to a written question in Rajya Sabha. The private sector entities where the CISF has been deployed include Electronic City Industries Association, Bengaluru; Infosys Technologies Limited, Bengaluru; Infosys Technologies Limited, Mysore; Infosys Technologies Limited, Pune; Patanjali Food and Herbal Park, Haridwar; and Reliance Corporate Park Campus, Mumbai. The remaining are Nayara Energy Limited, Jamnagar; Tata Steel Limited, Kalinganagar (Odisha); Reliance Industries Limited, Jamnagar; Bharat Biotech International Limited, Hyderabad; and Hotel Terminal 1C, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai. Rai said the CISF was established under the CISF Act, 1968 for better protection and security of industrial undertakings owned and controlled by central and state governments, joint venture or private industrial undertaking. Accordingly, the CISF is providing security at 64 airports at present, including those operated under joint ventures and public private partnership (PPP), he said. Madurai: A Tamil Nadu man, who tried to help his wife deliver a baby at home with the help of YouTube videos near the Ranipet district, was arrested after the newborn died. On Monday, Gomathi went into labor, her husband Loganathan tried to help her deliver at home with help of YouTube videos. In the process, the woman delivered a still-born. Later she was taken to a hospital in Vellore in a critical condition where she is undergoing a treatment. Taking note of the incident, the Police conducted an inquiry based on the complaint and have arrested Loganathan under 304(ii) and 316. The Ranipet police are also trying to reach out to his sister in connection with the case. Tamil Nadu health minister Ma. Subramanian said, "We have received a complaint and based on it we have filed an FIR. We are taking legal action." All the committees and commissions formed to investigate different concerns relating to application of reservations to Scheduled Castes suggested that special reservations be granted to the most backward scheduled castes within SCs, Revanth said. DC Image HYDERABAD: TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy demanded that the Centre amend the Constitution to sub-categorise Scheduled Castes into groups. Raising the matter under Rule 377 in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Revanth Reddy said that the reservation policy being implemented without special protection to the most backward castes within the Scheduled Castes was creating new inequalities in education and employment. "The Dalit movement in Telugu states has been divided into groups along the lines of new inequities. The shared list of Scheduled Castes, both advanced and backward, is establishing new disparities and setting the groundwork for divides within Scheduled Castes," he said. Revanth Reddy pointed out that in every village, it is increasingly seen that the Madiga, Relli and Mehtar members are in juxtaposition to the Mala and Adi-Andhra communities. "According to the Justice Usha Mehra Commission, 22 of the 59 Scheduled Castes in Telugu States have seen no progress. Backward groups within SCs, such as the Madigas, Rellis, and Mehtars, are the most backward within SCs in Telugu states. All the committees and commissions formed to investigate different concerns relating to application of reservations to Scheduled Castes suggested that special reservations be granted to the most backward scheduled castes within SCs," he said. Revanth Reddy urged the Centre to sub-categorise the Scheduled Castes into groups and allow the state governments to distribute reservation benefits in order to provide equitable social justice in the word and spirit of the Constitution. If government agencies do not purchase paddy, we will sell it to private persons, say farmers. PTI HYDERABAD: Ignoring the huge row over procurement, and the governments warning against sowing the crop, a section of farmers has started planting paddy. As of now, farmers have cultivated paddy in around 25,000 acres in various districts. Free power and paddy procurement by government agencies encouraged farmers to intensively cultivate paddy over the last few years. Paddy cultivation in the 2019 rabi season was 39.31 lakh acres which increased to 52.80 lakh acres in 2020. Based on previous data, the agriculture department estimated the crop area in 2021 rabi at 31.01 lakh acres. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao then suggested that farmers not go for paddy in the ensuing rabi (yasangi) season. He directed agriculture department officials to encourage the cultivation of alternative crops. Citing 'restrictions' of the Centre on paddy procurement, the government asked farmers to go for irrigated dry (ID) crops. The CM made it clear that the state government will not purchase paddy grown in rabi. However, some farmers who have the submersible borewell facility have preferred to cultivate paddy. In other districts, farmers have shifted from paddy and to sunflower, groundnut and other crops. Farmers begin plantation in areas under lift irrigation and those watered from tanks. In some places, farmers wait for the completion of procurement before sowing paddy again. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a farmer, G. Prabhakar of Damarancha in Birkur mandal in Kamareddy district, said he had decided to go in for paddy. "Our soil is not suitable for ID crops," he explained. If we fail to cultivate in rabi, we will be unable to earn for the next crop in Vanakalam (kharif) season, he said. What about the Chief Minister saying the government will not purchase paddy? "If government agencies do not purchase paddy, we will sell it to private persons," he said. On the other hand, officials have started awareness campaigns in villages urging farmers not to sow the paddy. Scientists and agriculture officials are briefing farmers that a change in crop pattern would strengthen the soil and minimise cultivation expenses. District collectors have directed agriculture officials to explain to the farmers about restrictions imposed by the Food Corporation of India (FCI). On the issue of parboiled rice, Goyal said that FCI had enough stocks for four years, and the memorandum of understanding entered with the state government clearly says that the FCIs purchase of rice for the central pool will depend on the demand in the rest of the country. PTI Hyderabad: Union minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday lashed out at the Telangana state government for trying to blame the Centre on the issue of paddy procurement, to cover up its own faults and failures. He said that procurement of paddy and rice from the state had increased three-fold in the last five years, while the minimum support price (MSP) had increased significantly. These steps had increased the benefit to the states farmers by four to five times after BJP-led government came to power at the Centre. Addressing the media in Delhi, Goyal, union food minister, said the TS government had failed to deliver the agreed-upon quantity of rice and paddy in last years rabi season. The state is yet to deliver about 27 lakh tonnes to the godowns of the Fod Corporation of India (FCI), he said. The shortfall includes about 14 lakh tonnes of parboiled rice and 13 lakh tonnes of raw rice. Goyal said the Centre had agreed to procure an additional 20 lakh tonnes of parboiled rice grown in last years rabi season as a special gesture towards the farmers of Telangana although the country did not require this additional quantity. He said the Centre had repeatedly given extensions to the state government to deliver the rice. On the issue of parboiled rice, Goyal said that FCI had enough stocks for four years, and the memorandum of understanding entered with the state government clearly says that the FCIs purchase of rice for the central pool will depend on the demand in the rest of the country. The TS government had given a written commitment dated October 4, 2021, that the state will not deliver parboiled rice to the FCI in future. The minister said that there was no issue regarding the purchase of raw rice, and the FCI had significantly increased purchases from the state. He said that the Centre had given top priority to the welfare of farmers all over the country, including Telangana. Goyal said the TS government should quickly supply the rice from last years rabi season as per the agreement, and that it should not mislead the farmers. Responding to queries about the availability of train rakes and storage space, Goyal said there was no problem, and the state must supply the grain instead of making wild allegations. This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia does not care about black people, Latinos, immigrants, women, or the poor, according to freshman Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York. Bowman made the remarks during an interview on CNN when he questioned Manchin's decision not to endorse the Build Back Better proposal. The Biden administration and Democrats have been attempting to get the bill through without Republican backing, although doing so would need the approval of all 50 members of the Senate Democratic caucus, as per The Blaze. Rep. Bowman rips Joe Manchin's refusal to vote On Monday night, Bowman attacked West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, accusing him of not caring about women, minorities, or the poor. He is the latest Democrat in the House to openly attack Manchin for voting against President Joe Biden's $1.75 trillion Build Back Better package. "White man" Manchin's revelation on Sunday essentially destroyed Democrats' effort to enact Biden's massive social reform and climate change proposal before the new year, according to Bowman, who was infuriated but not surprised by it. He said that Manchin and his backers, including notable interest organizations and wealthy contributors, did not want this law to pass. Bowman's district includes sections of the Bronx and New York City's northern reaches. West Virginia is one of the poorest states in the US, despite its predominantly white population. Its economy is ranked 48th out of 50 countries. With the Senate divided 50-50 and no Republican backing, Biden needed every Democrat in the upper chamber to vote yes for his measure to pass. Because of Manchin's reservations, as well as those of Arizona Democrat Senator Kyrsten Sinema, lawmakers have had to dramatically reduce the package's original $3.5 trillion price tag. When Manchin abruptly told Fox News Sunday that he'd done everything humanly possible to support the plan but couldn't, Democrats in Congress and the White House thought they were on the verge of reaching an agreement with him. Read Also: Kamala Harris Claims She, Joe Biden Barely Talks About 2024 Election; Vice President Barely Beats "Let's Go, Brandon" in Google Searches Democrats thought Manchin would be persuaded to support the spending plan Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, released a lengthy, scathing statement on Sunday, describing Manchin's abrupt and unexplained flip as a betrayal of his pledges to the President. Washington Post reported on Monday that Manchin gave Biden an alternate proposal that featured a decade of free universal pre-K, an Obamacare expansion, and a significant climate investment - with the glaring exception of Biden's popular Child Tax Credit, which is set to expire this year. Progressives behind the package believed that significant changes to climate legislation, many of which Manchin opposed, would be enough to persuade him to support it. The watered-down version included $320 billion for wind, solar, and nuclear power generation and purchase, as well as a $12,500 tax credit for electric vehicles and $6 billion to make buildings more energy-efficient. Manchin had previously opposed sanctions against the fossil fuel sector but was more open to clean energy incentives. Bowman, a self-described Democratic Socialist, wasn't the only Squad member who was enraged by Manchin's defiance, as per Daily Mail. Related Article: Sen. Chuck Schumer Vows To Keep Fighting To Pass Joe Biden's Agenda Despite Manchin's Fierce Opposition @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who has repeatedly flaunted his opposition to United States President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act, has received scrutiny from coal miners who argue that there are provisions in the bill that could benefit them. The situation comes a day after the Democratic senator appeared to have killed Biden's legislation with his announcement of a "no" vote. The largest coal mining union in the United States then put out a statement that praised the act's provisions and urged the West Virginia official to reverse his course. Joe Manchin's Opposition The president of the United Mine Workers of America, Cecil Roberts, said in a released statement on Monday that they were disappointed in Manchin's opposition to the bill. They urged the senator to revisit Biden's bill and work together with his colleagues to pass what they said would help coal miners keep working and have a crucial impact on the union's members, their families, and their communities, CNN reported. Now, Manchin is also receiving criticisms from other officials, including Rep. Jamaal Bowman, who, in personal terms on Monday, accused the West Virginia senator of not caring about African Americans and other minority groups. He said he was extremely disappointed and frustrated after Manchin announced his stance with the Build Back Better Act. Read Also: Press Secretary Jen Psaki Says No Lockdowns Due to New Coronavirus Variant Despite Unlawful Vaccine Mandates Issued Before Bowman said that Democrats made a compromise with Manchin and brought down the bill's price tag from $3.5 trillion down to $1.75 trillion. He argued that the West Virginia senator's special interests, donors, and lobbyists were cutting the bill for many months to keep it from getting passed. "Why? Because this bill disproportionately supports people of color. It supports women. It supports children. It supports those who are poor and lifts them out of poverty. Why wouldn't Manchin want to support that when this would benefit West Virginia tremendously?" said Bowman, Fox News reported. Benefits of Build Back Better Lawmakers have been negotiating for months to get the Build Back Better pushed through before Manchin's open announcement of a "no" vote. If it passes in its current form, the bill would have given out hundreds of billions of dollars dedicated to clean energy. The amount of money it would distribute would get the United States within striking distance of Biden's goal to cut the nation's planet-warming emissions in half by 2030. The situation could also boost global efforts to mitigate the rapid increase in temperatures. With Manchin's opposition, the bill could die before being allowed to share its benefits, meaning it could be next to impossible for the country to meet the aggressive climate targets. An energy systems engineer at Princeton University, Jesse Jenkins, said there was still a large gap between where the United States was and its goals to reduce climate change. Jenkins, who has led an effort to model the effects of Biden's Build Back Better on U.S. emissions, said that without the bill or a climate bill with similar scope, it would be challenging to meet the United States' goals, the New York Times reported. Related Article: Donald Trump Receives Mixed Reactions After Telling Republicans He Already Got His Booster Shot @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The United States' top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, praised former U.S. President Donald Trump after the Republican businessman announced that he got the booster shot for the coronavirus vaccine that resulted in him getting booed by his supporters. The announcement by the former president was made during an event on Sunday held in Dallas and resulted in Trump dismissing the fans that booed him. The Republican businessman revealed his vaccination status while talking with former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly. Trump Gets Booster Shot During the discussions, Trump said "yes" when asked by the host whether or not he had received a booster shot for the coronavirus vaccine. While O'Reilly was continuing with the conversation, the former president interjected when he heard some people in the crowd booing his announcement. "Don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, no, no. That's - there's a very tiny group over there," said Trump, citing the apparent small crowd of people booing his reveal. The incident was shown in a video posted by O'Reilly's show "No Spin News," CBS News reported. On Tuesday, Fauci offered rare praise for the former president for getting a booster shot for the coronavirus vaccine. The medical professional also expressed his surprise regarding the reaction of some people in the audience after Trump made his announcement. Read Also: Joe Biden Lays Out New Effort To Fight Omicron Variant Surge, Assures Vaccinated Americans They Can Go Ahead With Holiday Plans Fauci said that Trump's supporters booing him over getting the booster shot for the coronavirus vaccine did not make sense at all. The medical professional said the Republican businessman did the right thing based on a public health standpoint. In his statement, the infectious disease expert said he was "very pleased" with former President Trump for his cheerful promotion of the vaccine and booster shots to his mainly vaccine-skeptical supporters. Fauci lauded the Republican businessman for publicly saying he got vaccinated and even booster, the New York Daily News reported. Reassuring the Former President After the incident, host O'Reilly described himself trying to reassure former President Trump after some of his supporters booed him for his announcement. Later, O'Reilly had an interview on NewsNation where he defended the Republican businessman for not discussing his vaccination status before the interview. O'Reilly said that Trump most likely feared alienating anti-vax supporters if he discussed getting the booster shot before the interview. The host noted that he was called by the former president, where O'Reilly reassured him of his pro-vaccine position. "I told him that today, he called me. I said 'This is good for you, this is good that people see another side of you, not a political side, you told the truth, you believe in the vax, your administration did it, and you should take credit for it because it did save, I don't know, hundreds of thousands of lives", said O'Reilly, Business Insider reported. O'Reilly, a longtime Trump confidant, said the Republican businessman would definitely be running for office again. He said he was pushing the former president to focus on vaccine development in his pitch to voters. The situation comes as Trump has repeatedly teased the idea of running for president in the 2024 elections. Related Article: US, Russia Configures Cold War Tension; European Union Locked Out From Preventing Ukraine Conflict @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Looming tension over probable NATO intervention in Ukraine continue to increase, Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia will react to deal with NATO decisively. The Russian President has given a list of the proposal to de-escalate the alliance. He promised that any action will have severe consequences for anyone choosing military action. Don't cross the red lines! In the clearest sign yet that Putin is preparing for war, the Kremlin leader has vowed to take military actions as a reaction to "openly hostile" Western conduct in the border, reported the Express UK. Last Tuesday, at a meeting of the military ministry, Putin stated that Russia will respond severely to hostile conduct and that this is the nation's right. On Monday, Russian media tycoon Dmitry Kiselyov pledged to "bring a gun to America's head" should NATO forces be stationed in Ukraine. He warns they will be turned into radioactive ash if the union doesn't quite reverse course, noted the Daily Mail. America has been warning for weeks that Mr. Putin appears to be readying to invade Ukraine, but Mr. Putin has insisted it is merely a defense response. He commented just days after Moscow presented a set of requests to NATO, along with the rejection of Ukraine from participation and the removal of Ukrainian troops from former Soviet states, cited Reuters. Vladimir Putin wants a treaty that is long-term and with guarantees, but the Kremlin is wary about Washington. The US is not that reliable, especially the current administration. Read also: EU Got Blindsided by Biden-Putin Negotiations Over Ukraine After Assurances They Would Be in the Loop Mr. Putin said the US is not steady in the international treaties when it does not suit them. Belying the innate distrust of Washington. Russia is not going to sit down and take it. The tension in Europe is the fault of the US and NATO. Moscow had to react to it and they expected it to be easy. They made the situation worse and made it harder to resolve. Remove all weapons! The Kremlin said that NATO should take away all arms close to Moscow or else, there will be military action to protect the security of Russia. President Putin said if there are weapons deployed on the Ukraine border to cut short the travel time to ten minutes. A hypersonic missile will take five minutes. There is no way any systems should stay at the border. There has been a teleconference between the US and Moscow with a list of must-dos for the NATO alliance. No agreement has been cemented yet by the parties because the demands were still under advisement. The White House says that NATO will be informed but there are no assurances that it will do what the Kremlin demands. Professor Richard Sakwa, from Kent University, commented recently that it will be a two-way cold war between the US and Russia. But, the EU will not be part of the talks. A risk of the Cuban Missile Crisis is definite as NATO places missiles and Moscow will react in devastating kind! Vladimir Putin does not want a war but will do what's necessary. He has no fear of the western alliance. Brussels and Washington are aware that Russian strength is at its highest. Related article: Brussels Plays Best Card Against Putin, Threatens To Shut Down Nord Stream 2 in Event of Ukraine Invasion @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A woman from Illinois was sentenced to ten years in prison for scorching her boyfriend while he slept on a couch and then recording the incident on Snapchat. Alexis Sykes, 23, of Roselle, went on to recount how her boyfriend's flesh began to peel away from his wounded arms, and how he asked her to drive him to the hospital while she concealed the vehicle keys. The victim, who authorities have not identified, ultimately discovered the keys and drove himself to the hospital. Suspect pour sleeping boyfriend with boiling water Sykes fled to Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, where she was apprehended and prosecuted on January 19, according to DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin. Sykes was sentenced to ten years in prison on Monday after agreeing to a plea agreement that included one count of aggravated assault with a caustic chemical, Daily Mail reported. Sykes used a shrugging shoulder and kiss emoticons in his Snapchat statement about the incident. The victim was sent to the Burn Unit at Loyola University Medical Center, where he spent two weeks healing. He had skin graft surgery, according to authorities. After the incident at the Roselle home, she lived with the victim, Sykes was first charged with two charges of aggravated battery by caustic material and two counts of aggravated domestic abuse. "Ms. Sykes' cruelty in dousing her sleeping boyfriend with a pot of hot water is highly unsettling," Berlin said in a statement to local news station WMAQ. Since her arrest, she has been incarcerated at the DuPage County Jail. Before becoming eligible for parole, she must spend at least eight and a half years. Read Also: Kentucky Suspects Arrested After Shamelessly Stealing From Tornado Victims; Police Warns of Possible Scams Authorities urge the Illinois woman to serve her sentence During the course of the inquiry, officers discovered that Sykes had videotaped herself committing the crime and shared it on SnapChat. Sykes is also accused of hiding the victim's vehicle keys as the victim recounted his flesh peeling off his arms, according to authorities. The victim was able to get his keys and drive himself to the hospital. He was subsequently sent to Loyola Medical Center's Burn Unit, where he stayed for over two weeks and had skin graft surgery to repair his burns. Sykes went missing after the event, according to prosecutors. A $250,000 arrest warrant was issued for Sykes on January 8. On January 19, she was apprehended in Okitbbeha County, Mississippi, and extradited to DuPage County. On February 2, she appeared in bond court, where her bond was set at $500,000. She has been held in detention since then, and on Monday, she was sentenced to ten years in prison. "Ms. Sykes' cruelty in slathering her sleeping boyfriend with a pot of boiling water is quite troubling," said DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin. Given her utter disregard for the amount of agony and suffering she inflicted on her victim, one can only conclude that she has deserved every year of her ten-year sentence. Before being eligible for parole, Sykes will have to complete 85 percent of her sentence, as per Fox32. Related Article: Authorities Charge Pennsylvania Teen After Fatally Shooting 5-Year-Old Brother Using Father's Gun @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The chance of Robogeddon and killer AI going amock concerns bodies how safe these autonomous machines are, creating fears of how much control military organizations have. These fears are similar to pandora's box getting open, and inside is a soul-less machine doing its programming without fail. Calls to halt this new arms race that should not run amock noted experts. UN should ban killer robots A UN conference reached an agreement on a moratorium on Terminator-style killer bots, developed by China, Russia, and the United States, reported the Sun UK. The cost of creating these weapons with Uber's advanced artificial intelligence that does everything on its own is deadly. A year ago, Turkish-made drones made the first kill order on their own. Killing humans in Libya as a technological milestone, noted Livescience. According to experts, the tech is moving too fast, and governments ignore the impact on people till the dangers come too late. Machine intelligence is not yet perfected, and their programming might not be foolproof, meaning an error can happen when algorithms get messed up. Next would be humans running from a killer bot. It is not far from possible that Robogeddon and killer AI will be possessed by sentient weapons with killer viruses or nuke warheads that can start Armageddon by mistake, with no human pressing the red button. Read Also: Terminator 'Quadruped Robot Dog' Mounted With Sniper Rifles To Replace Human Snipers on the Modern Battlefield Professor James Dawes from Macalester College said if AI goes awry, these tech firms cannot avoid it, but a rogue weapon of mass destruction will kill millions, noted the Conversation. It's like strolling the thin line of nuclear annihilation via drone and machine intelligence. Max Tegmark, MIT, and the Future of Life Institute co-founder, spoke of the danger saying the technology fast paced than the military-political discussions, mentioned Wired. AI robots, drones could cause danger Drones are called the Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) in UN convention that happens every five years the Convention On Certain Conventional Weapons. The participating 120 countries with LAWS-type weapons should be limited to landmines and incendiaries. Countries like France and Germany want to limit their capabilities, including those that actively kill humans. But China is less inclined to such limitations. But other nations, including the US, would not allow a ban on such weapons, countries like the US don't want to lose. Weapons with sensors and AI are common now, like auto fire machine guns emplaced in the stretch between north and south Korea. Suicide drones are used by 14 nations, like Israeli aerial drone Harops that kills Hamas's terrorists immediately. Harops was used by the Armenians against Azerbaijan last year. The development of deadly AI-enabled weapons has changed warfare like the new Checkmate stealth fighter, an AI/human combo input system. Killer AI will not be limited forever These new weapons are not controllable forever, and there will be a problem later on; militaries are deluded into thinking that. Machines can be hacked by roque nation and terrorists. As the tech becomes cheaper than machine guns, the wrong people will cause havoc and death. Robogeddon and killer AI are not far off, but maybe there is time to stop it before it's too late. Related Article: Killer Artificial Intelligence Robot Possible? Experts Fear This Might Threaten Humanity @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Japanese authorities continued with the hanging of three death-row prisoners on Tuesday, the first executions in the country since 2019, which comes as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida takes the helm of the region's government. The nation's federal government said that the events were necessary to maintain capital punishment in the face of what they called "atrocious crimes." They are Kishida's first executions since he first took office in October. Japanese Death Penalty A justice ministry spokeswoman said that one of the three inmates executed on Tuesday was identified to be 65-year-old Yasutaka Fujishiro who was arrested for murder after using a hammer and knife to kill his 80-year-old aunt, two cousins, and four others in 2004. The other two inmates were identified to be 54-year-old Tomoaki Takanezawa, who was arrested after killing two clerks at an arcade game parlor in 2003, and 44-year-old Mitsunori Onogawa, who is the former's accomplice, the South China Morning Post reported. During a news conference, Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa said that the cases the three death-row inmates were involved in were "extremely brutal cases." All executions in the Asian country are conducted via hanging. Most of the time, prisoners only learn about their execution only hours before the scheduled date. The rights group Amnesty International said that families of the prisoners are only notified of the execution after it has been done. Read Also: Joe Biden Lays Out New Effort To Fight Omicron Variant Surge, Assures Vaccinated Americans They Can Go Ahead With Holiday Plans Many rights groups and campaigners who were working to abolish the death penalty in Japan have long criticized the government's use of the punishment. Death penalty adviser at Amnesty International Chiara Sangiorgio responded to the Tuesday executions by saying that Kishida's recent appointment as Japan's prime minister was a chance for the progress of human rights in the region. However, she argued that the abhorrent resumption of the brutal punishment was a damning indictment of the Japanese federal government's lack of respect for the right to life. Sangiorgio said that after two years without executions, the recent incident marks a missed opportunity to abolish the cruel practice, CNN reported. Capital Punishment In May 2009, the Kobe District Court sentenced Fujishiro to the death penalty, and the decision was later finalized in June 2015 after his appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court. On the other hand, Takanezawa and Onogawa were sentenced to death by the Saitama District Court. Takanezawa's death penalty was finalized in July 2005 after he withdrew his appeal and Onogawa's death sentence was finalized in June 2009 after a decision by the Supreme Court. In a statement after the executions of the three men, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara told reporters that it was not the time to abolish the death penalty. "Many Japanese think the death penalty is unavoidable in the case of extremely malicious crimes," said Kihara. The situation comes as Amnesty International revealed data that showed more than two-thirds of countries in the world have already abolished the death penalty in law or practice, the Japan Times reported. During a separate news conference, Justice Minister Furukawa said that he made the decision to approve the executions "after giving careful considerations again and again." Related Article: Press Secretary Jen Psaki Says No Lockdowns Due to New Coronavirus Variant Despite Unlawful Vaccine Mandates Issued Before @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Donald Trump will reportedly discuss his 2020 election result and insurrection theories at a news conference at Mar-a-Lago next month. Coincidentally, Trump's news conference will take place on Jan. 6, which will serve as the first anniversary of the Capitol riot. Donald Trump unveils plans for Jan. 6 The ex-POTUS released a statement regarding the conference via his post-presidency PAC, and it detailed all the key points that he will tackle at the event. Even though there's no proof that the 2020 election results were rigged, Trump continued to say that this was the case. He also said that the real insurrection happened on Nov. 3 when Joe Biden was elected president of the United States and not on Jan. 6. "I will be having a news conference on January 6 at Mar-a-Lago to discuss all of these points and more. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, it was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th," he said via the Huffington Post. Donald Trump thinks 2020 election results were rigged In his statement, Trump also mentioned the states where he believes he should've won. It includes Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Michigan. However, some of these states already did a recount on their votes last year. And none was able to prove Trump's fraud allegations. Read Also: Donald Trump Could Be Charged With a Crime For Allowing Jan. 6 Capitol Riot To Happen; Rep. Kinzinger Says No One Is Above The Law While Trump is at his news conference in Mar-a-Lago, others will be attending a vigil as part of their solemn observance one year after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Livestreamed events will also air on local channels, according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The House select committee is still investigating the Capitol riot as of press writing. They are interviewing individuals who may shed light on what really happened before, during, and after the siege. Donald Trump, Republicans knew about the Capitol riot Trump's involvement is also being investigated through the help of his former aides. Last month, it was revealed that Trump called top White House aides to discuss how they could stop the certification of Biden's election on Jan. 6. Trump also told the top lieutenants that former Vice President Mike Pence didn't want to take part in his plans, according to The Guardian. Two weeks ago, Trump's former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, submitted thousands of documents to the investigating committee. They later revealed that Meadows was in contact with Trump's eldest son, Donny, on Jan. 6. Two Fox News hosts also reached out to Meadows and urged the latter to talk to the ex-POTUS. These communications reportedly proved that Trump and his people knew about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, even if they said otherwise. Earlier this week, a text message that was traced from former Trump Energy Secretary Rick Perry was released. In the text, the sender suggested an aggressive strategy where the Republican-controlled statehouses would declare that their electoral votes were incorrectly counted. According to CNN, this shows that the Republicans can go to great lengths to ensure that Biden won't be named president even if he won the election by a landslide. Related Article: Pentagon Confirms Around 100 Military Members Engaged in Extremist Activities, Launches New Guidelines Amid Growing Concerns @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. With the end of 2021 only a few days away, we can already make some firm predictions about what people might expect in the coming year, especially when it comes to the possibility of a new stimulus check for the tens of millions of Americans who have been used to receiving monthly payments since July. As most people are aware, West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin's unwillingness to endorse President Joe Biden's almost $2 trillion Build Back Better bill has effectively ended the possibility of these monthly payments continuing in January. Can Americans expect new stimulus payments? This is because the IRS had stated that it required Congress to enact the bill within days. This will not be possible now that the Senate has adjourned till the new year. As a result, there will be no new child tax credit payments on January 15. Of course, a February double payments for everyone is contingent on the very large "if" suggested in Psaki's comments above. In other words, legislation must be approved in January. Here are a few things to keep in mind: Biden officials haven't given up on Build Back Better yet as we revealed in an article yesterday regardless of Senator Manchin's failure to endorse it thus far. This is a good indicator. One option, as former Obama advisor David Axelrod points out in the tweet above, is to divide apart the law. In other words, it means to hold votes on smaller portions of it. For at least two reasons, the way forward for additional stimulus checks in 2022 is much more onerous than it was last month. Firstly, of course, 2022 is a midterm election year. Republicans will have little motive to offer Biden any victories in the coming election. The same could be said about Democrats who are up for re-election but are in a tight race, according to BGR. Sevondly, the White House should definitely tone down the anti-Manchin outbursts. It is because they still require his support for practically everything. Because of the party's razor-thin Senate edge, Democrats can't afford to go all-out against the West Virginia senator. The margin that will result in a tie vote if every Democrat casts his vote, requiring Vice President Kamala Harris's vote to tilt the scales in favor of the slimmest of victories. Read Also: Is It Possible To Receive Plus-Up Payments After December 2021? Deadline To Claim Stimulus Check Is Quickly Approaching Is there a fourth stimulus check in 2022? Per 9News, there are no indications that Washington, DC lawmakers are willing to compromise. They are debating on the possibility of a fourth direct payment stimulus check. While the public and some legislators have called for recurrent payments, there has been little movement. Emails and phone calls to the White House, Senate Budget Committee Chair Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and House Budget Committee Chair John Yarmuth, D-Ky., inquiring if such payments are being considered, were not replied. The monthly advance Child Tax Credit is one pandemic-related stimulus that is being explored for an extension. It increased the previous tax credit from $2,000 to $3,000 with the option of monthly payments, up from $2,000 at tax time. The House passed the Build Back Better measure, which includes a one-year extension. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., however, stated on Sunday that he would not vote for it. With no Republicans on board, the bill's approval is dead until a replacement is found. Financial subsidies, according to reports, have aided residents in focusing more on production. They no longer have to be concerned about their financial situation. Since the start of the assistance program, analysts have observed a 10% drop in defaulters. There were no additional stimulus checks on the way once the third stimulus check was released. The citizens were greatly discouraged as a result of this. The states, on the other hand, have taken further precautions to protect their citizens. The prospects for stimulus check in the following year are bleak. As a result, individuals are keen to make the most of them this year. While federal stimulus checks have long since been phased out, several states continue to offer them. States including Michigan, Maine, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, and others have rolled out stimulus money. California has recently announced the release of a new round of Golden State Stimulus funds. If a resident's yearly income is less than $75000, they are entitled to $600. Each child under the age of eighteen will get $500, as per Digital Market News. Related Article: Some States Will Receive Stimulus Payments After Holidays With Thousands To Get $500; Check if Yours Is Included! @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison doesn't think that lockdowns are key to preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the country. On Tuesday, Morrison called an emergency meeting to discuss the increasing number of active cases in Australia. But even if this is the case, the prime minister stressed that lockdowns are not the answer. "We have got to get past the heavy hand of government and we've got to treat Australians as adults. We have to move from a culture of mandates to a culture of responsibility. That's how we live with the virus into the future," he said via CNN. Scott Morrison, Dominic Perrottet don't support lockdowns New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet echoed Morrison's statement in his op-ed piece earlier this week. The premier said that the country could not always go on a lockdown every time there are new COVID-19 cases. Perrottet also pointed out one key difference between the first time that the pandemic hit and now. He said that there were no vaccinations then, but people now have access to the jab. The premier added that what's most important is for individuals to exercise personal responsibility, which is possible in NSW because the locals are resilient and strong. Read Also: French Prime Minister Jean Castex Asks for Individual, Collective Effort To Lower Omicron Cases, Won't Announce Lockdown Australia's COVID-19 cases are increasing NSW reported over 3,000 new active cases on Monday. Out of these numbers, over 200 are hospitalized due to COVID-19 and 39 of which are in the ICU. There is also an increasing number of cases in Queensland and state health authorities confirmed that the numbers are doubling every two days. According to reports, Australia was one of the few countries that managed to control their COVID-19 cases because of their strict lockdowns and social distancing rules. However, the country's re-opening of its borders caused the number of active cases to spike up in recent weeks. The upcoming holiday celebrations have also become worrisome for Australians. But Morrison insists that he won't announce a lockdown during this time. Morrison said that hospitals and health systems in Australia remain in a strong position despite the increasing number of COVID-19 cases. However, the prime minister still encouraged health workers to get tested. Select states in Australia are requiring masks According to Reuters, most states in Australia are requiring the use of masks in indoor settings. However, NSW did not join in the mandate. Dr. Omar Khorshid, the president of the Australian Medical Association, accused Perrottet of putting the lives of locals at risk. Khorshid said that the refusal to impose mask mandates, DIY contract, tracing, watered-down check-in requirements, and the removal of density limits are recipes for disaster in the state. The president added that by the time hospital admissions and ICU cases reach an all-time high, it would already be too late. Dan Suan, a researcher and clinical immunologist from Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research, is urging locals to follow mask mandates, especially during their Christmas celebration. Suan said that Christmas celebrations can be a super-spreader not just in Australia but in the entire world so everyone should be careful. Related Article: Australia Lifts Travel Entry Ban for Skilled Workers, Students Despite Rising Omicron Cases To Help Boost Country's Economy @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Joe Biden recently lashed out at cable news channels and social media for perpetuating false claims about COVID-19 and vaccinations. During Tuesday's press conference, Biden refused to name which cable news outlets he's referring to. But the POTUS said that some channels are causing more harm than good by reporting incorrect information about the deadly virus. "The unvaccinated are responsible for their own choices, but those choices have been fueled by dangerous misinformation on cable TV and social media. These companies and personalities are making money by peddling lies and allowing misinformation that can kill their own customers and their own supporters," he said via the Huffington Post. Biden also urged the outlets and social media accounts to stop what they're doing right now. Right-wing news outlets accused of spreading false claims The publication pointed out that Fox News is one of the right-wing channels to continue to downplay the seriousness of COVID-19. They have also raised alarms by suggesting that vaccines could be dangerous. However, staff at the network are required to get vaccinated, and they are also asked to disclose their vaccination status to the company. Joe Biden urges Americans to get booster shots like Trump During the press conference, Biden also announced the different initiatives that he has in place to help combat Omicron. The POTUS also urged Americans to not panic especially if they're fully vaccinated and have already received their booster shots. Biden also mentioned Donald Trump during this week's conference. He revealed that he already received his booster shot, and he heard that Trump also got his. The POTUS joked that this is one of the few things that the two leaders agree on, according to Deadline. Read Also: Joe Manchin Continues To Delay Build Back Better Bill Approval; Democrats To Postpone Voting Until 2022 Joe Biden confident Joe Manchin would change his mind Biden also mentioned Joe Manchin during Tuesday's press conference. He said that the two of them will get something done days after the West Virginia senator announced that he's not voting in favor of the Build Back Better bill. Manchin said that he already did everything humanly possible to try and get on board with the other Democrats. However, he eventually realized that he cannot vote to continue with the legislation, according to Fox News. The senator also said that it has always been his rule to not vote for anything that he can't explain to the people of West Virginia. Following Manchin's statement, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the senator had a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position regarding the Build Back Better bill. Manchin was also accused of breaching his commitments to Biden and his colleagues in the House and at the Senate. Psaki also said that Biden and the Senate Democrats will continue to press Manchin regarding the bill and see if his stand could once again be reversed. According to Politico, Manchin asked one of his aides to break the news of his decision to the White House 30 minutes before his interview aired. And when they heard what his stand was, they called him on the phone but he didn't pick up. Related Article: Donald Trump Receives Mixed Reactions After Telling Republicans He Already Got His Booster Shot @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Meghan Markle might be asked to give a deposition as part of Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre's legal complaint against Prince Andrew. The lawyer representing Giuffre in her legal case, David Boies told the Daily Beast that the Duchess of Sussex could be depended on to speak the truth, which is one of three reasons he believes she may be deposed. Why Meghan Markle may testify in Prince Andrew sex abuse case? Markle was also a concern, according to Boies, because she lives in the United States and is so subject to the jurisdiction of US courts. She was also being evaluated because she was "a close acquaintance of Prince Andrew and hence is in a position to possibly have observed what he did," he added. Giuffre, 38, claims she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew three times while she was just 17 years old in 2001. All of the claims leveled against Prince Andrew are categorically denied by him. District Judge Lewis Kaplan is slated to hear arguments from the Duke's legal team to dismiss the claim on January 4. If the lawsuit survives this stage, it will go to full discovery, which means both parties will be required to give filmed depositions, Daily Mail reported. Boies stated that his team could depose up to 12 third parties during this stage, but that owing to time constraints, they had to be selective in who they chose. The Duke's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson was also considered, but would be more difficult to depose due to her residence in the United Kingdom. There were no preparations to remove the Queen, according to Boies, "out of respect and regard" and because of her age. Per Republic World, Virginia Giuffre, an alleged victim of Epstein, said that she was brought to London by the convicted sex offender to Duke of York for additional abuse. Meghan Markle is set to testify in the Prince Andrew case. On two different instances, the 38-year-old has claimed that Prince Andrew had intercourse with her without her consent. Epstein and his partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, are known to have links to the royal family, which has led to widespread condemnation of the royal family. It's worth noting, though, that Epstein's social circle included former US presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, as well as former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Despite ties with both Epstein and Maxwell, Prince Andrew has unequivocally denied any wrongdoings. In an interview with the BBC, the Duke of York stated categorically that he has never seen Giuffre and that he had an alibi for the day of the purported sexual intercourse in London. However, there are still concerns about Prince Andrew's assertions, as at least one photograph of the young prince with Giuffre, who was 17 at the time, has surfaced. Read Also: Queen Elizabeth Begs Prince William To Halt Flying Family in Helicopter Amid Accident Fears; Her Majesty May Cancel Christmas Day Walkabout Meghan Markle, Prince Harry snubbed by a local company Meanwhile, during a Christmas excursion to Vancouver Island, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were allegedly shunned by a local company. Due of coronavirus restrictions, the Sussexes were unable to visit the rest of the royals in the United Kingdom last year. The royal couple spent Christmas in Canada last year. Their journey, however, did not go as planned. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had planned to dine at Deep Cove Chalet, a high-end seafood restaurant with stunning views of the water. The couple's desire to eat at a local eatery was unfortunately denied. This was reportedly due to security concerns associated with hosting two of the world's most well-known persons. As a result, Bev and Pierre Koffel, the restaurant's proprietors, declined a request to host the royal coup, as per The Sun. Related Article: Prince Andrew To Miss Royal Family Christmas Tradition; Duke Spotted Looking Anxious as Ghislaine Maxwell Trial Continues @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The pharmaceutical company Pfizer is expecting US FDA approval of their COVID-19 pill stock, which can lower the risk of hospitalization or death by 89 percent. On a positive note, President Joe Biden's administration stated that once COVID-19 pills have been approved, it would be easily available and free. Pfizer COVID-19 Pill Stock According to some anonymous people familiar with the matter, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to approve Pfizer's COVID-19 pill called Paxlovid tablet later this week. The same goes for its rival COVID-19 pill from Merck, though they both aim to treat COVID-19 infection, per Bloomberg. For those who are not familiar with Pfizer's COVID-19 pill, Cnet reported that Nirmatrelvir--also known as Paxlovid--works by preventing the action of the SARS-CoV-2-3CL protease, an enzyme required for coronavirus reproduction. Moreover, Pfizer noted on its press release that this COVID-19 pill can lower the risk of hospitalization or death by 89 percent when given within three days after symptoms have occurred. Aside from this, it is reported to be more effective when combined with ritonavir, an HIV medicine, per Cnet. Ritonavir extends the medication's functioning of the body and allows it to be used at larger doses. Once Pfizer's COVID-19 pill stocks get authorized, two 150mg pills would be given at the first sign of symptoms or a positive COVID-19 test result and the said medication would last for five days. Read Also: 'Spider-Man 4' Update: 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'' Ending Explained, Will There Be Another Spidey Film? COVID-19 Pill Efficacy In terms of its efficacy, Pfizer stated that the pill is effective against COVID-19 variations of concern, such as Delta and the more recent Omicron strain. According to the pharmaceutical manufacturer, the documented side effects between those using Paxlovid and those receiving placebo were nearly the same throughout clinical studies. In addition to this, the biotechnology corporation stated that the COVID-19 pill did not result in any death during Pfizer's trial; however, the placebo treatment resulted in 12 deaths. On the other hand, Pfizer Chief Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten remarked that the clinical trial's outcome was surprising. "We're talking about a staggering number of lives saved and hospitalizations prevented. And of course, if you deploy this quickly after infection, we are likely to reduce transmission dramatically," Dolsten added in a CNBC interview. COVID-19 Pill Price: Is it Free? In the statement released by The White House, President Joe Biden stated that Pfizer's antiviral medications would be "easily available and free" since the administration has already purchased 10 million treatments that cost $5.29 billion. Separately, the government has ordered 1.7 million courses of Merck's antiviral medication, molnupiravir, to be used when the FDA approves it. This only means that several people should not be worried about the COVID-19 Pill price since it will be offered for free. COVID-19 Pill Release Date Cnet added that Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said that they have requested an emergency-use authorization for its antiviral medicine from the FDA in November, and he expects a decision by the end of 2021. "We have already shipped product into the US, so [it] will be available this month if it's approved," per Bourla through Cnet. Meanwhile, Dolsten furthered that Pfizer would be able to export 180,000 treatment courses this year, with plans to create at least 80 million more in 2022. Related Article: Microchip Implant as COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker? It's Coming Since airplane Wi-Fi is considerably slow, Elon Musk assured people that SpaceX Starlink satellite internet will deliver faster services even during flight. In fact, the richest man in the world claimed that people can also stream videos and play online games in-flight! Will Starlink Internet Work on Airplanes? According to Business Insider, airplane Wi-Fi is frequently slow and pricey. While it costs much more, it does not mean passengers will get to experience fast internet. Despite that, several individuals are still willing to pay a huge amount of money to share images of their flight or even finish some works during mid-flight. Moreover, in-flight Wi-Fi is estimated to have a value of $130 billion by 2035. Business Insider also shared two options that these planes, which are flying at hundreds of miles per hour at 36,000 feet, use to obtain Wi-Fi during flight. The said options are ground-based towers and space-based satellites. In relation to this, the consultant and long-time mobile analyst and tech guru Benedict Evans tweeted that "airplane wifi is god's way of showing the youngs what dial-up was like." Surprising the internet community, Elon Musk directly replied to Evans's tweet agreeing to his statement and advising him to ask the airline for Starlink. True. Ask your airline for Starlink! https://t.co/R9GL2bKOAT Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 20, 2021 On the other hand, Musk bragged about SpaceX's proposal to deploy Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi last October, per CNBC. Read Also: Pfizer COVID-19 Pill Stock, Price, Release Date: What Is Its Efficacy? Is It Free? SpaceX's vice president of Starlink and commercial sales Jonathan Hofeller told a panel at the Connected Aviation Intelligence Summit that they are in conversations with several airline companies. "We have our own aviation product in development... we've already done some demonstrations to date, and looking to get that product finalized to be put on aircraft in the very near future," Hofeller furthered on the Summit, per The Verge. As Musk's space firm pushes to establish the internet network commercially later this year, it is anticipated to expand Starlink beyond rural households and aboard planes. In addition to the Starlink internet, the South-African-born business mogul explained that people could also stream video and play online games during flight. With Starlink, you could stream video & play online games Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 21, 2021 How Will the Starlink Internet Work on Airplanes? For those who are curious to know how the Starlink internet will work on airplanes, Hofeller explained that the architecture of SpaceX's airline antennas would have similarity to that of its consumer terminals, but "with obvious enhancements for aviation connectivity." To interact with Starlink satellites, the airborne antennas may connect to base stations. An inter-satellite link will be required for Starlink to give connection to planes flying over isolated portions of the ocean far from base stations. Inter-satellite links allows satellites communicate with each other using laser links without first bouncing signals off ground stations. "The next generation of our constellation, which is in work, will have this inter-satellite connectivity," Hoffer furthered on The Verge. SpaceX is currently on the Starlink beta phase that offers download speeds of up to 100Mbps and upload rates of up to 20Mbps. Under that beta, most people are paying $99 per month for internet and are utilizing a $499 Starlink dish and Wi-Fi router combination. Related Article: SpaceX Starlink Satellite Launch: Elon Musk Promises Internet Coverage Even in Navajo Nation! The recent photo captured by the NASA Hubble camera shows that the outer space is celebrating the holidays already. The said NASA Hubble picture exhibits a titanic explosion in a spiral galaxy, leading to a bright light captured by the space telescope. NASA Hubble Camera Captures Spiral Galaxy NGC 3568 In a recent blog post, the NASA Hubble Space Telescope showed a side-on shot of the NGC 3568, which is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Centaurus around 57 million light-years from the Milky Way. Now presenting NGC 3568! This #HubbleFriday image shows a spectacular galaxy thats about 57 million light-years from our Milky Way Galaxy in the constellation Centaurus. Find out more: https://t.co/6TWUY1LA5K pic.twitter.com/fYVUCnU0HZ Hubble (@NASAHubble) December 17, 2021 The NASA Hubble Space Telescope is one tool astronomers have been using to keep track of some of these galaxies. Since its debut in April 1990, Hubble has been surveying the universe. During its 31 years of existence, it has discovered a variety of galaxies outside the Milky Way. Spiral galaxies that resemble our own are among them, while others are very distinct. The latest NASA Hubble picture displays a spiral galaxy with massive red and blue clouds covering its dazzling white core, per Screen Rant. Many stars are surrounding the galaxy, some of which are especially brilliant. For background information, the light from a supernova explosion in NGC 3568 reached Earth in 2014, causing a rapid flare of light generated by the titanic explosion that happens when a huge star dies. Moreover, Sci-News added that this NGC 3568 is part of the NGC 3557 group which is a collection of 12 galaxies. On the other hand, while most astronomical discoveries are made by professional astronomy teams, this supernova was found by amateur astronomers in New Zealand as part of the Backyard Observatory Supernova Search. These dedicated amateur astronomers frequently produce fascinating discoveries, especially of fleeting celestial events like supernovae and comets. Read Also: Goodbye, Chrome Browser? New Browser Promises to Be Safer, Faster vs. Chrome This Hubble discovery is based on a set of information gathered to prepare the path for a better investigation with the NASA James Webb Space Telescope. Astronomers have compiled a lot of information on the links between young stars and the cold gas clouds in which they develop by combining ground-based observations with data from Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys and Wide Field Camera 3. One of Webb's main scientific objectives is to learn more about the life cycle of stars, namely how and where stars are created. Since James Webb Space Telescope observes at infrared wavelengths, it will be able to peek through clouds of gas and dust in stellar nurseries and observe the young stars within. Due to Webb's sensitivity, astronomers will be able to examine dim protostellar cores, which are the earliest phases of star formation firsthand. Will James Hubble Space Telescope Replace NASA Hubble? Webb is frequently referred to as Hubble's replacement, but scientists prefer to call it Hubble's successor, per NASA. Moreover, Hubble's research purpose influenced the scientific objectives of the said new telescope. In addition to this, both space telescopes have different capabilities. Webb will primarily study the universe in the infrared, whereas Hubble will focus on the optical and ultraviolet wavelengths, though it has some infrared capability. Additionally, Webb has a far larger mirror than Hubble. Because Webb has a wider light-collecting area, it can look back in time further than Hubble can. Related Article: NASA Hubble Images: High-Tech Space Camera Captures Stunning Photo of Spiral Galaxy 120 Million Light-Years Away John Brett's "The British Channel Seen from the Dorsetshire Cliffs" (1871) is on view in the Buk-Seoul Museum of Art's exhibition, "Light: Works from the Tate Collection." Courtesy of the Tate By Park Han-sol A single lit candle flickers and flutters faintly inside the steel shell of a cathode-ray tube (CRT) television. In Paik Nam-june's "Candle TV," while the flame represents the beginning of civilization, TV becomes a symbol that has ushered in a new digital era of human culture. This intriguing interplay between natural light and contemporary technology presented in Paik's piece is what marks the beginning of the Buk-Seoul Museum of Art's new exhibition, "Light: Works from the Tate Collection." "Candle TV, centering on light, visually encapsulates human history from the start of civilization to the present day," curator Oh Yeon-seo noted during a recent press preview. "The museum placed this work as a poetic introduction to the wide range of displayed works, from traditional paintings to contemporary installations," which incorporate light as their subject matter, material or means of expression. Jointly organized by the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) and the Tate, the show traces the theme of light captured and explored over the past 200 years of art history, across the breadth of Tate's collection. From the religious masterpieces of late 18th-century England, to French Impressionist paintings and contemporary international installations, 110 works produced by period-defining creators, such as William Blake, Claude Monet, Wassily Kandinsky and Olafur Eliasson, are on view at the museum. Because light as a source of visual and aesthetic inspiration was never limited to one particular era or genre, the exhibition itself steers away from isolating each group of art into strict chronological order. Instead, the contemporary works are nestled throughout the show, presented side by side with the 18th- and 19th-century paintings, thereby creating a new point of dialogue between the old and the new that transcends time. Claude Monet's "Poplars on the Epte (Les Peupliers au bord de l'Epte)" (1891) / Courtesy of the Tate One section that highlights such a curatorial decision is "The Impression of Light," showcasing the iconic Impressionist painters of late 19th-century Britain and France: John Brett, Monet, Alfred Sisley, Camille Pissarro and Armand Guillaumin, among others. The section boasts pieces like Brett's "The British Channel Seen from the Dorsetshire Cliffs" and Monet's "Poplars on the Epte," which defined the art movement, with an emphasis on documenting the fleeting effects of light according to the passage of time, atmosphere and movement, through visible brush strokes. In other words, light became the artists' subject in itself. What stands in the middle of this gallery space, surrounded by these paintings, is none other than Yayoi Kusama's "The Passing Winter" a mirrored cube that reflects the Japanese artist's interest in the different behaviors of light when it bounces off reflective surfaces. Installation view of the exhibition's "The Impression of Light" section / Courtesy of SeMA "While Impressionist painters transferred their impressions of light onto canvas through the brush, Kusama has transferred hers and viewers' onto the reflective mirror," Oh said. "By presenting these works within the same space, viewers can then observe the effects of light on the paintings with their eyes and experience them in the mirror with their own bodies." Another section connecting the old and the new is "Interior Light," dedicated to showcasing pieces that seem to suspend time by capturing a particular moment of light as it is cast through windows. What highlights Vilhelm Hammershoi's early 20th-century depictions of subtly lit scenes of domesticity is a curious carpet designed by Philippe Parreno. Its title, "6:00PM," implies that the carpet's pattern which is created by cutting and putting together three different shades of carpet pieces into one portrays light and shadow entering through a window in the evening. However, viewers are soon reminded of the fact that the gallery is windowless and therefore, the image will never change or disappear, even at nighttime. Installation view of the exhibition's "Interior Light" section / Korea Times photo by Park Han-sol In addition to drawing this fascinating relationship between artworks of different eras that transcends time, the exhibition features works that incorporate light as an innovative, visual and technical tool. These pieces include English painter J. M. W. Turner's "Light and Colour (Goethe's Theory) the Morning after the Deluge Moses Writing the Book of Genesis" and "Shade and Darkness the Evening of the Deluge." Here, the artist turns the ideas of Goethe's formal "Theory of Colours" especially related to the psychology of colors into paintings. According to Goethe, red and yellow can be associated with happiness and warmth, while blue produces feelings of anxiety and coldness. Turner visualized this theory in a set of works: cooler colors to portray a biblical scene in which God floods the earth, and warmer colors to illustrate a sense of hope following the complete ruination. J. M. W. Turner's "Light and Colour (Goethe's Theory) the Morning after the Deluge Moses Writing the Book of Genesis" (exhibited 1843), left, and "Shade and Darkness the Evening of the Deluge" (exhibited 1843) / Courtesy of the Tate Shinhan Bank is the latest major lender to set foot in the delivery app business. Korea Times file By Yi Whan-woo Commercial banks are capitalizing on mobile apps to advance into the on-demand delivery service business, the home turf of local big-tech companies that have been using their digital prowess as platform operators to muscle into a wide range of industries. The measure taken by the banks, according to industry sources, is noteworthy, as it hints that the brick-and-mortar lenders may not be leaders in digital technology, but can still become influential platform operators through accumulated expertise in their respective fields. Shinhan Bank will be the latest to join the campaign, with its domestically developed food delivery app starting a trial run, Wednesday. Some other banks, such as Woori, KB Kookmin and Nonghyup, have already been operating apps in the fields of courier services and flower deliveries, among others. The app-based food delivery market is scaled at 12 trillion won ($10 billion), but consumer demand still outstrips supply. Shinhan spent more than 10 billion won to create the app. It will be available in six districts in Seoul: Gangnam, Seocho, Songpa, Mapo, Gwangnjin and Gwanak. "Spending such a big amount of money in a non-financial sector is rare and therefore worth paying attention to," a market observer said, adding that it would cost less to develop the market's leading apps, such as Baemin and Yogiyo. The app is designed to offer financial benefits to clients with accounts at Shinhan Bank, many of whom are self-employed. For instance, the rate of commission will be 2 percent, which is the lowest in the market. Shinhan Bank assessed the company's app as "a fresh attempt on the path to innovative finance." It said that the app is not intended to be a major source of income, but rather a source of big data for the creation of relevant financial products in the long term. "We will continue to provide services that embrace different groups of customers," it added. In August, Woori Bank launched a courier service in cooperation with ParcelMedia. KB Kookmin Bank partnered with Yogiyo to have its clients order food using the bank's app. Nonghyup Bank sells flowers on its app, in cooperation with the Flower Farmers Association, one of its clients. Lee Sook-kyung, the newly appointed artistic director of the 14th Gwangju Biennale / Courtesy of Gwangju Biennale Foundation By Park Han-sol Lee Soo-kyung, the senior curator of international art at the Tate Modern in London, has been named the artistic director for the 14th edition of the Gwangju Biennale. Slated for April 2023, the event is one of the most renowned contemporary art biennales in Asia. Her appointment marks the first time for a Korean national to organize the exhibition since 2006, when former Seoul Museum of Art director Kim Hong-hee led the event. "As we approach a historic turning point [of the 30th anniversary of the biennale], there are many meanings to a South Korea-born curator with an international presence taking the lead in enhancing an organic link between Korean and international arts," the Gwangju Biennale Foundation said in a statement. Lee has been active in the international contemporary art curating scene for the past 28 years. Prior to her 14 years of working at Tate, she curated for the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) in the 1990s. She also commissioned and curated the Korean Pavilion for the 2015 Venice Biennale. Her commitments to steering away from Western-centric discourses and supporting alternative critical narratives are reflected in her curatorial practice, the foundation continued including the recent Nam June Paik retrospective in celebration of the video art visionary, as well as "A Year in Art: Australia 1992," which aptly addresses the indigenous land rights of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. For its 2023 edition, the biennale aims to bring the "Gwangju Spirit" of its regional host city under a transnational lens. The exhibition will focus on creating dialogues in regards to a wide range of issues, such as the ongoing history of pro-democracy movements, the hidden legacy of colonialism, indigenous cultures and the future of our climate. "The role of art is to address our shared crisis and to propose future directions," Lee stressed, bringing attention to contemporary artists' exploration of themes of race and class inequality, climate action and the COVID-19 pandemic. "I aim to create a message unique to Gwangju based on the spirit of the city and its Biennale, with a commitment to a non-Western perspective. A transformation of the relationship between centers and peripheries, truly equal connections and exchanges and a vision for better human communities will all be present." An intensive care unit at Hyemin Hospital in Seoul is being converted to a negative pressure isolation ward, Wednesday, as the hospital was newly designated as a COVID-19 treatment center. Yonhap By Lee Hyo-jin Medical workers are calling on the government to increase personnel for treatment of COVID-19 patients, as hospitals continue to grapple with unrelenting numbers of critically ill patients. They argue that recent measures from the administration to secure additional intensive care unit (ICU) beds will do little to resolve the current crisis, without expanding the number of healthcare workers. The Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union held a press conference, Monday, demanding the government introduce specific ways to increase the number of trained nurses at COVID-19 treatment centers. "Other than securing more ICU beds, negative pressure isolation wards and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machines, the government has done virtually nothing to alleviate the burden of overworked nurses. They have long been suffering from burnout as hospitals are on the verge of collapse," said Hong Soo-jeong, a member of the union. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as of Tuesday, the occupancy rate of ICU beds for COVID-19 patients stood at 86 percent in Seoul, 85 percent in Gyeonggi Province and 90 percent in Incheon. There are no hospital beds left in Sejong City and North Gyeongsang Province, while North Chungcheong Province has just one left. Against this backdrop, President Moon Jae-in ordered health authorities to come up with "special measures" to address the shortage of ICU beds and insufficient healthcare capacity. Members of the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union speak during a press conference held at its office in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, Monday, demanding the government increase personnel at COVID-19 treatment hospitals. Yonhap In response, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced a set of measures, Wednesday, under which about 7,000 hospitals beds would be secured for critically ill patients and those in moderate condition by mid-January. In preparation for a worst-case scenario where the country may report up to 10,000 infections per day, the government will issue administrative orders on general and university hospitals to secure more wards, while designating more medical institutions as COVID-19 treatment centers. In addition, 499 hospital beds will be vacated at public hospitals including the National Medical Center, Seoul Medical Center and Veterans Health Service Medical Center for exclusive care of coronavirus patients. The authorities also plan to send 1,200 more healthcare workers 104 doctors and 1,107 nurses to COVID-19 treatment hospitals for the treatment of critically ill patients, by dispatching additional doctors including those from the military. But it remains to be seen whether these measures will solve the ongoing hospital bed crisis, as Korea continues to see record-breaking numbers of infections despite the government's tightened social distancing measures that took effect Dec. 18. The KDCA reported a record-high figure of seriously ill patients for Tuesday at 1,063, along with 7,456 new infections, pushing up the total caseload to 583,065. Seven new cases of the Omicron variant were identified, raising the total infections to 234. Meanwhile, a coalition of self-employed individuals held a massive rally in downtown Seoul, Wednesday, in protest of the implementation of a vaccine pass system and tightened distancing measures. Small business owners have demonstrated a strong backlash to the vaccine pass, which restricts unvaccinated people from sitting in eateries and cafes unless they are alone, along with placing limits on operation hours of multiuse facilities until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. A medical staff prepares an injection at NHIS Ilsan Hospital, located in Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. Yonhap Korea's new coronavirus cases spiked to above 7,000 on Wednesday, and the number of critically ill patients surged to a record high. The country added 7,456 more COVID-19 cases, including 7,365 local infections, bringing the cumulative total to 583,065, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Wednesday's tally is sharply up from 5,318 on Monday and 5,202 on Tuesday. The number of new daily cases usually shrinks at the beginning of the week due to less testing over the weekend. The number of critically ill patients came to a fresh high of 1,063, the authorities said. The previous high was the 1,025 reported Sunday. Health authorities and local governments, meanwhile, had reported 4,191 new cases as of 6 p.m., up 66 from the same time the previous day, but down 389 from the comparable time a week earlier. The capital area accounted for 64.4 percent of new cases counted at 6 p.m., with Seoul registering its new high at 1,442. Daily cases are counted until midnight and announced the following morning. The bed occupancy rate in intensive care units for COVID-19 patients stood at 79.2 percent as of 5 p.m. on Tuesday, slightly down from 80.7 percent from the same time a day earlier. The comparative figure for the wider Seoul area came to 85.7 percent. A figure higher than 75 percent is considered the saturation point. As of midnight Wednesday, 493 COVID-19 patients in the wider Seoul area were waiting to be admitted to hospitals while undergoing at-home treatment. Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential nominee of the main opposition People Power Party, visits a frontline observation post, Dec. 20. Yonhap The U.S.-led U.N. Command (UNC) is investigating alleged armistice rule violations in the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, its officials said Wednesday after the main opposition People Power Party's presidential nominee visited a border unit there. On Monday, Yoon Suk-yeol in military uniform visited a frontline observation post of the South Korean Army's 3rd Infantry Division, also known as Baekgol Unit, as he stepped up his campaign ahead of the March 9 presidential poll. In a press release, the UNC did not mention his name, but said it is probing "unauthorized activities" in the DMZ that were permitted by a frontline division. The UNC oversees activities in the DMZ in line with the armistice that halted the 1950-53 Korean War. The command noted that the unit in question placed civilians "under greater threat than necessary" by putting them in military uniforms that would mark them as combatants in the heavily fortified border area. gettyimagesbank A man who stunned the nation earlier this year by sexually assaulting and killing a 20-month-old baby girl was sentenced to 30 years in prison by a court in the central city of Daejeon on Wednesday. The Daejeon District Court handed down the sentence to the 29-year-old man, identified only by his surname Yang, after convicting him of raping and killing the baby daughter of his live-in girlfriend in June. Yang was indicted for abusing and killing the baby girl because she did not stop crying on the night of June 15 by covering her with a blanket and punching and stomping on her for about an hour while drunk at his home in Daejeon, about 165 kilometers south of Seoul. He was also charged with raping the toddler before beating her to death. Yang and his girlfriend, surnamed Jeong, allegedly hid the victim's body in an ice box in their bathroom. Prosecutors demanded the death penalty and chemical castration treatment for Yang in the previous court hearing on Dec. 1. But the court rejected the prosecution's requests for chemical castration treatment for Yang and disclosure of his identity. Instead, the suspect was banned from working at child-related facilities for 10 years and ordered to wear a tracking device for 20 years and undergo 200 hours of child abuse treatment program. "Yang's act of sexually assaulting and indiscriminately beating the victim fostered by himself to death was so horrific that it is beyond words. Considering similar crimes in various parts of society, he must be held heavily accountable," the court said, adding the sentence was determined in consideration of his deep repentance and other circumstances. The court also sentenced Jeong to one and a half years in prison on the charge of helping Yang conceal the victim's body. It said Jeong may have lacked the ability to address the murder due to persistent beatings by Yang. Child abuse awareness activists and citizens who attended the court trial complained that the sentence was too weak, with some of them bursting into tears. (Yonhap) gettyimagesbank By Bahk Eun-ji A growing number of fathers here are taking parental leave, with more than one in five of the parents taking childcare leave being male, as more are seeing parenting as a job done by mothers and fathers together. According to recent data from Statistics Korea, 169,345 workers went on parental leave last year. It was a 3.7 percent rise from 2019 and a 2.3-fold increase compared to 2010. Of them, 38,511 or 22.7 percent were fathers. It was the first time that the ratio of fathers has exceeded 20 percent. Back in 2010, the ratio of fathers among the total people taking childcare leave was 2.7 percent. An elementary school teacher in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, who wished to be identified only by his surname Ryu, was one such father. He returned to work in September after six months of parental leave. "When another teacher in my school became the first father to take the leave two years ago, many colleagues asked him why he did so instead of his wife," Ryu said. "But when I took the leave, things were much better, and many male teachers now take parental leave for at least six months each." Kim Chang-young, who returned to work in November after completing five months of parental leave, shared his positive experience with taking parental leave. "During the leave, I could spend time with my family on weekdays, and I thought it was good to take the leave because I could focus on my two sons, even though we didn't do anything too special, just going to a small park near home," Kim said. However, statistics and male workers' experiences show there are still many restrictions on paternal leave and negative perceptions on such fathers. "I often felt pressured by the prejudices of people who see fathers like me, who actively participate in childrearing, as merely idle or incompetent," Ryu said. The data also showed there is a big gap in workers' use of parental leave according to the size of the company. More than 68 percent of fathers on parental leave were working at large companies with 300 or more employees, as those employers have relatively improved systems for childcare leave and substitute workers, while only 3.5 percent of fathers taking leave worked at companies with fewer than four workers. The ratios were not much different for mothers, with 62 percent and 5 percent, respectively. Gettyimagesbank Hundreds of small business owners demonstrate in Seoul on Wednesday, demanding the government scrap toughed social distancing rules and operating hour curfews. Yonhap Hundreds of restaurant and other small business owners demonstrated in Seoul on Wednesday, demanding the government scrap the toughed social distancing rules and operating hour curfews that they say would crush their businesses already struggling amid the prolonged pandemic. Some 300 members of the so-called national emergency association of small business against COVID-19 gathered near Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul to protest the reintroduction of strict distancing and business rules since Saturday. The participants were screened for vaccination status by on-site police. Police were seen trying to prevent the crowd from becoming larger than the allowed ceiling of 299 participants. "All small merchants are dying," protesters chanted. "Scrap the business restrictions!" Korea reimposed a set of revised virus restrictions across the country Saturday, which will remain in effect until Jan. 2, as infections surged out of control in the wake of the "living with COVID-19" scheme that began last month with an aim to regain pre-pandemic social normalcy. Under the updated measures, the maximum size of private gatherings is limited to four people nationwide and a 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. curfew is applied to businesses, depending on the type of service. It also adopted a vaccine pass system that allows entries of only fully-vaccinated individuals aged over 18 and those with negative virus test results at restaurants, cafes, with company. The government has announced it will pay 1 million won (US$839) each to small businesses affected by the strengthened rule, but it apparently is nowhere near the amount of help and attention small merchants are requesting. Hundreds of small business owners demonstrate in Seoul on Wednesday, demanding the government scrap toughed social distancing rules and operating hour curfews. Yonhap Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party, visits a hydrogen fueling station inside a national industrial complex in Wanju, North Jeolla Province, Wednesday. Yonhap By Jung Da-min The leadership of Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of main opposition People Power Party (PPP), is being called into question, following internal feuds of his election camp during which it is said he took the role of an onlooker rather than that of a mediator. The weeks-long conflicts between PPP leader Lee Jun-seok and some close aides to Yoon exploded on Monday, when Lee and Rep. Cho Su-jin, who was the public affairs team chief for Yoon's campaign committee, clashed over how to deal with allegations raised against Yoon's wife Kim Keon-hee, accusing her of falsifying information on her resume when applying for visiting professor positions at local universities. As Cho refused to follow Lee's directions, saying that she only follows orders from Yoon, Lee walked out of the meeting room, according to meeting participants. The following day, Lee held a press conference and announced that he would resign from all positions on the campaign committee, such as co-chairman of the committee, and only hold the party leader position, not participating in any campaign activities. Cho offered an apology, which Lee did not accept. Hours after Lee's resignation, Cho also resigned from the public affairs team chief post. But Yoon apparently did not recognize the seriousness of the feud. When asked about the conflict between Lee and Cho during the party meeting, Yoon said, "It is natural that members of a committee or a party have different views I think this is a part of any democracy." Top presidential aide resigns over son's job search controversy Kim Jin-kook, senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, resigned Tuesday after his son was found to have attempted to use his dad's influence to get a job. President Moon Jae-in immediately accepted Kim's resignation. Kim's resignation came after local broadcaster MBC reported that his son had leveraged Kim's position in applying for jobs. In one application, the son wrote on his resume: "My father is Kim Jin-kook, the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs." He added: "My father will provide a lot of help." The senior Kim said his son had been receiving treatment for anxiety and compulsive behavior. "I deeply apologize for causing concern to the people. There is no excuse for something that should not have happened," he said in a press conference. Moon's quick acceptance of Kim's resignation is seen as a move to prevent this incident from escalating into a hot-button issue raising questions about fairness and justice here as the situation for those who are jobless is going from bad to worse amid the coronavirus pandemic. The presidential office also seems to have been mindful of the timing of the incident in the run-up to the March 9 presidential election. Meanwhile, Justice Minister Park Beom-kye drew criticism for posting a message defending the presidential aide. After MBC reported on Kim's son, Park shared the article on Facebook, saying, "I'm posting this article because of the confidence that Kim Jin-kook is transparent." But it's very inappropriate for the minister who is required to maintain a high level of political neutrality to take sides without foundation. It's no secret that most of Kim's predecessors have faced criticism for various scandals. In particular, former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, who served as Moon's first senior civil affairs secretary, quit 35 days after being appointed minister over various suspicions, including allegations of college admission fraud involving his daughter. With just five months remaining before the end of his term, President Moon should do whatever he can to ensure that there will be no more irregularities implicating high-ranking officials and their families. Seen are visitors and event participants at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Jan. 5, 2020. Yonhap By Baek Byung-yeul The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will take place on-site in January for the first time in two years, but Korean companies taking part in the world's largest tech show are downsizing their participation due to growing fears over the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The event will be held in Las Vegas from Jan. 5 to 8, featuring around 2,100 exhibiting companies from around 160 countries to share their latest technologies. The 2022 CES has raised high expectations, as it will deal with emerging technologies, including blockchain, non-fungible tokens and digital health. However, due to the surge in infections from the Omicron variant, companies here are reducing the number of employees sent to Las Vegas or changing their plans instead to join the show virtually. Omicron has now become the dominant variant of COVID-19 in the U.S., accounting for 73 percent of new infection cases last week, according to the public health authorities there. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Monday (local time) that a nearly six-fold increase in Omicron's share of infections occurred in just one week. Before the emergence of Omicron, Delta had been the dominant variant, accounting for more than 99.5 percent of infections until the end of November. Companies are expressing concerns about sending large numbers of employees to CES not only because of the risk of being exposed to virus infections overseas, but also because of the burden of personnel management, as their employees will have to self-quarantine for 10 days upon returning to Korea. To prevent the spread of the new variant, health authorities here decided that inbound travelers must undergo a 10-day mandatory quarantine regardless of their vaccination status until Jan. 6. "We've decided to downsize the number of employees attending CES because it is too risky to send a big group. We don't exactly know how to deal with it if one of our employees is infected with the variant there," an official from a local home appliance company said, adding that they will also join the event both offline and online. Not only Korean companies, but also U.S. companies are also canceling or downsizing their attendance at the event. Amazon, Meta, Twitter and Pinterest announced their absences due to Omicron concerns, adding that they are searching for ways to take part in the event virtually. "Out of an abundance of caution and care for our employees, we won't be attending CES in person due to the evolving public health concerns related to COVID-19," said Meta, which operates Facebook as well as Instagram and WhatsApp. Twitter also said in a statement that "we've decided to cancel our in-person presence at CES next month." Despite the concerns, high-ranking executives of Korean firms seem to still be planning to attend the tech show in person, given that it is a good opportunity to gain global attention. Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun is known to be considering attending CES. For the previous 2020 event, Chung shared the automotive group's vision to transform into a mobility group and its plans to advance into urban air mobility in the long run. SK Chairman Chey Tae-won and his younger brother Jae-won, who was appointed recently as co-CEO of the group's battery-making unit SK On, are also known to be considering attending CES. For Samsung Electronics, CES will be the debut stage for Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee. Han, who led Samsung's TV business, was promoted recently to vice chairman and CEO leading the company's DX division, which supervises its home appliances, TVs and mobile businesses. At the event, Han will deliver a keynote speech on Jan. 4 to share the company's responsibility as one of the leading global firms as well as its future business vision. Oh Joon-won (Harry Oh), managing director of Bloom Energy Korea / Courtesy of Bloom Energy By Anna J. Park Global awareness of the urgent need to develop and use more sustainable and cleaner forms of energy is increasing and Bloom Energy, a solid oxide fuel-cell maker based in San Jose, California, has long been devoted to providing reliable and affordable clean energy. Bloom Energy was founded in 2001 by Dr. KR Sridhar, the company's chairman and CEO, a scientist and professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering who used to conduct research on how to apply fuel-cell technology to enable a sustainable community on Mars as part of NASA's Space Exploration program. Realizing that the technology could have a greater impact on Earth, the company began focusing on developing technology that would create clean and resilient electricity. Bloom Energy Servers, the company's current core product that relies on its proprietary solid oxide fuel-cell (SOFC) technology, generate electricity through a highly-efficient electrochemical process without combustion. The company's other key product is its state-of-the-art Bloom Electrolyzer, which produces clean hydrogen up to 45 percent more efficiently than any other product on the market. Major clients such as Google, FedEx, Walmart and Bank of America have enabled Bloom Energy to continue steady growth, and the company expanded into Korea in 2018. The Korea Times recently sat down with Bloom Energy Korea Managing Director Oh Joon-won (also known as Harry Oh) at his office in central Seoul to talk about the firm's achievements here over the past three years, and its vision of facilitating the transition to sustainable energy in Korea. Clean and reliable energy Oh has been leading Bloom Energy's Korea operations since July 2018. Prior to joining the company, Oh's extensive career spanned over 30 years in the U.S. and Korea, across engineering and technology firms where he worked as a nuclear submarine design engineer, renewable energy specialist and investment professional for U.S. and U.K. venture capital firms. "Over three years have passed since Bloom Energy established a subsidiary in Korea in 2018. Korea is one of the top fuel-cell markets in the world and has actively initiated plans to generate more electric power from clean sources, including fuel-cells. Korea has also aggressive plans to transition to a hydrogen-based economy. Korea is truly pioneering efforts that align with our technology and our mission to supply clean, reliable energy to everyone in the world," Oh said, stressing that the government's strategic long-term plans to rely more on clean energy sources has created a win-win situation for Bloom Energy. Bloom Energy Servers located in Hwaseong, Korea, can provide power to approximately 43,000 homes. Courtesy of Bloom Energy After opening for business in Korea, the company's energy servers began to be deployed nationwide to supply electricity to the grids of power plants on a massive scale. As Korea's electricity system is centralized under the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), Bloom Energy Korea's key customers are KEPCO's subsidiary power generation companies. One of Bloom's largest installations is located in Hwaseong, 42 kilometers south of Seoul, where 19.8 megawatts (MW) of fuel-cells have been deployed. The facility alone generates enough electricity to power approximately 43,000 homes in the area. Its second largest installation is located in Paju, around 28 kilometers north of the capital, which consists of 8.1 MW powering nearly 18,000 homes in the area. In July this year, Bloom Energy also launched its first Combined Heat and Power (CHP) project in collaboration with SK ecoplant. The new 4.2 MW CHP installation will generate both electricity and thermal energy, which will be used to heat water used by neighboring communities. "Bloom Energy has also steadily provided utility-scale electricity during the past years. There are over 160 megawatt of commercially operating Bloom fuel-cell power plants across different cities and provinces in Korea. As a service provider, we are focused on meeting our objectives and commitments with our customers through seamless monitoring and maintenance of our products," Oh explained, highlighting that Bloom Energy has been satisfying its clients with the stable and highly-efficient production and transmission of electricity. Expediting a hydrogen-based economy While Bloom Energy is engaged in various power plants nationwide, a facility in the southeastern port city of Ulsan is a bit more special. There, 100 kilowatts of solid oxide fuel-cells powered solely by hydrogen were successfully installed, generating zero-carbon onsite electricity. "Successfully completing the hydrogen fuel cell and electrolyzer pilot projects in Ulsan and Gumi is another key focus of the company. It is now the right timing to introduce hydrogen-powered solutions that will help Korea meet its net-zero emission goals," Oh stressed, adding that Bloom Energy could play a significant role in facilitating the advancement of the country's hydrogen economy. Oh explained that the government has been very strategic in its hydrogen-related policies. Korea enacted the world's first "Hydrogen Law" early last year, and launched a pan-government hydrogen economy committee, with local businesses also vowing to make $37 billion in investments. "The company is currently preparing for higher demand for fuel cells and electrolyzer with the new Clean Hydrogen Portfolio Standard policy that takes effect from 2022 in Korea. The Korean government is taking a decisive step to accelerate the transition to clean energy by incentivizing the production and use of clean hydrogen. As the market leader in solid oxide technology, our fuel cells and electrolyzers are well-positioned to play an important role in Korea's hydrogen economy," he said. Aiming to pursue the vision of a hydrogen economy, the company plans to establish "Hydrogen Innovation Centers" in Korea and in the U.S. in coming years. Efforts to localize key component of manufacturing In addition to supplying reliable clean energy and facilitating a hydrogen-based energy transition, Bloom Energy is also focused on the localization of its supply chain. In 2019, the company partnered with SK ecoplant to launch a manufacturing joint venture, Bloom SK Fuel Cell, where solid oxide fuel-cells are assembled locally. The company plans to find local vendors who could be part of Bloom Energy's global supply chain. Bloom Energy Korea Managing Director Oh Joon-won speaks during a recent interview with The Korea Times at the company's office in Seoul. Courtesy of Bloom Energy LG CNS won twice at the Google Premier Partner Awards 2021 in the Lead Generation and Best Team categories. This marks the third consecutive year the company has received an award from the event, with previous honors being Search Innovation in 2018 and Search Excellence in 2019. / Courtesy of LG CNS Vials with a sticker reading, "COVID-19 / Coronavirus vaccine / Injection only" and a medical syringe are seen in front of a displayed Novavax logo in this illustration. Reuters-Yonhap The World Health Organization on Tuesday approved a COVID vaccine made by U.S. pharma giant Novavax for emergency use, after the European Union medicines regulator gave it the green light. The European Medicines Agency had assessed and approved Nuvaxovid on Monday. It is made from a more conventional technology than others already approved, which has led officials in Brussels to express hope that this will help persuade those hesitant about vaccination to come forward. The jab uses a traditional technology involving proteins found on coronavirus spike proteins that trigger an immune response. It is a tried and tested approach, used for decades to vaccinate people against diseases including hepatitis B and whooping cough. A so-called emergency use listing (EUL) by the WHO paves the way for countries worldwide to quickly approve and import a vaccine for distribution. It also opens the door for them to enter the Covax global vaccine-sharing scheme, set up to provide equitable access to doses around the world and particularly in poorer countries. The two-shot Nuvaxovid jab is the 10th COVID vaccine issued an EUL by the UN health agency. 90-percent effective WHO said Nuvaxovid was around 90-percent effective at reducing symptomatic cases of Covid-19 in two major clinical studies, one in Britain and the other in the United States and Mexico, involving more than 45,000 people. In a separate document, WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization recommended the new vaccine for use in people over the age of 18, with an interval of three to four weeks between the two doses. "The vaccine should not be administered with an interval of less than three weeks," it warned. It can be kept at refrigerated temperatures between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, giving it a logistical advantage in difficult-to-access regions over the mRNA vaccines, which must be stored at ultra-low temperatures. Among the COVID vaccines already handed a WHO EUL is the Covovax shot, a version of Novavax's vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India under license from the U.S.-based company. It was authorized on December 17. Also figuring on the list are the mRNA vaccines produced by BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca (which is counted twice for the versions made in Europe and in India), the Indian-made Covaxin and Chinese-made Sinopharm and Sinovac. The WHO also recently resumed evaluating the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19, after several months in limbo, as it waited for additional data. Rogerio Gaspar, head of WHO's regulation and prequalification department, said Monday that the UN health agency would begin assessing the quality of the data received next month and aimed to carry out inspections on-site in February. He told reporters he could provide "no date on approval because the approval will depends really ... on the quality of the information." Neither U.S. nor EU medicines watchdogs have so far granted authorization for Sputnik V, which has been used in Russia and some other countries since late 2020. (AFP) People sit along the East River as they look toward the Manhattan skyline on the Winter Solstice in Brooklyn, New York City, Dec. 21. U.S. population growth dipped to its lowest rate since the nation's founding during the first year of the pandemic. Reuters-Yonahp U.S. population growth dipped to its lowest rate since the nation's founding during the first year of the pandemic as the coronavirus curtailed immigration, delayed pregnancies and killed hundreds of thousands of U.S. residents, according to figures released Tuesday. The United States grew by only 0.1 percent, with an additional 392,665 added to the U.S. population from July 2020 to July 2021, bringing the nation's count to 331.8 million people, according to population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The U.S. has been experiencing slow population growth for years but the pandemic exacerbated that trend. This past year was the first time since 1937 that the nation's population grew by less than 1 million people. ''I was expecting low growth but nothing this low,'' said William Frey, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution's metropolitan policy program, Brookings Metro. ''It tells us that this pandemic has had a huge impact on us in all kinds of ways, and now demography.'' Once there's a handle on the pandemic, the U.S. may eventually see a decrease in deaths, but population growth likely won't bounce back to what it has been in years past because of fewer births. That will increase the need for immigration by younger workers whose taxes can support programs such as Social Security, Frey said. ''We have an aging population and that means fewer women in child-bearing ages,'' Frey said. ''We see younger people putting off having children and they're going to have fewer children.'' Students wearing masks board a school bus outside a school on the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, Dec. 21. AP-Yonhap Employee Type: Full time Location: MN Lakeville Job Type: Production Operations Job Posting Title: Machine Operator Job Description: TreeHouse Foods is a food manufacturer of granola, fruit and specialty bars located south of the river in Lakeville, MN. We are currently looking for new members to join our team in processing and packaging equipment operations! These positions are on a 3-2-2 rotating 12- hour shifts. Job Summary: Processing Operators are responsible for measuring ingredients, operating depositors and ovens. Packaging Operators are responsible for operating machines that wrap, package and box finished products according to customer specifications. While following all safety, GMP, and Quality Procedures. Pay: Hiring Wage: $21.51 Pay from $23.19 once hired $.85/hour differential for night shift positions $2.00 per hour pay incentive for good attendance Some jobs pay an additional $1.40 per hour based on work area Additional promotional opportunities once hired Benefits: Full comprehensive benefits package, including: Health, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance 401(k) Plan with company match Paid Holidays Vacation and personal days during the first year of employment Requirements include: Strong communication skills, basic computer/calculator skills, and the ability to learn equipment operation. Disability Assistance TreeHouse Foods is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and offers opportunities to all job seekers, including those with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, please contact us by sending an email to disability-accommodations@treehousefoods.com. In your email please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting and a description of the position for which you are applying. EEO Considerations All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability or protected veteran status. recblid kb65pkwa7x1y6cjrru454m9p5396ki Washington State University is seeking to fill several full-time positions for the GEAR UP federal grant program. GEAR UP is funded by the Department of Education whose purpose is to increase the number of low-income and underrepresented students who graduate from high school and successfully complete post-secondary education. WSU is an EO/AA educator and employer. Academic Specialist | Stevens Middle School (Pasco, WA) Student Achievement Specialist | Pasco High School (Pasco, WA) Fiscal Specialist | GEAR UP Administration Office (Richland WA) For more information on positions available, requirements, and to apply, visit our website. Apply online by selecting GENERAL CAMPUS- WSU TRI-CITIES for locations. WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EDUCATOR AND EMPLOYER. Members of ethnic minorities, women, special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam-era, recently separated veterans, and other protected veteran, persons of disability and/or persons age 40 and over are encouraged to apply. WSU employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. WSU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resource Services: 509-335-4521 (v), Washington State TDD Relay Service: Voice Callers: 1-800-833-6384; TDD Callers: 1-800-833-6388, 509-335-1259(f), or hrs@wsu.edu. recblid f071fi9yj2gy2zqthxbfga61jt6w9f Atiyeh Brothers Rugs & Carpeting is seeking a General Plant Operations professional for our Portland cleaning plant. Main job duties include performing general labor tasks and cleaning services on loose rugs, furniture and carpeting both in the plant and at job site locations. Commissionable opportunities are available for this role when selling add-ons like padding, repair, appraisals. SWING-SHIFTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS ROLE. We offer a starting wage of $20/hour as well as vacation pay, holiday pay, a retirement plan, health insurance, and supplemental insurance (dental, vision, life insurance, short term disability). Atiyeh Brothers is a family-owned and operated business that has been serving the Portland Metro Area since 1900. ESSENTIAL DUTIES: Provide a high level of customer service with clients. Safely roll, lift and carry rugs and furniture in the plant, clients homes, and out of vehicles. Drive company vehicles to job sites. Maintain equipment. Operate truck mount extraction and rotary scrubbing machines. Vacuum and brush/rake rugs and carpeting. Assist with pad cutting and cleanliness of the building and vehicles. QUALIFCATIONS: Effective time management, communication, and organizational skills. Good driving record. Self-motivated and ability to show initiative. On time, dependable and able to work weekend days on a rotational basis PHYSICAL DEMANDS: While performing the duties of this job the employee frequently is required to stand; walk; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to sit and climb or balance. The employee must regularly lift objects up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift objects that weigh more than 100 pounds. The employee is required to drive in a cleaning van or other vehicle. recblid r512rcmj9yb1x1v976htyxmdd1aqui The City of Champlin is seeking qualified candidates for the role of Human Resources Coordinator. Responsibilities include a variety of responsible and confidential administrative support functions that include recruitment, workers compensation, FMLA recordkeeping, employee benefits and DOT testing and recordkeeping. In addition, candidates must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills Minimum Qualifications: Bachelors Degree with major coursework in business, human resources, or a related field Three years of related work experience in a responsible administrative support position. An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered Proven Microsoft applications experience Demonstrated experience in human resources management, preferably in a public sector organization. Experience with collective bargaining is desirable. 2022 Salary range: $32.73 - $40.92/hour DOQ, plus excellent benefits. Application deadline: January 7, 2022 For application, call 763-421-8100 or visit the Citys website at http://ci.champlin.mn.us/employment. EOE/AA/ADA. Completed applications can be mailed, emailed or dropped off by the application deadline to: City of Champlin Attn: Julie Tembreull 11955 Champlin Drive Champlin, MN 55316 jtembreull@ci.champlin.mn.us recblid m4xo9mjd6o1vuomw32sdw1epwz1opy MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIAN Goochland Powhatan Community Services is seeking a Full Time Mental Health Clinician. The incumbent must be a licensed mental health professional, or license eligible. This clinicians primary responsibility is to provide Outpatient Mental Health therapy (individual, group, and family) to children, adolescents and adults who reside in Goochland and Powhatan counties. The clinician is responsible for linking consumers to other agency programs and providing adjunctive case management and linkage to other resources that may be appropriate for consumers, including Departments of Social Services, Health Departments, county FAPT Teams, court services and the school systems. The clinician, in collaboration with the Emergency Services Unit, will provide crisis intervention for assigned consumers as the schedule allows. Although applicants already licensed are preferred, license eligible applicants may apply. Supervision toward licensure is provided or arranged. Successful candidates for this position must possess a thorough working knowledge of the DSM criteria and have experience working with persons with severe mental illness and serious emotional disturbance. Experience with co-occurring disorders is a plus. This position will require excellent verbal and written communication skills; proficient computer skills, including documentation in an electronic health record; and the ability to make independent decisions with minimal supervision. Salary range is commensurate with education and experience. The benefit package is generous. . EOE The following is a composite representation of the responsibilities for the respective job title. It is not intended to cover all possible job requirements or job factors of the titled position. Lines of supervision and reporting are as shown on the organizational chart. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Under supervision of the Outpatient Services Supervisor, this position is responsible for providing counseling, treatment, and case management services to Veterans and their families experiencing mental health and substance abuse conditions. Services may be provided in the office or in the community depending on consumer needs. This position is a licensed or licensed eligible position performing preliminary assessments of individual psychiatric needs. JOB EXPECTATIONS AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Provide outpatient mental health services to Veterans and their families. Provide outpatient services to Veterans with co-occurring disorders (both substance use/dependence and mental illness) as required. Assess and determine level of care need for mental health, substance use, and cooccurring disorders consumers. Assess, evaluate, and develop individualized service plan for consumer. Provide mental health education therapy and treatment to individual, groups, and families. Make referrals when indicated to other GPCS programs as well as other communitybased resources. Monitor consumers use of therapeutic medications. Assure the confidentiality of protected health information as required by law and according to the GPCS confidentiality policies, state law, and in the Federal Drug and Alcohol Confidentiality Law, 42 CFR Part 2, as applicable. Provide information when necessary and clinically appropriate, with current and valid authorizations to release information concerning consumers attendance and progress in treatment to courts, criminal justice agencies, departments of Social Services, and other entities that may be responsible for monitoring the consumer. Provide case management services for Veterans and their families. Maintain clinical documentation as required in the delivery of outpatient services (i.e., case notes, correspondence, psychosocial evaluations, treatment plans, quarterly progress reports, etc.), entering information in the Electronic Health Record. Report direct service and other time spent in clinical activities in a timely manner. Make referrals when indicated of consumers needing psychiatric evaluation and nursing services. Prepares intake, discharge and other reportable data for entry into Electronic Health Record in a timely manner. Provide crisis intervention services as available. Link consumers to other community resources and collaborates with other community agencies as needed. Attend in-service training sessions, conferences, workshops, seminars, and continuing education for professional and program development in the delivery of Veterans services Establish and maintain effective working relationships with consumers, organizations and agencies responsible for providing services to target population. Provide consultation and education services to other community organizations and individuals. To perform other assigned duties as necessary within established policy and procedures. REQUIREMENTS EDUCATION Masters Degree, Licensed and/or eligible to become licensed as a "Resident or Supervisee" under the clinical supervision per appropriate licensing board of a licensed professional counselor (18VAC115-20-10), licensed marriage and family therapist (18VAC115-50-10) or licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner (18VAC115-60- 10) approved by the Virginia Board of Counseling; "Resident in psychology" under supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist approved by the Virginia Board of Psychology (18VAC125-20-10); "Supervisee in social work" under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker approved by the Virginia Board of Social Work (18VAC140-20-10). EXPERIENCE Two years clinical experience in mental health with knowledge and/or experience of cooccurring treatment that may include supervised clinical internships and field placements with a provider of mental health and/or co-occurring disorders. Experience and/or knowledge of Veterans issues preferred. LICENSE(S) Licensed Mental Health Professional (LCSW, LCP or LPC) or eligible to become licensed per Virginia DBHDS requirements Position will be required to possess a valid Virginia driver's license PRE-EMPLOYMENT Must submit to pre-hire criminal background check KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES Knowledge of theories, delivery systems and treatment of mental health, substance use, and co-occurring disorders. Knowledge of consultation, educational and training needs of people dealing with mental health, substance use, and co-occurring disorders. Knowledge of Veterans issues. Knowledge of clinical treatment and development of service programs Knowledge of case management services. Knowledge of community services and resources. Knowledge of individual, group, and family counseling techniques. Knowledge of de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques. Knowledge of documentation standards. Knowledge of Goochland Powhatan Community Services policies and procedures. Ability to make clinical evaluation, determine, and monitor appropriate treatment. Ability to develop, coordinate and provide consultation and educational programs. Ability to safely operate a vehicle. Ability to exercise sound judgment, and demonstrate resourcefulness in problem solving and conflict resolution. Ability to work independently, take initiative, and make emergency judgments. Ability to handle emergency situations without direct supervision. Ability to effectively work and communicate with all types/levels of persons. Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing. Ability to complete required training including Crisis Intervention/Emergency Behavior Support and in-service First Aid and CPR training. Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and set priorities. Ability to access internet and use appropriate applications including Microsoft Word and Excel. Ability to maintain confidentiality of consumers information. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS Work environment will consist of working in a clinical office or community setting. Work environment will involve traveling within the community and will include exposure to road hazards usually experience in driving in rural, county surroundings, interstate highway driving, including exposure to weather and temperature extremes that may affect driving conditions. May involve exposure to aggressive verbal and physical behavior, and exposure to infectious diseases from others. Sitting: 85%; Standing/Walking 10%; Driving: 5% Average Weight Required to lift or carry at any one time: 50 pounds for brief periods of time recblid 2lcatoknwzujptz4z3b654jcghlodb We will train the right person! We are looking for a dynamic team player with a "In it to win it" mindset, someone curious with a thirst for knowledge. If you are looking for a change or to do something different join our Small but Mighty growing company. We know a candidate may not have all the required skills but with a great attitude and skill set we can teach you, the learning never stops! If you like doing precision work with your hands, are artistic, and have a passion for improving peoples lives, a career as a dental technician may be for you. Dental Laboratory Technology combines science and art. They follow dentists' detailed written instructions to create dental restorations that are both attractive and functional. Duties and Responsibities: Tasks include working with small dental tools and CAD/CAM technology to fabricate dental solutions for our doctors and patients Learn basic tooth anatomy Learn to fabricate orthodontic dental appliances including retainers, splints and mouth guards Learn to read and interpret dental prescriptions Become familiar with wide range of materials Develop technical knowledge to make decisions when fabricating dental prosthesis. Use various types of hand tools and equipment (electric drills, presses, lathes, high-heat furnaces, etc.) Learn to recognize problem cases that need additional information Learn to work independently and seek help if needed Provide administrative support within the department using Microsoft Word and Excel Ability to lift 25 pounds Requirements: The successful candidate will be detail oriented, artistic, enjoy working with their hands, and thrive in a fast-paced environment. Dental experience a plus however we offer on the job training for the right person. You will be given the tools and resources to make a difference in the lives of the patients we serve while adding to the growing success of our Agile work environment that values smart, capable, creative people who are able to work in self organizing teams. Personal accountability, courage, curiosity, a willingness to learn and respectful interactions are a MUST. Work schedule is Monday-Friday with primarily daytime hours. DPS is a family owned full service laboratory with over 45 years of history providing dentists with high quality dental appliances. We offer a competitive salary, benefit package and on the job training. Prior dental experience a plus, but we are willing to train the right person. Our agile work environment values smart, capable, creative people who are able to work in self organizing teams. Personal accountability, courage, curiosity, a willingness to learn and respectful interactions are a MUST. Apply online by clicking apply now! Pre-employment drug screen required Equal Opportunity Employer recblid vnfj7gv7njoaraodoxvtlwt3js950z Following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on governments and citizens, countries across the African continent are looking at e-government with renewed interest and urgency. In its latest E-Government Survey, the UN notes that governments around the world are looking at new e-government initiatives in their pursuit of digital government transformation. These include the expansion of e-participation, the delivery of e-government as a platform, the innovative use of intelligent technologies to power smart cities, and the adoption of data-centric approaches to service delivery and government policy. E-government is defined as the use of information and communication technologies to transform government services its processes, procedures and structures by making it more accessible, effective and accountable. According to the UN, e-government holds the potential to improve the delivery of public services and is an enabler of effective, transparent and accountable public institutions. African nations show encouraging growth in e-services All regions are making progress with developing e-government capabilities, but Africa is showing the greatest growth. The number of UN member states in Africa that have low e-government development index (EGDI) values dropped from 26 in 2016 to only seven in 2020. Sadly, no African country can yet boast very high EGDI values: in Europe, 33 countries have very high EGDI values, and 15 in Asia. Although lagging more developed regions, Africa has the largest share of countries that have moved to a higher EGDI group of all regions. The African countries with the highest EGDI values are Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa and Tunisia, who are all in the top 100 globally. As governments respond to the challenges brought by the pandemic, many are placing greater emphasis on e-government services, which can be evidenced in Expanded national portal features Improved transactional online services such as tax submissions, license renewals, permits and business registrations Greater digitisation of sectoral services in health, employment, justice, employment and social protection Extending online services to vulnerable groups including the elderly, persons with disabilities, youth and women. Sixty-five to seventy percent of African countries allow citizens to register a business online, while more than half allow citizens to apply for a government post or request birth, death or marriage certificates. However, access to digital services remains an obstacle to greater e-government development in Africa. The continents internet penetration is estimated at 36% or 473 million people and digital literacy levels are also comparably lower than more developed regions. New policies point to data-driven governments One of the key components of effective e-government is the effective use of government data. With much of the worlds data resting in the hands of a small number of global cloud and digital services providers, African nations have taken note of the importance of leveraging data that could be applied in the service of national and regional decision-making and policy development. As one of the most digitally mature of all African nations, South Africa produces huge and growing volumes of personal, public, corporate and government data. Its recently published National Data and Cloud Policy sets out how the government can better use data as a natural resource, mine it for insights, and apply those insights to improve service delivery. The African Unions Digital Transformation Strategy is also clear in its intention to ensure the continents ownership of modern digital tools, but with only 1% of the worlds data centres, many countries still have some work to do. Next steps hold key to e-government success What is the way forward for Africas e-government growth? The UN believes comprehensive national digital transformation strategies and implementation plans that integrate national priorities with regional and global priorities are essential. Encouragingly, many African countries have taken bold steps forward in this regard. Nigeria has introduced a Government Integrated Financial Management Information System; Mauritius is in the process of establishing a regional e-governance academy; Zimbabwe has enabled a public-sector financial management system; and Ethiopia has connected cash registers at retail outlets directly to the countrys tax authority. The Smart Africa initiative, which was established in 2013, puts ICT at the centre of socio-economic development, encourages greater access to ICT, aims to improve accountability and efficiency through the use of ICT, and more broadly leveraging ICT to promote sustainable development. The Policy and Regulation Initiative for Digital Africa, a joint programme between the African Union, European Union and International Telecommunication Union, aims to facilitate universally accessible, affordable and effective wireless broadband across the continent, with the ultimate goal of bringing an additional 300 million people in Africa online by 2025. As countries across Africa accelerate their adoption of digital technologies, new opportunities are being created for more efficient and accessible public services that can help establish a more equitable and enabling environment for citizens and businesses alike. Building on the success of the past few years, countries can take bold steps toward greater regional and global competitiveness while enhancing the citizen experience for all who call Africa home. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires : justice888 (justice888), : Prose : Happy cash withdrawal turns into coin lock, and happy coin finally becomes a gold swallowing beast : GWG : BBS (Wed Dec 22 03:13:24 2021, ) It is reported that with the resignation of Jack Dorsey, trump, which brings 80 million fans, will soon enter twitter, and Gettr will undoubtedly be even more bleak. The huge cost of daily operation of GTV, gnews, and new gate, as well as the compensation hole in Pax case, and the debt of nearly US $3 billion of Arab China fund, must rely on the source of gold devouring beast, hi coin, to constantly suck blood. 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In short, the undercurrent of hi coin investors who have seen through hi coin is surging, and Guo Wengui's sworn enemies Sara, Luther and Yan limeng are also giving Guo Wengui eye medicine. It is reported that Sara has reported xicoin and Guo Wengui to CFTC, the organization in charge of virtual currency. Luther, Yan limeng, and others have taken refuge in Falungong Li Hongzhi. They are competing against each other and are at war. A war is imminent. It is conceivable that the curtain of Guo's scam will be completely torn open. You investors, it's not stupid to be sold by others and pay for the number of people?! -- :WWW mitbbs.com [FROM: 103.] International Chinas Xi endorses Hong Kongs patriots only election Xi Jinping BEIJING, DEC 22 (AP) | Publish Date: 12/22/2021 1:56:30 PM IST Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday endorsed Hong Kongs first legislative elections held under new laws ensuring that only patriots who have shown loyalty to Beijing could run as candidates. Sundays elections for the 90-seat Legislative Council were swept by politicians backed by Chinas ruling Communist Party. Just 20 seats were directly elected, and the turnout of 30.2% was the lowest since the British handed Hong Kong over to China in 1997. All candidates were vetted by a largely pro-Beijing committee before they could be nominated. Xi told Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie in Beijing on Wednesday that after the elections, he is certain Hong Kongers will join in realising the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The execution of the new election system adheres to the one country, two systems principle, Xi said, referring to the increasingly threadbare framework under which Hong Kong was to retain its own political, social and financial institutions for 50 years after being transferred from British rule. Our fellow Hong Kong citizens will promote the glorious tradition of loving their country and Hong Kong, Xi said. The elections had been postponed for a year ostensibly due to a spike in COVID-19 cases after the opposition swept elections for district counsellors. They followed widespread and increasingly violent anti-government protests in 2019 that prompted Beijing to impose a sweeping National Security Law on Hong Kong, followed by a reorganisation of the electoral process and transformation of the makeup of the Legislative Council to stack it with pro-Beijing loyalists. The opposition camp criticised the elections, with the largest pro-democracy party, the Democratic Party, fielding no candidates for the first time since the 1997 handover. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Monday there were multiple reasons for the decline in voter turnout. It is not only the impact of the pandemic, but also the disruption and sabotage of anti-China elements in Hong Kong and external forces, Zhao said at a daily briefing. Some overseas pro-democracy activists, including London-based Nathan Law, had urged a boycott of the vote, saying the elections were undemocratic. Under the new election laws, incitement to boycott the voting or to cast invalid votes could be punished by up to three years in jail and a 200,000 Hong Kong dollar ($26,500) fine. Prior to her departure for Beijing, Lam, who is under a US visa ban, said she expected to cover a wide range of issues on this particular duty visit because through two very decisive acts of the central authorities, Hong Kong is now back on the right track of one country, two systems. In a joint statement released by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the foreign ministers of Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States expressed grave concern over the erosion of democratic elements of Hong Kongs electoral system and growing restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly. Protecting space for peaceful alternative views is the most effective way to ensure the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong, they said. Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 02:18:04|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close An empty beach is pictured in Larnaca, Cyprus, Dec. 21, 2021. Faced with spiraling COVID-19 infections and the spread of the new Omicron variant, Cyprus' Health authorities on Tuesday announced fresh anti-coronavirus restrictions for the eighth time in a month. (Xinhua/Guo Mingfang) NICOSIA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Faced with spiraling COVID-19 infections and the spread of the new Omicron variant, Cyprus' Health authorities on Tuesday announced fresh anti-coronavirus restrictions for the eighth time in a month. As of Wednesday, all employed people, except those who have received a booster dose, will have to present a negative weekly PCR or rapid test before being allowed into their workplace, said Health Minister Michalis Hadipantelas. From Jan. 31, 2022, the validity period for a SafePass issued after recovery from a COVID-19 infection is to be halved from six to three months. The Council of Ministers, which met earlier in the day, also decided to push back the reopening of schools after the two-week Christmas holiday from Jan. 7 to Jan. 10, Hadjipantelas said. On returning to class, all pupils and school staff must present a 72-hour negative rapid antigen test. As of Wednesday and until Jan. 6, unvaccinated children aged 12 to 17 will be required to have a 72-hour negative test before being allowed into restaurants, cafes, and bars, as well as wedding parties. They must also be accompanied by a vaccinated parent or guardian. Hadjipantelas said that the maximum number of people allowed to gather in private houses for Christmas and New Year celebrations will remain at 20. He advised people to get tested for coronavirus before such gatherings. The public health system began on Tuesday distributing free kits containing five rapid self-tests, and advised people to take a test before going to meetings or into crowded places. The new measures were introduced as daily infections in recent weeks have climbed to about 700 among the less-than-a million population. Health authorities have also announced that several Omicron mutation cases have been detected. All previously announced measures, including travel restrictions, will remain in force until Jan. 15, 2022, said Hadjipantelas. Enditem People wearing face masks walk on the street in Nicosia, Cyprus, Dec. 21, 2021. Faced with spiraling COVID-19 infections and the spread of the new Omicron Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 03:58:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A staff member checks vaccine passports of customers at a supermarket in Tunis, Tunisia, Dec. 22, 2021. A compulsory vaccine passport will be required to access public spaces from Dec. 22 in Tunisia, the Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) reported. (Photo by Adel Ezzine/Xinhua) TUNIS, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- A compulsory vaccine passport will be required to access public spaces from Dec. 22 in Tunisia, the Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) reported. In order to enter structures and offices under the jurisdiction of the state, companies and public, educational and university establishments, kindergartens, cafes and restaurants, a vaccine passport will be mandatory, according to a presidential decree dating from Oct. 22, 2021. For those who have completed their vaccination, the vaccine passport is available on the country's electronic vaccination platform Evax. The contact details of the vaccinated person on this passport include the EVAX registration number, the vaccination center, the reference of the vaccination certificate, the type of vaccine and the dates of the vaccinations with a QR code. Any Tunisian or foreigner residing in Tunisia who has completed the COVID-19 vaccination, as well as foreigners arriving in Tunisia holding a health pass issued abroad are eligible to get the vaccine passport. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 12:39:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A Lao railway staff member welcomes passengers to board Lane Xang electric multiple unit (EMU) train of the China-Laos Railway at Vientiane Railway Station in Vientiane, Laos, Dec. 3, 2021. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua) by Xinhua writer Qu Junya HONG KONG, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- In early December, landlocked Laos took a quantum leap toward the nation's dream of becoming a land-linked hub thanks to the inauguration of the China-Laos Railway. Laos is the only nation in Southeast Asia without direct access to the sea. Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith called the occasion "a proud moment and the dream of all ethnic groups of Laos." The first electrified railway in Laos was made possible by the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China's grand plan for a better-connected world was also behind Vietnam's first metro line, which went into commercial operation in capital Hanoi in November. The Asia-Pacific is home to an extending infrastructure network which was further energized over the past year by new bridges, dams, highways, power lines and railroads, among other BRI projects. Even the COVID-19 pandemic did not slow down work for long. The East Coast Rail Link in Malaysia had almost its entire staff fully vaccinated by October. Around the world, 141 countries and 32 international organizations, including 19 UN agencies, have participated in the BRI. CHINESE TECHNICAL STANDARDS In Bangladesh, the awe-inspiring Padma Bridge nears completion. The rail-road bridge is expected to speed up development and poverty reduction in the southwest of the riverine country, and to complete a key link in the envisaged trans-Asian rail network. The Padma Bridge has 40 piers sunk into the sandy riverbed. According to Bangladeshi project engineer Dewan Muhammad Abdul Kader, "Every pier and span presented numerous challenges" to the Chinese engineers. The China-Laos Railway has 75 tunnels in the 422-km Laos section. There -- and in Belt and Road projects elsewhere -- advanced technology and techniques are making short work of geological complexities. Chinese management and technical standards are extensively applied. VR systems providing a virtual workplace for safety training help protect Malaysian workers, while state-of-the-art equipment like China's tunneling machines boosts progress in building the railway in eastern Malaysia. Phase-II of the Karakoram Highway was declared one of the best projects in the world this year by U.S. weekly Engineering News-Record in September. Part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the highway is just one of 46 corridor projects underway or completed. Pakistan sees the corridor as a gamechanger for its national development. CLEAN AND GREEN No more coal-fired power plants will be built as part of the BRI, and a large number of hydropower projects are completed, underway or in the pipeline. Notably, the Sirindhorn Dam in northeastern Thailand combines a floating solar farm with an existing hydropower plant. The Thai government plans to reproduce this model in 15 other locations as part of its climate commitment to a green low-carbon growth. All Belt and Road projects are constructed in an environment-friendly manner, with a strong imperative to protect the local ecosystem. Construction of the railway created some 110,000 jobs in Laos, but the route remains just as verdant and lush as before the earthmovers arrived. "After construction, revegetation goes. This is not just high-quality engineering, but also common sense. We want to leave the trackside in the condition we found it," said chief engineer Huang Daiwen. Huang's team has even applied for a patent for "roadbed slope revegetation devices" developed during their work in Laos. Building hydro dams, of course, takes into account habitat protection for terrestrial wildlife. In the water, dams on the Nam Ou River in Laos have been restocked with native species of fish. Over 2 million fry have been released into the river over past years. And that's not just good for the health of the biosphere, it's good for local people too. Fish restaurants have sprung up, attracting customers from Luang Prabang, dozens of kilometers away. Songkham Yathika, 55, likes boasting about his personal journey from mountain man to fisherman to restaurateur. LIVELIHOODS AND RISING HOPES Thanks to the resumed BRI arrangement of chartered freight, in November the flow of pine nuts from Afghanistan to China got moving again, much to the relief of rural people whose only income comes from the nut. The whole pine-nut industrial chain provides at least 40,000 jobs in Khost and Paktia provinces. This trade is a lifeline in Afghanistan amid what might otherwise be a harsh winter of food shortages, economic crises and COVID-19. To Sri Lankans, the BRI will bring more things than clean water to 450,000 Katana residents and a new outpatient building in commercial capital Colombo. In September, a children's picture book, A City Rising from the Ocean was published. It tells the story of Colombo Port City, a financial hub growing on land reclaimed from the sea for the past seven years. Port City marina staged Colombo Fashion Week shows in November. A PwC study in November said that, once fully operational, the port city project will add 13.8 billion U.S. dollars to Sri Lanka's economy. The China-funded 60,000-seat Morodok Techo National Stadium, built in Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, was handed over to Cambodia in September. The country is now ready to host the Southeast Asian Games in 2023. BROADER CONNECTIVITY "The stadium serves as another bridge to connect the hearts of the two peoples," said Cambodian government's chief spokesperson Phay Siphan. In inaugurating the eighth Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge in November, Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen thanked the BRI for benefiting the Cambodian people and thanked China for COVID-19 vaccine supplies. Those supplies have been instrumental in achieving the country's very high vaccination rates, with 13.56 million people or 84.8 percent of the population being fully vaccinated as of Dec. 15. Cambodia is also setting up a Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine filling factory. It is among the 29 countries in Asia-Pacific that began Belt and Road partnerships on COVID-19 vaccines cooperation and green development this June. To return to the biggest BRI event of the year, the China-Laos Railway connecting Kunming in Southwest China to Lao capital Vientiane is a docking project between the BRI and Laos' development strategy. According to President Thongloun, the shining green line of high tech through primal forest symbolizes the spirit of a community of a shared future and the shared dreams of peoples. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 15:38:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian (1st R) attends the handover ceremony for China-donated rice in Pasay City, the Philippines, Dec. 22, 2021. China offered 1 million U.S. dollars in cash and another 4,725 tons of rice on Wednesday to help the victims of Typhoon Rai in the Philippines. (Xinhua/Liu Kai) MANILA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- China offered 1 million U.S. dollars in cash and another 4,725 tons of rice on Wednesday to help the victims of Typhoon Rai in the Philippines. Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian announced the assistance at the handover ceremony of the rice, the last batch of the 10,000 tons that China donated to the Philippines. The emergency cash assistance is to support the relief and recovery efforts of the Philippine government and people against the disaster brought by the devastating typhoon, Huang said, expressing hope that the fresh batch of rice will contribute to the Philippines' humanitarian relief operations in typhoon-hit areas. On Tuesday, the Chinese embassy in Manila raised 20,000 food packages containing rice, canned food, and noodles packs. Huang said the relief goods had reached typhoon-affected areas such as Cebu, Leyte, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Cagayan de Oro City, Surigao City, among others. Huang said China will continue to support the Philippines' relief and recovery efforts "to the best of its ability." "China and the Philippines are close and friendly neighbors who always help and support each other through trying times," the ambassador said. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared Tuesday night a state of calamity in several regions to speed up relief efforts for victims of Typhoon Rai. Philippine Social Welfare Director Emmanuel Privado, who received the donated rice from China on Wednesday, thanked the Chinese government for its generosity. Privado said the Chinese donations are timely, saying his government is in the thick of distributing relief goods to the typhoon victims. "We express our heartfelt gratitude to the people of Chinese for these donations. This is so timely. The typhoon victims will benefit from these," he said. Typhoon Rai, which battered the Philippines last week, affected more than 1.3 million and is feared to have killed at least 375 in the central and southern Philippine and parts of the main Luzon island. Enditem China-donated rice and packs of relief supplies are seen in Pasay City, the Philippines, Dec. 22, 2021. China offered 1 million U.S. dollars in cash and another 4,725 tons of rice on Wednesday to help the victims of Typhoon Rai in the Philippines. (Xinhua/Liu Kai) Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 18:05:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close The Malay edition of the first volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" was launched in the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center on Tuesday. Xu Lin, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the State Council Information Office, delivered a video speech, in which he said the publication of the Malay edition of this book will help Malaysians better understand the thoughts of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. Xu said that the first, second and third volumes of Xi's book comprehensively and systematically present the development process of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and are "keys" to understanding China and the CPC. Speaker of the lower house of Malaysia's Parliament, Azhar Azizan Harun, attended the event and delivered a speech. Azhar said that under the leadership of President Xi, nearly 100 million people had been lifted out of poverty in China within less than 10 years, which is an amazing accomplishment. This book, Azhar noted, will help more Malay readers understand President Xi's policies and thoughts on the governance and development of the country. Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing said in his speech that China and Malaysia are good neighbors whose relationship is marked by mutual trust and that both countries have enjoyed win-win cooperation and a friendship lasting more than 1,000 years. The publication of this book is the latest achievement in people-to-people exchanges and a new testimony to the long friendship between the two countries, said the ambassador, noting it will further promote exchanges on governance experiences, enrich the connotations of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Malaysia, and strengthen bilateral ties. The launching ceremony, co-organized by China's State Council Information Office, China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration and the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia, was attended by some 150 political leaders, government officials, academicians, and reporters, among others. The Malay edition of the first volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" was jointly translated and published by the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration and Malaysia's Institute of Language and Literature (Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka). So far, the first volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" has been translated and issued in 36 languages. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 18:57:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on July 21, 2019 from Xiangshan Mountain shows the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan. (Xinhua/Zhu Xiang) Lithuania should come to realize the severity of its ill-judged actions and move to correct the mistakes immediately rather than speak ill of China and make mischief between China and the EU. BRUSSELS, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) should not be hijacked by Lithuania that has recklessly violated the one-China principle, while it is advisable for the regional club to deal with relations with China for the big picture. Lithuania has reportedly asked the EU to intervene after China responded to the Baltic country's approval of a "Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania." By playing the card of "EU unity and solidarity," the northeastern European country urged "a strong reaction" to what it absurdly claimed as "coercion" from the Chinese side. To set the record straight, Lithuania, with the provocative move on China's Taiwan region, renounced the political commitment it made in the communique on the establishment of diplomatic ties with China in 1991, and undermined China's sovereignty as well as territorial integrity. "It is right and just that national sovereignty and territorial integrity shall be inviolable," a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said earlier this week, adding that "Lithuania broke faith and stood on the opposite side of what is right and just." To defend its own legitimate rights and interests and safeguard basic norms governing international relations, China has taken legitimate and reasonable actions, which are consistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, general international law and relevant international practice, and are in line with the principle of diplomatic reciprocity. Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, attends a press conference in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 10, 2021. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Lithuania should come to realize the severity of its ill-judged actions and move to correct the mistakes immediately rather than speak ill of China and make mischief between China and the EU. China and the European Economic Community, predecessor of the EU, agreed to establish official relations in 1975. Sir Christopher Soames, then vice-president of the group, said that "all the member states of the Community recognized the government of China and had taken positions with regard to the Taiwan question acceptable to the People's Republic." Soames also confirmed "the Community does not entertain any official relations with Taiwan or have any agreements with it." Such are binding legal obligations of the EU and its member states and should be honored with sincerity. There is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The Taiwan question is China's internal affair and is a highly sensitive issue. China's position on the Taiwan question is firm and clear, and such position remains unchanged and will never be changed. The one-China principle is a United Nations-recognized norm of international relations and common consensus of the international community, and also serves as the political foundation for China's bilateral relations with others, including the EU and its member states. It is such a core principle that allows no ambiguity. Without it, everything above will be shaky. A train runs on the Pingtan Strait Road-rail Bridge of Fuzhou-Pingtan railway in southeast China's Fujian Province on Dec. 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan) The EU and China have been comprehensive strategic partners, as well as major trading partners for each other. Staying committed to the general direction of win-win cooperation is in the interests of both sides and will be vital to a global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts should be made to prevent what really matters for the EU-China relations from being distracted by political speculation like Lithuania has made unwisely, and stop wrong, dangerous signals to be sent to Taiwan independence separatist forces. It is also hoped that the EU will uphold strategic autonomy, distinguish between right and wrong, properly handle differences with China, and work with China to push forward the development of bilateral cooperation. "Taiwan is a long lost son who will eventually return home," said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in a speech on Monday. "It should not be used as a pawn to serve others' agenda." As to Lithuania, it is a pity that the country has turned into a political tool used by certain forces to carry out their agenda and, unfortunately, a laughing stock of the international community. If certain people or forces in Lithuania stick to the dark path, they will eventually end up in the trashcan of history. It will be a shame for Lithuania to seek to drag others into the mire it has irresponsibly created. The EU should have eyes wide open on the selfish trick and stay out of Lithuania's own shambles. Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 19:27:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Staff members pose for photos with the first "Shanghai Express" in Hamburg, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Qing) As a "bellwether" of the China-European Union (EU) cooperation, sustained China-Germany cooperation will continuously inject momentum into steady development of China-EU relations. by Xinhua writer Zhong Ya BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- As the world is wrestling with a host of daunting global challenges, China and Germany, two major countries in the world and champions for multilateralism, not only need to boost their practical cooperation, but also have on their shoulders great responsibilities to sustain world peace and development. In a phone conversation on Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed bilateral ties, and vowed to further strengthen all-round strategic partnership between the two sides, demonstrating a continuity of their mutually beneficial cooperation over the past half century, which features ample vitality, endurance, resilience and potential. The two important economies in the world are witnessing a sound development of their trade and investment ties. China has been Germany's largest trading partner for five consecutive years, and bilateral economic and trade cooperation has kept growing despite the COVID-19 pandemic, with two-way trade amounting to around 248.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2020, according to official statistics. A man works at Tiexi Plant of BMW Brilliance Automotive in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) German carmakers are heavily invested in joint ventures with Chinese companies, such as Daimler with Beijing Automotive Group Co., Ltd, BMW with Brilliance Auto Group and Volkswagen with Shanghai-based SAIC Motor, only to name a few, becoming a prime example of their prospering investment ties. In the future, the two sides should give full play to the role of bilateral dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, and particularly make good use of their intergovernmental consultation mechanism, so as to promote cooperation in various fields. Meanwhile, the two countries should also actively explore new areas of cooperation such as new energy and green and digital economy, and unleash the growth potential of trade in services. As a "bellwether" of the China-European Union (EU) cooperation, sustained China-Germany cooperation will continuously inject momentum into steady development of China-EU relations. Given their status as two major independent forces with broad strategic consensus and common interests, China and the EU have their major roles to play in a world undergoing major transformations rarely seen in a century. Workers work at a production line of Jungheinrich AG, a leading intralogistics solutions provider based in Germany, in Qingpu district of east China's Shanghai, Oct. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) Germany, as one major driving force in Europe, is also an important node of the China-Europe Railway Express. Enhanced cooperation between China and Germany within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative will benefit countries along the route and promote connectivity of the Eurasian continent. In talks with Xi, Scholz expressed the hope that the EU-China investment agreement will enter into force at an early date, and said Germany is ready to work with China to uphold multilateralism in international affairs. Sustained China-Germany cooperation will make new contributions to world peace and development. In the past, the two countries have maintained close cooperation in confronting such global challenges as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, and close communication on such regional affairs as Afghanistan and the Iranian nuclear issue, shouldering their due responsibilities in global governance. Looking forward, the two countries should continue to uphold the principle of democracy in international relations and firmly oppose all forms of hegemonic behavior and Cold War mentality. Only by increased coordination and cooperation on international affairs can the two countries find practical solutions to problems concerning the shared future of mankind, such as fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, spurring post-pandemic economic recovery across the globe, tackling climate change, alleviating poverty, and achieving sustainable development. With the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries coming next year, China and Germany are expected to strengthen communication and cooperation in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual trust. A steady China-Germany relationship will surely become a robust force to underpin global stability and growth. Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 20:06:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Aerial photo taken on Dec. 9, 2021 shows Xiamen International Conference & Exhibition Center, International Conference Center and surrounding buildings in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The Xiamen SEZ has made important contributions to the country's reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, and played a unique role in promoting national reunification. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) XIAMEN, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday held a gathering to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in east China's Fujian Province. The Xiamen SEZ is among China's first batch of four special economic zones, serving as a pilot area for the country's reform and opening-up and promoting cross-Strait cooperation and exchanges. With a spate of new opening-up policies rolled out in recent years, Xiamen, a city facing Taiwan across the Taiwan Strait, is opening a new chapter of opening-up and high-quality development. Xiamen has been seeking growth momentum from reform and opening-up over the past decades. In October 1980, the State Council, or the cabinet, approved the establishment of the Xiamen SEZ. Its construction officially started the following year. Later, the SEZ expanded twice. Now, it covers the entire city of Xiamen. After implementing a series of policies, Xiamen has formed a comprehensive and multi-level opening-up pattern, attracting scores of Fortune Global 500 companies amid efforts to integrate into the global economic system. By the end of 2020, 63 Fortune Global 500 companies had invested 114 projects in Xiamen, with foreign investment in actual use totaling 3.63 billion U.S. dollars, said the Xiamen municipal bureau of statistics. Official data shows that Xiamen's foreign trade increased from 141 million U.S. dollars in 1980 to 691.6 billion yuan (about 108.6 billion U.S. dollars) in 2020, with an average annual growth of 18 percent. Its utilized foreign investment increased from 8 million U.S. dollars in 1983 to 16.6 billion yuan in 2020, with an average yearly growth of 16.9 percent. From January to November, the total foreign trade of Xiamen reached 814.2 billion yuan, up 29.3 percent year on year, with ASEAN, the United States, and the European Union the city's top three trading partners, statistics with Xiamen customs authorities show. "There are policies and opportunities in Xiamen, and its good business environment encourages us to continue to increase investment here," said James Zhao, president of ABB Electrification China. Over the past 40 years, Xiamen achieved average annual economic growth of 15 percent. Its gross domestic product reached 638.4 billion yuan in 2020, with per capita GDP exceeding 20,000 U.S. dollars. Currently, foreign-funded companies contribute about 70 percent of the city's industrial output, 60 percent of its economic growth, and 40 percent of its foreign trade. The city's opening-up has been gaining momentum since the Xiamen Area of China (Fujian) Pilot Free Trade Zone and the city's China-Europe freight train service were launched in 2015. Nearly 500 innovative measures have been rolled out in the Xiamen Area of the Fujian FTZ, according to Dai Bin, an official with the Xiamen Area administration committee. So far, more than ten aviation maintenance companies have established businesses in Xiamen, with their output in this field accounting for about one-fourth of the country's total. As the host of the ninth BRICS summit in 2017, Xiamen has also boosted its cooperation with BRICS countries, with the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution Innovation Center launched in Xiamen in December last year. Xiamen launched Silk Road shipping services in 2018. Silk Road Shipping is an alliance jointly initiated in late 2018 by dozens of ports, carriers, and logistics service providers in countries along the Belt and Road. After three years of development, Silk Road Shipping, with more than 200 members, now has 86 routes reaching 102 ports in 29 countries, said Li Nan, deputy general manager of Fujian Silk Road Maritime Management Company. As one of the mainland cities closest to Taiwan, Xiamen is a major hub for cross-Strait exchanges and regional cooperation. Xiamen will build itself into a demonstration zone for cross-Strait integration development and become a top mainland destination for Taiwan compatriots and businesses, said Liu Jinzhu, head of Xiamen's Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao affairs office. "Deepening its construction as a strategic hub for the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and docking with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) have given direction for Xiamen's higher-level opening-up," said Huang Maoxing, a professor with the School of Economics, Fujian Normal University. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 21:54:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close -- The global anti-pandemic fight in 2021 was full of twists and turns, but there is still hope ahead as long as the world strengthen solidarity and cooperation. -- The emergence of Omicron, an early lifting of lockdowns and low vaccination rates have made Europe the epicenter of this new wave of COVID-19, and the situation in Africa is also worrying. -- The pandemic has also exposed the flawed global public health system, in which wealthy nations have failed to keep their vaccine promises. -- Apart from a record-breaking sprint to develop COVID-19 vaccines, the WHO and regulators worldwide have also been approving the vaccines at top speed. BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The global anti-pandemic fight in 2021 was full of twists and turns: a string of new and cunning variants, a yawning immunization gap between high- and low-income nations, and a distractive politicization of origin-tracing have crippled the speedy development of COVID-19 vaccines and the global promotion of inoculation. But there is still hope ahead as long as countries around the world strengthen solidarity and cooperation, adopt science-based COVID-19 policies, and abandon a zero-sum mentality and political bias. People enjoy their leisure time in Lille, northern France, May 19, 2021. (Photo by Sebastien Courdji/Xinhua) PANDEMIC STALEMATE Global COVID-19 cases and deaths have surpassed 270 million and 5.3 million by Tuesday, up by about 190 million and 3.5 million respectively from the beginning of the year. The World Health Organization (WHO)'s COVID-19 dashboard suggested that the number of weekly new cases around the globe bounced back to 5.7 million in early May from 2.4 million in late February, and fell to 2.5 million in mid-June. It then rebounded to 4.5 million in late August, dropped in mid-October to 2.7 million, and is now moving higher again. The United States, ranking first over a long period in both caseload and death toll in the global COVID-19 chart, has already reported more than 50 million infections and 800,000 deaths. The country, with the most advanced medical equipment and technologies, has failed the pandemic's "stress test" and is now suffering another tough winter. The emergence of Omicron, an early lifting of lockdowns and low vaccination rates have made Europe the epicenter of this new wave of COVID-19. The situation in Africa is also worrying: Data from the WHO showed that the continent had registered over 256,000 cases for the week ending Dec. 19, up 53 percent from the previous week. Travelers wait to receive COVID-19 tests at Cape Town International Airport in Cape Town, South Africa, Nov. 29, 2021. (Str/Xinhua) INTROSPECTION "COVID-19 has exposed a broken world that is inequitable, unaccountable, and divided," the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, a joint arm of the WHO and the World Bank, said in an October report, citing growing nationalism, geopolitical tensions and deep inequalities as root causes. Perhaps the first lesson drawn from this capricious situation is that it is still too early to turn the pandemic into an endemic disease, and that consistent anti-epidemic measures are urgently needed to avoid a dangerous "pandemic fatigue" of the prolonged public health crisis. Some Western countries, like the United States, have already embraced a potential coexistence with COVID-19. Also in the United States, the anti-pandemic fight has been politicized, causing delays or abandonment of anti-pandemic measures. The results were more infections, and the following popping up of highly transmissible variants like Delta and Omicron. The pandemic has also exposed the flawed global public health system, in which wealthy nations have not only failed to keep their vaccine promises, but also been starving the developing world of vaccines through vaccine nationalism. Among others, the United States delivered only 25 percent of the vaccines that it had promised by Nov. 25. A staff member arranges labelled COVID-19 vaccines before packing them on the vaccine production line of a VACSERA factory in Giza, Egypt, Sept. 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) "Vaccine equity is the greatest immediate moral test of our times. It is also a practical necessity," United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tweeted in July. According to University of Oxford-based Our World in Data, as of Tuesday, 56.9 percent of the world population has received at least one does of a COVID-19 vaccine and 8.78 billion doses have been administered globally. However, only 8.1 percent of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose. Besides, it should also be recognized by all that COVID-19 origin-tracing is a serious and complex scientific issue requiring the joint efforts of global experts. For quite some time, the United States has attempted to politicize the issue and scapegoat China for its own pandemic fiasco. Its intelligence community's so-called origin-tracing report, for instance, has stoked divisions and undermined global anti-pandemic cooperation. An airport worker transports packages of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines at Phnom Penh International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Oct. 14, 2021. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua) RIGHT PATH Fortunately, the year 2021 was not all doom and gloom. Apart from a record-breaking sprint to develop COVID-19 vaccines, the WHO and regulators worldwide have also been approving the vaccines at top speed. So far, the WHO has issued emergency use listing for several COVID-19 vaccines, including those from China's Sinopharm and Sinovac. Multilateral programs such as COVAX are also playing their due role in promoting global vaccine equity. Official data showed that COVAX has so far shipped over 792 million COVID-19 vaccines to 144 participants. China, as a responsible major country, has supplied over 70 million doses of vaccines and donated 100 million U.S. dollars to this global initiative. Adding to the achievements is the good news of new drugs against COVID-19. The first oral antiviral pill molnupiravir to treat COVID-19 was approved by British medicines regulators in early November. The European Medicines Agency issued advice on the emergency use of Pfizer's COVID-19 pill Paxlovid in mid-December. A key Chinese medicine against COVID-19 has been approved for sale. In an interconnected world, no one can win any global crisis alone. The COVID-19 pandemic has once again demonstrated the importance of pushing forward stronger cooperation and unity. Medical staff members work in a COVID-19 ward at a hospital in Bologna, Italy, Dec. 3, 2021. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua) As a pioneer along this path, China has not hesitated to lend a helping hand to others. It has delivered on its promise to make vaccines a global public good, having provided nearly 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations. In fact, it has offered more doses than any other country in the world. China has also launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on COVID-19 Vaccines Cooperation together with over 30 countries, and conducted joint vaccine production with 19 developing countries. Indeed, just as the WHO tweeted Saturday, "to end the COVID-19 pandemic, the world must act together as a team to ensure equitable access to vaccines, treatment & diagnostics." (Xinhua reporters Shang Xuqian in New York, Tan Jingjing in Washington, Du Baiyu and Zhou Siyu in Seoul, and Liu Qu in Geneva have also contributed to the story.) (Video editors: Jia Xiaotong, Mu Xuyao) Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 22:12:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Wednesday met with Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam, who is on a duty visit to Beijing. During the meeting, Xi heard a report from Lam on Hong Kong's current situation and the HKSAR government's work. Over the past year, Hong Kong has consolidated the achievements in restoring order and the situation has constantly improved, Xi said, adding that the region has achieved notable results in COVID-19 response, steadily recovered its economy and maintained social stability. Lam has led the HKSAR government in making systematic changes and improvements to Hong Kong's electoral system in accordance with relevant decision of the National People's Congress (NPC) and relevant legislation of the NPC Standing Committee, Xi said. Lam has also led the HKSAR government in successfully holding elections of the Election Committee and the Legislative Council (LegCo), resolutely implementing the Hong Kong national security law, and taking active measures to promote the HKSAR's integration into the overall development of the country and comprehensively deepen its exchanges and cooperation with the mainland, Xi said. The central authorities fully acknowledge the work of Lam and the HKSAR government, Xi said. Xi said the elections of the Election Committee and the seventh LegCo held under the new electoral system were both successful, with democratic rights of Hong Kong residents reflected, the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" implemented, and a political landscape established with wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies. Practice has proven that the new electoral system adheres to the "one country, two systems" principle and fits Hong Kong's realities, Xi said, calling it a good system that will provide strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of "one country, two systems" and Hong Kong's enduring prosperity and stability. Noting that "one country, two systems" is conducive to safeguarding the fundamental interests of the country, the HKSAR and Hong Kong compatriots, Xi said the central authorities will continue to unswervingly implement the "one country, two systems" principle. Senior officials including Han Zheng, Ding Xuexiang, Guo Shengkun, You Quan, Wang Yi and Xia Baolong attended the meeting. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 12:15:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAMAKO, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) hopes the Malian transitional authorities will finalize a precise electoral calendar before the end of this year, the organization's envoy Goodluck Jonathan said Tuesday. Jonathan, who was also a former president of Nigeria, made the remarks after meeting with Mali's interim leaders. He led a delegation to Mali to assess progress of a promised election after the mutiny in August 2020. The meeting with interim president Colonel Assimi Goita went very well, he told reporters without giving further details. "We hope that, by the end of the year, all the decisions, including recommendations and an electoral calendar for the continuation of events in Mali, will be released," he said, adding that he will come back next January to take stock. Following the mutiny on Aug. 18, 2020, an 18-month political transition starting from Sept. 15 is underway in the West African country. The transitional authorities said earlier that the vote scheduled for February 2022 will likely be postponed by a couple of weeks or months due to security concerns. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 09:48:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CANBERRA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Australian researchers have discovered a genetic mutation that is a key driver of kidney disease. In a study published on Wednesday, researchers from several Australian institutions led by Australian National University (ANU) sequenced the genome of patients with autoimmune kidney disease and Indigenous Australians with high rates of kidney disease. They found that a mutation in the gene VANGL1 is a major risk factor in developing kidney disease. Approximately 15 percent of people have the mutation which, when coupled with an inflammatory disease, permits damage to the kidney. Simon Jiang, lead author of the study from ANU's College of Health and Medicine, said the finding could have major implications for Tiwi Islanders. The Tiwi Islands consist of two inhabited and nine uninhabited islands off Australia's north coast in the Timor Sea. The islands' Aboriginal population of approximately 2,500 has the highest recorded rates of kidney disease in the world. "This discovery has big implications for Tiwi Islanders," Jiang said in a media release. "Their rates are four times the rates of other mainland Indigenous Australians and about 11 times that of non-Indigenous Australians," Jiang said, adding that this mutation is highly prevalent in Tiwi Islanders who have high rates of kidney disease. Figures from the Australian health authorities suggested that about one in 10 Australian adults show some signs of chronic kidney disease. There were 16,800 CKD-related deaths in Australia in 2018. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 10:56:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Dames Alexander Sinaga JAKARTA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- In a primary school in the eastern part of Indonesia's capital Jakarta on Tuesday morning, 6-year-old Dedi Permadi got his first COVID-19 jab. Despite being afraid of needles, Permadi knew that the vaccination would help him to fight COVID-19. The school was decorated with stickers of cartoon superheroes to encourage kids to get injected. Students and parents listened to teachers explain the importance of vaccination. "Many children are afraid of getting injections because they are scared of the pain," Nurliza Yanti, one of the school teachers, told Xinhua. "Some of them were crying afterward, so, we asked their parents to comfort them." Indonesia, home to 270 million people, has been vaccinating children aged 6 to 11 since last Tuesday, planning to vaccinate 27 million with Sinovac, the only vaccine currently used for kids in the archipelago, according to the country's drug and food agency. By Monday, at least 540,000 children in the age group had been vaccinated, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said on Monday. He called on the public to immediately get their vaccinations to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant. The country's second wave triggered by the more Delta variant peaked at over 50,000 cases in July. Daily cases have come down significantly since then, but the country is still facing the threat of other variants. Indonesia started its mass COVID-19 vaccinations in January when authorities approved the Sinovac vaccine. By Monday, Indonesia had registered 4.3 million cases with more than 144,000 deaths since March last year. Authorities are accelerating vaccination programs. To date, more than 152 million people have received their first doses of vaccines, while over 107 million have had second doses. After his jab, Permadi received a bravery medal and gift packs containing masks, modeling clay and chocolates as reward for his bravery. "Now, I can fight COVID-19!" he said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 11:35:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SYDNEY, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The state of New South Wales (NSW), as the epicenter of Australia's COVID-19 infections, reported a record high daily increase of cases on Wednesday. The state health department recorded 3,763 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths in the 24 hours to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, the highest daily increase since the pandemic outbreak started early last year. The hospitalizations for COVID-19 also exceeded 300, with 40 people in intensive care. According to the latest figure from NSW Health on Sunday, 313 COVID-19 cases with the Omicron variant have been confirmed in the state since the first infection was detected in late November. Despite the continued sharp increase of COVID-19 transmission, NSW is no longer practicing mask mandates, density and visitor limits in some indoor venues. Unvaccinated people were also allowed to enter non-essential venues. "Based on rising cases and Omicron (which we still need more data on), it would be preferable to keep indoor mask-wearing, and good contact tracing," epidemiologist Professor Alexandra Martiniuk from the University of Sydney told Xinhua. "When health is put as a priority, a strong economy follows... Masks and QR code check-ins should not reduce economic gains rather should improve them." Martiniuk said the current COVID-19 figures are rising fastest in 20-year-olds, and this age group is not as likely as older age groups to be hospitalized with the virus, which means hospitalizations typically lag case growth. Responding to the growing calls of reinstating COVID-19 restrictions, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet acknowledged on Tuesday that the increase in cases would lead to more hospital admissions but said he is not committed to reintroducing compulsory masks in indoor settings. "We are treating the people of our state like adults. If we need to tailor our responses from time to time, we will." "When it comes to face masks, we recommend face masks in areas where you can't socially distance." Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 14:22:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close FARAH, Afghanistan, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Police in Afghanistan's western Farah province have busted a band of kidnappers and secured the release of a hostage, a statement of provincial police released here Wednesday said. "The security personnel of Islamic Emirate during operations launched last night arrested five kidnappers and rescued a hostage from their clutch," the statement asserted. All the kidnappers have been taken into custody for investigation, the statement added. Similarly, police in Farah's neighboring Herat province have arrested 147 suspects on the charge of involvement in a variety of crimes ranging from robbery, theft to drug smuggling over the past month. The Taliban-led administration has vowed to crack down on the outlaws in efforts to ensure law and order in the country. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 15:55:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Zhang Jianhua, Phouthaphone Sirivong VIENTIANE, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Two China-Laos friendship schools, built with assistance from China Southern Power Grid (CSG), are transforming education in northern Laos. Poppy-replacement plantations line the winding road through the mountains of the Golden Triangle to CSG's Nam Tha 1 hydropower plant, 350 km north of Vientiane. Completed in 2018 with an installed capacity of 168 MW, its annual generation is expected to reach 720 GWh while providing green power to more than 2 million people in the border regions of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. OUTSTANDING INITIATIVE The plant is the first overseas BOT (build-operate-transfer) hydropower project by CSG under the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. Construction of the plant has brought reliable road access to the villages around Hadnam, the center of CSG operations in the area. In 2020, CSG spent 460,000 U.S. dollars building two new schools in Hadnam and nearby Vanglek. "I came to teach here in 2003 when there were no permanent buildings and no running water," said Ounkham Phikchaphon, 37, principal of Hadnam School. "The new school building is a great learning environment. We hope to build a high school soon." The plant not only supplies mains electricity for local people but CSG is committed to actively maintaining good community relationships through various public welfare activities. The two schools have been highly praised by the Lao side. In April, Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh conferred a special development medal on CSG in recognition of the company's outstanding contribution to local welfare. "My old classroom had earthen walls and a thatched roof that would leak when it rained. I'm very grateful for this schoolhouse. It's much better than before," said Namlin Sidthideth, a junior middle school student in the Hadnam China-Laos Friendship School. Namlin's home is 90 km from Hadnam, some student's families live even further away, testament to the importance of the school over a very large area. "WE LOVE IT" Vanglek Village School was located directly under the mountain, surrounded on three sides by rugged cliffs. It was small and dangerous. For the new school, CSG chose a vast grassy area beside the asphalt road The new Vanglek China-Laos Friendship School is beautiful and spacious, with excellent facilities. Moldanoy Sensoulin, the 36-year-old principal, has taught in the village since 2012. She said the old school was in such a poor condition that it had to close sometimes during bad weather. Two classrooms accommodated only 30 students. The new school is comfortable, and the number of students has increased to more than 100, including a kindergarten. Khamphai Xaiyaseth, the 57-year-old former chief of Vanglek village, came to see his three grandchildren into school. He shared his joy: "It's great to have this power plant here. Now the school is beautiful and we love it. My grandchildren can study well here and may also become teachers here when they grow up!" A BETTER CHANCE Villager Xiengla Khamphamek has a 3-year-old son in the kindergarten. He dropped out of school, but hopes his children will have a better chance than him and go to college. "I feel very grateful to CSG, and to China. They have help us so that the children can study well in school. I am very grateful. "I want them to learn Chinese and study in China someday," he told reporters. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 16:11:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CANBERRA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged people to "stay calm and get boosted" amid surging coronavirus infections. Morrison on Wednesday met with state and territory leaders at the national cabinet to discuss the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in Australia. Following the meeting, he announced that one-quarter of state-run vaccination hubs that closed after Australia hit 80 percent of its population fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will reopen to encourage booster shot uptake. "Omicron, we all agree, presents another new challenge, but we have faced so many challenges already during the course of this pandemic," Morrison told reporters. "As the country moves past 80 percent, then we did see the demand at state-based clinics decline. And as a result, some of those facilities were withdrawn." "They now need to be ramped up again." State and territory leaders have pushed for the interval between second and third vaccine doses to be reduced from five months, but Morrison said the final decision would be made by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisations (ATAGI). The national cabinet also agreed to reconsider testing requirements for interstate travel, with testing sites across the country swamped in the lead-up to the Christmas period, and to agree on a common definition of a "casual contact" of a positive case. Australia on Wednesday reported a record of more than 5,700 new locally-acquired COVID-19 infections and eight deaths. The daily number of new cases kept rising in New South Wales (NSW) to 3,763 on Wednesday, which is the highest number of daily COVID-19 infections recorded in the whole country. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) also reported a record of 58 new infections. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 16:28:00|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Three people died and 14 others were injured in a crash involving three cars in Pakistan's eastern Lahore city, police and local media reported on Wednesday. The cars piled up near the Babu Sabu Toll Plaza area of Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, police told local media. The accident occurred due to low visibility caused by dense fog in the morning, the police said. Rescue teams rushed to the site and shifted the victims to a nearby hospital. Several of the injured are said to be in critical condition in the hospital's intensive care unit, local media quoted hospital sources as saying. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 17:46:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MANILA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported 261 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the total tally to 2,837,784. The DOH also reported that 122 more people died from COVID-19 complications in the country, bringing the overall coronavirus death toll to 50,916. It said 12 laboratories failed to submit data, and two were non-operational. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed concern over a possible COVID-19 surge fueled by the Omicron variant. Duterte said the government fund cannot even cope with the spiralling expenses for typhoon victims, referring to Typhoon Rai which battered the Southeast Asian country last week. Typhoon Rai made thousands of Filipinos homeless in the central and southern areas of the country and caused losses of millions of U.S. dollars in agriculture and infrastructure. Thousands of survivors are still waiting for government aid. Duterte said an Omicron-fueled community transmission will require "a huge expenditure again." The Philippines has detected three Omicron cases in inbound travelers. The DOH said on Tuesday night that all fully vaccinated adults can get their booster shots at least three months after completing the second dose of a primary series. The Philippines, which has a population of around 110 million, has tested more than 23 million people for COVID-19 since the pandemic. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 17:55:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TALUQAN, Afghanistan, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Unknown armed men killed a former local policeman in Bangi district of northern Afghanistan's Takhar province on Tuesday, local official Noor Mohammad said Wednesday. The official said the murder took place on Tuesday night and investigation has been launched to determine what was behind the murder. In the meantime, a villager on condition of anonymity, identified the victim as Mohammad Akram, and said the reason for his murder could be personal enmity. In another development on Tuesday night, unknown armed men stabbed to death a 30-year-old man in Chardara district of the neighboring Kunduz province, said Kunduz's provincial administration official Matihullah Rohani. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 18:12:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Close relations between China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have significantly contributed to maintaining peace, stability and sustainable development in the region, experts in Cambodia said on Wednesday. They made the remarks during an international conference on China's role in the 21st century and its relations with ASEAN, which was organized in a hybrid format by International Relations Institute of Cambodia (IRIC), a think tank under the Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC). "Close China-ASEAN cooperation has significantly contributed to upholding the rights and interests of developing countries, increasing mutual understanding and trust, and promoting peace and stability in the region," IRIC's director-general Kin Phea said. "Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, ASEAN is still China's largest trading partner and has kept the momentum of growth," he said. RAC President Sok Touch said China and ASEAN have enjoyed good cooperation in regional and international organizations such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, Asia-Europe Meeting and the United Nations. He said the China-ASEAN relationship is indispensable and both sides need to further deepen it for a more prosperous region. Sok Touch stressed China's commitment to peace, development and win-win cooperation, and to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. "China has never forced other countries to follow its political system, nor sought hegemony," he said. "China is always committed to the concept of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness." China has given a helping hand to other countries and played a crucial role in their efforts to combat COVID-19 and recover economy, he said, adding that China has also made great contribution to the promotion of a multi-polar world order. Chang Jian, minister counselor at the Chinese embassy in Cambodia, said that over the past three decades, China-ASEAN relations have gone through an extraordinary journey. Chang added, "Thirty years after China and the ASEAN forged dialogue relations, we are each other's largest trading partner and comprehensive strategic partner. Sixty percent of all vaccines received by ASEAN countries come from China, not as impressive as the figure here in Cambodia, but itself already significant enough." Chang said he believes the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), when coming into force at the beginning of 2022, will prompt more opportunities to promote the regional prosperity. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 18:41:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close COLOMBO, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Export revenue from Sri Lanka's fisheries sector is on track to reach a record high in 2021, State Minister of Fisheries Kanchana Wijesekera said. The state minister said on Twitter on Monday that Sri Lanka's fisheries exports amounted to 287 million U.S. dollars by the end of November. Local media reported that the figure marked an increase of 33.5 percent from the fisheries export revenue of 215 million U.S. dollars for the whole year of 2020. According to Wijesekera, the export revenue growth was led by the export of prawns which has increased by 181 percent compared to the same period last year. Data from the fisheries ministry showed that Sri Lanka's balance of fish trade has recorded a surplus of 170.98 million U.S. dollars by the end of November, largely as a result of a 68-percent reduction in the import of canned fish in a push for self-sufficiency. The main markets for Sri Lanka's edible fish products are the European Union (EU) and the United States. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 18:44:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to suspend the sale of flight and bus tickets for the vaccinated travel lane (VTL) after a cluster of possible cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 was detected in Singapore, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Wednesday. The suspension will run from Dec. 23 to Jan. 20 next year, Khairy said in a statement following Singapore's announcement of the same measure. Khairy said the cluster in Singapore involved three COVID-19 infections. "All three cases did not have any travel history to foreign countries," he said. The VTL kicked off on Nov. 29 and involved travel via the bridge connecting Malaysia to Singapore as well as an air corridor. The bridge link, or causeway, was one of the busiest crossing points in the world with a daily flow of hundreds of thousands of people in both directions before the pandemic. Some restrictions were eased as part of the VTL including quarantine requirements being waived for fully vaccinated individuals. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 19:03:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SUVA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Fiji started on Wednesday to provide COVID-19 booster dose for all eligible adults. According to a statement by Fiji's Health Ministry, effective from Wednesday, all individuals aged 18 years and above in Fiji are eligible to receive the COVID-19 booster dose by Moderna. An individual can receive the COVID-19 booster dose after receiving their initial two doses of the COVID-19 vaccines at least 5 months ago, which is before July 22, 2021, according to the ministry. The ministry encouraged all individuals aged 18 years and above who have underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and kidney disease to get the booster dose. The eligible adults in the island nation are also expected to receive Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines in January next year which have been approved for use as booster doses for the adult population. A total of 91.8 percent of the adult target population in Fiji have been fully vaccinated, while 97.7 percent have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. As an island nation with a population of around 900,000, Fiji reported its first COVID-19 case on March 19 last year, and it has recorded more than 52,000 COVID-19 cases in total, with 697 deaths. As part of its efforts to help recover its economy, Fiji re-opened its borders to welcome tourists from its travel partner countries, such as Australia and the United States on Dec. 1 this year. Six travelers from Fiji's travel partner countries have tested positive for COVID-19 during the mandatory three-day hotel stay and testing since Dec. 1 this year. Their positive samples will be sent to the partner laboratory in Australia for genomic sequencing. Fiji has so far recorded two confirmed cases of Omicron, both are Fijians who returned to the Pacific island nation in early December after traveling to Nigeria. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 19:15:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Nurul Fitri Ramadhani JAKARTA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Natalia Masinambow departed on Tuesday from Jakarta for her hometown in Manado, North Sulawesi province of Indonesia, to spend Christmas and New Year holidays with her two brothers. She also plans to visit three graves of her parents and grandmother, who died of COVID-19 last year. "Now the regulation is no longer as strict as it was before, so I will go home no matter it will take," she said. Despite threats by the Omicron COVID-19 variant, Indonesia is expected to see more people going homewards for year-end holidays than last year due to the loosened regulations on public activity restrictions and the high vaccination rate. Like Masinambow, 28-year-old Juan Soesanto is ready to spend the Christmas holidays with his big family in Surabaya, East Java province. He arrived on Dec. 11, taking a sudden and early flight right after the new regulation was announced to avoid possible changes in travel restrictions. As of Tuesday, the Indonesian government still sticks to its plan to impose a more relaxed restriction policy from Dec. 24 to Jan. 2, 2022. Fully-vaccinated people can travel as long as they can show negative antigen test results, but those who have only received their first doses are required to show negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test results. Unvaccinated people are still barred from traveling. Under the new regulation, restaurants and malls will be allowed to welcome more visitors and operate longer hours, but massive New Year's celebrations, parades and large gatherings remain prohibited. The decision to implement the relatively loose regulation was made after Indonesia's COVID-19 situation has been under control and the vaccination rate is relatively high, said Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, who leads the government's COVID-19 response team for Java and Bali. As of Tuesday, more than 152 million people in Indonesia have received their first dose of vaccines, while over 107 million have taken their second dose. The country has so far administered more than 261 million doses including the booster jabs. Both Masinambow and Soesanto are confident that family reunions would be safe because they are fully vaccinated with China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine. "I did not want to spend Christmas alone like last year. I am confident everything will be fine as I have been fully-vaccinated," Soesanto said. Indonesians usually go back to their hometowns to gather with families and perform religious rituals together at the year-end. A total of 19.9 million people across the country would travel homewards. Around 4.4 million are from the capital Jakarta and its satellite cities, according to a survey conducted by the Transportation Ministry and released earlier this month. "Even if the government suddenly imposes stricter restrictions, people would still tend to travel, either for going (to their) hometowns or for vacations," the Transportation Ministry spokesperson Adita Irawati said in a recent statement. Euphoria in celebrating Christmas and the New Year has been seen despite the recent discovery of cases with the Omicron variant. Responding to the Omicron cases, the government has decided to close borders for arrivals from the United States, Norway and Denmark. Minister Pandjaitan said all relative regulations could change anytime depending on the development of the COVID-19 situation. "We'll do a weekly evaluation. However we should not panic and worry because we have already made preparations well," Pandjaitan told a press conference on Monday. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 19:59:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SUVA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The volcanic eruption in Tonga's Hunga Ha'apai island has resulted in ash and possible acid rain which continued on Wednesday to threaten water tanks and air quality across the island nation. According to Radio New Zealand (RNZ) on Wednesday, the huge eruption from the Hunga Ha'apai island, about 65 km north of capital city Nuku'alofa, started on Monday morning, and by the afternoon the ash had dusted the whole country, the South Pacific island nation with a population of more than 100,000. Tonga's head geologist Taaniela Kula said the ash clouds from the volcanic eruption had since drifted north creating a spectacular sight, and leading to warnings. He said that on Wednesday morning it is still continuing to emit gas and vapour into the atmosphere. People can still see the white clouds, probably about 16 km high. There is no idea when the volcanic eruption will end but expects it to continue for at least another week, the geologist said. According to Matangi Tonga Online, Tonga's news website, Tonga Geological Services has urged all residents in the island nation to protect their water tanks from possible acid rainfall until the eruption ends. The last eruption in the Hunga Ha'apai island took place in December 2014, which had formed a new island more than 1 km long, joined to the existing island. The volcano is part of the highly active Tonga-Kermadec Islands volcanic arc, a subduction zone extending from New Zealand's north-northeast to Fiji. In Fiji, the country's Department of Environment said on Wednesday that the volcanic eruption in Tonga should not be a cause of alarm at this point because the air remains safe to breathe in Fiji. The department said it will continue to closely monitor the situation in Tonga and work with the Fiji National Disaster Management Office and Fiji Meteorological Service. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 20:53:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ATHENS, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- A man lost his life and dozens were missing after a boat carrying a yet unknown number of refugees and migrants sank off the island of Folegandros, Greece's Coast Guard said on Wednesday. Twelve persons have been rescued, including seven men, a woman and four minors. The rescue operation was underway to locate the missing, Hellenic Coast Guard spokesperson commander Nikos Kokkalas told Greek national news agency AMNA. The vessel had probably set sail from the nearby Turkish coast and the destination was Italy, he said. Some survivors told authorities that a total of 32 people were on board, while others raised the number to 50, according to an e-mailed official press statement. Their nationalities have not been clarified so far. Greece has been at the forefront of the refugee and migrant influx since 2015 and hundreds have perished in the Aegean Sea in the past six years. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-22 17:26:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Julia Pierrepont III LOS ANGELES, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Some Southern California truckers have said their livelihoods and even their national economy hinge on shipping containers, but these days those containers are filled with air instead of goods. While they acknowledge that issues from international trade conflicts, soaring consumer demand in Christmas season to COVID-19-induced labor shortages are straining the supply chain, the container plight tops them all. "Our biggest problem by far is empty shipping containers," Matt Schrap, CEO of the Harbor Trucking Association, a coalition of intermodal carriers serving America's West Coast ports, told Xinhua. "They are the bottleneck that is sinking the global supply chain." There are now 71,000 empty containers on Los Angeles terminals or near-dock depots, up from 65,000 a month ago, reported the FreightWaves on Wednesday, which closely follows the global logistics industry, noting that the glut of empty containers is worsening. "It's a complicated mess," sighed Ian Weiland, vice president of operations for JC Transports, a mid-sized trucking firm operating out of the twin ports of Los Angeles-Long Beach in Southern California. In a nutshell, the supply chain starts with consumers ordering goods from large retail giants like Amazon, who then place high volume orders for these goods from all over the world. Ocean shipping lines load these goods into fortified steel shipping containers, stack thousands of full containers onboard their ships, and sail them across the sea to ports like Southern California. After the ships dock at a terminal, longshoremen crane the containers off the ships into the terminal's container yards. Then, a trucker, hired by the retail chain that owns the goods, arranges an appointment time with terminal operator to pick up the full container from the terminal yard. After being loaded onto the truck's chassis, the container can be delivered to the retail chain's warehouse for unpacking. "In an ideal world," Schrap said, "Our trucker then picks up the empty container and makes an appointment to return it to the terminal yard, where it would be loaded back onto the ship and returned to its port of origin to be refilled." "But this is not an ideal world," he noted. "The problem is, shipping liners and terminal owners are dragging their feet, not giving timely appointments for truckers to return the empty containers." So empties are piling up everywhere, in warehouse parking lots, trucking company compounds, warehouses, and even dirt lots. The terminals and port yards themselves are already filled to capacity. This has created a brutal bottleneck that keeps goods from flowing smoothly and efficiently along the global supply chain, leaving Asian exporters clamoring for empty containers that are returned less and less frequently, and driving American truck drivers out of business. "Now you're stuck driving home with 10-ton steel container on the back of your truck that you can't get rid of. That means you can't go to work the next day," Schrap explained. "That's why so many small truckers like me, are going out of business, putting families at risk, even though the whole country is crying out for more truck drivers," independent trucker, Herb Pounder, explained to Xinhua. "It's tanking our industry and our country's economic recovery." "Asia needs those empty containers back so they can ship out more stuff, so this is hurting them too. But shipping lines can drive up the price they charge per container," Pounder said. It's reportedly that containers, which used to cost about 1,500 U.S. dollars to be shipped from China and other Asian countries to California, now cost over 8,000 dollars, and there have been reports that some customers have been forced to pay up to 20,000 dollars per container for rush deliveries. Even the mid-sized trucking companies are feeling the pinch. "The problem of empties is eating up everyone's profits," Weiland said. "We are a mid-sized trucking company, but 50 percent to 70 percent of our yard is being wasted, filled with unreturnable empties." He added that hundreds of their truck trailers can also be out of circulation, trapped under empty containers, adding to the chassis shortage. "And there are many trucking companies in the same situation. There is no container storage left anywhere in Los Angeles." "This is a crisis. It's not just a West Coast problem, it's a national problem," Weiland continued. "We need a government agency that can set aside land near ports to store the empties and allow unrestricted drop-offs." Gene Seroka, the executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, was quoted as saying by the FreightWaves that "If necessary, we will look at additional measures, including levying fees on liner companies for empty containers that dwell excessively at our marine terminals." Enditem Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA) - Mauritian health authorities said here Wednesday 41 people had been infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the number of positive cases to 23,020 since March 2020 New York, US (PANA) - The UN Security Council on Tuesday adopted a resolution extending the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) for three months until 31 March 2022, ahead of a phased handover of responsibilities to Somalias security forces early next year News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Joining the race for Rath Yatras in Uttar Pradesh, the Aam Aadmi Party will be taking out five rath yatras in January in an effort to reach out to people with its agenda for the state. The yatras will be led by party MP and state in-charge Sanjay Singh. According to UP state president for AAP, Sabhajeet Singh, the yatras will start right after the January 2 mega rally which will be held in Lucknow and will be addressed by AAP national convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. This rally will officially kick off the party's campaign for the 2022 Assembly polls. "The dates are yet to be finalised, but the routes have been decided. One yatra will be from Varanasi to Lucknow, another from Saharanpur to Noida, another from Hardoi to Moradabad, one from Jhansi to Mahoba and the last one from Saryu to Sangam, which is Ayodhya to Prayagraj," he said. Singh added that the yatra aims to publicise AAP's commitments to the people of Uttar Pradesh and other senior party members from Delhi will join the programme. The party has so far announced two election promises, one of free power and waiver of pending power dues and the other of 10 lakh jobs a year. The AAP will now be organising rozgar guarantee sabhas across all 403 Assembly constituencies. "In these meetings, we will talk to people about the Delhi model of development, what work has been done by the AAP government and what we are planning to do in UP if we are elected. These meetings will be addressed by local office-bearers, and we are also expecting senior leaders from Delhi to come, especially MLAs who have a connection with UP. They will be deputed to campaign in their local districts," Singh said. Taking suo motu cognizance, the government on Wednesday ordered a probe into allegations of hacking of Instagram accounts of Priyanka Gandhi and Robert Vadra's children. According to sources, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology approached Instagram taking suo motu cognizance of the allegation made by Priyanka Gandhi of the hacking of the Instagram accounts of her children. Instagram has informed the ministry that the allegation is false and no complaint has been lodged from the Gandhi family or on behalf of anyone so far. According to sources, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has asked the Computer Emergency Response Team to investigate the matter. Under the protocol, the team can also speak to Priyanka Gandhi and her children if required. Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday had accused the government of hacking the Instagram accounts of her children. After that her husband Robert Vadra threatened legal action in the matter. In an exclusive chat with IANS over phone, Robert Vadra said on Tuesday, "We have the proof of what we are saying. We will definitely take recourse to the law. We believe in the justice system. The way this government is behaving, only legal remedy can stop it. Also, this should not happen to children." The European Union (EU) digital Covid-19 certificate will only be valid for travel for nine months, the European Commission has said. The Commission said it had adopted a binding acceptance period of nine months (270 days) for vaccination certificates for the purposes of travel within the EU. The policy will come into effect from February 1, Xinhua news agency reported. "A clear and uniform acceptance period for vaccination certificates will guarantee that travel measures continue to be coordinated," the Commission said. So far, 807 million certificates have been issued within the EU. Meanwhile, 60 countries and territories across five continents have adopted a similar system, the Commission said. The nine-month validity period of the EU digital Covid certificate takes into account guidance from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control that booster doses should be given at the latest six months after completion of the first vaccination cycle. A three-month grace period has been added to allow national vaccination campaigns to adjust, and ensure that citizens have access to booster doses. For a single-dose vaccine, the 270 days start from the first and only shot. For a two-dose vaccine, the 270 days begin after the second shot, or if it is the member state's policy, following the first and only shot after having recovered from the virus. European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders said that it was now up to the member states to ensure boosters are "rolled out swiftly to protect our health and ensure safe travelling." Investigations opened against those taking advantage of COVID-19 needs Hoarders who purchased supplies with an eye on making a profit, beware: Ventura County law enforcement agencies have warned of price gouging during California's coronavirus state of emergency and mean to take action against those breaking the law. In, face, according to Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten, his office has already launched investigations against those accused of taking advantage of those panicked by COVID-19. The Ventura County Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee issued a news release with information about staying vigilant, reporting price gouging and its punishments. Businesses, retailers and other service or goods providers cannot charge a price that is more than 10% higher than the price was before Gov. Gavin Newsom declared the coronavirus emergency on March 4; providers can only charge more than 10% only if their costs have increased. Hong Kong, China -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/21/2021 -- The pandemic has had an impact on many areas of the global supply chain - but not all have been negative. As a result of the pressure to solve the issues that have arisen over the past year or so technological transformation has been forced to significantly speed up. This has pushed supply chains to go into overdrive, moving from paper to digital and accelerating investments in technology to help improve prospects and remove any obstacles that have been thrown up in recent times. Hong Kong-based Global Shipping Business Network is a prime example of the enterprises that have stepped into this space in order to help solve the problems. The enterprise looks to simplify the business of trade through the use of blockchain - the secure sharing of data can be integrated to settle trade and push through logjams. Cutting down the physical exchange of documents can reduce shipping processes by days. Established in 2008, DSJ Global is a leading specialist recruiter in end-to-end supply chain, with specific expertise in areas such as technical operations jobs. The firm also provides specialist and insightful support in areas such as logistics, procurement and supply chain roles. Technical operations jobs are a field deeply affected by the acceleration in digitisation that has taken place over the past year and the firm is keen to provide support for ambitious candidates looking to capitalise on developments and take that career-defining next step. With a database of more than a million mid-to-senior professionals the firm is able to support the recruitment needs of a broad spectrum of businesses, from innovative start-ups to international organisations. A range of permanent, contract and multi-hire solutions provides options for every type of hiring scenario and means that the firm can cater quickly to the changing needs of businesses looking to accelerate growth. DSJ Global has a well-established reputation in Asia Pacific when it comes to technical operations jobs. The firm also has a robust international profile, as the team in Hong Kong is part of a worldwide workforce that numbers more than 1,000. Plus, the firm is the recruitment partner of choice to hundreds of world-leading companies as part of the Phaidon International group, which operates across 6 countries. Investment in the internal team has created resilience at DSJ Global even during the challenges of the past year. Consultants are trained on an ongoing basis and work with best-in-class recruitment technology and strategies at all times to ensure consistency where standards are concerned. As well as technical operations jobs there are a range of other roles available via the firm today, including Mechanical Senior Principal Engineer, Head of Operations, Deputy Director for Manufacturing, Electrical System Engineer and Senior Logistics Manager. "Like for many sectors, 2020 marked a defining moment for recruitment. Challenged by uncertainty, but unwavering in our commitment to our clients, we have endured through 2021 with a sense of duty to clients and candidates", commented Andrew McNellis, Managing Director at DSJ Global. He went onto say, "as we reflect on the challenges of virtually securing and retaining talent, we're inspired by a team who have demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt and continue to help all our clients secure top talent on a global scale." To find out more about technical operations jobs in Hong Kong visit https://www.dsjglobal.hk For any media enquiries please contact Gary Elliott at Iconic Digital 020 7100 0726. For all other enquiries please contact DSJ Global HK: +852 3008 1912. For more information about DSJ Global services, please go to https://www.dsjglobal.hk. About DSJ Global HK DSJ Global HK is transforming the process of recruitment to make it more agile and adaptable to the challenges that businesses in the logistics and supply chain industry face today. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/22/2021 -- The Latest research study released by HTF MI "Global Mexican Restaurants Market" with 100+ pages of analysis on business Strategy taken up by key and emerging industry players and delivers know how of the current market development, landscape, technologies, drivers, opportunities, market viewpoint and status. Understanding the segments helps in identifying the importance of different factors that aid the market growth. Some of the Major Companies covered in this Research are Empellon Cocina, Topolobampo, Tacos Tequila Whiskey, El Charro Cafe, Meso Maya, Guaymas, La Super-Rica Taqueria, Nuestra Cocina, Barrio Cafe & Nopalito etc. Click here for free sample + related graphs of the report @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/3574662-2020-2025-global-mexican-restaurants-market-report-production-and-consumption-professional-analysis Browse market information, tables and figures extent in-depth TOC on "Mexican Restaurants Market by Application (Man, Woman & Kids), by Product Type (, Fast food, Family style, Fine dining & Others), Business scope, Manufacturing and Outlook Estimate to 2025". for more information or any query mail at sales@htfmarketreport.com At last, all parts of the Global Mexican Restaurants Market are quantitatively also subjectively valued to think about the Global just as regional market equally. This market study presents basic data and true figures about the market giving a deep analysis of this market based on market trends, market drivers, constraints and its future prospects. The report supplies the worldwide monetary challenge with the help of Porter's Five Forces Analysis and SWOT Analysis. If you have any Enquiry please click here @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/3574662-2020-2025-global-mexican-restaurants-market-report-production-and-consumption-professional-analysis Customization of the Report: The report can be customized as per your needs for added data up to 3 businesses or countries or 2 analyst hours. On the basis of report- titled segments and sub-segment of the market are highlighted below: Global Mexican Restaurants Market By Application/End-User (Value and Volume from 2021 to 2026) : Man, Woman & Kids Market By Type (Value and Volume from 2021 to 2026) : , Fast food, Family style, Fine dining & Others Global Mexican Restaurants Market by Key Players: Empellon Cocina, Topolobampo, Tacos Tequila Whiskey, El Charro Cafe, Meso Maya, Guaymas, La Super-Rica Taqueria, Nuestra Cocina, Barrio Cafe & Nopalito Geographically, this report is segmented into some key Regions, with manufacture, depletion, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Mexican Restaurants in these regions, from 2015 to 2026 (forecast), covering China, USA, Europe, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia & South America and its Share (%) and CAGR for the forecasted period 2021 to 2026. Informational Takeaways from the Market Study: The report Mexican Restaurants matches the completely examined and evaluated data of the noticeable companies and their situation in the market considering impact of Coronavirus. The measured tools including SWOT analysis, Porter's five powers analysis, and assumption return debt were utilized while separating the improvement of the key players performing in the market. Key Development's in the Market: This segment of the Mexican Restaurants report fuses the major developments of the market that contains confirmations, composed endeavors, R&D, new thing dispatch, joint endeavours, and relationship of driving members working in the market. To get this report buy full copy @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=3574662 Some of the important question for stakeholders and business professional for expanding their position in the Global Mexican Restaurants Market: Q 1. Which Region offers the most rewarding open doors for the market Ahead of 2021? Q 2. What are the business threats and Impact of latest scenario Over the market Growth and Estimation? Q 3. What are probably the most encouraging, high-development scenarios for Mexican Restaurants movement showcase by applications, types and regions? Q 4.What segments grab most noteworthy attention in Mexican Restaurants Market in 2020 and beyond? Q 5. Who are the significant players confronting and developing in Mexican Restaurants Market? For More Information Read Table of Content @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/3574662-2020-2025-global-mexican-restaurants-market-report-production-and-consumption-professional-analysis Key poles of the TOC: Chapter 1 Global Mexican Restaurants Market Business Overview Chapter 2 Major Breakdown by Type [, Fast food, Family style, Fine dining & Others] Chapter 3 Major Application Wise Breakdown (Revenue & Volume) Chapter 4 Manufacture Market Breakdown Chapter 5 Sales & Estimates Market Study Chapter 6 Key Manufacturers Production and Sales Market Comparison Breakdown .. Chapter 8 Manufacturers, Deals and Closings Market Evaluation & Aggressiveness Chapter 9 Key Companies Breakdown by Overall Market Size & Revenue by Type .. Chapter 11 Business / Industry Chain (Value & Supply Chain Analysis) Chapter 12 Conclusions & Appendix Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, LATAM, Europe or Southeast Asia. Contact US : Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager) HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ New Jersey USA 08837 Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218 sales@htfmarketreport.com Singapore -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/21/2021 -- As of November 2021, Singapore remains the top location in the ASEAN region in terms of the number of deals made by fintech firms. A total of USD$1.6 billion in investments was secured by Fintech firms in Singapore with almost half of the deals attributable to the city state. Indonesia took second place behind Singapore with USD$904 million in funding raised while Vietnam ranked third in the ASEAN region, raising USD$375 million after two mega rounds. The region as a whole saw a huge spike in Fintech funding this year with investment more than tripling over the figures recorded for the year before. One of the major drivers of this was investors focusing on firms they viewed as having a better chance of surviving the pandemic. However, in terms of the number of businesses being established in the Fintech sphere the numbers have slowed down somewhat, with 107 new companies set up in 2021, less than half the total for the year before. Established in 2004, Selby Jennings is a financial technology recruiter with a broad spectrum of expertise and a finger on the pulse of the latest developments in the industry. As well as expertise as a financial technology recruiter the firm also works in a range of other interrelated fields, including corporate and investment banking, risk management, quantitative research and trading, private wealth management and legal and compliance. Clients range from innovative start-ups pushing the boundaries of what's possible in financial technology to international organisations extending the reach of this burgeoning area. Selby Jennings has also established a database of more than a million mid-to-senior professionals and works with talented people keen to take a career-defining next step. The firm's role as a financial technology recruiter is to make the kinds of mutually beneficial connections that drive the sector forward - a combination of permanent, contract and multi-hire solutions ensure that these can be tailored to every need. Selby Jennings is a leading specialist financial technology recruiter in the Asia Pacific region but that's not where the firm's expertise ends. The Singapore team is part of a worldwide workforce that numbers more than 1,000 and has unique international connections. For example, as part of the Phaidon International group - which operates across six countries - the firm is the go-to recruitment partner of choice to hundreds of industry-leading enterprises. Vital to the growth that has been achieved internationally is the strength of all local teams. The firm invests heavily in its own people, ensuring that consultants receive regular ongoing training and work with best-in-class recruitment technology and strategies. Today there are many different roles available via Selby Jennings, including Head of IT Applications, Triple A Plus Application Support Analyst [Wealth Management], Senior IT Support Analyst, Life Insurance Project Manager [Tier 1 Insurance Firm] and Sector Analyst. "Like for many sectors, 2020 marked a defining moment for recruitment. Challenged by uncertainty, but unwavering in our commitment to our clients, we have endured through 2021 with a sense of duty to clients and candidates" commented Andrew McNeilis, Managing Director at Selby Jennings. He went on to say, "as we reflect on the challenges of virtually securing and retaining talent, we're inspired by a team who have demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt and continue to help all our clients secure top talent on a global scale." To find out more information about financial technology recruiter Singapore visit https://www.selbyjennings.sg For any media enquiries please contact Gary Elliott at Iconic Digital 020 7100 0726. For all other enquiries please contact Selby Jennings: +65 3165 1400. For more information about Selby Jennings SG services, please go to https://www.selbyjennings.sg. About Selby Jennings Selby Jennings creates a range of recruitment solutions that are designed to support the growth of organisations across the financial services sector. Transforming the way that hiring is handled is a tool that any business can use to build in resilience and potential even in challenging times. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/22/2021 -- HTF MI Analyst have added a new research study on Title Worldwide Submarine-launched Drones Market In-depth Research Report 2021, Forecast to 2026 with detailed information of Product Types [, Submarine-launched Drones markets by type, Air and Underwater & Underwater], Applications [Investigation, Tactical Strike & Others] & Key Players Such as Oceaneering International, Inc., AeroVironment, Raytheon, Sevmash 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 Worldwide Submarine-launched Drones 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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Ask Our Expert @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/3711070-worldwide-submarine-launched-drones-market-1 Geographically, the following regions together with the listed national/local markets are fully investigated: - APAC (Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, India, and Rest of APAC; Rest of APAC is further segmented into Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, New Zealand, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka) - 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) - South America (Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Rest of South America) - MEA (Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa) The Latest Trends, Product Portfolio, Demographics, Geographical segmentation, and Regulatory Framework of the Worldwide Submarine-launched Drones Market have also been included in the study. Market Growth by Applications: Investigation, Tactical Strike & Others Heat map Analysis, 3-Year Financial and Detailed Company Profiles of Key & Emerging Players: Oceaneering International, Inc., AeroVironment, Raytheon, Sevmash. Market Growth by Types: , Submarine-launched Drones markets by type, Air and Underwater & Underwater Book Latest Edition of Study Worldwide Submarine-launched Drones Market Study @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=3711070 Introduction about Worldwide Submarine-launched Drones Worldwide Submarine-launched Drones Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) [, Submarine-launched Drones markets by type, Air and Underwater & Underwater] in 2018 Worldwide Submarine-launched Drones Market by Application/End Users [Investigation, Tactical Strike & Others] Worldwide Submarine-launched Drones Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Applications Global Worldwide Submarine-launched Drones Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2025) Worldwide Submarine-launched Drones Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application Worldwide Submarine-launched Drones (Volume, Value and Sales Price) table defined for each geographic region defined. 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Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report like North America, Europe or Asia Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/22/2021 -- The Latest research study released by HTF MI "Global Telecoms Market" with 100+ pages of analysis on business Strategy taken up by key and emerging industry players and delivers know how of the current market development, landscape, technologies, drivers, opportunities, market viewpoint and status. Understanding the segments helps in identifying the importance of different factors that aid the market growth. Some of the Major Companies covered in this Research are Deutsche Telekom, NTT, China Telecom, Telefonica, Orange, Verizon, Softbank, Vodafone, China Mobile & AT&T etc. Click here for free sample + related graphs of the report @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/3575911-2020-2025-global-telecoms-market-report-production-and-consumption-professional-analysis Browse market information, tables and figures extent in-depth TOC on "Telecoms Market by Application (Industrial Production, Transportation & Others), by Product Type (, RF-Based, NB-IoT & Other), Business scope, Manufacturing and Outlook Estimate to 2025". for more information or any query mail at sales@htfmarketreport.com At last, all parts of the Global Telecoms Market are quantitatively also subjectively valued to think about the Global just as regional market equally. This market study presents basic data and true figures about the market giving a deep analysis of this market based on market trends, market drivers, constraints and its future prospects. The report supplies the worldwide monetary challenge with the help of Porter's Five Forces Analysis and SWOT Analysis. If you have any Enquiry please click here @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/3575911-2020-2025-global-telecoms-market-report-production-and-consumption-professional-analysis Customization of the Report: The report can be customized as per your needs for added data up to 3 businesses or countries or 2 analyst hours. On the basis of report- titled segments and sub-segment of the market are highlighted below: Global Telecoms Market By Application/End-User (Value and Volume from 2021 to 2026) : Industrial Production, Transportation & Others Market By Type (Value and Volume from 2021 to 2026) : , RF-Based, NB-IoT & Other Global Telecoms Market by Key Players: Deutsche Telekom, NTT, China Telecom, Telefonica, Orange, Verizon, Softbank, Vodafone, China Mobile & AT&T Geographically, this report is segmented into some key Regions, with manufacture, depletion, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Telecoms in these regions, from 2015 to 2026 (forecast), covering China, USA, Europe, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia & South America and its Share (%) and CAGR for the forecasted period 2021 to 2026. Informational Takeaways from the Market Study: The report Telecoms matches the completely examined and evaluated data of the noticeable companies and their situation in the market considering impact of Coronavirus. The measured tools including SWOT analysis, Porter's five powers analysis, and assumption return debt were utilized while separating the improvement of the key players performing in the market. Key Development's in the Market: This segment of the Telecoms report fuses the major developments of the market that contains confirmations, composed endeavors, R&D, new thing dispatch, joint endeavours, and relationship of driving members working in the market. To get this report buy full copy @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=3575911 Some of the important question for stakeholders and business professional for expanding their position in the Global Telecoms Market: Q 1. Which Region offers the most rewarding open doors for the market Ahead of 2021? Q 2. What are the business threats and Impact of latest scenario Over the market Growth and Estimation? Q 3. What are probably the most encouraging, high-development scenarios for Telecoms movement showcase by applications, types and regions? Q 4.What segments grab most noteworthy attention in Telecoms Market in 2020 and beyond? Q 5. Who are the significant players confronting and developing in Telecoms Market? For More Information Read Table of Content @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/3575911-2020-2025-global-telecoms-market-report-production-and-consumption-professional-analysis Key poles of the TOC: Chapter 1 Global Telecoms Market Business Overview Chapter 2 Major Breakdown by Type [, RF-Based, NB-IoT & Other] Chapter 3 Major Application Wise Breakdown (Revenue & Volume) Chapter 4 Manufacture Market Breakdown Chapter 5 Sales & Estimates Market Study Chapter 6 Key Manufacturers Production and Sales Market Comparison Breakdown .. Chapter 8 Manufacturers, Deals and Closings Market Evaluation & Aggressiveness Chapter 9 Key Companies Breakdown by Overall Market Size & Revenue by Type .. Chapter 11 Business / Industry Chain (Value & Supply Chain Analysis) Chapter 12 Conclusions & Appendix Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, LATAM, Europe or Southeast Asia. Contact US : Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager) HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ New Jersey USA 08837 Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218 sales@htfmarketreport.com Singapore -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/21/2021 -- Singapore is a city that is so renowned for its bridges that you don't have to Google far to find examples of travel blogs that are focused on them. This city of architectural and civil engineering marvels is a place of inspiration thanks to the innovative construction all around. For those in civil engineering jobs there are a wealth of opportunities to be part of the progress of the future and to find a way to bring new and exciting growth to Asia Pacific. Vehicular bridges in Singapore are some of the city's most renowned, including the Elgin Bridge, which was built in the 1800s and designed to serve North Bridge Road and South Bridge Road. Benjamin Sheares Bridge is often named as the longest bridge in Singapore and is something of a civil engineering marvel, crossing a distance of 1.8km. The pedestrian Henderson Waves Bridge is one of the highest in the city and also one of the most creative. But all are an inspiration where civil engineering jobs are concerned. LVI Associates provides expert support for all those who aspire to excel in civil engineering jobs. The firm's expertise also extends to a broad range of other areas, including building services, water and environmental, forensics, construction and renewable energy. Such a broad spectrum of expertise means the firm has been able to work with a wide range of talented people and now has a database of more than a million mid-to-senior professionals as a result. A combination of permanent, contract and multi-hire solutions provides options for hiring needs of all types, whether those are for an innovative start-up or an internationally renowned brand. As a result, LVI Associates is now a go-to for businesses looking to recruit for resilience and growth, as well as for talented people keen to take a career-defining next step in fields such as civil engineering jobs. Key to the success that the firm has achieved since it was first established has been the focus on internal structure and development. Consultants at LVI Associates receive regular training and support and work with best-in-class recruitment technology and strategies. This approach means that the team was able to adapt to pandemic conditions and still provide an insightful and expert service. Also vital is the international nature of the firm's business - the LVI Associates team in Singapore is part of a 1,000 strong worldwide workforce. Plus, the firm is the recruitment partner of choice to hundreds of world-leading companies as part of the Phaidon International group, which operates across 6 countries. This dual local and international perspective and expertise gives the firm both reach and flexibility when it comes to catering to the needs of candidates and global companies. In addition to civil engineering jobs there are many roles available via LVI Associates today, including Director of Business Development [Acquisition], Senior Technical Project Lead and Offshore Wind Project Developer. "Like for many sectors, 2020 marked a defining moment for recruitment. Challenged by uncertainty, but unwavering in our commitment to our clients, we have endured through 2021 with a sense of duty to clients and candidates", commented Andrew McNeilis, Managing Director at LVI Associates. He went on to say, "as we reflect on the challenges of virtually securing and retaining talent, we're inspired by a team who have demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt and continue to help all our clients secure top talent on a global scale." To find out more information about Civil engineering jobs across Asia Pacific visit https://www.lviassociates.sg For any media enquiries please contact Gary Elliott at Iconic Digital 020 7100 0726. For all other enquiries please contact LVI Associates Singapore: +65 3165 1400. For more information about LVI Associates Singapore services, please go to https://www.lviassociates.sg About LVI Associates Singapore LVI Associates Singapore is the leading specialist recruitment agency for the infrastructure sector. Reimagining recruitment for this fast moving and innovative industry has enabled the firm to bring together the brightest talent and key enterprises to help continue to drive the sector forward. New studies highlight CAR-T therapy's success in treating acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoma. 20 years ago, virtually all cancer treatments involved surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. But the past two decades have seen advances in targeted therapies like trastuzumab (Herceptin) and imatinib (Gleevec), which target cancer cells by homing in on molecular changes in these cells. Today, targeted therapies like these are now standard treatments for various cancers. One of the most recent types of therapy is immunotherapy, which strengthens a patient's immune system so they can better attack tumors. The cancer community now widely considers immunotherapy the "fifth pillar" of cancer treatment. Among the various immunotherapies available today, adoptive cell transfer (ACT) is one of the latest approaches. ACT collects and uses patients' immune cells to treat their cancer. There are various types of ACT, but the type that has progressed furthest in clinical development is CAR-T therapy. Researchers are gaining an ever-increasing understanding of how patients respond to this therapy, which is fueling its development and testing procedures. Here, RegMedNet explains how CAR-T therapy works, introduces studies that test CAR-T therapy's efficacy against acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and lymphoma, explores new CAR-T cell target antigens, and notes the ways that researchers may be able to use the therapy to treat solid tumors. As a community site that publishes the latest in regenerative medicine, RegMedNet is an invaluable source of information for the global regenerative medicine research community. How CAR-T Therapy Works CAR-T therapy involves drawing blood from a patient and separating the T cells from this blood. (T cells orchestrate our immune responses and kill cells that pathogens have infected.) Researchers then use a disarmed virus to genetically engineer the T cells so they produce receptors on their surfaces. These receptors are called chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), and they help T cells recognize and attach to specific proteins or antigens on tumor cells. Once researchers have engineered the T cells to express the antigen-specific CAR, they can multiply these cells in a laboratory. Having multiplied the CAR-T cells, a practitioner can return the cells to the patient via a drip (although the patient must complete a chemotherapy regimen first). Once the patient has received the CAR-T cells, the cells should reproduce in their body and then recognize and kill cancer cells. Researchers are currently developing and testing various CAR-T cell therapies. There are important differences among these therapies, but they all share similar components. For example, the CAR on the cell's surface always contains fragments of synthetic antibodies. These fragments affect how well the receptor recognizes or binds to the antigen on the tumor cell. Receptors rely on stimulation signals from the cell. This means that CAR-T cells have signaling and "co-stimulatory" domains that signal the cell from the surface receptor. Recent progression in the intracellular engineering of CAR-T cells has made it possible for engineered T cells to multiply once they have been returned to the patient. Such advances in the engineering of CAR-T cells also mean that the cells tend to survive longer once the patient has received them. It's also now much faster to produce batches of CAR-T cells than it was previously. Originally, the process took several weeks. Many labs can now produce the engineered cells in under a week. CAR-T Therapy Studies Until recently, researchers only used CAR-T therapy in small studies, mostly for patients who have advanced blood cancers. Many of these studies have proven highly successful, achieving positive outcomes for cancer patients whose previous treatments have stopped working. In 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two CAR-T cell therapies, one for children who have ALL and one for adults who have advanced lymphomas. Treating Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cancer Initially, researchers developed CAR-T cell therapy to treat ALL, which is the most common cancer in children. Intensive chemotherapy cures over 80% of children who are diagnosed with ALL that arises in B cells. However, there are very few treatment options for children whose cancer returns after chemotherapy or a stem cell transplant. In fact, relapsed ALL is one of the biggest causes of death from childhood cancer. That said, CAR-T therapy can be effective for children and young adults whose ALL has returned and for those who aren't responding to alternative therapies. For example, an early study that used CD19-targeted CAR-T cells to treat ALL concluded that the therapy cured all signs of the cancer in 27 out of the 30 patients treated. Many of these patients continued to show no signs of recurrence long after the therapy. The success of studies like this paved the way for a larger study, which tested a CD19-targeted CAR-T cell therapy called tisagenlecleucel (KymriahTM) on children and teenagers who had ALL. The study was so successful that the FDA approved the therapy in 2017. Other studies of CD19-targeted CAR-T cells have since achieved similar results. In recent news, the cell therapy research organization Kite Pharma has completed a Phase II "ZUMA-3" study that tested a CAR-T therapy called Tecartus on adult patients who were suffering relapses of ALL. The study achieved a response rate of 71%. Most of these responses were associated with undetectable minimal residual disease. The study also concluded that 97% of patients had deep molecular remission. This means that even sensitive lab tests couldn't identify leukemia cells in the patients' bone marrow once they had undergone therapy. As a result of this study's success, the FDA granted Priority Review designation for Tecartus. If approved, Tecartus will become the first CAR-T therapy for adults who have relapsed or refractory ALL. Treating Lymphoma Other studies that investigate CD19-targeted CAR-T cells have revealed that the therapy can also treat patients who have lymphoma. One study, which tested the efficacy of CAR-T therapy on patients who had advanced diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, concluded that over half of the participants had complete responses to the therapy. Kite then launched a larger study, which confirmed the original study's results and laid the foundations for the FDA's approval of the lymphoma treatment axicabtagene ciloleucel (YescartaTM). New CAR-T Cell Target Antigens Unfortunately, not all patients who have ALL respond to CD19-targeted therapy. And up to a third of those who do experience a complete response sees their cancer return within 12 months. This is often because the patient's ALL cells stop expressing CD19. Therefore, CAR-T therapy studies are now moving beyond the CD19-targeted CAR-T cells. Now, researchers are testing CAR-T cells that target the CD22 protein in ALL patients. The CD22 protein is often overexpressed by ALL cells. Most patients who took part in the first study involving CD22-targeted CAR-T cells had complete remissions, including those whose cancer had advanced after a complete response to CD19-targeted therapy. Furthermore, researchers can potentially make CAR-T therapy more durable and forestall antigen loss (if not prevent it altogether) by attacking multiple antigens at the same time. Various research groups are now in the early phases of testing T cells that target both CD19 and CD22. Meanwhile, CHOP researchers are investigating a CAR-T cell that targets both CD19 and CD123, another antigen found on leukemia cells. Early studies in animal models reveal that this dual targeting may prevent antigen loss. Researchers have also identified antigen targets for CAR-T cell therapy in other blood cancers, like multiple myeloma. The NCI and Kite are collaboratively developing CAR-T cells that target the BCMA protein found on most myeloma cells. Over half of the advanced multiple myeloma patients who took part in an early-phase study of the BCMA-targeted CAR-T cells have seen a complete response to the treatment. Kite has since launched a study that tests the BCMA-targeted T cells on a larger patient population. Using CAR-T Therapy to Treat Solid Tumors As research into CAR-T therapy progresses, researchers are now evaluating the therapy's efficacy against solid tumors. So far, most efforts to identify unique antigens on the surface of solid tumors have been ineffective. Some researchers suggest that this inefficacy could be the result of tumor antigens residing within tumor cells, where CARs can't reach them as they can only bind to antigens on the cell surface. Researchers are also testing how well CAR-T cells can target the protein EGFRvIII, which is present on most tumor cells in patients who have glioblastoma, and the protein mesothelin, which is overexpressed on tumor cells in some of the deadliest cancers (such as pancreatic and lung cancers). That said, early reports from these studies suggest that CAR-T therapy has achieved limited efficacy here. However, new research from Stanford University (CA, U.S.) has demonstrated that CAR-T therapy can combat tumors by utilizing exhaustion-resistant cells. The research team has demonstrated that overexpressing C-JUN in CAR-T cells allows these cells to stay active and proliferate under laboratory conditions. The team tested both traditional CAR-T and the C-JUN and CAR-T combination on mice that had been injected with human leukemias and saw an increased survival rate in the mice that had received the modified C-JUN + CAR-T treatment. Following this success, the research team then treated mice with human osteosarcoma and managed to achieve a reduction in tumor burden and an extension in lifespan. The team now plans to launch clinical studies against leukemia over the next 18 months and then progress on to studies that examine the effectiveness of the C-JUN + CAR-T therapy against solid tumors. The Future of CAR-T Therapy Now, scientists are exploring even more refinements and reconfigurations of CAR-T cells. For example, researchers are using nanotechnology to produce CAR-T cells inside the body, developing CAR-T cells that have "off switches" to minimize (or even prevent) side effects, and employing CRISPR gene editing techniques to engineer T cells more precisely. Meanwhile, other researchers have found that it may be possible to develop CAR-T therapies using cells from healthy donors instead of patients. This could open doors to off-the-shelf CAR-T therapies that would be available for instant use and wouldn't have to be manufactured for each patient. The French company Cellectis has already launched the first phase of a study of its off-the-shelf CD19-targeted CAR-T-cell product for patients who have advanced acute myeloid leukemia in the U.S. Cellectis has also tested this product on two infants in Europe who had ALL and had exhausted all other treatment options. The therapy was effective in both cases. On top of this, researchers may be able to improve the efficacy of existing CAR-T therapies by implementing these therapies earlier in the treatment process for children who have ALL, especially for those who are at a higher risk of their cancer returning after their initial chemotherapy. If early indicators suggest that chemotherapy isn't triggering optimal responses, practitioners may stop the chemotherapy and move forward with CAR-T therapy instead - potentially sparing young patients two years of chemotherapy. Five years ago, there were only a handful of CAR-T therapy studies in progress. Today, there are over 180. And this number is only set to grow. As these therapies and their associated technologies develop, we can expect to see CAR-T therapy become a standard practice in cancer care. About RegMedNet RegMedNet covers the latest developments in the investigation, development, manufacture and provision of the treatments that are becoming today's mainstream medicines. A global community of scientific professionals follows the website, where scientists, researchers, and other professionals can read, watch, and listen to content that examines the development, trialing, manufacture, regulation, and commercialization of cell therapies. Meanwhile, RegMedNet's sister journal Regenerative Medicine publishes reviews and papers that examine regenerative medicine approaches like small molecule drugs, biomaterials, biologics, cell and gene therapies, and tissue engineering. Page Content On Monday, December 20th, His Excellency Governor Eugene Holiday and the Honorable Minister of Justice Anna E. Richardson have approved and signed the National Decree containing the general measures, thereby establishing the completed Function Book. The legal position Rechtspositie Regeling KPSM, amendments to the Police Ordinance (Politie Landsverordening), the Organization decree for the Justice Ministry (Organisatie besluit Justitie), and several decrees relating to the Immigration & Border Protection Services have all been completed and is on the legislative route. As such, the focus will now be geared towards the completion of the Rechtspositie regelingen, and the new salary tables (Bezoldigsbesluit). The newly approved and established Function Book will be seeing some updates in the foreseeable future as departments such as the Court of Guardianship, Judicial Institutes of Sint Maarten (SJIB), Miss Lalie Center (MLC), and the Law Enforcement Institute of Sint Maarten formerly known as the Justice Academy, requires an update to the LIOL incorporating them and thereby must first be approved by the Parliament of Sint Maarten. The steps are underway for this process to be completed. Minister Richardson stated, "The date 12-20-21, marks a monumental day for the Ministry of Justice, the personnel of this ministry and by extension, the people of Sint Maarten. Technical staff and monitoring bodies engaged in a very meticulous process to ensure that the proper legislative process was carried out for the long-overdue function book of the Ministry of Justice. From the onset, I had taken a firm position that this process would be done the correct way to ensure the function book for the Ministry of Justice would be legally established eliminating any further inconsistencies, stagnation and instability for the personnel of this ministry. With the teamwork and input of many, this goal has been achieved." Upon taking office in March 2020, Minister Richardson made the function book her number one priority. The function book has been an unresolved matter since 10-10-10 and has contributed to various challenges (also legally) within the Ministry of Justice. It regulates an important part of the legal status of each civil servant which ultimately defines their task, responsibilities and their salary scales. On December 22, 2020, just three months after the installation of the workgroup, the Ministry of Justices Function Book was handed over to the Committee of Civil Servants Unions (CCSU) for their review and advice as required by law. After having received feedback from the Progress Committee, the Committee of Civil Servants Union (CCSU) and the unions representing the civil servants within the Ministry of Justice, the function book was submitted to the Council of Advice for a legal review before it was approved by the Council of Ministers on May 11th, 2021. Based on the advice of the Council of Advice, the Ministers retained attorney together with the unions sat and made the necessary adjustments to which all parties agreed and signed a statement of assent on July 28, 2021, confirming their agreement with the updated draft. With the approval and signatures of His Excellency Governor Holiday and Minister Richardson, the function book will now be heading to the office of the Ombudsman for a period of six weeks, whereby a constitutional review will be done to review the laws that were ratified. Additionally, Minister Richardson will be presenting a detailed description of the next step by step process to be followed during the upcoming budget debate in Parliament in January 2022. "Id like to give a heartfelt thank you to the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of General Affairs, the Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, the Unions, His Excellency Governor Eugene B. Holiday, and his Cabinet, my legal team, the Progress Committee and Council of Advice and all stakeholders who played a role in making this day a reality. I take this moment to bid each and every person who makes up the staff in service to this Ministry and to the country as a whole, a heartfelt CONGRATULATIONS. There is still more work ahead to be done, however, rest assured, I am committed to seeing it through," concluded Minister Richardson. 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The materials will be available in the schools media centers. On December 1, DARC President Jack Thompson, N5UOV, met with media specialists Sarah Hicks of North Murray High School and Ryan Long of Murray County High School to present both schools with copies of the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual, which covers everything needed to obtain a Technician-class license, including the full question pool for the exam. During a second presentation on December 3, Thompson and David Stanley, WI4L, met with Whitfield County Schools Media Specialist Ge-Anne Bolhuis, and Communications Specialist Kristina Horsley, to present 10 copies of the license manual, which will be placed in each middle school and high school in the county. The visits offered Thompson and Stanley a chance to answer questions about amateur radio. Thompson explained to Hicks that not only was ham radio an interesting hobby, it involves public service activities and could inspire students to become involved in emergency management or search-and-rescue activities. Bolhuis also asked about the uses of amateur radio. Stanley explained that ham radio is often the last line of communication in an emergency when all other means fail. Thompson explained how his activity as a radio amateur led to his 25+ years of volunteering as a reservist in emergency management and as a member of the search-and-rescue team of the DeSoto County Sheriffs Department in Mississippi. Representatives from all of the schools received information about the ARRL Foundation Scholarship Program. The Dalton Amateur Radio Club expressed its appreciation to Tom Smith, KI4IG, for making the initial contacts with the schools and to ARRL for providing the manuals at no cost. ARRL Satellite photos reveal worrying antennas in South China Sea The New York Post reports that forests of antennas are popping up across the South China Sea. And theyre further evidence of Beijings determination to dominate the strategic international waterway. Metal poles with wires strung between them seem harmless enough. Even a cluster of big satellite dishes isnt all that uncommon anymore. But its what theyre attached to that counts. International affairs think tank the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) warns Beijing is taking major steps toward improving its electronic warfare, communications, and intelligence-gathering capabilities near the South China Sea. And that means potentially turning the contested waterway into a communication and navigation dead zone. The battle to dominate the regions electronic spectrum has already begun. Last year, a Chinese news report claimed a US combat aircraft lost control while flying over the South China Sea. All the instruments in the cabin were chaotic, the report claimed. The fighter planes were completely out of control and could not communicate with the outside world, but they did not know what happened. The claim appears to relate to a 2018 incident in which US Navy EA-18G Growler aircraft from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt reported jamming of their equipment. Pilots, however, said they were never put in any danger. But Beijing certainly appears to have been determined to build up its ability to do precisely that. The war of the future will not only be about explosions, but will also be about disabling the systems that make armies run, a recent Brookings Institution report warns. We could see effects as stodgy as making a tank impossible to start up, or sophisticated as retargeting a missile midair. Read the full New York Post (with images) at: https://nypost.com/2021/12/21/satellite-photos-reveal-worrying-antennas-in-south-china-sea/ We have to fight the vaccine and our own inner demons simultaneously with the better angels of our nature. by Ruwantissa Abeyratne in Montreal Silver bells, silver bells It's Christmas time in the city Ring-a-ling, (ring-a-ling) hear them ring (ting-a-ling) Soon it will be Christmas day City sidewalks, busy sidewalks Dressed in holiday style A beautiful song heard over the decades, made popular by Bing Crosby et. al, still heralds Christmas amidst the chaos and angst of our times. There are no more busy sidewalks and people dressed in holiday gear. All that is left of the song is the sound of the snow crunching beneath our feet, releasing to the air above, our own melancholy and desperate discourse with tragedy. Its almost as if an unseen enemy has taken control of our body and is now invading our spirit. We distrust each others presence not for who we are but for that which our mortal appurtenances will release and cause others physical harm. As I walk out, I notice its beginning to look a lot like Christmas as another popular song goes. The streets and parks are white; the people still courteous and polite in a cautiously suspicious sort of way. I wrap my coat around me in the frigid cold, feeling as though I am desperately trying to restrain an enemy outside, hidden in the wicked wind howling around me. Every now and then, the wind stops, as if to catch its breath before the next onslaught. At every Christmas, we wish each other a merry Christmas and a happy new year. We are joyous and celebrate with friends and relatives. During this Christmas, we cannot do that, as we are in lockdown, and we have got used to wishing each other a safe and healthy Christmas, in the hope that we can celebrate together next year. So, this Christmas, I hear over the speakers as I enter the Mall. The decor and glitter of baubles seem lonely in the deserted food court. Most food outlets are shuttered. Hopefully, all this will pass one day, and well live in fear no more. And then I hear the next song over the speakers: a ray of hope flickers in the sky; a tiny star lights up way up high; all across the land, dawns a brand new morn; this comes to pass when a child is born. Then it dawns on me: amidst all this entropy, children are born around the world bringing joy and hope. During the beast of a tornado a few days ago in Kentucky, which ravaged thousands of buildings and killed a multitude of people, there were reports of babies being delivered in the rubble. Back home after my sojourn into the bleak outside, I watch BBC world News, where Russia cautions the West, that any attempt at expansion of NATO and Western interests into Russian territory will cause Russia to unleash the most sophisticated weaponry of the world. The Deputy Foreign Minister warns that it would transcend the Cuban missile crisis of the sixties and reduce humanity into radioactive ashes. It seems we have bigger fish to fry of our own making. Geopolitics; the Beast in Kentucky; Typhoon Rai in the Philippines do not make matters any better. All that we are left to do is to cling to our audacity of hope: that the birth of the Prince of Peace will bring the World together in the New Year and from the ashes of a divided world will rise a united humanity with mutual respect and the abhorrence of self-service among nations. Countries should respect each other in a common fight against the pandemic with mutual respect and cooperation. This applies particularly in the case of a threat of outbreak of a variant even worse than Omicron in a nation: Emer de Vattel, in his 1758 treatise Droit de gens - The Law of Nations- enunciated this fundamental principle: A nation then is a mistress of her own actions as long as they do not affect the proper and perfect right of any other nation - so long as she is only internally bound, and does not lie under any external or perfect obligation. If she makes an ill use of her liberty, she is guilty of a breach of duty, but other nations are bound to acquiesce in her conduct, since they have no right to dictate to her. We can also pin our hope this Christmas on the timely arrival of the booster vaccines. We have to pin our hopes on the scientific community, as it was our audacity of hope and our belief in the scientific community which produced various vaccines in record time. Someone once wondered why in every manger displayed at Christmas there was a light on while the rest of Bethlehem was in pitch darkness. Christmas reminds me of when the three wise men followed a shining star that took them to the new-born. Christmas is the story of light, as is Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, and of giving. The symbolism of Christmas, particularly in its original setting, brings to bear the real significance of the event as a harbinger of peace and happiness and the heralding of understanding and compassion particularly of those in power toward their fellow beings. Christmas is a time for introspection: of self-examination for self-worth. It is a time that all of us should demonstrably show our capacity to shed differences and work toward the common human goal of peace and wellbeing. We have to fight the vaccine and our own inner demons simultaneously with the better angels of our nature. : ... Sedco Capital, a global shariah-compliant and ethically led asset management and investment advisory firm, has announced that it has successfully completed the additional offering of Sedco Capital real estate investment traded (REIT) fund. Launched in 2018, the Sedco Capital REIT Fund is a closed-ended, shariah-compliant REIT, which aims to achieve periodic cash distribution for unitholders by investing in high quality income-generating real estate assets across various sectors, including hospitality, commercial, office, residential and education. Investments are mainly focused in the main Saudi cities of Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam. Through this additional offering, Sedco Capital is increasing the funds total asset value by 64% to SR1.8 billion ($479 million) across in-kind and cash subscriptions and additional Shariah-compliant financing. According to Sedco Capital, the Fund received 78,231 subscription requests from 227,192 individual and institutional investors. In addition, it offered up to SR325 million through in-kind subscriptions. The successful offering resulted in a 339% oversubscription with a total value of SR 848 million. The units will be allocated to the unitholders within a maximum of 15 business days from the closing date of the additional offering period in accordance with the allocation mechanism disclosed in the supplementary appendix of the Funds terms & conditions. The proceeds from the additional capital raise will be used to acquire eight properties in the Education and Commercial sectors, located across Riyadh and Dammam. Sedco Capital REIT Fund post acquisition portfolio is expected to generate a gross rental income of SAR 49.4 million per annum, which translates into a rental yield of 7.5%. The net targeted return in total asset value is expected to exceed 7.0%. On the additional REIT offering, CEO Samer Abu Aker said: "We are very pleased with the result of the additional offering, reflecting the strong participation demand in the Sedco Capital REIT Fund. This oversubscribed offering represents a robust vote of confidence by existing and new subscribers in our Saudi real estate investment strategy." Chief Business Development Officer Abdulwahhab Abed said: "Since its inception, we have always managed the SEDCO Capital REIT Fund in a manner that provides investors with access to compelling real estate assets across key cities in Saudi Arabia." "This additional offering increases the Funds exposure to income-generating properties in more diverse sectors across the Kingdom, including the Education sector. The Fund also aims to increase the percentage of long-term lease contracts with escalation in rents with credible tenants, which in our view contributes to achieving stability and growth and will enhance the Funds long-term risk-return profile, overall. We believe the oversubscription illustrates the appreciation that investors have for our investment approach," he added. Global hospitality group Marriott International has signed an agreement with Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) to open two luxury hotels as part of its Diriyah Project in Saudi Arabia. Located in Diriyah around the Unesco World Heritage site of At Turaif in Saudi Arabia, the properties will bring modern and distinct views on luxury to the historic Saudi town which is set to become one of the worlds most forthright cultural and heritage cities. "We are delighted to be working with the DGDA and look forward to elevating the luxury experience of the Diriyah Project with these two iconic and celebrated brands, said Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International. The Ritz-Carlton, Diriyah, Riyadh Renowned for its legendary service and refined design, the iconic Ritz-Carlton brand is the epitome of modern luxury. Slated to open in 2025, The Ritz-Carlton, Diriyah, Riyadh is expected to feature 195 guestrooms including 34 suites along with a specialty restaurant, an all-day dining venue, meeting rooms, an outdoor pool and fitness center. Ritz Kids, the brands signature kids club and programming is part of the vision, as is a signature spa and immersive guest programs. The Luxury Collection in Diriyah, Riyadh The Luxury Collection offers global travellers a gateway to the world's most exciting and desirable destinations, with each hotel serving as a unique and cherished expression of its location. Situated in the district of Samhan, the hotel is expected to welcome its first guests in 2022 with 141 guestrooms, including 27 suites. Design plans are slated to feature two signature restaurants, an all-day-dining restaurant, coffee and juice bar, fitness centre, pool and spa. The property is also expected to offer meeting and event facilities. DGDA Group CEO Jerry Inzerillo said: "Bringing The Ritz-Carlton and The Luxury Collection to the development, two well established and admired world class heritage brands, which are renowned around the world, is a momentous moment for Diriyah." "Each property will give travellers a unique perspective on Saudi Arabias rich past before immersing guests in the future of the destination," he noted. Diriyah is set to become Saudi Arabias foremost historic cultural destination. The new hub will see eleven square kilometers of the historic town of Diriyah, known as the Jewel of the Kingdom, transformed into a global tourism destination with its main anchors rooted in its historic culture and heritage. Created in the style of Najdi architecture, an authentic Saudi Arabian building style, guests will be instantly transported to centuries past when the Arabian Peninsula was born. The landmark destination is expected to include a variety of cultural institutions and museums, galleries, local and international restaurants, luxury retail experiences, public squares, hotels, multiple recreational spaces, residences, educational institutions and offices. Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT), a leading provider of integrated logistics solutions, has won the 2021 Regional Deal of the Year award at the annual Seatrade Maritime event in Dubai, for the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent & Africa region. In July, RSGT had announced the formal approvals and completions of 20% equity share sales to both Public Investment Fund (PIF), the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, and Hong Kong-based Cosco Shipping Ports Limited (CSPL). With the deals successful conclusion, RSGTs founding shareholders reduced their combined majority and controlling shareholding to 60%. The deal implied an enterprise value of $880 million for RSGT. A major player in the region which began operations in December 2009, RSGT currently handles approximately 3 million TEU annually. Annual container throughput capacity at RSGT will have grown to 5.2 million TEU by the end of 2023, with plans underway to expand to 9 million TEU by 2030. The facility can currently accommodate next-generation container ships of up to 23,000+ TEU-class capacity, making it the only terminal at JIP designed for the next generation of Ultra-Large Container Ships. On the award, CEO Jens Floe said: "This past year RSGT welcomed as new investors one of the worlds largest container shipping and terminal operating companies, as well as one of the worlds largest sovereign investment funds." "At the same time we were continuing our focus on operational excellence and geographic growth both in Saudi and internationally," stated Floe. "Our aim is to be an engine of growth for the economy by providing world-class integrated logistics solutions," he said. Located at Jeddah Islamic Port, RSGT is a world-class terminal spearheaded by the Saudi Industrial Services group Sisco, and is the first privately funded BOT (Build Operate and Transfer) development project in Saudi Arabia. "We thank SeaTrade Maritime for this award and look forward to announcing new deals to be celebrated in the year ahead," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Saudi-based Power For Defense Technologies has signed an agreement with Indias Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for bringing its cutting-edge technologies and solutions to the kingdom's defence and aerospace eco-system. A Navratana defence public sector unit of Indian government, BEL is a pioneer in technology innovation. The agreement will facilitate BEL and PDTC to collectively bring cutting-edge technologies and technological solutions to the kingdom's defense eco-system. It will help bring India and Saudi Arabia closer through the promotion of defense and aerospace technologies. PTDC was founded by Sheikh Mohammed Mustfa-Zaini Al Shaibi, a member of a highly respected Al Shaibi family in Saudi Arabia, with a vision to foster deeper and better business, technological and cultural relationship between the two countries through the promotion, transfer and deployment of cutting-edge autonomous technological solutions in the defence, aerospace and security sector. "BEL is at the forefront of technology innovation in India. The partnership with BEL will enable us to bring critical technologies for civilian and defense application to KSA," remarked Al Shaibi. "Saudi Arabia and India are rising powers and key players in their respective regions and are natural partners in addressing the various challenges confronting the region," he added. This agreement has been facilitated by Gopi Krishna Reddy, a cross-border expert and strategic advisor to PDTC, along with Hisham Khalid, an advisor to PDTC. Anil Pant, General Manager International Marketing, BEL, said: "As a leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art electronic products and systems for the defence forces we foresee many such technological partnerships in the near future with Saudi Arabia." "BEL offers technology products in the areas of coastal radar system, advanced threat detection suites with radar, drone protection system and much more. This agreement will further cement the existing bilateral ties between the two countries elevating the relationship to a strategic partnership," noted Pant. On the strategic BEL partnership Gopi Krishna Reddy, a cross-border expert and strategic advisor to PDTC, said: "This is an important milestone in the growing India-Saudi co-operation in the field of research and development and technology exchange. We are excited to bring cutting edge technology to the KSA." Syed Wahab Quadri and Jagatheesh Kumar Bagulayan from the PDTC management will be leading the initiative with BEL.-TradeArabia News Service Zain Kuwait's 5G traffic currently accounts for more than 40% of its total wireless traffic, ranking the operator as number one in GCC countries in terms of 5G offload ratio. Zain Kuwait is one of the leading telecom operators in Mena and has been at the forefront of innovation for years as the first operator to launch commercial 5G services in the Middle East. From the 5G service development and business achievements of Zain Kuwait, it is clear that the focus on 5G development brings business success to operators. Zain Kuwait started deployment of 5G networks in 2018. After two years of continuous development, 5G services have entered a period of high growth. Users are continuing to develop rapidly, and the proportion of 5G traffic has also been increasing continuously. This has resulted in positive revenue and profit growth for the operator, a Zain release said. Zain Kuwait has achieved the 5G subscriber penetration ratio of 23%, and the average DOU of its 5G subscribers is five times higher than that of its 4G subscribers. Zain Kuwait's mobile network also recorded revenue and profit growth of 4% and 13% year-over-year in Q2 2021. This is an outstanding achievement especially when there is no population dividend and the expatriate population in country has been continuously decreasing. Zain's 5G development leads the Kuwait telecom market, and its business success has been a result of its overall strategic objective to provide first-class 5G services for users in Kuwait. Zain Kuwait has firmly invested in 5G for the fastest network construction with the widest coverage, building a foundation for user experience Network coverage is the basis for user experience. Zain started 5G C-band construction in 2018. In Q3 2019, it completed coverage of major urban areas. By early 2020, it achieved 1:1 construction ratio with its LTE network. Focusing on fast and value-based network construction, Zain Kuwait was able to quickly exploit the benefits of enhanced 5G network coverage. Leading the network construction lays the foundation for creating 5G business advantages. For instance, Zain was the first operator to commercialise 5G networks in Kuwait. In the commercial release phase, Zain provided the most extensive 5G coverage and best services owing to its focus on network construction. Within six months of the commercial launch, Zain reached 100% coverage, forming the first-mover advantage of 5G networks for itself. With the goal of providing a first-class 5G network experience, Zain insists on higher standards of 5G network construction to ensure high-speed and reliable services for all the users. As a result, the investment in network planning and network construction was increased, which enabled Zain Kuwait to win Ookla's Fastest Fixed Wireless Network Provider Award in 2020 and to lead the Open signal Global Experience Test reports as well. A great network experience enhanced Zains brand and helped it achieve greater commercial competitiveness.-- TradeArabia News Service Exeed, a brand under Chinese automaker Chery, is set to debut in the Middle East region. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain will be the first among many to welcome the new addition. The sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a new entrant in the high-end automobile market, debuting in Russia earlier this year and awarded the distinction of 'Breakthrough of the Year' by Russian media, PRNewswire reported. The European R&D centre of Exeed, located in Munich, consists designers from BMW, JLR, and more. With the experience of these European automobile veterans, the brand combines European high-end fashion with futuristic design concepts. The collaboration with JLR has contributed to Exeed's R&D and manufacturing systems as well. The brand's products can withstand extreme natural conditions across the world, with each field test monitored by experts. Extreme winter conditions are addressed with an all-round heating package, sweltering heat is countered with a rear air outlet and electrodeless fan to cool the engine, while varying elevation and steep terrain is more manageable with a high-speed ratio gearbox that increases torque. Partnerships with Magna, Benteler, Getrag, BorgWarner and others also made it possible for intelligent and modular automobile architecture that covers A to C class sedans, SUV, CROSS, MPV, and new energy automobiles. Exeed's proprietary architecture is powered by a 2.0TGDI engine with 400Nm peak torque. Its fourth-generation electrical architecture serves as the foundation for L2.5 and higher levels of autonomous driving with a cage energy-absorbing capsule body, six-position airbags, and 12 ADAS features. It is a recipient of a five-star+ safety rating in C-NCAP crash tests, setting a new C-NCAP record. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) have announced a $3.6 billion strategic project to significantly decarbonise Adnocs offshore production operations, further strengthening their position in driving and leading sustainability efforts and supporting the UAE Net-Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative. The innovative project will see the development and operation of a first-of-its-kind high-voltage, direct current (HVDC-VSC) subsea transmission system in the Middle East and North Africa region. It will power Adnocs offshore production operations with cleaner and more efficient energy, delivered through the Abu Dhabi onshore power grid, owned and operated by Taqas transmission and distribution companies. The transmission system will have a total installed capacity of 3.2 Gigawatts (GW) and comprise two independent sub-sea HVDC links and converter stations that will connect to Taqas onshore electricity grid operated by its subsidiary, Abu Dhabi Transmission and Despatch Company (Transco). The project will be funded through a special purpose vehicle (SPV), a dedicated company that will be jointly owned by the duo with 30% stake each, and a consortium comprising Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco), Japans Kyushu Electric Power Company and Electricite de France (EDF). This project offers the potential for Adnoc to more effectively utilise its rich gas currently used to power the offshore facilities for higher-value purposes, allowing Adnoc to generate additional revenue. A tender for this innovative project was issued in April 2020 resulting in very strong interest from international companies. Following this highly competitive tender process the consortium was selected. Led by Kepco, the consortium will hold a combined 40 percent stake in the project on a build, own, operate and transfer basis. The consortium will develop and operate the state-of-the-art transmission system alongside Adnoc and Taqa, with the full project being returned to Adnoc after 35 years of operation. Construction is expected to begin in 2022 with commercial operation commencing in 2025. Adnoc Upstream Executive Director Yaser Saeed Almazrouei said: "We are delighted to be collaborating again with Taqa, as we jointly welcome world-class industry leaders in yet another landmark transaction that will see Adnoc make a significant step forward in our ongoing decarbonisation journey." "As Adnoc embraces the energy transition, this bold and progressive project will replace our existing offshore local power supply with cleaner and more sustainable onshore power sources, significantly reducing our carbon footprint while enabling additional cost savings," he noted. "This first-of-its-kind project is a further example of how Adnoc is advancing practical and commercially viable solutions to secure a lower carbon future, while driving significant foreign direct invesment, and, in turn, cementing Abu Dhabi and the UAEs position as a trusted global investment destination," he added. More than 50% of the project value will flow back into the UAEs economy under Adnocs In-Country Value (ICV) program, underpinning Adnoc and Taqas commitment to driving responsible and sustained investment and value creation for Abu Dhabi and the UAE. Taqa Group CEO and Managing Director Jasim Husain Thabet said: "As the recognised low carbon power and water champion of Abu Dhabi and one of the top 5 utilities in EMEA by market value, we are pleased to again partner with Adnoc on such an important project that will contribute to the decarbonisation of Abu Dhabis energy industry in such an impactful way." "This first-of-its-kind project shows how the UAE continues to demonstrate its strong leadership and innovation in the global energy transition by bringing together critical players to boost sustainability credentials and maximizing the utilisation of Abu Dhabis diverse and efficient energy mix," he stated. "Decarbonisation continues to provide social and economic opportunities for collaboration and growth, which Taqa is actively pursuing through its strategic alliances and partnerships in the market," he added. Kepco President and CEO Seung-il Cheong said: "It is truly an honor to participate in this strategic project with Adnoc. As the Barakah Nuclear Power Project has become a token of long friendship and cooperation between the UAE and Korea, Kepco will strive for the successful completion of this Project and contribute to the 2050 Net-Zero Initiative of the UAE." Kyushu Electric Power Company President and CEO Kazuhiro Ikebe expressed delight at being selected as a business partner for this project. "We are pleased that the realisation of this project will contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions at Adnoc's oil production facilities by more than 30%. Our Group has just announced an action plan for carbon neutrality, and we are determined to promote energy businesses that contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions globally. We hope to contribute to the stable operation of this project by utilizing the know-how we have cultivated in the electric power business in Japan and overseas," he noted. EDF Chairman and CEO Jean-Bernard Levy said: "We are grateful to have been awarded such a contract by Adnoc and TAQA in the UAE within the successful consortium, which can rely on EDFs robust transmission engineering expertise." "EDF is proud to be part of this innovative project that significantly contributes to decarbonise Adnoc operations," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Pall Arabia, a joint venture between Pall Corporation and Tanajib for Oil and Gas Services Company based in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, has expanded its capabilities to include a state-of-the-art manufacturing line for Palls SepraSol Plus liquid/gas coalescers, one of the most advanced liquid/gas separation technologies available. Established in line with Saudi Vision 2030, the vision of Pall Arabia is to combine resources, technology and expertise to support the oil and gas and petrochemical industries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This new manufacturing capability is a significant milestone and underscores the commitment to Pall Arabias vision and the region. Based in Dhahran, the 14,000 sq-ft-site is Palls global centre of excellence for the oil and gas and petrochemical industries. SepraSol Plus is widely used in critical oil and gas applications such as removing fine solid and liquid impurities from natural and process gas streams. The addition of the SepraSol manufacturing capability will add value to customers in the region. The newly installed line has completed commissioning, and products and processes have been approved and awarded ISO 9001:2015 accreditation, ensuring quality and security of supply to customers. Sary Diab, Managing Director, Middle East at Pall commented: With SepraSol Plus manufacturing in Saudi Arabia we can meet our local customers technical performance and product supply needs in a timely manner and with increased agility to react to market drivers or customer needs. In addition to the centre of excellence, Pall Arabias local presence also includes sales, project management and engineering, filter cleaning capabilities and test laboratory facilities. There is also a large fleet of mission-ready rental equipment available locally and supported by associates comprised primarily of Saudi nationals. Diab added This is an example of how Saudi Vision 2030 aligns with our strategy of investment in local assets and resources to operate in region to achieve our strategic goals. Pall Corporation is a filtration, separation and purification leader providing solutions to meet the critical fluid management needs of customers across the broad spectrum of industries. Pall works with customers to advance health, safety, and environmentally responsible technologies. The companys engineered products enable process and product innovation and minimise emissions and waste. Pall Corporation serves customers worldwide. --Tradearabia News Service / OGN / GI Srinagar, Dec 22 (UNI) A police officer and a civilian were killed in in two separate attacks in Kashmir on Wednesday evening, Police said. The first attack took place in Srinagars old city in which a civilian was targeted. Police said a civilian identified as Rouf Ahmad Khan, a resident of Merjanpora Safakadal was shot near his house at about 5.25 pm. Unidentified terrorists fired upon a civilian Rouf Ahmad Khan who received grievous gunshot injuries in this terror incident and was immediately evacuated to nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, a police officer said. Senior security officials rushed to the spot and the area was cordoned to trace the attackers. Almost half an hour later an Assistant Sub Inspector of J&K Police was shot at in south Kashmirs Anantnag district. Police said ASI Mohammad Ashraf, a resident of Awantipora was shot at near Police Station Bijbehara. In this terror crime incident, he received gunshot injuries and was immediately shifted to hospital for the treatment of his injuries, however he succumbed to his injuries and attained martyrdom, a police spokesman said. We pay our rich tributes to the martyr who made supreme sacrifice in the line of duty and stand by his family at this critical juncture. The spokesman said police have registered cases regarding both the two incidents and investigation is in progress. Officers continue to work to establish the full circumstances leading to these terror crimes, he said There have been a series of attacks on policemen in Kashmir this month. Six policemen have been killed in three attacks. On December 10, two policemen were killed in a militant attack at Gulshan Chowk of Bandipora in north Kashmir. Three days later on December 13, three cops were killed and a dozen others were injured when militants opened fire on a police bus at Zewan on Srinagar outskirts. The latest killings have triggered widespread condemnation from government and mainstream parties. J&K Lt Gov Manoj Sinha said, The terrorists and their handlers responsible for these killings will be brought to justice soon. Deeply saddened by the barbaric and cowardly terrorist act in Srinagar and Anantnag. I strongly condemn this heinous attack on civilian Rouf Ahmad & JKP officer Mohd Ashraf. The terrorists and their handlers responsible for these killings will be brought to justice soon, office of LG tweeted. Such barbaric terror act will not succeed in undermining J&K's development journey. Deepest & heartfelt condolences to bereaved families. Govt stands with the families & friends at this difficult time. Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti in her reaction said there was no end in sight to this bloodshed. No end in sight to this cycle of bloodshed & violence in Kashmir. Deepest condolences to their families. Allah (SWT) jannat naseeb karein. Ameen, She tweeted. ..I unreservedly condemn these two attacks & send my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives today, former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted. Peoples Conference President Sajad Lone condoled the killings. BJP J&K spokesman Altaf Thakur while condemning the killing of ASI said it was an act of frustration and that militants are feeling frustrated and attacking unarmed policemen. Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari termed such attacks as highly reprehensible while saying that radical forces have only added to the woes of the people in J&K. Violence in any of its manifestations is always unacceptable and will yield nothing except for further death and destruction. The vicious cycle of death has caused much loss to human lives in J&K while devastating the socio-economic conditions of the people during the last over three decades. It is high time for such incidents to be stopped now he said. UNI MJR SHK2149 Morocco, Costa Rica, Azerbaijan and Nigeria invite Indian investors Pune, Dec 21 (UNI) The Ambassadors of Morocco, Costa Rica, Azerbaijan and Nigeria appealed to Indian entrepreneurs to invest in their countries during an international seminar organized by the Global India Business Forum (GIBF) here. Morocco's Ambassador Mohamed Maliki, Costa Rica's Ambassador Claudio Ansorena, Azerbaijani Ambassador Dr. Mohamed Maliki, Christopher K K on behalf of High Commissioner of Nigeria Ahmed Sule briefed about how their countries have huge opportunities for industrial expansion, in terms of infrastructure, rules and industry opportunities. During the event held last night, Legislative Council Dy Speaker Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Chairman of GIBF Jitendra Joshi and Coordinator Deepali Gadkari were present. The WCO Environment Programme has published the Frontline Customs Officers Guide to Key Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) on the Members website. The Guide, to be read in conjunction with the Green Customs Guide on MEAs, is intended to supply condensed information to frontline Customs officers on aspects related to key MEAs: the Basel Convention, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Cartagena Protocol, the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the Montreal Protocol. The illegal trade in commodities such as hazardous waste, wildlife, living modified organisms, chemical weapons and ozone-depleting substances poses a huge threat to the environment. In response, the international community developed a number of MEAs providing a framework for achieving specific environmental goals. Strategically located at borders, Customs play a crucial role in the implementation of these agreements. The Guide provides an overview on some of the main conventions, and is meant specifically for frontline Customs officers to assist them in detecting and preventing the illegal trade of environmentally sensitive goods. The WCO Secretariat received technical support towards the development of the Guide from the following organizations: the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions; the Cartagena Protocol; the Chemical Weapons Convention/Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; the CITES Secretariat; and OzonAction. Its development was funded by the World Bank, the Government of Japan, and the United Kingdom under the auspices of the ICCWC Programme. The Guide is available to Members only and can be downloaded from here. Fort Polk, LA (71446) Today A mix of clouds and sun. Morning high of 64F with temps falling to near 45. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A clear sky. Low around 30F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Abdulla Shahid, president of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, said Wednesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is self-isolating. "I have tested positive for COVID19 today. I am isolating at home with mild symptoms," Shahid tweeted. "I was privileged to have been fully vaccinated including a booster. My prayers are with the millions suffering from Covid and the billions without access to vaccine! I Stand for #VaccineEquity," read the tweet. Enditem ?El presidente @PedroCastilloTe, junto al titular del @MininterPeru, encabezo la graduacion de Alfereces de la Promocion 2022 "Bicentenario de la Independencia" y clausura del ano academico de la Escuela de Oficiales de la @PoliciaPeru. ???? pic.twitter.com/xutRbuzRkw El Presidente de la Republica, @PedroCastilloTe, junto a la ministra de Desarrollo e Inclusion Social, @DinaErcilia, visita la Region de Arequipa, para acompanar la entrega de los alimentos Qali Warma en beneficio de las ollas comunes. pic.twitter.com/zVlJrwDkAU YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. Only over 270 people in Armenia received a booster shot against COVID-19 so far, according to health officials. Svetlana Grigoryan, the Head of the Department of Immunology and Epidemiology for Manageable Infectious Diseases at Armenias National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) told ARMENPRESS that every day more and more vaccinated people are getting the booster shot. The boosters help vaccinated people be more protected from the coronavirus, she said. Although anyone above the age of 18 is eligible for the free booster shot, health authorities nevertheless prioritize those who are at-risk, such as the elderly, people with chronic diseases and health workers. The booster is a single-shot injection administered six months after the person received their second dose, Grigoryan said. According to an approved mechanism of compatibility, if for example a person has been vaccinated with Sputnik V then they are recommended to get the same vaccine as a booster, or the Sputnik Light, or an RNA vaccine such as Moderna. But nevertheless, people are still free to choose whatever vaccine they want as a booster. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. President Armen Sarkissian received today Ambassador of Kuwait to Armenia Nawaf Alenezi, the Presidential Office reports. The meeting covered topics relating to the current level of the relations between Armenia and Kuwait and their development prospects. The sides stated that the two countries have a mutual partnership potential in banking, tourism and high technology sectors. The regional affairs were also touched upon. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan met today with Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Stanislav Zas, who has arrived in Armenia on a working visit, the Office of the Secretary of the Security Council reports. The sides discussed the programs to be implemented during Armenias chairmanship at the CSTO. In this regard the sides attached priority to the joint activity of the CSTO member states in drafting a policy against terrorism, extremism, migration security, biosafety and drug trafficking. The officials also discussed contributing to the ease of tension on the Armenian-Azerbaijan, Tajik-Kazakh, Tajik-Afghan borders. Here the CSTO Secretary General emphasized the increase in probability of migrant flows by Afghanistan to the member states of the CSTO, calling this as a migration challenge. Armen Grigoryan also presented the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, stating that its a key challenge for Armenia. In this context both sides attached importance to ensuring conditions for the quick launch of the Armenian-Azerbaijan border delimitation and demarcation process. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Defense of Armenia Suren Papikyan received today Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Stanislav Zas, who has arrived in Armenia on a working visit, the ministry reports. The CSTO chief congratulated Minister Papikyan on his recent appointment. The sides discussed the priority directions of the CSTO activity during Armenias chairmanship at the organization. The defense minister said that raising and improving the efficiency of the CSTO activity, as well as further developing the CSTO military component will be one of the priorities of the Armenian side. The officials also highlighted the importance of 2022 in terms of the 30th anniversary of the Treaty on Collective Security and affirmed that all the events planned for the next year will be implemented more effectively for the benefit of increasing the mutual partnership between the CSTO member states and expanding the organizations international role. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. The price of Russian gas will stay unchanged for Armenia in 2022 165 USD per 1000 cubic meters, ARMENPRESS reports Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan told the reporters. ''The price of Russian gas at the border in 2022 will stay unchanged. Of course, there are issues that need to be agreed. The first is the issue of the fifth power unit of Hrazdan TPP, and the second is the consideration of gas calories in the price calculation. Discussions on these issues are underway, but the gas tariff has been set and extended, TASS reports Mher Grigoryan as saying. President of the Regional Council of Ile-de-France Valerie Pecresse calls for unconditionally returning 51 Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan. December 22, 2021, 09:16 French presidential candidate Valerie Pecresse calls on Azerbaijan to unconditionally return 51 Armenian captives STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 22, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: At a press briefing with Armenian and French reporters in Yerevan, she said that what happened with Armenia in 2020 by Azerbaijans and Turkeys initiative was an important warning to Europe. Mrs Pecresse also said that during her visit in Armenia she met with President Armen Sarkissian, Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan. During those meetings we talked about the 2020 war. I expressed my full solidarity with the Armenian people in overcoming this difficult trial, she said, recalling that since November 2020 both Ile-de-France and the French Senate have come up with a number of initiatives aimed at adopting resolutions on recognizing Nagorno Karabakh. According to her, the French government has also clearly stated that the responsibility of that war fully falls on Azerbaijan, as the latter has unleashed the war together with Turkey and also with the support of several Syrian jihadists. I think that what happened in Armenia was an important warning to Europe, and it would be very wrong by our side to underestimate its importance and think that what had happened doesnt threaten us because the history of Europe is full of lessons that dangers have risen when they have been underestimated, Valerie Pecresse said. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received today Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, Pashinyans Office reports. December 22, 2021, 10:57 Armenian PM receives Russian deputy prime minister STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 22, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: The meeting was also attended by Armenian deputy PM Mher Grigoryan and Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin. The inter-agency delegation led by the Russian deputy PM arrived in Armenia for the session of the Armenian-Russian inter-governmental commission on economic cooperation. Welcoming the guests, PM Pashinyan highlighted the holding of the session of the Armenia-Russia inter-governmental commission in Yerevan, wishing a productive work. The Russian deputy PM in turn thanked for the reception and said that the bilateral contacts have been quite intensive this year, as several business missions, representatives of Russian business, who are deeply interested in working in Armenia, have visited the country. Pashinyan and Overchuk discussed also the agenda of the Armenian-Russian cooperation and the economic ties. They touched upon the 2021 bilateral trade turnover volumes and praised the growth registered in the field. Both sides emphasized the importance of making joint efforts to develop the commercial and investment partnership and fully utilize the potential existing in the field. The sides also exchanged views about the prospects of restoring the transportation communications in the South Caucasian region and the activity of the Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan working group led by the deputy prime ministers. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan today met with Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Stanislav Zas, who is on a working visit to Armenia, the Office of the Secretary of the Security Council reports. December 22, 2021, 15:20 Armenia Security Council Secretary meets with Stanislav Zas STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 22, ARTSAKHPRESS: The sides discussed the programs to be implemented during Armenias chairmanship at the CSTO. In this regard the sides attached priority to the joint activity of the CSTO member states in drafting a policy against terrorism, extremism, migration security, biosafety and drug trafficking. The officials also discussed contributing to the ease of tension on the Armenian-Azerbaijan, Tajik-Kazakh, Tajik-Afghan borders. Here the CSTO Secretary General emphasized the increase in probability of migrant flows by Afghanistan to the member states of the CSTO, calling this as a migration challenge. Secretary Grigoryan presented the current situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, emphasizing that this is a primary challenge for Armenia. In this context, the parties attached importance to the ensuring of conditions for launching the process of delimitation and demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border quickly. Culturally, economically, politically and strategically, the present and future of the 2 countries are too closely entwined to be separated President Ram Nath Kovind being welcomed as the Guest of Honour by Bangladesh President Md. Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the gala celebrations of Mujib Borsho and Golden Jubilee of Independence of Bangladesh, in Dhaka (PTI Photo) The headline of Gen. Shankar Roychowdhurys article on December 16 How India cut Pak down to size might unwittingly touch on a sensitive nerve in Indias relations with a booming Bangladesh. A Bangladeshi writer, R. Chowdhury, revives the controversy in the current issue of South Asia Journal by asking provocatively: Whose victory was it, for the Mukti Bahini or the Indian forces? His article is titled: Victory Day for Mukti Juddho or Indo-Pak War? The short answer is that it was a victory for both. The Mukti Bahinis interests coincided with Indias, just as Indias interests coincide today with those of Bangladesh. Culturally, economically, politically and strategically, the present and future of the two countries are too closely entwined to be separated. That cannot be forgotten even if opposition to the Indo-Bangladesh entente lurks like Banquos ghost amidst the celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Pakistans Lt. Gen. A.A.K. Niazis surrender to Indias Lt. Gen. J.S. Aurora which preceded East Pakistans rebirth as the sovereign republic of Bangladesh. That is also why any exuberance of Hindutva sentiment in India (or any political developments with a communal dimension) can only alarm not only Bangladeshis but also the majority Muslim populations of two other members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. This inter-dependence demands a serious attempt to understand the misgivings of Bangladeshis who are dubbed anti-Indian. Their leaning towards China, Pakistan and the OIC, and criticism of Indias Citizenship Amendment Act and recent developments in Kashmir are often rooted in their own nervousness. The SAJ refers to Chowdhury as a decorated freedom fighter for the independence of Bangladesh and a well-known author. It is not clear if he is also the Rashed Chowdhury who became a lieutenant-colonel in the Bangladesh Army and was a diplomat in Brazil when Sheikh Hasina Wajed became Prime Minister in 1996. If so, he was one of the 12 men to be tried in absentia, convicted and sentenced to death for alleged complicity in the 1975 coup when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family were murdered. Disobeying Dhakas orders to return in 1996, Rashed Chowdhury took his wife and son to the United States and applied for political asylum there, which the Clinton administration granted. Subsequent Bangladeshi attempts at repatriation have not been successful. This digression into history explains how the past overwhelms Bangladeshs present and future. The two Chowdhurys might be totally different men, but the opposition to Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League still lurks like Banquos ghost amidst the celebrations today. That ghost popped out again when historian Sarmila Bose, Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses grand-niece and author of Dead Reckoning: Memories of the 1971 Bangladesh War, argued in the current issue of Britains History Today that the creation of Bangladesh was a missed opportunity for India to reverse the British partition of Bengal by annex[ing] it as the new state of East Bengal within the Union of India. She believes that Sheikh Mujib would have readily become chief minister of an Indian state. Because of Ms Boses antecedents a link that ensures that the family remains in the public eye Bangladeshis might see in the suggestion a confirmation of some of their worst suspicions. She may give further offence by blaming this error of judgment on Indias tendency to think in terms of how to damage Pakistan, rather than what might benefit India. That seems designed to lend further credence to Chowdhurys view (which he attributes to the renowned British-Bangladeshi political analyst Zoglul Husain) that in 1971 the people of Bangladesh fought for independence from Pakistan, but India joined the war to divide Pakistan and turn Bangladesh into its vassal state. Muchkund Dubey, a former foreign secretary and Indias high commissioner in Dhaka from 1979 to 1982, attributed such thinking to the big country, small country complex. India cannot cut itself down to size but, as Singapores Lee Kuan Yew had advised Rajiv Gandhi, Indonesias Suharto had succeeded in convincing his smaller neighbours that size need not mean hegemony. Only tactful diplomacy can erase rankling memories of the liberation war when some Bangladeshis felt their Gen. M.A.G. Osmani, Bongobir to his countrymen, was excluded from the surrender and victory ceremonies. That background may explain why Bangladeshis sometimes play down Indias military role in 1971 although the Mukti Bahinis valour needs no exaggeration. It is part of this game also to attribute Indira Gandhis military intervention only to rivalry with Pakistan rather than any commitment to Bangladeshi rights and welfare. This is naive because foreign policy is seldom driven by a single factor. Humanitarian concern may be a major consideration but national self-interest and geopolitical realities also count. Ironically, the Agartala Conspiracy Case (Agartala Shorojontro Mamla in Bengali) that Pakistans Ayub Khan regime brought in 1968 against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 34 other Awami League politicians, who were all accused of conspiring with India, provides the best evidence of the bonding between India and its smaller eastern neighbour. Although India and Mujib denied all the charges, one of the accused in that case, Shawkat Ali, confessed in the Bangladesh Parliament on February 22, 2011 that far from being false, they were all true. He also confirmed that a Navy steward called Mujibur Rahman (not to be confused with the revered Bangabandhu) and an educationist, Mohammad Ali Reza, had indeed gone to Agartala, capital of the Indian state of Tripura, to seek Indias military support for Bangladeshs independence. My guess would be that the freedom fighters were not well enough organised then to launch the Sangram (Struggle), Sheikh Mujibs term, that exploded three years later. Syed Mainul Hossains Martyrs Memorial in Dhaka, where an engraved inscription reads hauntingly Tomader ja bolar chhilo, bolchhe ki ta Bangladesh? (Does Bangladesh speak what you wanted it to say?) eloquently invokes that struggle. No country can always speak for every single citizen, but in its quest for stability and prosperity in partnership with India, Bangladesh has not failed the dreams of the fervent young fighters in makeshift khaki whom I met in Khulna and Jessore in 1971 and who had taken up arms for a cause that transcended religion. Soaring national and per capita incomes, spiralling food production and exports, and a population that has been contained flesh out their independence beyond the emptiness of political rhetoric. The first A330neo commercial passenger aircraft for TAP Air Portugal airline is seen at the Airbus delivery center in Colomiers near Toulouse BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission approved on Wednesday a further, smaller aid measure from Portugal's government for the country's ailing flag carrier TAP, having also signed off on a 2.55 billion euro rescue plan for the airline this week. The Commission approved 71.4 million euros ($80.9 million) in state aid to compensate TAP for damage suffered in the first half of 2021, as a result of COVID-19 pandemic-related travel restrictions. "Because of these travel restrictions, TAP Air Portugal incurred significant operating losses and experienced a steep decline in traffic and profitability over this period," the Commission said in a statement. The aid will comprise a capital injection or a loan. The Commission said the compensation did not exceed what was necessary to address the damage, and the measure did not breach EU antitrust rules. The smaller chunk of aid comes after Brussels on Tuesday approved an overall rescue plan for the airline, but imposed safeguards to limit distortions to competition. The 2.55 billion euro restructuring plan for TAP, which is 72.5% controlled by the Portuguese state, involves thousands of job and pay cuts. ($1 = 0.8821 euros) (Reporting by Kate Abnett) The Central New York Regional Transportation Authority is proposing a universal pricing system that would reduce fares for most Centro riders, including those using bus service in Auburn. Under Centro's plan, fares for service between Auburn and Syracuse would decrease from $4 to $3. It's part of the agency's plan to adopt a universal fare for intercity services connecting Auburn and Oswego with Syracuse. Fares for certain groups, including seniors ages 65 and older and individuals with disabilities, would also decrease from $2 to $1.50. For city bus services in Auburn, fares would be unchanged. The price would be $1 for adults, the current cost of a ride, and 50 cents for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Another change proposed by Centro is to no longer sell the 20-ride or 30-ride passes in Syracuse. It will offer 10-ride, weekly or daily passes that will be sold on buses. The proposed fare system, if approved, would take effect on March 7. Centro will hold public hearings in January and February to collect feedback on the pricing schedule. "We believe by reducing and simplifying our fares and making it more convenient to purchase our bus passes, we can make Centro more attractive to current and prospective customers," said Brian Schultz, Centro's CEO. "The cost of providing services in each of our cities is relatively the same; therefore, we feel the price we charge customers should also be the same." Centro's proposal also calls for ending free transfers for customers at any of its service locations. According to Centro, 19% of its riders used transfers to get to their destination in 2019. By adjusting the prices of its passes, Centro hopes to "mitigate the impact on those who use transfers." "If you are a Syracuse customer who currently transfers to and from work and pays $4 for a daily roundtrip, we will offer an unlimited ride day pass for the same $4," Schultz said. "Individuals who use transfers in our other city services will see an increase in the cost of a roundtrip and an increase in the cost of unlimited ride passes." Centro is also planning to establish a $2 fare for its intracity Call-A-Bus services and $6 for its intercity Call-A-Bus services. While fares for some Call-A-Bus users won't change, fares for riders in Syracuse and Utica will decrease from $2.50 or $3 per ride. Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. AUBURN An Auburn man found guilty by Cayuga County jury of raping a woman was sentenced to state prison Tuesday. Brian D. Lawrence, 25, whose most recent address was listed as 109 Washington St., Apt. 1, was found guilty by a seven-person jury in Cayuga County Court in October of first-degree rape, a class B felony, and second-degree trespass, a misdemeanor. Cayuga County Senior Assistant District Attorney Heather De Stefano said Cayuga County Court Judge Mark Fandrich sentenced Lawrence to 15 years in state prison and 10 years post-release supervision for the rape charge. De Stefano noted Lawrence had been in custody since he was arrested in December 2020, so he was credited with time served for the trespass charge. De Stefano said the DA's office recommended Lawrence receive 25 years in prison and 20 years of post-release supervision, which was the maximum sentence he could have received. The Auburn Police Department previously said that on the morning of Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, police went to Holley Street for a report of a barefoot woman walking in a bathrobe while a man possessing a butcher knife followed her. The woman had called 911 and said the man raped her and that he might kill her, police said at the time. The APD arrived and found the woman in a residence on Seymour Street. Lawrence, the suspect, was discovered walking in the Seymour Street area and was detained. It was determined during the investigation that Lawrence used a key he took from a different person to enter the woman's residence without her permission and forcefully raped her. Lawrence took a knife from the victim's residence following the rape. The woman got out of the apartment and began walking down Holley Street to seek help while Lawrence followed her while having the knife in his possession. A knife was located near the spot where Lawrence was found. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information. CATL says no comment to Poland factory rumor CATL is reportedly planning to build a 2 billion worth of battery plant in Poland and has scouted two locations for it. On December 21st, the battery mogul gave a no comment to a local media outlet regarding the rumor. Photo credit: CATL GAC AION to kick off Series-A investment round GAC Group plans to further the mixed-ownership reform of GAC AION and introduce strategic investors to HYCAN and Ontime Mobility. Currently, GAC AION has completed asset restructuring and will kick off its A round of financing and employee stock ownership. AION Y; photo credit: AION CPCA: daily average sales increase 38% MoM in third week of Dec. During the third week of December, the daily retail volume of passenger vehicles amounted to 67,000 units, down 8% year on year, but increased 38% compared to the same week in November, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). Mercedes-Benz to recall 2,307 vehicles in China Due to MBUX intelligent interactive display errors, Mercedes will recall 2,307 vehicles in China. The automaker will perform OTA updates to the system to eliminate potential safety risks. Alibaba-backed AutoX unveils first driverless RoboTaxi production line in China The Alibaba-backed autonomous driving company, AutoX, has unveiled its RoboTaxi production facility, also the first L4 RoboTaxi production line in China to manufacture its latest Gen5 system-powered fully driverless RoboTaxis. CATLs battery manufacturing base in Fuding, Ningde begins production On Dec. 21, the No.2 workshop at CATL's Fuding lithium battery manufacturing base first phase was put into operation, according to a local media outlet, meaning the battery giant's largest single lithium-ion battery base officially began production. GWMs autonomous driving arm Haomo.ai receives investment from Meituan Great Wall Motors independent, autonomous driving unit, Haomo.ai, announced that it has raised nearly RMB1 billion in its Series-A round of financing. Plus.ai, Iveco to start L4 autonomous heavy-duty truck test in Europe, China Chinas leading commercial vehicle autonomous driving company, Plus.ai, announced that it is initiating joint tests with named commercial vehicle brand, Iveco, to test out their L4 autonomous driving heavy-duty trucks in Europe and China. CATL leads 5mln yuan C round in Chinese drive-by-wire supplier NASN Shanghai NASN Automotive Electronics Co. Ltd. (NASN), the Chinese drive-by-wire supplier, recently announced it has raised 500 million yuan ($78.465 million) in the Series C funding, which was led by the investors like CATL, BOCGI, CMG-SDIC Capital, and GL Ventures. T3 Mobility, IDRIVERPLUS to pilot Robotaxi operation in Suzhou with autonomous+manual model Chinas autonomous driving company, IDRIVERPLUS has officially delivered its first batch of modified Robotaxis to T3 Mobility, the ride-sharing platform established by FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor, and Changan Auto at their strategic agreement signing ceremony. CATL plows over 16 billion yuan in R&D business CATL has already plowed over 16 billion yuan ($2,510,867,200) into R&D businesses, Zeng Yuqun, chairman of CATL, said on Tuesday at an industrial meeting held by Gaogong Industry Research Institute (GGII). JD Logistics joins hands with Guangzhou Huadu District for last-mile delivery JD Logistics of Chinas e-commerce giant JD.com announced its partnership with Guangzhou Huadu District authorities for terminal autonomous delivery services in the district. Lear, Great Wall Motor inks strategic cooperation MOU Chinas major automaker, Great Wall Motor, announced that it had signed a strategic cooperation memorandum of understanding with the world-leading automotive supplier, Lear. Beijing (Gasgoo)- Great Wall Motors independent, autonomous driving unit, Haomo.ai, announced that it has raised nearly RMB1 billion in its Series-A round of financing. Photo credit: Haomo.ai Chinas food delivery giant, Meituan, well-known venture capital, GL Ventures, and Qualcomm Ventures are all participants in the investment round. The company said that the funds will be mainly used to support its autonomous driving R&D, and talent system building. According to Haomo.ais CEO, Gu Weihao, the company aims to expand its passenger vehicle assistant driving project by seven times in 2022, and threefold the current terminal unmanned delivery vehicle project. Meanwhile, the company is facilitating a supercomputing center to further its data intelligence system development. Haomo.ai has become one of the leaders in autonomous driving mass-production in China. With solid support from Great Wall Motor, the company leads the industry in cooperation model volume, revenuegenerated income volume, and its autonomous driving data warehouse scale. Photo credit: Haomo.ai Haomo.ai has developed a full-stack autonomous driving solution. The companys assistant driving solutions have been implemented on numerous Great Wall Motor models, including the WEY Mocha, the TANK 300, and the HAVAL Shengshou, accumulating over 4 million kilometers of user mileage. By 2022, its assistant driving system will be deployed to 34 Great Wall Motor passenger vehicle models and over 1 million units in volume in three years. On the other hand, Haomo.ai has partnered with various major companies regarding driverless terminal delivery vehicles, namely Meituan, Dmall, and Alibabas Damo Academy. The vehicles were already deployed into commerce delivery scenarios with a considerable market share. Additionally, Haomo.ai owns a 5,000 square meter production facility in Baoding, dedicated to L4 driverless delivery vehicles , with the worlds largest designed production capacity. Beijing (Gasgoo)- Chinas leading commercial vehicle autonomous driving company, Plus.ai, announced that it is initiating joint tests with named commercial vehicle brand, Iveco, to test out their L4 autonomous driving heavy-duty trucks in Europe and China. Photo credit: Plus.ai The partners will test and demonstrate the performance of the Plus.ai autonomous driving system powered Iveco S-WAY vehicles under various road situations and driving scenarios. Additionally, this is an opportunity for Plus.ai to gather data and validate and improve the design integration of the autonomous S-WAY vehicles. According to Plus.ai, the PlusDrive system can be installed on an existing truck or pre-assembly trucks by manufacturers. Currently, the system has been ordered by over 10,000 units and has passed fleet tests through major automakers. Earlier, Plus.ai has provided technical support for Chinas leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, FAW-Jiefang, via the PlusDrive system. The parties co-developed auto-grade mass-producible advanced autonomous driving trucks will be on the market in 2021. The trucks will be sold via Chinas intelligent shipping dispatching platform, Full Truck Alliance, providing intelligent logistic service for 10 million drivers and 5 million shippers. The PlusDrive products are in the delivery process to the company's early customers in China and the US. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- CATL has already plowed over 16 billion yuan ($2,510,867,200) into R&D businesses, Zeng Yuqun, chairman of CATL, said on Tuesday at an industrial meeting held by Gaogong Industry Research Institute (GGII). Zeng Yuqun; photo credit: CATL Zeng delivered a speech to unveil the progress of CATL's new technology R&D. In terms of the innovation in battery structure, based on an all-new algorithm for BMS (battery management system), CATL has developed the AB battery system design solution, which is able to mix and match two types of batteries in a certain proportion and integrate them into one battery system. The combination can be LFP plus ternary-lithium batteries, or lithium-ion plus sodium batteries, etc. Zeng said the AB design solution can break through the performance border of a single battery material and make two kinds of materials draw on each other's strengths. The CTP (cell-to-pack), a technology CATL created to simplify the manufacturing and assembly of battery packs, has advanced into its third-generation, according to Zeng. He said CATL's R&D team has made great efforts to improve energy density, space utilization, thermal management system, and minimize thermal diffusion, in order to solve the pain points about battery range, safety, and lower temperature. Zeng noted the innovation in battery materials is essentially a competition about computing capability. CATL is working on building a world-leading digital R&D platform, on which big data, cloud computing and AI technologies are utilized for battery R&D. This platform also helps CATL speed up the R&D of sodium-ion batteries, lithium metal batteries, cobalt-free batteries, and other batteries free of noble metal. ZenniHome and the Navajo Nation Division of Economic Development are announcing the finalization of an agreement allowing ZenniHome to begin manufacturing their residential product line on a portion of the former Navajo Generating Station (NGS). The agreement represents the first step in repurposing the decommissioned NGS site and establishing an ongoing economic development partnership between the two parties. ZenniHome and the Navajo Nation are in the process of negotiating a long-term lease agreement to manufacture eco-friendly homes on the site, according to a press release. The agreement permits ZenniHome to immediately begin operations including capital improvements and hiring members of the Navajo Nation. ZenniHome anticipates initially hiring 110-150 workers to build the companys Denizen and Citizen models prior to the finalization of the lease agreement. Gov. Doug Ducey, who has emphasized the importance of rural and tribal economic development, had this to say about the exciting new partnership: Our rural areas have vast potential for economic development expansions, and this exciting project is just one example, Ducey said. Arizona values our important relationship with the Navajo Nation and its economic development leaders. Im especially grateful to President Nez and Vice President Lizer for their partnership and to former State Senator Bob Worsley for his continued service to our state. We are thrilled to see new jobs and industry grow from the former Navajo Generating Station, and we look forward to continue working with our tribal partners to bring more opportunities to all parts of Arizona. ZenniHome is the premier prefab home company specializing in transformative architecture and robotic furnishings that allow customers to get more living out of every square inch. ZenniHome builds smart, connected homes with environmentally prioritized features. From the ashes of one of the worlds largest coal power plants, we are building a sustainable, green housing factory one with enormous employment potential for the Navajo Nation, said ZenniHome founder and former State Senator Bob Worsley. Our location in Page provides ample room for expansion, including potential for a future one million square-foot giga factory, a strategic location near our west and southwest markets, and access to a highly skilled local workforce. We are grateful to the Navajo Nation for their partnership. They have been tremendous to work with, and we look forward to being part of and giving back to the Dine community for many years to come. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes WASHINGTON Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin IIIs announcement that he opposed President Bidens massive spending package may be much more than a political setback for the White House. In torpedoing a bill that included $555 billion to combat climate change, the longtime West Virginia senator is, at least for now, single-handedly preventing the U.S. from being able to reach Bidens emissions reductions targets and undermining the presidents credibility in persuading other countries to take steps to stave off a catastrophic future of extreme heat, drought, fires, storms and floods. The climate crisis isnt going away, and the devastating damages from heating the planet are being increasingly felt in communities across the country, said Nat Keohane, the president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Not investing in climate and clean energy infrastructure would be a setback for American credibility and global leadership on climate but just as importantly, it would be a setback for the global competitiveness of American manufacturers, for the health of the U.S. economy and for clean energy jobs. A broad array of Democratic lawmakers and environmental activists responded to Manchins shift with an unusual degree of unanimity pledging to press ahead, in recognition that failing to deliver on the climate provisions, which were a central element of Bidens presidential campaign, could spark an existential crisis for the planet and their party. We are undeterred, said Pete Maysmith, senior vice president of campaigns for the League of Conservation Voters. There is still an overwhelmingly strong political and scientific and policy imperative to get this done whether its for the economy, clean energy jobs, cutting costs with peoples energy bills and saving the planet. So we are going to fight as hard as we ever have to pass Build Back Better. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., told Senate Democrats in a letter Monday that he plans to bring a revised version of the House bill to the floor for a vote in January so that every Member of this body has the opportunity to make their position known on the Senate floor, not just on television. Biden announced in April that he wants to slash U.S. emissions between 50% and 52% below 2005 levels by 2030. Last month at a major climate summit in Scotland, he urged other countries to act in the coming decade and touted the climate components of his $1.75 trillion spending plan as the most significant investment to deal with the climate crisis that any advanced nation has made ever. But if that legislation cannot be revived and Congress fails to act on climate change, it will be close to impossible to reach Bidens benchmarks and those already agreed to as part of the 2015 Paris Climate Accord, according to John Larsen, who analyzes energy policy at the Rhodium Group, a research firm. We found the target was achievable when everything happens. But its much harder to envision hitting the target without a foundation of clean energy tax credits and other grant programs, Larsen said. Biden has already taken executive action to limit emissions. The administration has issued rules to curb toxic pollutants used in refrigeration and air conditioning, and announced Monday that it is tightening mileage standards for cars and light trucks. However, without the tax credits that were part of the massive spending package and aimed at incentivizing a faster transition to cleaner fuels, energy providers and manufacturers are likely to resist changing course. There are other levers in other parts of the federal system, Larsen said. But all of those levers are easier to pull when you have hundreds of billions of dollars in federal tax credits to lower the cost of pulling them. Manchin, whose family owns a lucrative coal waste business, had already chipped away at the climate change components in the original package. In hopes of winning Manchins vote, Biden had agreed to drop a $150 billion plan to transition coal plants to cleaner fuels, as well as proposals to reduce methane emissions, promote electric cars, and halt offshore oil drilling. The bill, which passed the House last month, included $320 billion in tax credits for producers of wind, solar and nuclear power, as well as credits for those using renewable power sources. This would have made generating electricity from coal and gas so expensive that it would was expected to spur the construction of new solar arrays and wind turbines across the country. An October analysis from the Rhodium group said existing policies were enough to reduce emissions between 17% and 25% by 2030. Experts said that other federal action, including executive actions taken by Biden and the passage of the provisions in the Build Back Better plan, could achieve a reduction of 45% to 51%. Larsen noted that the infrastructure legislation includes research funding for clean energy initiatives, but no market incentives. None of these technologies are going to take off in a commercial way without a market. That was what Build Back Better was going to provide, he said. Failing to pass legislation to address climate change could also send a discouraging signal to the rest of the world, which Biden is attempting to coax along in the fight to slow the planets rise in temperature, said David Victor, a professor at the School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego. Without the U.S. fully in, the diplomatic consensus you need to keep the machinery going starts fraying, Victor said. Youre going to see more and more resentment, and concern about the credibility of the overall global effort on climate. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Business owners in downtown Beatrice are getting into the holiday spirit this season with festive decorations and displays. Many participated in Main Street Beatrices annual store front display contest, which was held for the 11th time. Michael Sothan, Main Street Beatrice director, said the event is a fun opportunity for building owners to get involved. Especially after the years weve had with the pandemic, its really exciting to be able to walk or drive around the community and see people in the holiday spirit, he said. Whether its residential light displays or downtown with storefront displays, it gives the community a merry and festive spirit and puts a smile on your face. The theme of this years event was A Storybook Christmas. Contest winners were announced Wednesday morning, and include: Best representation of theme co-winners: Gems & Junk and Scheer Quality Furniture. Most creative use of product and theme: Sunrise Bakery. Honorable mention: Security First Bank. Most creative use of technology: Home Instead. Voting for the peoples choice award closed Tuesday, and those results will be announced at a later date. The displays were recently viewed and judged by the Main Street Beatrice Design Committee. The displays were not limited to the contest participants, and several other storefronts were decorated and contributed to this magical holiday season. Sothan said 12 businesses participated, which is typical for the event. It was definitely fun to see people focusing on the theme and having fun with it, he said. We definitely saw some new businesses part participating and used technology in different ways. It was fun to see how the displays change and evolve. Businesses that participated in the store front display contest included The Black Crow Restaurant and Bar, Blue Bulldog, Gems & Junk, Great Western Bank, Home Instead, Nebraska Title Co., Quilt Stitches, Scheer Quality Furniture, Security First Bank, Sunrise Bakery, Uhls Sporting Goods & Screen Printing and Weigel Jewelry. The theme was also incorporated into events led by Main Street Beatrice, the Beatrice Public Library and Beatrice Area Chamber of Commerce. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 But the couples perceptions were quickly knocked down. By offering themselves as helpful neighbors and friends, the couple, who married here, felt like there was always room for them in Wyoming. Opposition While acceptance of same-sex marriage is growing in Wyoming politics, there are notable exceptions. A spokesperson for Sen. John Barrasso told the Star-Tribune that he believes marriage should be between one man and one woman. A spokesperson for Sen. Cynthia Lummis offered the same stance while also acknowledging that same-sex marriage has been the law of the land since 2015. A representative for Harriet Hageman, who is challenging Cheney in next years Republican primary, did not respond to multiple requests for comment on this issue. The Wyoming Republican Party does not recognize same-sex marriage, and had continued to advocate for defining marriage as between one man and one woman. In January, at a time when the issue was not even being discussed in Wyoming, the party used its Facebook page to criticize same-sex marriage, invoking the biblical language of Sodom and Gomorrah. Beyond reducing the temperature in these political battles surrounding public schools, education reform of this kind is better for children too. Every child is different, with unique interests and talents. Kids learn at different paces, and thrive in a range of settings, and with the benefit of different experiences. Some excel in the traditional classroom setting. Others may benefit from online instruction, or hands-on experiences, or with the assistance of tutors. If we want every child to succeed, we need a system that recognizes their differences and makes it easier for kids to access the education thats right for them. Instead of trying to give every child the same education, we should try to make sure each one has the ability to choose the right education for their unique situation. By making the system more flexible, we can help kids figure out their skills and interests. When they discover what it is that motivates their curiosity and drives them to learn more, we can help them develop the habits of lifelong learning. Thats key to success in the workplace, and in life. When I was growing up I was fortunate to have many strong women role models in my life who empowered me to pursue whatever career I wanted. I attended college and earned a bachelors degree, and then went on to graduate school so I could fulfill my dream of teaching at the college level. After nine years of post secondary education I began teaching at a small undergraduate college. I love working with young people and helping them figure out what they are capable of and what path they wish to pursue. But I have considered quitting my job many times. Several years after I began teaching, my partner and I decided to start our family. After our first child arrived I was very suddenly struck by the reality that so many others already understood: that having two working parents try to raise a child is nearly impossible. I didnt have a real maternity leave with either of my children. My partner and I worked nights and weekends to juggle schedules so we could keep our infant home for as long as possible. We took a significant financial loss to do this. And we are lucky, as many families dont have that choice. As your former secretary of state, I enthusiastically support Dr. Al Olszewski for Congress because he is the only candidate who clearly understands the importance of preserving the integrity of, and confidence in, our elections process. Starting at the border, Democrats are working hard to destroy our nation. Erasing our border, handing out welfare benefits to illegal immigrants who violate our laws, and allowing the flow of drugs and violent offenders into the United States is only the beginning. Now, Democrats want to make illegal immigrants eligible to vote and remove important protections for our most sacred right. As a state senator, Dr. Al worked to pass a ban on ballot harvesting. At the federal level, he knows we must do much more. In Congress, he will continue my fight to protect the integrity of our elections something over 1 million service members have died defending. Marc Cooke, president of Wolves of the Rockies, said on Dec. 9 that at least 13 wolves from Yellowstones packs had been killed in outside states at the time, including 11 in Montana, according to the groups sources. With trapping, weve been pretty fortunate in a sense, he said earlier this month. There hasnt been a lot of snow, and when snow is on the group, we will see an acceleration in those that are trapped and shot . (Trappers) can track footprints in the snow. Though Montanas wolf trapping season had a default opening date on Nov. 29, trapping had been closed in wolf management units 313 and 316. On Tuesday, however, FWP announced trappping would open immediately (on Dec 21) in WMUs 313, 316 and 390. As officials determined that grizzly bears are denned for the winter, they also opened the wolf trapping season in WMUs 100, 101, 110, 130, 150 and 400. Trappers were warned to avoid any area where bear sign is observed. When were talking about Yellowstone National Park wolves, we have so much studying going on, and that scientific data inside that park is so essential for what we know today, Bean said. The education that comes out of that park is global, and the more that Montana continues to attack the science that comes out of the park, we as a society are being attacked. Love 19 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 5 Angry 18 The Federalist Papers, it has been said, constitute one of the most important works in the world of political science ever written in the history of the United States. There is little exaggeration, if any, in saying that that The Federalist is surpassed only by the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence as an iconic writing in our nations political history. Authored by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, the 85 essays thoroughly explained the meaning of the Constitution proposed to Americans eager to know what delegates to the Constitutional Convention had produced in Philadelphia as a new national charter. The Federalist writings thus represented the matured conclusions of the framers of the Constitution. Federalist 78, written by Hamilton, stands as one of the most penetrating essays of the entire lot. It leaves no doubt that the framers intended the federal judiciary to exercise the power of judicial review and pours the foundation for Chief Justice John Marshalls defense of it in the landmark case of Marbury v. Madison. Hamiltons tightly knit paper represented a powerful response to critics of judicial review including New Yorks Robert Yates, writing under the pen name Brutus. The Brutus-Hamilton exchange furnished informed delegates to the various state ratifying conventions with powerful confirmation that the Constitution did, indeed, boast the power of judicial review. First and foremost, the fact that Yates, a delegate to the convention and a justice of the New York Supreme Court, wrote critically of the power of judicial review and warned of its abuses, confirmed the existence of judicial review. In his Letters of Brutus, Yates opposed judicial review, in part, because it would operate to a total subversion of the state judiciaries, if not to the legislative authority of the states, and because of the difficulty of removing federal judges through the power of impeachment. Yates lamented the placement of the reviewing power in the hands of federal judges, including Supreme Court Justices. They are, he wrote, authorized by the Constitution to decide in the last resort what is the extent of the powers of Congress. He added, If, therefore, the legislature pass any laws inconsistent with the sense the judges put on the Constitution, they will declare it void; and therefore in this respect their power is superior to that of the legislature. Yates greatest fear was that judges would impose their own biases, political and otherwise, in the interpretation of the Constitution. Yates confirmation of the availability of judicial review spared Hamilton from widespread accusations that the authority was his creation alone. However, Yates attack on the exercise of judicial power, the possibility that it would be exercised arbitrarily, left Hamilton with the heavy burden of persuading readers that judges would not abuse their authority, and the lighter responsibility of explaining the theoretical implications of judicial review. Hamilton famously wrote of the exercise of judicial power that judges have neither the power of the purse nor the power of the sword, leaving the judiciary in the dreaded position of being the least dangerous branch of government. As Hamilton observed, judges have the duty to give voice to the terms and commands of the Constitution. Judges, he cautioned, would not behave like legislators and give voice to their own preferences and biases. His critics could be forgiven for recalling that Hamilton, in 1778, had warned of the trackless imaginations of judges and their frequent abuses of power. For his part, Hamilton was complaining about English, not American, judges. Critics asked, however, if the differences were so great? Students of the Constitution are indebted to Hamiltons scholarly explanation in Federalist 78 of the ways and means of the exercise of judicial review and his effective rebuttal of Yates claim that its availability renders judges superior to the legislature. Hamilton denied that the act of declaring a statute unconstitutional on grounds that it violated the Constitution established judicial supremacy. The ratification of the Constitution represents the will of the people, he explained, as does the passage of a statute by the representatives of the people. However, the approval of the Constitution represents a higher expression of the will of the people. Simply put, when the people ratify the Constitution, it is approving the content of a document that is clear and comprehensible to them. The expression of that will is grounded in greater certainty, and yielding more clarity, than that represented in a vote for legislators who, at the time of their election, have not made clear where they stand on issues that have yet to emerge and bills yet to be written. When the court, as explained in No. 78, exercises judicial review and holds a legislative measure unconstitutional, it is not asserting judicial superiority over the legislature. Rather, it is simply upholding the superior expression of the will of the people, as reflected in the ratification of the Constitution, over the inferior expression of the will of the people seen in the election of representatives. As Hamilton observes, the court is upholding the intention of the people to the intention of their agents. In Federalist No. 78, Hamilton reproduced the conclusions of those who wrote the Constitution. The founders intended the federal courts to exercise the power of judicial review, which was first announced in Marbury v. Madison in 1803. But Hamiltons reply to Brutus that judges would not, in the course of constitutional interpretation, impose their own political preferences and biases, remains the subject of ongoing debate, one heightened in our time by cases that raise the prospect of judicial revision of constitutional principles and precedents. David Adler is president of The Alturas Institute. This "We the People" series is provided by the North Dakota Newspaper Association and Humanities North Dakota. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The latest federal report on the potential of the Bakken and Three Forks rock formations should serve as a reminder to the state that oil wont last forever. The oil fields arent in danger of drying up anytime soon, but they arent infinite. The U.S. Geological Survey indicates the formations contain 4.3 billion barrels of untapped recoverable oil, a 40% drop from the surveys last estimate in 2013. Wells have retrieved 4 billion barrels of oil from the formations so far, according to the federal agency. State Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms said he expected the number to go down. However, the size of the drop came as a surprise. Helms said about 80% of whats considered the best mineral acreage in the Bakken has been drilled and companies now plan to innovate in parts of the region farther from the center. The USGS also estimates natural gas production will decline. In 2013 it estimated 6.7 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas in the two formations. Now, it estimates there will be 4.9 trillion cubic feet. Oil has been good for North Dakota. It has given the states economy a major boost, making life easier for state officials at budget time. Its allowed the state to create the Legacy Fund which sits at $8.6 billion. The fund has the potential to benefit the state for years to come. Recent experiences have shown the state that oil revenues arent guaranteed. Action by Russia and OPEC a few years ago sent oil prices tumbling. North Dakota officials had to scramble to patch the budget together. Its easy to forget the bad times, especially when the state is performing well. The Legislatures interim Government Finance Committee was told recently that state revenues are ahead of expectations five months into the two-year budget cycle. Office of Management and Budget Director Joe Morrissette told the committee that oil prices are 30% higher than the $50 a barrel forecast. Oil taxes are 20% ahead of the forecast and were 24% ahead of projections in November. Morrissette reminded the committee that it only takes one bad month to throw off the projections and theres a long way to go in the budget cycle. North Dakota has taken a number of steps to boost the oil, gas and coal industries. Gov. Doug Burgum has set a goal of the state being carbon neutral by 2030. Despite a number of initiatives to expand the use of byproducts from oil, the state needs to explore other options for expanding the economy. The state remains too reliant on oil and to a lesser extent on coal for revenue. The USGS report should encourage the state to widen its outlook. We have seen global factors out of our control send oil prices plunging. North Dakota needs to diversify its economy before time runs out on oil and coal. Correction In Saturdays editorial the Tribune incorrectly listed Sen. Erin Obans party affiliation. Shes a Democrat. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Marys call and response is a powerful reminder of how Advent calls us to model her in humble obedience and service, whatever our vocation. [] We arrive at the Christmas stable. We have prepared. The Christ child is come to usImmanuel. We begin by taking a step back. The candle that is lit for the final Sunday of Advent reminds us of Mary, the one who brings the Lord into the world. The Protestant Reformers reacted against Catholic overemphasis on the nature and role of Mary. (Catholic readers, forgive meand do read on!) One consequence of this was that Protestants ever since have been so wary of giving too much weight to Mary that they have underplayed her role such that deep spiritual truths are missed. The first example of call in the New Testament is the call to Mary. Mary was a virgin betrothed to Joseph, of the house of David (Lk 1:27), reminding us of the royal line into which Christ would be born. The call to Mary was from God and mediated through an angel. The message was simple yet profoundGreetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you. The angel continued to tell Mary that she had found favor with God and would bear a son, to be named Jesus, who will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High (Lk 1:32) and that his kingdom would be eternal and everlasting. O how Mary must have quaked. This young woman, facing disgrace, rejection, alienation from family and friends and, indeed, from Joseph. What was her response? My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed: for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. Every Protestant, every Catholic, simply every Christian, should be able to sing out those extraordinary words of the Magnificat in deeply grateful admiration and thanks for Marys call and response. And in the same way, God calls us. He calls the entrepreneur and he calls every player and participant in the divine economy. He calls you and he calls me. Will our response be the same as that of Mary? Humility, acceptance, submission, joy? How have we got our understanding of call and vocation so wrong? An attorney friend of mine tells me that the message he hears from the front of church is that his role is to earn money to pay for more priests and pastors. Nothing could be further from the truth. Particularly in Protestantism, we have replaced vocation and calling with pietism. An overemphasis on the inner life has distracted us from recognizing the true value of our daily call, work, life, and discipleship. Darrell Cosden, in his book, A Theology of Work, describes one consequence: Ordinary, daily, mundane work was at best a mission field, and at worst a distraction in the spiritual life. True Christian vocation involves using Gods gifts in service to others, an acknowledgement of the call of God and indeed of the rule of God. Vocation belongs to this world as much as to the spiritual realm. We too often prioritize the spiritual over the secular. Spiritual work is seen as superior. Correcting this erroneous notion is a powerful Advent theme. We would do well to dwell upon it. When we debate Christian ethics in the workplace, in business, and in the economy, it is essential we have something more than a merely instrumental view of work, wealth, and business; not just to provide for earthly things but also to provide a place for the exercise of calling. To do so is the beginning of any ethical approach to business. Vocation and calling are central to any theology of business and work. Dorothy Sayers in her famous essay Why Work? argued that it is the business of the Church to recognise that the secular vocation as such is sacred. Sayers, reflecting Luthers influence, puts her finger on the power of the idea of vocation: If your heart is not wholly in the work, the work will not be goodand work that is not good serves neither God nor the community; it only serves mammon. Calling invests work with both meaning and ethics and hence sits alongside the creation mandates as a central feature of the theology of work and business. We mentioned a couple of weeks ago how modern Roman Catholicism in the Vocation of the Business Leader has embraced the concept of vocation and calling to work and business. In this piece, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace refers to the vocation of the businessperson as a genuine human and Christian calling. The reflection goes on to remind us that wealth creation serves the common good and requires both a form of market economy and adherence to truth, fidelity, and freedom. As we may remember from last week, Christians have historically affirmed the creation of wealth and value but criticized what one might call the luxurious arrogance of wealth. A deep sense of humble call affirms before God our calling in life and in the economy and equips us with an ethic of both wealth creation and wealth responsibility. This has been the historical approach of Christians to business. A prime example is with the Quakers. In both the U.K. and the U.S., there are a significant number of businesses with Quaker origins, including Cadbury in the U.K. and Bethlehem Steel in the U.S. Certainly in the U.K., the Quakers often found themselves excluded from public life and the universities, and hence they turned with passion and commitment to business. It was their call. However, it was the Quaker spirituality that seemed to equip them in particular for business, and their spirituality carries deep resonances with Advent and Marys call. Quakerism is essentially a subjective rather than an objective faith. They adhere not so much to creeds, councils, or scriptures, but to the conviction of an inner light, which gives them an internal discipline, commitment, and focus. They have a purpose and they know this purpose. This discipline reflects itself in plainness of dress (though not all comply with this), but more significantly, a frugality in living, a discipline in life. This internal discipline and purpose is ideally suited to innovation, technological development, and entrepreneurshipwith an often long, patient wait for an economic return, itself a discipline to which the Quakers are ideally suited. Call and vocation are key concepts in understanding the Christian view of business, work, and the economy. Mary, in the last week of Advent, reminds us powerfully and deeply of these themes. Perhaps vocation can best be understood as the exercise of calling in the whole of the period between the original creation and the new creation, a dynamic expression of discipleship under God in the temporal kingdom. Not the end of ethics, but the beginning. Not a retreat into pietism, but rather a full expression of the creative wonder and beauty of God in which we participate, in Christ. Advent recalls us to the central power of the call from God and our humble response. I hope you have enjoyed these Advent reflections and how Advent relates to the divine economy. May the Lord bless each of you deeply as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. ITAI In St. Clair County, Illinois, assistant fire chief Jerame Simmons was named acting fire chief of the Prairie Du Pont Volunteer Fire Department. This news prompted 10 ten of the department's 13 firefighters to immediately resign. Why? Simmons was convicted of arson more than 20 years ago after setting fire to a vacant home and a nearby high school. Eighteen years old at the time, he was sentenced to probation and the Illinois governor later pardoned him. From Fox2Now: "It's a pardon. Still, the town remembers the school being set on fire," said former fire captain Laura Rosencranz, wife of the former chief. "The town remembers the house set on fire where we had firefighters fall and be injured." "I think it's appalling and disgusting," said former chief John Rosencranz. "We're not going to have the adequate protection here. It's not going to be as it should be here. I'm kind of blindsided but not. I knew it was coming, but I didn't expect it to be a couple of days before Christmas." There's a new FDOTUS in the White House! The commander in chief welcomed a German Shepherd puppy named Commander on Monday afternoon. Besides Trump, Polk, and Andrew Johnson, all US presidents have been pet owners (you can check out the details on presidentialpetmuseum.com). White House pets can be image-boosters, and presidents have had far-flung animals over the years from Nixon's politicized pup Checkers to Grace Coolidge's beloved raccoon to the alligators kept by Benjamin Harrison (and possibly John Quincy Adams). Major, a three-year-old rescue dog, has moved out of the White House. In a statement to the Guardian, a spokesperson for the first lady explained why Major is no longer at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. "After consulting with dog trainers, animal behaviourists, and veterinarians, the first family has decided to follow the experts' collective recommendation that it would be safest for Major to live in a quieter environment with family friends." Champ, the Bidens' 13-year-old German Shepherd, died in June. But Commander won't be the only pet in the White House, according to Jill Biden's spokesperson. Several hundred WNY health care workers lose jobs as religious vaccine exemptions expire While the number of workers who lost or are losing their jobs is a small percentage of total workers, every little bit hurts amid a staffing shortage that means hospitals can't operate as many beds especially during yet another wave of Covid-19 hospitalizations. Dr. Brian Murray, ECMC's chief medical officer, said the organization's existing employees have already been through the previous mandate, so he doesn't anticipate a booster shot requirement will cause more staff to leave. To date, ECMC has terminated 106 employees over the state's vaccine mandate, or about 3% of its workforce. "I don't think that a mandate for a booster will necessarily have that big an impact at this stage," Murray said. "Not everybody would have to get it right away because it depends when you were originally vaccinated. If you just got vaccinated just before this mandate, it's five or six months, probably before you will need a booster dose." As of Wednesday, Murray said about 40% of ECMC's staff has gotten a booster shot, a percentage he anticipates will grow in the weeks ahead. "There is discussion at the state level and across all the health systems as to whether or not the booster should be mandated," said Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Long Island-based Northwell Health, the state's largest health care provider. "We've not done that. But we're strongly encouraging all of our employees to get the booster. "Our goal is to continue that renaissance, as quickly as possible," he added. "Things are being built in the City of Buffalo, and we are very proud of that." Among his new priorities, Brown said he wants to invest further in streamlining the permitting process in the city, to make it easier for residents and businesses to get things done. "That's going to be something that we invest more in as we go into 2022 and we focus on rapid pandemic recovery," he said. "We want to be absolutely the fastest place in the region and in upstate to be able to get a permit to build things." Since 2017, nearly 5,000 housing units have been planned, are under construction or have been completed including 2,800 market-rate apartments and 2,100 affordable housing units. About 25% of the city's housing stock is now considered "permanently affordable," and Brown said he wants to increase that to 40%. Much of the activity has occurred in downtown Buffalo, and Brown said he's "very excited about what's happening." "Downtown has become one of the fastest-growing residential communities in the city," he said. Its an exciting time to dip into sparkling wine, a libation steeped in time-tested production practices but evolving through edgy innovation. Sparkling wine is typically white or rose, although there are red varieties made from Lambrusco or Shiraz grapes. What do they all have in common? Bubbles! The next time youre sipping your favorite sparkling wine, consider how the bubbles which result from carbon dioxide gas ended up in your glass. A variety of methods are used to put the sparkle in sparkling wines, from labor-intensive rounds of fermentation right in the bottle, to straight-up injection (which is the shortcut of less expensive wines and the reason you can find a bottle for less than $10). Once youve twisted out the cork, there are decisions to be made. Since sweetness and dryness can run the gamut in sparkling wine, there are many options to enhance and enjoy the flavors from elegant glassware to offbeat food pairings. Whats in the bottle? Lets take a look at five styles of sparkling wines that deserve a place at your holiday celebrations. Champagne (France) Probably the first word that comes to mind when you think of sparkling wines, Champagne is well known and for good reason. Its delicate, soft bubbles are produced using a time-consuming traditional method called methode champenoise that requires that the wine undergo two rounds of fermentation in the bottle. Whats more, to be labeled as Champagne, a sparkling wine must meet strict criteria. It must be produced in the Champagne region of France and use three main grapes: Chardonnay, as well as Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Flavors include almond, citrus, peach and, in finer bottles, toasty yeast notes. Cremant (France) Cremant is the name of a style of sparkling wine made in France, outside the Champagne region, and has a creamy mouthfeel due to lower carbon dioxide levels. Aged for at least a year, it is most commonly made from Chardonnay, Chenin blanc and Cabernet Franc grapes. Often a fraction of the price of Champagne, cremants flavor is similar and can offer an equally exquisite experience, including those one-of-a-kind biscuit-like taste notes often associated with Champagne. Prosecco (Italy) Named after the village Prosecco located in the province of Trieste, Italy, this wine uses a grape of the same name, grown in nine provinces in the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia region. Prosecco is available in two styles: spumante (sparkling) and frizzante (semi-sparkling). Spumante is the most popular style of Prosecco, as it has the longest-lasting bubbles. Because Prosecco is produced in tanks, which is a much less time-consuming method than the methode champenoise, it is more affordable. Its tasting notes can include green apple, cream and pear. Cava (Spain) This sparkling wine from the Penedes area of Catalonia in northeastern Spain uses in-bottle fermentation similar to that of methode champenoise. Cava most often produced from Macabeo, Parellada and Xarello grapes, but may also contain Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Subirat. This Spanish sparkler is said to be comparable to Champagne, though less yeasty in flavor. Sparkling wines (U.S.) As a newcomer to the scene, the U.S. offers a fascinating cast of characters. Eric Asimov, chief wine critic at the New York Times, explains that many of the most-distinguished sparkling wine producers in the States use Champagne as their model. But that doesnt mean that U.S. sparkling wine producers have limited themselves to using only the methode champenoise. Petillant naturel (or pet-nat) wine has begun to pick up production in the U.S. as well. This approach uses what is considered the oldest known method to make sparkling wine by interrupting the natural fermentation process, leaving it to finish fermenting in the bottle. Whats in a name? Sparkling wine is labeled according to the amount of sugar in the wine, although the terms might seem counterintuitive. Extra dry is the middle of the sweetness spectrum, with brut on the dry end and demi-sec on the sweet end. Knowing what to look for on the label will help in choosing a sparkling wine that suits your palette. Extra brut: Bone dry and contains 0-6 grams of sugar per liter Bone dry and contains 0-6 grams of sugar per liter Brut: Dry with no sweetness and contains less than 12 grams of sugar per liter Dry with no sweetness and contains less than 12 grams of sugar per liter Extra dry: Just a touch of sweetness and contains 12-17 grams of sugar per liter Just a touch of sweetness and contains 12-17 grams of sugar per liter Sec: Noticeably sweet and contains 17-32 grams of sugar per liter Noticeably sweet and contains 17-32 grams of sugar per liter Demi-sec: Sweet and contains 32-50 grams of sugar per liter Sweet and contains 32-50 grams of sugar per liter Doux: Sweetest and contains more than 50 grams of sugar per liter Which glass do you use? When it comes time to deciding on glassware for your bubbly, it might seem like a superficial choice. But the shape of your glass truly influences how your wine will taste, so start experimenting. This guide can help you decide whats right for your next party. Flute: The shape of this slim, popular glass not only showcases the carbonation but also helps the wine to retain its bubbles longer. Ideal for dry options such as extra brut and brut. Tulip: Looking to enjoy the aromas of a fruitier wine? The tulips wider shape helps you experience the wines nose. Stemless: Some argue that the wide base of a stemless glass gives the perfect opportunity to swirl a complex wine. Versatile and easy to hold, these glasses can also be used with still wines. Coupe: If youre taking in a sweet wine, this stylish wide glass allows the bubbles to dissipate quicker so that fruity notes can come forward. Selling to the foundation will relieve the diocese of significant upkeep costs, while putting the school in the hands of the community and benefiting students, he added. School President and Principal Thomas J. Manko did not respond to messages left Wednesday. 0:57 +3 Lawsuits identify 230 priests as molesters, including 8 of WNY's most-accused abusers The numbers are a striking rebuke to Buffalo Diocese officials who for decades downplayed the extent of abuse in the area and protected molester priests from prosecution and public accountability. More than 900 people have filed claims against the diocese in bankruptcy court, accusing priests and others of childhood sexual abuse and seeking compensation. The diocese owns more than three dozen properties that are worth at least $16 million, and probably much more because most of them have not been recently appraised. The property values or proceeds from their sales are likely to be used in negotiating a global settlement with the committee of unsecured creditors that represents abuse claimants. The Archbishop Walsh campus is among several high school properties still owned by the diocese, years after it ceded direct control of the operation of the schools to independent boards. The others are: Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School in Buffalo, Cardinal OHara High School in the Town of Tonawanda, St. Marys High School in Lancaster, DeSales Catholic in Lockport and Notre Dame High School in Batavia. Each day lately, it seems that 2021-22 is starting to feel more like 2020-21 in schools across New York. Buffalo Public Schools families are waiting to find out whether classes will go remote after winter break. A small but growing number of school districts in New York State are announcing similar shifts. And the State Education Department announced on Tuesday that January Regents exams will be canceled because of the pandemic. I have a lot of worry about this virus, about Omicron, and I dont know what its going to look like coming off the school break, Buffalo Superintendent Kriner Cash said this week. He is considering moving to remote instruction for a week immediately after winter break what he called a bridge between a holiday season when Covid-19 is likely to spread and a return to school. Cash hopes to announce a decision by Thursday, but no later than next week. Researchers at the University at Buffalo have identified the first case of the hyper-transmissible Omicron variant of Covid-19 in Western New York. Health experts have said since the variant was first identified in South Africa in November that it was a question of when, rather than if, Omicron would arrive here. In just a matter of days, Omicron has become the dominant strain of the virus in New York City, causing what Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday called a "vertical" spike in cases. With Omicron's arrival in New York City, the state as a whole has consistently set single-day caseload records since testing for the virus became widely available near the beginning of the pandemic. +2 Researchers almost certain Omicron variant is in WNY, should know for sure next week I believe it's here, University at Buffalo biochemist Jennifer Surtees said about Omicron in Western New York on Saturday, and we just need to get the sequence data to back up that suspicion. We are anticipating another wave." UB researchers said they were not able to pinpoint exactly when the variant arrived in Western New York, but it has likely been circulating in the community for at least a couple weeks. The variant was first announced to the world on Nov. 25 and is believed to be two to three times more transmissible than the already-easily-spread Delta variant that has fueled a case spike in Western New York dating to mid-October. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence on the differences between the gun and the Taser, including weight, feel, size, color, and that the gun was holstered on Potter's right side and the Taser on her left. Prosecutor Erin Eldridge said in her closing argument that the jurors would be able to hold both the Taser and the gun to compare them, to get a feel for the two, and to get a sense of all those differences that you heard about in court, and see for yourselves how different they really are. The jury's question about deliberating, read in court by Chu, said: If the jury cannot reach consensus, what is the guidance around how long and what steps should be taken? The judge then reread from the jury instructions, telling the jurors to continue to discuss the case with one another and deliberate with a view toward reaching agreement if you can do so without violating your individual judgment. Potter's attorneys objected to the judge rereading that instruction, arguing that doing so inappropriately emphasized that paragraph over the rest of the instructions. Chu overruled. Cash sent a letter to district families this week urging all students and teachers to bring their laptops home with them for holiday break in case a rise in Covid-19 infections in the city makes it necessary to shift to remote learning. That set off alarm bells in the minds of district families whose lives can be thrown into chaos when they cant count on their children being in school. Cash stressed Wednesday that keeping the schools open remains his top priority, but that it would be irresponsible to be caught unprepared for a possible surge in cases driven by the new Omicron variant. Thats a sensible approach, based on Omicrons many unknowns, but its also true that well-supervised schools have been among the safest environments during the pandemic. We hope the superintendent warms up to test-to-stay as a means to keeping children in the place that for many is most beneficial to their social, emotional and academic development. If the rain is light, its theoretically possible for some of the remaining snow on the ground to survive the night and still be visible early on Christmas morning. Christmas Day will be a different story with some occasional rain accompanied by temperatures reaching the low-mid 40s. The American GFS is considerably wetter than the ECMWF. Either way, melting will continue. Sunday has become a more complex story. Both the ECMWF and the Canadian GEM models have us partly to mostly sunny with a seasonable chill in the air, and much the same for Boston on game day. The GFS is a sharp outlier, bring mixed and snow showers to Western New York, and rain and snow to the Boston area. For those traveling to New England, count on enough of a northerly breeze to put an extra bite in those upper 30s. For now, Im leaning toward the drier solution for both our region and Boston on Sunday. Even with the latter, we may see a few light snow showers off the lakes in WNY, with our temps only in the mid 30s. The NWS Weather Prediction Center has a low probability for a few flurries near Boston on Sunday, and an even lower chance for our region, so it appears they are also going against the GFS solution. Here are their projected Sunday high temps. People pass by a Christmas tree close to Brandenburg gate in Berlin (REUTERS) A swathe of European countries have introduced further coronavirus restrictions to battle the Omicron wave. Germany and Portugal were the latest two countries to introduce fresh post-Christmas restrictions in a bid to curb the new variant. Hans Kluge, the World Health Organisation's European head, warned on Tuesday of a "storm" of Omicron on the continent which is "pushing already stretched health systems further to the brink. The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, announced a series of new rules from December 28, including a 10-person limit on private gatherings and the closure of nightclubs. Big sporting events will be held behind closed doors. In Portugal, prime minister Antonio Costa announced that from midnight on Christmas Day, working from home will be mandatory and discos and bars will be closed. The measures are set to last until January 9. In Finland, restaurant opening hours will be curbed, with bars forced to stop serving alcohol at 9pm from Christmas Eve. They will have to close at 10pm. From December 28, alcohol can be served only until 5pm, with bars forced to close by 6pm and restaurants by 8pm. In Sweden, the government announced on Tuesday a limit of 50 people at private gatherings and the need for a vaccination pass for public events where there are more than 500 people. Bars and restaurants will be allowed to serve seated guests only. In France, which has largely banned travel from Britain for non-French citizens, nightclubs were closed for four weeks earlier this month to curb infections. In Paris, the mayor's office announced on Saturday that the fireworks and concerts planned on the Champs-Elysees for New Year's Eve had been cancelled. The strictest measures have been implemented in the Netherlands, which has gone into a lockdown over Christmas. Non-essential shops, bars, gyms, hairdressers and other public venues are closed until at least January 14. Only two guests per household are allowed, and four over the holidays. McDonald's Japan delivery rider. The world's biggest fast food company McDonald's is suffering a chip shortage in Japan due to the global supply chain crisis. For the home of the Big Mac though it is not a lack of semiconductors that is causing the problem. The firm has said it is experiencing delays of shipments of the potatoes used to make its famous French fries. As a result it will only sell small portions of its French fries in Japan from Friday until 30 December. "McDonald's Japan will temporarily limit sales of Medium- and Large-sized French Fries as a proactive measure to ensure customers can continue to enjoy McDonald's French Fries. "Customers will still be able to order Small-sized French Fries at all of our restaurants. To date, there have been no breaks in supply," the company told the BBC. McDonald's said it usually imports the potatoes it uses from a port near Vancouver in Canada. However, ships have faced delays due to flood damage and the impact of the pandemic on the global supply chain. It will now turn to alternative measures, including flying supplies to Japan, the company said in a statement. This is not the first time McDonald's in Japan has been forced to downsize its portions. In 2014, a protracted industrial dispute between 20,000 dockworkers, terminal operators and shipping lines at 29 ports on the west coast of the US caused a shortage of French fries. In response McDonald's Japan took the emergency step of only selling small portions of French fries while it flew in 1,000 tonnes of potatoes. Separately in August this year, McDonald's said it was facing supply issues affecting the availability of shakes and bottled drinks at its 1,250 outlets in the UK. The company said a nationwide shortage of lorry drivers was one reason behind the disruptions: "A number of issues are impacting retailers in the UK at the moment, one of which is the nationwide shortage of HGV drivers." The company added that a "historic" shortage of drivers had been exacerbated by changes to rules following the UK's exit from the European Union. You may also be interested in: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decided to postpone the Governors Awards, which bestow honorary Oscars, due to concerns over the omicron variant. New plans will come at a later date, an academy spokesperson said Wednesday. The untelevised but always star-studded event was set to be held Jan. 15 in Los Angeles. Given the uncertainties around the variants, and the impact this could have on our community, we feel this is the best and safest decision for our honorees and guests, the statement said. Elaine May, Samuel L. Jackson and Liv Ullmann were announced earlier this year as the events honorees. Danny Glover was also selected as the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award recipient. The evening event is often packed with A-listers and Oscar hopefuls. The academy canceled last years Governors Awards because of the pandemic and presented two humanitarian awards during the Oscar broadcast. The Governors Awards isn't the only high-profile Hollywood event to change plans in recent days. The Palm Springs International Film Festival also decided to cancel its starry awards gala, which was supposed to take place on Jan. 6 and included honorees like Kristen Stewart, Lady Gaga, Nicole Kidman and Penelope Cruz. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Christmas Day. What can be said. We are all kids again if only for this day. Andy Rooney, the curmudgeon of the CBS News program, 60 Minutes, had this observation of Christmas: One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Dont clean it up too quickly. We move from Christmas Day to Christmas Day. Each Christmas experience is uniquely our own. The preparations for the holiday often exceed the holiday itself, and we experience Christmas in many different ways over our life. When we very little we were uncertain about Santa Claus. As kids we are the beneficiaries of Christmas. As teenagers we often wished to be somewhere else but with family. Only later in our lives did we realize how hard it would be to gather again for a family Christmas. As young parents we try to do the very best for our kids at Christmas. As parents with grown kids we still try hard to see that Christmas is special and as much like the Christmas they experienced growing up when they come home for Christmas. People with grandkids are privileged to watch them grow up to enjoy the Christmas they knew as kids. Of course Christmas is celebrated in many ways with many family traditions. Growing up I knew families that drew names to get a present for only one person as the family was so large. I knew families that celebrated Christmas by just giving money to the kids. I knew families with no Christmas Trees, white flocked Christmas Trees, Aluminum Christmas Trees, or small living Spruce trees that were planted outside in the spring. I knew families that opened presents on Christmas Eve and opened stockings on Christmas morning. I knew a family that celebrated St. Nicholas Day by getting gifts from St. Nicholas; but there were no stockings on Christmas morning. I had Jewish friends that celebrated Hannukah but still put up a small Christmas Tree. I knew a doctor from India who did not celebrate Christmas at all being Hindu. I remember my minister and two doctors from the Marshfield Clinic walking down the aisle of the Presbyterian Church in Marshfield singing masterfully We Three Kings of Orient Are. There were always some laughs at Christmas. One year my Aunt, a most particular cook, whipped up some gravy with lumps in it. She was mortified and took a bit of gentle ribbing from my Mom. There was the year I got a call from my church asking me to be Joseph in the Christmas Pageant. They guy who was drafted got sick and I was the sub. The roof did not come down in the church and because Joseph is a bit player in Christmas I got off light. We all have a favorite Christmas memory and Christmas gift. In the room next to me is a tinplate replica of a Lionel Train catalog from 1958. A train cost $49.95. A steam locomotive, tender, four cars and an oval track were all included. I received that train on Christmas Day when I was 8 years old. It was my favorite Christmas present of all time. When I was a freshman in college my Mom asked me if I would sell it to a friend of hers so a little boy could have a special Christmas present. I said of course I would, but to be honest, sometimes I wish I still had that train. I am collecting train engines and cars again. Sort of a return to childhood. A Childs Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas is a poem of Christmas. His words are better than mine regarding Christmas Night he wrote I went to bed. Looking through my bedroom window, out into the moonlight and the unending smoke-colored snow, I could see the lights in the windows of all the other houses on our hill and hear the music rising from them up the long, steadily falling night. I turned the gas down, I got into bed. I said some words to the close and holy darkness, and then I slept. A very Merry Christmas to you from our house in Lake Hallie to your house wherever you are. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 NEW YORK (AP) Fox News defended Jesse Watters on Tuesday after he used the phrase kill shot in a speech urging young conservatives to confront Dr. Anthony Fauci in public with a hostile interview. Fauci, asked about it on CNN, said that Watters should be fired on the spot but predicted he wouldn't be held accountable for his language. Fox said Watters' words had been twisted completely out of context. Watters, a host on Fox News Channel's panel show The Five who made his initial mark doing aggressive interviews for Bill O'Reilly, spoke Monday to a group of college and high school conservatives. His audience booed at the mention of Fauci's name. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the government's most visible spokesman on the COVID-19 pandemic, has been the subject of frequent criticism by some Fox News commentators who have been seeking to appeal to audience members resistant to vaccinations. Watters said that Fauci should be confronted on the subject of whether the National Institute of Health funded research at a lab in Wuhan, China, the city where the COVID-19 virus originated. He said an interviewer should suggest he lied about the topic something Fauci has disputed. Now you go in for the kill shot, the kill shot with an ambush, deadly, because he doesn't see it coming, Watters said. He suggested an interviewer say, you know why people don't trust you, don't you?' Oh, he is dead. He's dead. He's done." The interviewer should make sure the encounter is filmed and the footage given to conservative media, Watters said. It's a confrontation technique that has been used elsewhere in conservative politics by the group Project Veritas. Just make sure it's legal, Watters said. A partial clip of Watters' speech, beginning with the kill shot quote, spread around the internet, with some commentators suggesting that he had advocated assassinating Fauci. During an interview with Fauci on Tuesday, CNN's John Berman referred to Watters as a Fox News entertainer, and asked about the comments without playing the clip, saying it was dangerous. Berman referred to a rhetorical kill shot, and asked Fauci how much that language concerned him. Fauci noted that for two years, he's been encouraging people to protect themselves against COVID-19 by practicing good public health practices and get vaccinated. For that, you have some guy out there saying people should be giving me a kill shot, to ambush me? he said. I mean, what kind of craziness is there in society these days? That's awful what he said. And he's going to go, very likely, unaccountable. Whatever network he is on is not going to do anything. The guy should be fired on the spot. Fauci, in a 60 Minutes interview in October, discussed death threats he had received and his need for a security detail. In a statement, Fox said based on watching the full clip and reading the entire transcript, it's more than clear that Jesse Watters was using a metaphor for asking hard-hitting questions ... and his words have been twisted completely out of context. Watters' reference to kill shot, however, baffled some people in television news. I've never used, or heard, that term used and I did my share of ambush interviews as an investigative producer, said Mark Lukasiewicz, dean of Hofstra University's School of Communication and a longtime journalist at NBC News. Last month on Fox, Tucker Carlson compared Fauci to Italian World War II dictator Benito Mussolini, while Lara Logan said Fauci, to some people, represented Josef Mengele, the Nazi death doctor. Fox has not commented on the statements that Carlson and Logan made about Fauci. Logan, a contributor to the Fox Nation streaming service who had appeared as a commentator on the television network, hasn't been on since. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. When it comes to back injuries, its an issue that firefighters and emergency medical service (EMS) personnel deal with that line of work. However, the Columbus Fire Department (CFD) hopes to remedy any such issues for its EMS personnel and firefighters with the addition of new equipment that would reduce back pain. On Monday, the CFD was able to move forward with such added assistance. During the Columbus City Council's meeting, council members OKd a purchase of $29,280 for four EZ-Glide Stair Chairs with PowerTraxx from Ferno which is a company based in Wilmington, Ohio. The purchase also included four headrest kits. The funds for the stair chairs are included in the 2021-22 budget. CFD firefighter and paramedic Chris Warren said the chair devices are used to transport a patient from a higher level to a lower one. The stair chairs have an electronically-controlled motor, direct-drive transmission and powered tracks which are similar to ones seen on a tank to transfer patients up or down the stairs as needed. The patients taken in the stair chairs are usually ones who cannot walk or have trouble doing so, Warren said. They will help keep us safe and keep the patient safe so we dont have anybody falling, he said. Its going to save our backs when it comes to trying to get the patient safely down the stairs. CFD interim Fire Chief Kyle Lingenfelter said in a publicly available memo that while taking a patient up or downstairs is a difficult task that can cause back injuries, it can be even more difficult if an EMS personnel transfers a patient out of a residence. The stair chairs are designed to not only eliminate back injuries but also allow a patient weighing up to 500 lbs to be moved. Second Ward Council Member Dennis Kresha asked Warren about the powered tracks and how it helps the patient. Warren said the tracks help prevent the patient from feeling any bumps while on the power chair. That way they can go down the stairs, Warren said. They wont feel the bumps as they go down. Warren said the new stair chairs are better from previous models as it requires less people to operate and reduces body stress. It normally requires two-to-three people to use these stair chairs, Warren said. It requires one person walking down the stairs backward with the weight of the firefighter and the patient sitting in that chair. This wont be the first time the fire department has provided equipment to help prevent back injuries. The CFP has a power cot that allows staff to lift a patient as much as 870 lbs. without requiring additional personnel or putting added pressure on a firefighters back, Lingenfelter said. Andrew Kiser is a reporter for The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at andrew.kiser@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Columbus own Dennis Hirschbrunner will now have a say in economic initiatives across the state of Nebraska following a recent appointment. The longtime resident has been named to the Platte Institute board of directors. Platte Institute is a nonprofit organization - based in Omaha - whose mission is to advance policies that remove any problems that constrain development and opportunity in Nebraska, according to its website. Im really excited about it because I have the opportunity to have input into a lot of different policy positions that the Platte Institute has taken and is going to take in the future, Hirschbrunner said, adding hes looking forward to creating discussion regarding tax policy. The nonprofit is also endorsing Blueprint Nebraska which is a plan or framework - to enhance the state economy by attracting and enhancing business investment. Hirschbrunner said Blueprint Nebraska has created several ideas on how to make communities like Columbus an even better place in which to live and work. Blueprint Nebraska is a really significant effort by the state to outline Nebraskas future, economic development, workforce and a whole litany of (other issues), Hirschbrunner said. Platte Institute is now a co-sponsor of the implementation of Blueprint Nebraska. Hirschbrunner has experience working in Nebraska, mostly in the engineering field which dates back 40 years. He first started with Gilmore & Associates in Columbus, serving over 50 communities in Nebraska and Iowa. He later worked at HDR Engineering which is based in Omaha before retiring. After his retirement, Hirschbrunner became part of ownership groups for Columbus Bank and Trust Co. where hes also a board member and the Ramada Inn and Rivers Edge Convention Center. He also serves on the NTH Consultants board of directors which is an engineering company in the Detroit area. Additionally, Hirschbrunner is involved in the community, serving as the vice-chair of the Deans Advisory Board of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Engineering, a board member of the Columbus Area Future Fund and a member of Andrew Jackson Higgins Memorial Foundation and the Platte County Historical Society. Dennis brings so much enthusiasm to our board and a lifetime of literally helping to build communities across Nebraska, Platte Institute CEO Jim Vokal said. Were grateful to have Dennis representing the Columbus area in our leadership and to benefit from his hands-on knowledge for programs like the Blueprint broadband and transportation connectivity initiatives. Hirschbrunner said hes been familiar with the Platte Institute ever since it was created by now-Gov. Pete Ricketts. Additionally, he added hes known Vokal since he ran for Omaha mayor over a decade ago. Ive known Jim for a long time, Hirschbrunner said. I know how he thinks, where his positions are on various tax issues and other key issues for Nebraska. So Im excited to work with Jim and the other people who work at Platte Institute on a full-time basis. Im really looking forward to the opportunity to participate. Andrew Kiser is a reporter for The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at andrew.kiser@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. NEW YORK (AP) Pedro Almodovar has a theory that his films with male protagonists, like his autobiographical 2019 film Pain and Glory, are darker and more somber. I look inside myself when I talk about male characters, says Almodovar. Parallel Mothers, which Sony Pictures Classics begins releasing in theaters Friday, returns Almodovar to more melodramatic territory. Penelope Cruz and Milena Smit play young mothers who meet at the hospital where their newborns are accidentally switched at birth. This secret plays out in unpredictable ways while the film also investigates another hidden past: Spain's mass graves from the Spanish Civil War. In recent years, a national dialogue in Spain has brought renewed interest and political discord over exhuming the graves from Francisco Franco's regime, which began with the 1930s civil war and ended with his death, in 1975. Some 19,000 of an estimated 114,000 victims have been recovered in the last four decades. Parallel Mothers may not be as self-reflective as Almodovar's last film, but it's the 72-year-old director's most politically introspective movie and his first to grapple with the legacy of Franco's reign. Almodovar emerged as a filmmaker in Spain's liberated post-Franco years. When Parallel Mothers was screening this fall at the New York Film Festival, Almodovar met a reporter at a midtown hotel where he spoke sometimes in English, sometimes through an interpreter, about a film that, like his 1999 masterpiece All About My Mother, is centrally concerned with motherhood. Ill continue to be interested in mothers, he said. "You can have a thousand different mothers, and they can birth a thousand different genres." AP: You've made an acclaimed short film, The Human Voice, with Tilda Swinton, and now Parallel Mothers during the pandemic. Have the last two years reframed anything for you about filmmaking? ALMODOVAR: It made me aware of the solitude in which I was living. Because loneliness, despite the fact that I was condemned to confinement, was something that I already experienced in recent times while writing. I think that now I am overcoming loneliness by going out a little more, going to eat with friends, and precisely because it seemed very sad to me that when I was condemned to confinement, I discovered that I was already used to being confined. AP: You began the pandemic writing wonderful diaries about your movie watching. ALMODOVAR: At that moment, I was sick. I got the virus the first week. Even before the first week. I had just arrived from LA after being at the Oscars at the end of February. Then I felt like I had a flu and stayed at home. Three days later, they called for the quarantine. The days were so long that I tried just to talk and write something about the situation. One day, I was disobedient and went into the street to see Madrid completely deserted. It's a very impressive image that I wanted to have. So I pretended to go buy something just to see, just to see the town. AP: It must have felt ironic that in the midst of a pandemic you were making a movie where swabs and lab tests, in proving the children's maternity, is central to the plot. ALMODOVAR: When I was writing the movie a year before, it was like science fiction. But when we made the film, it did feel very familiar. AP: What initially interested you in making a film that deals with the mass graves from the Spanish Civil War? ALMODOVAR: This has come to me with maturity, in cinematographic terms and also in personal terms. Its been some time since Ive been wanting to make a movie about the mass graves, which Spanish cinema has not really touched on. One of the things that really struck me was when in about 2013, 2014 some UN rapporteurs came to take a look on the ground at what was happening in Spain. They were very struck by the fact that it was the great-grandchildren who were the ones demanding that we look at this problem of the past. Spain has a very bad relationship with the past. For the 40 years after the war, there was this almost pathological fear to speak of the war. There was this silence that enshrouded Spain. Its a generation born during democracy that are asking for the graves to be exhumed. AP: Your entry point to that history, though, comes through a melodrama that cloaks the film's more political intentions. ALMODOVAR: I didnt want to only make a movie only about the mass graves. I did it through a character that has a legacy from her mother, who saved her and raised her because she was an orphan. To open the mass grave is to demonstrate that they existed. What Franco did to them was to take all humanity away, to condemn them to non-existence. I was attracted to telling the story through this mother because shes committed to unearthing historical truth at the same time that she, in her personal life, is hiding that truth. AP: Your early films in the 1980s followed years of censorship in Spain and contributed significantly to a new post-Franco period in the arts. Youve said before that Franco had to die for you to live. Was Parallel Mother motivated by a new surge in fascism? ALMODOVAR: When I started making movies, he had just died. I would have never been able to make movies if he was still alive. In Spain, because we had that awful experience of civil war, it was as if we were inoculated against it. Even though I could see the far right growing in France of course Trump happened here, Bolsonaro happened in Brazil there was a part of me that thought that the far right wouldn't actually arrive in Spain because of that traumatic experience. But sometimes I think this is the Trump effect. The fact that he was able to give voice to his far-right leanings emboldened others around the world. They lost their fear. It all boiled up, including in Spain. Now there are things happening that were impossible in the 90s and the 80s. There are more homophobic attacks, more xenophobia. Its a very negative feeling to see that all the values we fought for, we yet again have to rise up and fight for. Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 " " Because of Section 230, social media giants like Facebook, Twitter and Google aren't liable for any content their users post on their platforms. Ty Lim/Shutterstock Almost any article you read about Section 230 reminds you that it contains the most important 26 words in tech and that it is the law that made the modern internet. This is all true, but Section 230 is also the most significant obstacle to stopping misinformation online. Section 230 is part of the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 law passed while the internet was still embryonic and downright terrifying to some lawmakers for what it could unleash, particularly with regard to pornography. Section 230 states that internet platforms dubbed "interactive computer services" in the statute cannot be treated as publishers or speakers of content provided by their users. This means that just about anything a user posts on a platform's website will not create legal liability for the platform, even if the post is defamatory, dangerous, abhorrent or otherwise unlawful. This includes encouraging terrorism, promoting dangerous medical misinformation and engaging in revenge porn. Platforms, including today's social media giants Facebook, Twitter and Google, therefore have complete control over what information Americans see. Advertisement How Section 230 Came to Be The Communications Decency Act (CDA) was the brainchild of former Sen. James Exon, Democrat of Nebraska, who wanted to remove and prevent "filth" on the internet. Because of its overreaching nature, much of the law was struck down on First Amendment grounds shortly after the act's passage. Ironically, what remains is the provision that allowed filth and other truly damaging content to metastasize on the internet. Section 230's inclusion in the CDA was a last-ditch effort by then Rep. Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, and Rep. Chris Cox, Republican of California, to save the nascent internet and its economic potential. They were deeply concerned by a 1995 case that found Prodigy, an online bulletin board operator, liable for a defamatory post by one of its users because Prodigy lightly moderated user content. Wyden and Cox wanted to preempt the court's decision with Section 230. Without it, platforms would face a Hobson's choice: If they did anything to moderate user content, they would be held liable for that content, and if they did nothing, who knew what unchecked horrors would be released. " " Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is seen here at Facebook Communities Summit in 2019. Facebook has suggested its own ideas on how to reform Section 230 in the future. Facebook Advertisement What Lies Ahead for Social Media Reform When Section 230 was enacted, less than 8 percent of Americans had access to the internet, and those who did went online for an average of just 30 minutes a month. The law's anachronistic nature and brevity left it wide-open for interpretation. Case by case, courts have used its words to give platforms broad rather than narrow immunity. As a result, Section 230 is disliked on both sides of the aisle. Democrats argue that Section 230 allows platforms to get away with too much, particularly with regard to misinformation that threatens public health and democracy. Republicans, by contrast, argue that platforms censor user content to Republicans' political disadvantage. Former President Trump even attempted to pressure Congress into repealing Section 230 completely by threatening to veto the unrelated annual defense spending bill. As criticisms of Section 230 and technology platforms mount, it is possible Congress could reform Section 230 in the near future. Already, Democrats and Republicans have proposed more than 20 reforms from piecemeal changes to complete repeal. However, free speech and innovation advocates are worried that any of the proposed changes could be harmful. Facebook has suggested changes, and Google similarly advocates for some Section 230 reform. It remains to be seen how much influence the tech giants will be able to exert on the reform process. It also remains to be seen what if any reform can emerge from a sharply divided Congress. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. You can find the original article here. Abbey Stemler is an associate professor of business law and ethics at Indiana University and a faculty associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. Advertisement Advertisement HARRISBURG Pennsylvanias highest court on Tuesday hammered a final nail into the coffin of a proposed victims rights constitutional amendment that state voters supported more than two years ago but has never gone into effect. The state Supreme Court ruled 6-1 that the proposal violated the Pennsylvania Constitutions requirement that amendments address a single topic to prevent lawmakers from bundling together items that might not pass on their own individual merits. Unofficial tallies indicate the so-called Marsys Law amendment question passed by a ratio of 3 to 1 in 2019, but a lower state court put that on hold while litigation played out. A Commonwealth Court judge previously ordered the Department of State to refrain from certifying those election results. The amendment would have spelled out 15 rights for victims, including notification about cases and a right to attend and weigh in during plea hearings, sentencings and parole proceedings. It also would have addressed how victims can recover property and given them an ability to reject defense subpoenas. Jennifer Riley, state director of the national organization advocating for Marsys Law victims rights legislation, said the decision disenfranchises the voters who approved it. The decision was disappointing and the opinion is under review, Riley said. Reggie Shuford, executive director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, which represented the voter and state chapter of the League of Women Voters that successfully challenged the referendum, said the Legislature had tried to mislead voters. The Legislature attempted to do too much at once, which is prohibited to keep voters from being overwhelmed, Shuford said. We are grateful that the court ruled the right way on this important principle. Justice Debra Todd wrote in the majority opinion the amendment was, in actuality, a collection of amendments that were not sufficiently interrelated in purpose and function. She said the proposal would have brought sweeping and complex changes to the states criminal justice process. The court majority said it can easily envision a voter supporting one or more of these rights without approving of all of them, so voters needed to be able to weigh in on them separately. Bail conditions could have been revised without also altering the governors pardon power, Todd wrote. Likewise, altering the governors pardon power does not depend on also altering this courts authority to promulgate procedural rules for the courts of this commonwealth. In a lone dissent, Justice Sallie Mundy said the amendments proposed changes were narrowly tailored and had the singular objective of establishing for victims of crime justice and due process and did not substantively alter other existing state constitutional provisions. HARRISBURG Republican lawmakers aiming to expand what they call a forensic investigation of Pennsylvanias 2020 election into inspecting voting machines must wait until next month, a judge decided Tuesday. After a telephone conference, Commonwealth Court Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt sided with a lawyer for Gov. Tom Wolf's administration and said that Fulton County must first work out an agreed-upon set of rules for an inspection. Leavitt gave them until Jan. 10, at the suggestion of a lawyer representing Wolf's top election official in a separate lawsuit involving Fulton County's voting machines. In that lawsuit, Fulton County is contesting the state's decertification of voting machines it used in last year's presidential election. State lawyers last week discovered that Fulton County commissioners had voted to allow a contractor hired by Senate Republicans to download data and software on the voting systems. The exchange had been scheduled for Wednesday. Wolf's administration objected in court, saying such access by an inexperienced person who is not federally accredited to inspect voting systems posed a risk of damaging or altering their software or data. A lawyer representing Fulton County, Tom King, has said that the Republican senator in charge of the forensic investigation wants to determine if the countys voting system provided by Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems was the same equipment as was certified by the state of Pennsylvania for use in last years election. Republican lawmakers have pursued the undertaking as former President Donald Trump and his allies go state-to-state pushing for investigations to validate baseless conspiracy theories that he lost to Democrat Joe Biden because of election fraud. Fulton Countys two Republican commissioners have expressed solidarity with Republican senators who later sought to block Pennsylvanias electoral votes from being cast for Biden. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Last Saturday afternoon turned into an interesting wildlife adventure for a group of people in the Forgedale Crossing neighborhood in South Middleton Township. For several months an injured black vulture became a common sight around Arlington and Coventry drives. An injured wing inhibited the birds ability to fly, forcing it to hang around homes and in the adjacent wooded parcel. Commonly confused with turkey vultures that have red heads, black vultures are identified by their gray/black heads. Adopted by several neighbors, Bob (as one of Alex Cashmans sons affectionately named him) seemed perfectly content to hang out under childrens play structures with occasional visits to nearby homes. A smart vulture, Bob quickly realized where the yummy meals could be found. I grew quite fond of him (although the gender is not known); he got to a point where I could be about six feet away without him seeming concerned, neighbor Holly Hoffman said. Of course the cans of cat food he gobbled down helped a lot, too. However, with winter quickly approaching and the ever-present threat of coyotes lurking in the woods, Bobs chances of winter survival without being able to fly seemed remote. Enter Wildlife in Need, a Pennsylvania nonprofit organization founded in 2017 by Sue DeArment of Meadville. Across the state, WIN has about 160 volunteers, many who are certified by the Pennsylvania Game Commission to capture and transport injured wildlife to rehabilitation facilities across the state. About the only animals that we arent certified to rescue and transport are bears and deer, DeArment said. This year alone weve received 3,250 calls, 2,000 of which resulted in rescues. Vultures (birds of prey) are but one species about which WIN has received calls. Year-to-date, WIN has received about 395 bird-related calls. Of those calls, 79 were from Cumberland County. WINs 160 volunteers are mainly concentrated throughout the eastern portion of the state. Recruiting volunteers is top-of-mind for DeArment, a retired wildlife rehabilitation professional who understood the need for a quick, responsive point of contact for the general public. I know the frustration that people have when they come across an injured animal, she said. They want to help the animal but frequently dont know who to call. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is now funneling calls to WIN, an important step in streamlining the access to help. Thats how the Forgedale Crossing neighbors learned about WIN. Within three days of the initial inquiry, three WIN volunteers were on-site chasing down Bob the black vulture. Mark Catalano, certified in wildlife capture and transport, led the team through backyards and the nearby woods until Bob was finally cornered and captured. This guy was quick, Catalano said. Every time we thought we had him, he bolted away until we finally caught him in the woods. Persistence by seven people resulted in the successful capture and transport by WIN transporter, Kathy Chamberlain, to the West Shore Rehabilitation facility in Etters. Bob the black vulture will undergo X-rays to determine if his wing can be repaired. If it cant be repaired, the wing may be removed and Bob will become a teaching vulture with a new permanent home. Healthy birds are not euthanized. While the Forgedale Crossing neighborhood misses its pet vulture, all are grateful that Bob will be well taken care of thanks to Wildlife in Need. For more information or to contact Wildlife in Need, visit winemergencyresponse.com or call 814-414-4224. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 JEFFERSON COUNTY A developer says it will build a new port facility in Herculaneum to handle container cargo to and from the Gulf of Mexico, officials announced Friday. The container-on-vessel port facility along the Mississippi River will be able to handle vessels larger and faster than the typical river barge and will transport shipping containers full of goods to and from the Gulf of Mexico. The facility will be built on more than 300 acres owned by Doe Run Co. and Fred Weber Inc.s Riverview Commerce Park. Texas-based Hawtex Development Corp. will lead the development, along with Fred Weber Inc. and Riverview Commerce Park. Officials from Hawtex, the Jefferson County Port Authority and other organizations announced the project at a press conference Friday. Officials do not know when construction could start, nor how much the project will cost. But Hawtex President James Hurley said his companys goal is to have the facility operating by late 2024. Regional officials from the St. Louis Freightway and local ports have long pushed for container traffic on the Mississippi River as an alternative for shippers seeking to avoid logjams on the coastal ports. The specialized vessels, developed by Florida-based American Patriot Container Transport, are too large to get through the Mississippi River lock and dam system that starts north of St. Louis, making the Jefferson County area a logical place to locate a loading and unloading hub, fed by rail, barge and truck, officials said previously. Mark Schlinkmann of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 How well do you know the Bill of Rights? Do you maybe remember only a few of the 10 First Amendment, speech and religion; Second Amendment, right to bear arms; Fifth Amendment, dont have to incriminate yourself but youre a little fuzzy remembering the other seven? Farmington homeschooled student Grace Troup, fifth grade, came up with an idea to artistically depict the 10 Amendments in the Bill of Rights, just in time to recognize Bill of Rights Day on Dec. 15. Her excellent concept even won a poster contest hosted by the U.S. Courts of the Western District of Missouri. Federal Courts around the Seventh and Eighth Judicial Circuits hosted a live webinar for more than 100 participants on the evening of Dec 1. During the webinar, U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes of the Western District of Missouri gave a chat and Q&A session about the Bill of Rights, which was followed by the announcement of the grand prize winners of the second annual student essay and poster contest. Students in grades 3-12 from Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin were encouraged to submit art and essays on the importance of the Bill of Rights, and 300 entries were received from around the two circuits. Grace, who is almost 11, won the 3rd-5th grade category for art with her poster that pictorially explains each of the Constitutions first 10 Amendments. The 7 for the Seventh Amendment guaranteeing a trial by jury is decorated with a judge at the top of the numbers shape, and six rows of a diverse jury partitioning off the base of the number, the word freedom highlighted for emphasis next to it. The 4 for the Fourth Amendment preventing unreasonable search and seizure is decorated with a judge, a detective with a magnifying glass, binoculars and a search warrant. Grace said she and her mother, Kristen, researched each amendment in the Bill of Rights so she could figure out how to depict them in each hollowed-out number. It was complicated, she said. But I think its interesting, these are how laws are made. I learned a lot too while we were doing it, Kristen said. Especially with the 9th and 10th (Amendments) because I didn't know certain rights are protected that you probably dont even realize were protected, we take them for granted, like travel. You know, you think about countries like North Korea and China, and theyre not traveling anywhere if theyre not allowed to travel. We just pick up and go when we want. Kristen said she homeschools Grace and two of her younger siblings as part of the south St. Louis County group SHARE -- St. Louis Homeschooling Activities, Resources and Encouragement. Graces youngest two siblings arent homeschooled yet, they are 1 and 3. SHARES sends out weekly emails if there's any kind of competitions or events or anything to try to get homeschool kids together, she said. They sent out the Judicial Learning Education Center email that they were having this contest. We've competed at a few others and done pretty well, so I decided to do a unit study on the Bill of Rights, and there we have it. Grace worked for weeks on the poster, researching the amendments, choosing how to depict each right, watching art videos on the Art for Kids Hub channel on YouTube to help her execute the drawings just right. But the channel only went so far in helping her figure out how to draw, well certain things. This one, she said, pointing to the noose, electric chair, guillotine and stockade depicted inside the number shape for the Eighth Amendment the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment. Like, Art Hub for Kids didn't have most of this stuff. So I had to go on different websites with my mom. I'm like, Oh, wow. They use a lot of different stuff on here! Kristen chuckled, grimacing. Yeah, we had to research a lot because we didn't quite know what cruel and unusual punishment was, as we were learning about it, she said. We didn't realize some of the, like, ways that people could be punished Disturbing stuff! marveled Grace. Yeah, but thats why the amendments important. When asked which amendment might have been her favorite to draw, Grace pointed to the Fifth Amendment trial by a jury, no self-incrimination, no double jeopardy. She had a great time drawing the prisoner, Kristen said, referring to the orange-striped-pajamas-clad prisoner with clenched teeth and balled-up fists. As for her favorite amendment, Grace said it was the First Amendment. Freedom of religion, assembly and press, because people can believe in what they want, she said. But I think it's more important to know what you believe in, instead of being told what you can believe in. Sarah Haas is the assistant editor for the Daily Journal. She can be reached at 573-518-3617 or at shaas@dailyjournalonline.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Salvation Army is looking for bell ringers in Washington County. Chairperson Eddie Strauser said volunteers are needed and donations so far are down. To help, call Strauser at 573-210-2890 or send a message on Facebook to Washington County Salvation Army. The bell-ringing campaign began on Black Friday and continues through noon on Friday. They do not ring the bell on Sundays. All funds received in Washington County stay in Washington County. Donations can be mailed to Washington County Salvation Army, PO Box 35, Potosi, MO 63664. Put Potosi, Mo in the memo on your check to make sure it stays local. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Eight-year-old Caroline White is a hands-on helper. From picking out toys to unloading items, she is part of the family's entire toy drive process. She knows what shes doing is very important. Caroline was only 2 years old when her baby sister, Georgia Erin, stopped breathing while taking a nap at her daycare. She was airlifted to St. Louis Childrens Hospital but passed away two days later at the age of 3 months and 24 days. The girls parents, Aaron and Ashley White, sponsor a toy drive each year as a way to channel their grief and to help others. Ashleys sister Terrah came up with the idea of collecting toys at Christmas time for kids who were patients at St. Louis Childrens Hospital. That one-time event has turned into an annual toy drive. The couples daughters, Caroline and her sister, 5-year-old Magnolia, help with the annual family project. They do this project in honor of their sweet baby daughter Georgia. This time of year is so incredibly difficult, especially knowing she should be here celebrating with us, said Ashley. However, we know it is because of her that we are able to bring smiles to other families who are going through similar situations. The family of four just recently dropped off perhaps their largest amount of toys yet. We had an astounding amount of toys again! said Ashley. Photos just dont do it justice. She said their family is so grateful for everyones continued love and support. Although she was unable to count every toy this year, she knows Lincoln Intermediate Center students were able to raise $1,900 to purchase toys. In addition, students and staff at Farmington Middle School collected toys. Farmington C-Barn employees also did a raffle to raise money for toys. All of this combined brought the estimated donations to around $2,500. This is incredible, she said, and were so grateful! Ashley said the days around Georgias death only get harder. She would have been 6 years old this month. I dont know how we will continue to go many years without seeing her face, she said. Im so grateful for the time we had with her, but we wish we still had Georgia here with us. We all miss her presence every day. Ashley said daughter Magnolia wants to always take the toys directly to the patients at the childrens hospital, but that is strictly prohibited. Their family must follow no-contact protocols for dropping off items. Maggie liked to help unload the boxes from the truck until she got cold and had to go sit down in the warmth, she said, but Caroline wants to be part of it all. Ashley said Caroline made a profound statement regarding the toy donations. I hope we dont have to do this [take toys to the hospital] every year because hopefully one day there wont be any more sick kids in the hospital. This year, Ashley was able to take both daughters on a shopping trip to pick out special toys to donate in honor of their sister Georgia. During the trip, each girl put a lot of thought into what items she wanted to purchase. We also try to think of who Georgia would be if she was here with us today, Ashley said, what kind of toys would she like that another 6 year old might like. Those thoughts drive some of our purchases. She said Maggie is currently very dinosaur-minded so she thought every child needed a new dinosaur. This year, Maggie chose the Albertosaurus as her special gift that she picked out on her own and may have had trouble parting with it. Caroline is a true crafter so her special selections were hands-on projects in which kids could complete but could do it from their hospital bed if needed. They had a great time with it all around, Ashley said. The four were able to celebrate the day as a family by dropping off toys, having dinner and then seeing the holiday lights display at Grants Farm. It was one of the best years for us, she said. We enjoyed the day and being together and it felt like Georgia was with us. Pam Clifton is a contributing writer for the Daily Journal Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Leadington Board of Aldermen last week talked about putting an expiring water and sewer tax on the April ballot for renewal, and agreed to buy two new cars for the Leadington Police Department, after one of the cars was wrecked during a pursuit last month. Mayor Joe Davis said he was glad Officer Marvin Chapman was OK after the accident on the morning of Nov. 10. He (Chapman) didn't have to, but he came and saw me after he got out of the hospital, and he was beating himself up so bad over it was there anything he could have done to avoid the wreck, and we had already gotten the report back from Highway Patrol that he did everything he was supposed to. And he was worried about finances, was it gonna put the city in a bind, Davis told the aldermen. All kinds of stuff. He showed how much he cares, that day, not that we didn't already know that. After a while, I did tell him to go home and to not talk to me anymore, Davis chuckled. Its good to see him doing all right and back to his old cranky self. Chapman thanked the board members for their concern and support. Insurance, Davis said, will pay $28,000 on the 2018 Ford Explorer. The aldermen agreed it would be nice to replace not just one vehicle but two, since another car is on its last legs. Davis said hes of the understanding quite a few of the extra options required by law enforcement can probably be taken off the old car and put onto the new car, although some options will need to be added. The 2021 Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicle will be purchased for $34,908, as well as another, equivalent vehicle if one is available. Chief Jerry Hicks said competition for law enforcement vehicles has gotten pretty stiff due to supply chain problems. The board agreed to have City Clerk Deborah Carver work with Erick Creach to have the water and sewer tax thats about to expire put on the April 5 ballot. She said Creach, an attorney with Gilmore & Bell of St. Louis, works with Missouri Municipal League and he has offered to help the city, free of charge, go through the process of getting the measure on the ballot. The water and sewer bond will be paid off, but Leadington still has maintenance and improvement issues to pursue, mainly in its police department. Mayor Joe Davis explained in November, the April 5 ballot issue would involve no new taxes, but it would roll over the citys existing half-cent sales tax to the general fund. Originally approved in 2003 for water and sewer improvements around town, the tax would be diverted to public safety. Like many rural areas, the Leadington Police Department has been struggling to maintain its department due to challenges within the profession and salary competition from larger cities. In other business, the citys board: Resolved to accept $60,000 in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds, which they also approved spending on various law enforcement and technology upgrades for the city. Agreed to have Carver draw up a Request for Qualifications to hire a new city attorney to replace Mark Bishop, who is stepping down after the first of the year. Bishop is with the Wegmann Law Firm of Hillsboro. Approved two new software subscription contracts, one for municipally-tailored software to replace the generic QuickBooks system, and the other for an updated laser fiche system so the city clerk can quickly scan documents to a searchable TIF file, rather than PDF. Heard an update from the fire department regarding repairs to its truck, as well as a mention that Leadington has one of the best ISO ratings in the county. Heard an update from the maintenance department regarding seasonal part-time staff for the cemetery. The board agreed to table the issue until January. The next Leadington Board of Aldermen meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Jan. 11. Sarah Haas is the assistant editor for the Daily Journal. She can be reached at 573-518-3617 or at shaas@dailyjournalonline.com. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) FBI Director Christopher Wray's former chief of staff has been named the interim U.S. attorney for South Carolina. Corey F. Ellis was appointed to the role Tuesday by Attorney General Merrick Garland, according to a news release. Ellis succeeds former acting U.S. Attorney Rhett DeHart, who began leading the office in March after U.S. Attorney Peter McCoy resigned along with other top prosecutors appointed by former President Donald Trump. Ellis has worked in leadership roles at the Department of Justice and served as the acting director of the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, working as the primary liaison between the attorney general, the deputy attorney general and all 94 U.S. attorneys offices. He started his career as a prosecutor for the district attorneys office in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and has worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Western District of North Carolina. He is a graduate of Brown University and the University of Memphis School of Law. As the states leading federal prosecutor, Ellis will now supervise a staff of about 150, including 62 assistant U.S. attorneys. President Joe Biden has yet to announce a nominee, who must be confirmed by the Senate, to serve in the role permanently. DeHart, the outgoing attorney, told news outlets he planned to enter private practice. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 I prefer not being in the films, he said. Early on, it had to do with me being able to raise the money to get the films made. Then Fences, obviously we had great success onstage, so that translated to film. But I enjoy being a more behind-the-scenes kind of guy. Aside from his recent collaboration with Coen, whom he calls one of the greatest directors, Washington says he sought insight from some other directors he admires. I spent a great day with Paul Thomas Anderson a month or so ago, to listen to how he works, he said. And Steve McQueen, Ive been talking with a little bit. Im learning how to do it, so Im interested in learning from the best. So, Ive been talking to the best. Michael B. Jordan said he, too, is interested in learning from the best which is why it was so impactful for him to be directed by Washington. The actor gives a charismatic performance as Canedys fiance, 1st Sgt. Charles Monroe King, who was killed in Iraq in 2006 at age 48. (Canedy is portrayed by Chante Adams.) To be able to work so closely with him was really important, Jordan said in an interview. It was a master class, honestly. Rapidan Baptist Church in Madison County will also receive a historic marker. The church traces its history to January 1773 when the congregation faced prosecution for refusing to comply with the laws that established the Church of England as the official church and religion. In 1789, James Madison won the support of many local Baptists during his campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives by assuring the Rapidan churchs pastor that he would support a constitutional amendment guaranteeing religious freedom. The marker will be placed at 150 Rapidan Church Lane. The church congregation sponsored the marker. It could take as long as three months to erect the markers. The marker sponsors cover the $1,770 needed to make a new sign. Virginias historical highway marker program began in 1927 with installation of the first markers along U.S. 1. It is considered the oldest such program in the nation. Currently there are more than 2,600 state markers, mostly maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation, except in those localities outside of VDOTs authority. Hill commended the work of the council and thanked city staff for their work and dedication, but also said she wishes the council couldve gotten more done. This small city has carried a lot on its shoulders and I believe these challenges have impacted the work that Council and staff have been able to accomplish. I acknowledge theres been missteps, and Ive been a part of some of those and take ownership of that. They all will weigh heavily on me. And theres much more I was hoping that we could have made strides on before the end of this council term and that I would have had the opportunity to be a part of, Hill said. Hill, who announced early this year that she would not be seeking re-election, said she has mixed emotions about leaving. Reflecting back, theres so much about this work that has energized me, she said, adding that there is still much work to be done. I would love to be part of it in this capacity, but at the same time, this has taken its toll in a way that I could never have predicted, Hill said. Walker read a passage written by author and activist bell hooks, who died last week. We were really surprised to find something lead, said Julie Langan, the director of the states Department of Historic Resources. The team at the state Department of Historical Resources will catalog the artifacts and expects to have more details on their makeup and their possible origins in a few days. The books will be put in a freezer to avoid mold and the silver coin, which started to tarnish when the box was open, will be kept in a dry place to limit deterioration. Before the work began to open the capsule on Wednesday, Gov. Northam said Virginia doesnt need monuments that glorify the Confederacy. We are a Commonwealth that embraces diversity, he said. We are inclusive. The Lee statue was erected in 1890 and was long seen as a symbol of racial injustice in the former capital of the Confederacy. Its removal in September came more than a year after Northam ordered it in the wake of protests that erupted after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Prosecutors argued that Lieber, who was arrested in January, knowingly hid his involvement in Chinas Thousand Talents Plan a program designed to recruit people with knowledge of foreign technology and intellectual property to China to protect his career and reputation. Lieber denied his involvement during inquiries from U.S. authorities, including the National Institutes of Health, which had provided him with millions of dollars in research funding, prosecutors said. Lieber also concealed his income from the Chinese program, including $50,000 a month from the Wuhan University of Technology, up to $158,000 in living expenses and more than $1.5 million in grants, according to prosecutors. In exchange, they say, Lieber agreed to publish articles, organize international conferences and apply for patents on behalf of the Chinese university. The case is among the highest profile to come from the U.S. Department of Justices so-called China Initiative. The effort launched in 2018 to curb economic espionage from China has faced criticism that it harms academic research and amounts to racial profiling of Chinese researchers. Released: December 13, 2021 Following a highly successful first round of the Delaware County Emergency Rental Assistance Program, the County has seamlessly launched a second round of funding to help low-income tenants with rent and utility assistance as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic economic crisis. In April 2021, the Delaware County Emergency Rental Assistance Program (DELCO ERA) was launched as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, with a mandate to help low-income Delaware County residents stay in their rental homes. Delaware County was provided initial funding of $37.2 million for the program, one of thousands of similar county-based rental assistance programs designed to speed up the nations recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing recession. Within just six months, Delaware County Council is proud to announce that DELCO ERA has fully allocated 100% of the initial $37.2 million of Emergency Rental Assistance to county residentshelping 5,151 low-income renters stay in their homes. Over $29 million in rental assistance and nearly $5 million in utility assistance were provided. By comparison, the national average for ERA expenditure is just 40% as of October 2021. We are incredibly proud we reached 100% expenditure in just six short months and were able to help over 5,000 residents with rent and utility bills at a time when they needed it the most, said Delaware County Council Chairman Brian Zidek. We are grateful to our many community partners who helped us spread the message that the DELCO ERA program is available to provide critical rent and utility assistancewe achieved this success as a shared community effort. Of the 5,151 residents served with DELCO ERA funds, 89% earn less than 50% of the area median income, which is $47,250 for a family of four. The program helped 689 households in active eviction proceedings stay in their homes. Over 57% of the funds were distributed to renters living in Chester, Upper Darby, Darby, and Lansdowne. "My experience with the program went really smoothly and quickly and my case worker was very helpful. They were there for me at a time when I really needed it, said Tashana Murrel, a DELCO ERA recipient. It was a really good and easy experience and I even told some other people about it who were also going through hard times. It was just such a great experience and Im so thankful. Due to the successful allocation of funding of DELCO ERA, Delaware County is being provided with an additional $30.3 million in new American Rescue Plan Act Funding (ARPA) by the U.S. Treasury and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The second phase will help DELCO ERA continue to serve tenants and landlords who are still in need as we continue to weather the COVID pandemic and its effect on our health and economy. The DELCO ERA program has received over 13,000 applications for assistance from first-time applicants. On December 15, 2021, DELCO ERA will open applications for subsequent assistance for tenants who received assistance earlier but still face housing instability. Demand for rent and utility assistance persists. DELCO ERA receives an average of 50 new applications per day. Residents who have fallen behind on rent and/or utilities during the COVID-19 pandemic are encouraged to apply for assistance by registering at www.delco-era.com or scheduling an In-Person Intake Appointment at one of our weekly events. Customer Service Specialist with Capital Access, Inc., Program Manager for DELCO ERA, are available to assist tenants and their landlords with the application process. People with language and/or physical challenges can request assistance with application submission. Residents can contact the DELCO ERA program for assistance by phone at (484) 729-4200 or by email at info@delco-era.com DELCO ERA will continue to offer in-person application intake services in Upper Darby and the City of Chester to assist residents who dont have internet service or who need additional assistance. To date, over 2,200 renters and landlords received in-person application intake services, which greatly reduced delays and ensured that residents were able to sign grant agreements in person. How the DELCO ERA program works: DELCO ERA will pay for past due rent and utilities, and up to three months of future eligible rent/utility expenses, totaling up to 18 months of assistance for qualifying applicants. Past due rent can go as far back as April 1, 2020. DELCO ERA does not pay late fees or penalties. Grant funds are paid directly to the landlord/property manager and the utility company. If a landlord is unresponsive, payments can be made directly to eligible tenants. Funds will be distributed on a first-come, first qualified and approved basis until program funds are depleted. Applicants must provide evidence of disruption and/or loss during or due to the COVID pandemic such as: Qualified for unemployment benefits during the pandemic or can attest in writing that they, or a member of their household, has experienced a reduction of income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the pandemic; and Can demonstrate a risk of housing instability and/or homelessness such as a past due utility, past due rent notice, or eviction notice or can attest in writing to the same. Household income may be no more than 80% of the area median income (AMI) for their household size. Applicants get the highest priority for processing if the total household income is less than 50% AMI and/or at least one person qualified for unemployment benefits for at least the 90 days prior to the date of their registration for DELCO ERA and/or currently undergoing eviction proceedings and have a Delaware County court docket number. The Corvallis City Council again waded into the challenges of funding social services and homeless aid and has upped the ante in how to allocate American Rescue Plan Act moneys, which are designed to help governments during the pandemic. Councilors were considering Monday night, Dec. 20, a recommendation from the Budget Commission to allocate 53.5% of its $13 million in the federal funds for city facilities' upgrades and 5% for social service spending. Councilors held firm on the 53.5% after working their way through a series of motions, but they agreed narrowly to triple the social service allocation to 15%. The final motion passed on a 5-4 vote, with Charles Maughan (Ward 2), Hyatt Lytle (Ward 3), Gabe Shepherd (Ward 4), Tracey Yee (Ward 8) and Andrew Struthers (Ward 9) voting yes, and Jan Napack (Ward 1), Charlyn Ellis (Ward 5), Laurie Chaplen (Ward 6) and Paul Shaffer (Ward 7) opposing the approach. All five members of the public who spoke during the community comments segment of the meeting urged the council to increase the social spending percentage, although those who included specific numbers called for an even larger allocation, somewhere between 20% and 30%. I find this heartbreaking, said Laura King, one of the community members who advocated increasing the percentage. Its a complete abandonment of the citys people. The Rev. Jennifer Butler of the First Congregational United Church of Christ, Corvallis, who has testified multiple times before the council about spending for the homeless, called for 30% and urged councilors to ask Benton County to match that figure. City Manager Mark Shepard said staff will return with concrete ideas for spending the 53.5% (approximately $7 million) and the 15% (approximately $2 million) at a future meeting. The fate of the additional 31.5% remains unknown at this time, although Shaffer noted that "there was no reason for the council to rush to judgment on this." The final motion on the ARPA topic called for council leadership to communicate with Benton County and the Corvallis School District about the possibility of matching the city disbursement of ARPA or other COVID-19-related federal funds. It passed on an 8-1 vote, with Napack voting no because she didnt believe it was wise to interject city requests into other jurisdictions. Another item relating to social service spending was tabled and will be considered at a future meeting. The item was listed on the consent agenda, which usually consists of noncontroversial items that can be addressed in one motion. It would have allocated $30,000 in City Council discretionary funds to pay for illegal camp cleanups and RV removals. The motion to table it was unanimous. Ward 6's Chaplen, who moved to remove the item, noted that it should come to council for full consideration. No word was available regarding when the council might consider the issue. "We have seen an uptick in folks using campers until they are no longer functional and then abandoning them," Shepard said. "The city is then forced to remove them and they are expensive to decommission appropriately. No city department budgets for this expense." Contact reporter James Day at jim.day@lee.net or 541-812-6116. Follow at Twitter.com/jameshday or gazettetimes.com/blogs/jim-day. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Linn County has released details of its latest mass vaccination effort, which will be coordinated at the Linn County Fair & Expo Center in Albany. The large clinics will resume on Jan. 4. The need to resume large-scale vaccinations both for initial doses and boosters has been emphasized by both the Oregon Health Authority and Linn County Public Health as a way of avoiding a surge of COVID-19 cases brought on by the omicron variant. With the arrival of the omicron variant of COVID-19, commissioners Roger Nyquist, Sherrie Sprenger and Will Tucker directed Public Health Director Todd Noble and Fair & Expo Center manager Randy Porter to develop a plan that focuses on where and when large-scale vaccination clinics can be held, a county news release says. The county put a plan together to hold mass clinics at the fairgrounds, 3700 Knox Butte Road, for three weeks in January. The dates of the clinics are Jan. 4 through Jan. 7, Jan. 10 through Jan. 14, and Jan. 17 through Jan. 19. Each days event will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald. All three brands of the coronavirus vaccine will be available. No appointment is needed and folks can come to secure first, second or third-dose booster shots. The OHA and federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both say that it doesnt matter which dose you receive for a booster Pfizer recipients can receive a Moderna booster and vice versa. Johnson & Johnson recipients, however, are encouraged to get boosted with another brand because its believed that immunity wanes faster for the single-dose vaccine. People are eligible for a booster dose six months after their second dose, or two months after their J&J shot. Booster doses are not available for people younger than 16. Linn County says it will not have doses for children ages 5-11. Benton County will also be holding vaccine clinics in the coming weeks. The Corvallis Boys & Girls Club, 1112 NW Circle Blvd, will be hosting a pediatric vaccination clinic from 2 to 6 p.m. Jan. 9 and Jan. 30. Doses are only available to people aged 5 to 17. There will also be a pediatric vaccine clinic at Cheldelin Middle School, 987 NE Conifer Blvd. in Corvallis, on Jan. 14 and Feb. 4. The clinics run from 3 to 7 p.m. both days and is only providing Pfizer vaccines to eligible individuals who are 17 years old or younger. Philomath High School will host a pediatric clinic from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10 and Jan. 31. The high school is at 2054 Applegate St. The Alsea School at 301 S. Third St. will host a vaccination clinic from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 11 and Feb. 1. The clinic is for anyone 5 or older. Finally, Monroe High School, 365 N. Fifth St., will host a clinic for those aged 5 or older from 3 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 12 and Feb. 2. Appointments are not necessary at any of these clinics and vaccines are free. You do not need proof of insurance to receive a vaccine. Troy Shinn covers healthcare, natural resources and Linn County government. He can be reached at 541-812-6114 or troy.shinn@lee.net. He can be found on Twitter at @troydshinn. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. In September, an Arizona student who tested positive for COVID-19 was ordered to quarantine for several days. Seems normal, no? No. The boy's father barged into principal Diane Vargo's office and demanded the kid be allowed back into school immediately. Vargo was alarmed when the intruder told her that others were on their way, warning, "If you keep doing this, we're going to have a big problem." Two other men did arrive, one carrying military-style zip-ties. They told Vargo that they were going to make a "citizen's arrest." As it happens, the intruders were the ones arrested by the police. The same month, in Michigan, a meeting of the Barry-Eaton District Board of Health was disrupted when a man threatened to make a citizen's arrest of a county health official after a school mask mandate was announced. That was mild compared with the death threats Genesee County officials have received over masks. And that, in turn, was less serious than what happened in Kent County, where someone tried to run a health official off the road. Stories of threats and violence aimed at ordinary Americans who are simply serving on school boards, supervising elections or holding public office are not new. It's a mashup of pandemic-induced mania, social media misinformation, Trump-incited disinhibition and something in the water. The citizen's arrest has become a theme running through some of the most sinister of the recent plots. It has a long pedigree, originating in English common law. In the U.S., it has been codified in a number of ways by states. But the invocation of the citizen's arrest as an excuse for political violence is new. Former President Donald Trump set this table with his "lock her up" chants and accusations of treason against anyone who damaged his fragile psyche. Back in 2020, when a gang of 14 right-wing nuts plotted to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, they claimed they were effecting a "citizen's arrest." In a normal world, such a claim would be instantly dismissed as risible. But we're not in that world. We're in the world where the sheriff of Barry County, Dar Leaf, seemed to think it had merit. "It's just a charge, and they say a 'plot to kidnap' and you got to remember that," Leaf told a local Fox affiliate. "A lot of people are angry with the governor," he said. And then, as if the next words flowed logically, he added, "and they want her arrested." Right, because when we dislike the policies of duly elected officials, we arrest them? Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald. The threats are proliferating. The Washington Post reported that lawmakers were subjected to 3,900 threats in 2017. By 2020, that had more than doubled to 8,600, and in 2021, the rate rose even faster. As Tim Alberta noted in his Atlantic profile of Rep. Peter Meijer, the fear factor in Republican politics has changed. Republicans displayed a total lack of political courage in dealing with Trump from 2015 to the present. But because they didn't stand up to him when the consequences would have been merely political, they/we now face a very different climate: fearing for their safety and that of their families. Describing a colleague who said he couldn't vote to certify the 2020 election, Meijer said: "Remember, this wasn't a hypothetical. You were casting that vote after seeing with your own two eyes what some of these people are capable of. If they're willing to come after you inside the U.S. Capitol, what will they do when you're at home with your kids?" Many members of the Jan. 6 mob didn't conceive of themselves as coup plotters (in contrast to those in the Oval Office). They thought they were vindicating democracy, not destroying it. As they were storming the Capitol, they were exchanging messages that reflected the treason talk Trump had normalized. "You are executing a citizen's arrest. We have probable cause for acts of treason, election fraud." There is a substrate of perverted patriotism here. The invocation of the citizen's arrest signifies a wish for legitimacy. They yearn to be responsible citizens, upholding the law and the duties of the individual. They have been corrupted all the more reason for the rest of Americans to assert their uncorrupted patriotism. They must defend the election workers, health care workers, school board members, journalists, politicians and anyone else who is being abused by the mob. If patriotism animates only the worst among us, we are lost. Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The director of the state housing agency says she would welcome a full audit of how money was spent on federal and state emergency rental assistance programs but only after tenants submit their applications and landlords receive their money. Margaret Salazar says the Oregon Department of Housing and Community Services will report to lawmakers in the 2022 session, which starts Feb. 1, about the measures they passed during a Dec. 13 special session. But she also said that some of the same staff that would be involved in an audit, which the secretary of state would conduct with the agency, also are busy processing and paying out rental assistance. Oregon has paid about 27,000 households, but the agency also has an equal number of applications pending and more are expected to come in when the agency lifts a six-week pause in mid-January. Salazar spoke to reporters on a conference call after lawmakers approved $100 million more from the state budget for rental assistance on top of about $100 million remaining in federal funds and extended the time for tenants to apply for and await rental assistance without fear of eviction proceedings for nonpayment of rent. The new deadline is June 30, 2022. "Our assessment is that this is time they (staff) need to spend ensuring that checks are processed and being cut, and that we can meet the time frame set by the Oregon Legislature," she said. "For that reason, we are asking that this audit be completed after we expend these rental assistance dollars, so that we can honor the commitments we made to legislative leaders and to the public." In addition to the Legislature's addition of $100 million from the state budget and another $100 million for state and local efforts to prevent evictions after rental assistance programs end Oregon has requested another $198 million from the U.S. Treasury, which will redistribute unspent federal rental assistance funds. But it will be several months before Oregon receives any of that money if it does. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald. During the one-day session, Republicans critical of the agency and even some Democrats called for a full audit by Secretary of State Shemia Fagan, whose office includes the state Audits Division. Among the Democrats were Nick Kristof, a candidate for governor, and the leaders of the Senate and House committees on housing. Record for rental aid So far in 2021, the agency and various partners community action agencies in the counties and Public Partnerships LLC, an outside vendor have paid out more than $187 million of the $289 million Oregon received in federal rental assistance from the U.S. Treasury as part of President Joe Biden's pandemic recovery plan known as the American Rescue Plan Act. The national total for assistance was $46.55 billion. According to a database maintained by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, only three other states were ahead of Oregon in the shares of federal assistance paid out or obligated. The coalition notes that while Oregon has paused accepting applications, five counties and five tribes that got their shares directly from the U.S. Treasury were still accepting them. Oregon's share is on top of the $200 million that lawmakers approved from the state budget about a year ago, when prospects for federal aid were uncertain. Some aid was contained in legislation that Donald Trump signed less than a month before Trump left the presidency. The $387 million stands in contrast with the $80 million the agency paid out in rental assistance in 2020, before the state and federal programs got underway, and just $19 million in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic downturn. "We know there is always room for improvement," Salazar said. "We have a lot to learn from participating in an audit. We know you are eager for that information as well. We need to understand what has worked and what hasn't worked." During the one-day session, Republicans such as Rep. Christine Drazan of Canby, also planning to run for governor, and Rep. Vikki Breese-Iverson of Prineville, her successor as House GOP leader, called on Gov. Kate Brown to fire Salazar. Brown rebuffed the calls. Salazar said she and agency staff listened carefully as the special-session committee heard daylong testimony about the money and a related bill two days before the session itself. "We heard heart-wrenching stories from tenants who are waiting for an update on their application status. We know that landlords are anxious as well. We understand that anxiety. We are working to address the concerns raised by renters and landlords in that public hearing session," she said. "The anxiety of a 60-day clock hanging over the heads of tenants in need has taken a toll. We are thrilled we now have a new day with this legislative package that has been signed into law." Deadline reset Related legislation (Senate Bill 891), which drew negative votes from Republicans in both chambers, reset the "grace period" for tenants before they face eviction proceedings for nonpayment of rent. Legislation during the 2021 regular session, which ended June 26, set the period at 60 days. Ordinances in Multnomah and Washington counties, and Beaverton, set it at 90 days. But the backlog for rental assistance resulted in thousands of applications past those deadlines. Estimates vary. Eric McClendon of the Oregon State Bar said it was 8,000; housing advocates pegged it at 13,000 to 14,000. "We were taken somewhat off guard by the huge demand that was struck by opening this program," Salazar said. Under the new law, which Brown signed hours after the session ended, tenants now have a deadline of June 30, 2022, to apply for rental assistance and inform their landlords they have done so. Eviction proceedings cannot start until payment is completed or Oct. 1, 2022, whichever comes first. (This provision does not apply to eviction proceedings for reasons other than nonpayment of rents, such as property damage by tenants.) Neither the new law nor past legislation forgives any past-due rents. Salazar said the economic downturn resulting from the pandemic made a bad situation worse. According to the 2020 Census, Oregon population growth outpaced new housing during the past decade, and housing prices and rents soared. "We've heard from Oregonians across the state about what a lifeline this spending has been for them, how much stability and peace of mind it gave to their families when the check arrived and when those rental arrearages and forward rent were paid," she said. "We know there are thousands requesting historic levels of assistance who are still in need. We are doing everything in our power to process their applications as quickly as possible." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Indosat Oordeoo, a telecommunications provider in Indonesia, prepares a network capacity of 44 PB per day to meet the needs of the communitys digital activity which is predicted to increase during Christmas and New Year (Nataru) holidays. Based on the trend analysis conducted, Indosat Ooredoo predicts a 20-25% increase in data traffic compared to regular days, with the highest growth expected to occur in the Bodetabek, West Java, Central Java, East Java, and North Sulawesi. The network capacity prepared is 44 PB (Petabytes) per day, more than enough to serve peak data traffic with the expansion of video-based platforms. Entering the beginning of the 2021 NARU holiday period, Indosat Ooredoo has already recorded a 10% increase in data traffic nationwide, said a press release. Director and Chief Operating Officer of Indosat Ooredoo, Vikram Sinha, said, "Indosat Ooredoo is ready to accompany customers to fill their year-end holidays with a reliable and optimal network that complements several digital initiatives that have been launched. We hope that the Indonesian people can spend their holiday with family and loved ones doing positive things and maintaining their health during the COVID-19 pandemic that is still hitting Indonesia. Recently we have also launched 5G services in our fifth city this year, which signifies that we are ready to support Indonesia's digital transformation." Several network quality improvement activities are carried out to ensure customers enjoy the best digital experience supported by more than 70 thousand video-grade 4G BTS, the release said. Indosat Ooredoo activates a centralized physical Command Center during Christmas and New Year celebrations to monitor network availability and quality 24/7 supported by an AI/ML (Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning) and Automation-based Network Operation Center, it added. Indian telecom operator Vodafone-idea (Vi) has launched a new service wherein users will get the opportunity to get customised/VIP/ special phone numbers delivered at their doorstep. The service, however, is currently activated in select cities only. The mobile numbers can be based on a pattern or any other significant string of numbers like anniversary, birthday, lucky number, and more. Vi customers can also choose from a list of premium mobile numbers. A Premium/Fancy mobile number will give you a unique identity amongst your friends, peers, and relatives, which can be easily remembered. Not just these we also have a spectrum of Free Mobile Numbers to choose from. Your Premium, Free Mobile Number comes with a horde of surprises, Vodafone said. These new premium mobile numbers will be delivered to a users doorstep without any extra charges, the company said in a statement. This service is available to both postpaid and prepaid customers in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Surat, and Jaipur. All users have to do is go to the VI website and follow the link to choosing your fancy mobile numbers online, said a company release. Vi on its website explains that once a user has placed an order for a VIP number, a delivery agent will deliver it to the users doorstep and will also complete his or her KYC during the delivery. Vodafone Idea Limited is an Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group partners. The Dothan Regional Airport has $1,038,167 coming its way to modernize and improve safety as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress. Adam Hartzog, the airports director, and the Dothan-Houston County Airport Authority only learned about the grant last week, but Hartzog said the board has plenty of planned projects the grant could fund; most involve LED lighting retrofitting. I didnt plan on getting it in the first place, but we will do what is responsible and best for the airport and for the Wiregrass and put the money to its best use to improve infrastructure, Hartzog said on Monday. The money comes from the Airport Infrastructure Grant program, one of three new aviation programs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law provides $15 billion over five years for this program. A couple of the airports priority projects include upgrading the runway lighting to high-intensity LED lights and converting taxiway lights to LEDs. George Orwells novel 1984 describes a society ruled by a political system administered by a privileged elite whose use official deception and manipulation of events to achieve its goals. Although published 72 years ago, it contains striking similarities with todays America. Orwell warned about dangerous untruths and censorship by Big Brother (government). The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it, Orwell wrote. Big Brother determined what constituted acceptable speech in keeping society orderly, but freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garlands ears should be ringing, as the voters in Virginia exercised this right after he sent the FBI to sensor a county school board meeting. Advisors insist that President Biden blame Republicans for the perception that the economy is getting worse. He just signed the $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill (which has almost nothing to do with COVID relief). Now he wants an additional $1.2 to $2 trillion more to Build Back Better, and assures the public this agenda will cost nothing. For emphasis, Speaker Nancy Pelosi chimed in, saying it will cost zero. A worker is seen at engineering and construction company in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by VnExpress/An Phuong The Covid-19 pandemic made 2021 a challenging year for companies, but many managed to make strategic changes to overcome what were unprecedented restrictions. The year started off on a positive note, and the Purchasing Managers Index hit 51.3 in January and climbed to 54.7 in April, despite the closure of several industrial hubs in the north due to the third wave of Covid, according to British information provider IHS Markit. A score of above 50 indicates growth while below 50 means the sector is contracting. In the first four months, the number of businesses that were set up surged by 17.5 percent year-on-year to 44,200, indicating an economic recovery. Revenues from retail and services rose 10 percent to VND1,695.6 trillion ($73.94 billion) in the period, domestic tourism started to pick up and companies began to call for resumption of international flight routes to boost recovery. But then came the fourth wave in April and set back businesses recovery. With hundreds of new infections every day in the second quarter and thousands in the third, HCMC started to impose restrictions in June and kept them in place until September end. Other southern localities too reported large numbers of cases, mostly of the Delta variant, and factories were forced to keep their workers on-site as travel was prohibited, a huge financial burden. "Having workers stay in the factory increases costs and cuts our productivity by half," Nguyen Huu Tuan, human resources director of textile company Thanh Cong in HCMCs Tan Phu District said. His company began to house 2,200 employees in mid-July, but a month later 400 went home because of safety concerns and the desire to be with their family. Workers sleep in a factory in the southern province of Long An amid the Covid-19 pandemic in July 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Nam The PMI fell to 40.2 in August and September, signaling the worst deterioration in the health of the manufacturing sector since April 2020, according to IHS Markit. "Vietnamese manufacturers are facing a near-impossible task at present as the restrictions put in place to try and contain the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak in the country constrain their ability to produce goods," Andrew Harker, economics director at IHS Markit, said at that time. The policy also caused major difficulties for foreign companies. Since Vietnam is the second largest supplier of apparel, footwear and travel goods to the U.S., accounting for 20 percent of all that countrys imports, the American Apparel & Footwear Association in July called on the two countries governments to speed up vaccine distribution to major suppliers of Adidas, Gap and other brands. Pushing through But manufacturers plowed through the challenges by adopting various measures. Chemicals maker Earth Corporation Vietnam managed to keep manufacturing going in July and August by accommodating 180 workers on-site. Phan Thi Phuong Linh, its human resources head, said the key factor was to totally isolate the premises from the outside world. Delivery truck drivers were required to take photos of their documents, including negative Covid test results, and send them to security personnel, she added. Other companies set up barriers to avoid direct contact. Food and beverage companies did all they could to survive. Crab restaurant chain Vua Cua suspended plans to open in new locations and instead focused on delivery and selling to supermarkets. It was able to find franchisees for the delivery model and tie up with a large supermarket chain, CEO Doan Thi Anh Thu said. "We no longer have headaches like dealing with finance and human resources issues, and focus all our energies on helping franchisees sell." In June The Coffee House launched new products like instant milk coffee bags and cans, which it sells through supermarkets, convenience stores and online platforms. Upmarket Singaporean restaurant chain Lion City decided to move into the affordable segment after revenues plunged 70 percent during the social distancing period. Owner Harry Ang closed three out of four outlets, with only the 13-year-old first restaurant still open. "The average rent was VND240 million per month per location and we cannot keep paying," he said. On Bui Vien Street in the backpackers area in downtown HCMC, bars and beer parlors started selling fruits and vegetables instead of beer and wine to survive. A bar on Bui Vien Street in Ho Chi Minh City sells fruits and vegetables amid the Covid-19 pandemic in October 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran Recovering The return to normalcy began on October 1 when HCMC started to ease restrictions after four months. Factories immediately restarted production to make up for the downtime, and the PMI surged to a five-month high of 52.2 in November. In early October, electronics producer Datalogic Vietnam saw its workforce swell from 40 percent of normal strength to around 60 percent. "We plan to welcome employees back to the factory and recruit [more], and expect productivity to return to 80 percent in the final months of the year," CEO Tran Tien Phat said at the time. Around 1.3 million workers had returned to their hometowns in the third quarter, and so companies had to offer increased salaries and benefits to get them back for end-of-year production. New business registration rebounded sharply in November, with an increase of nearly 45 percent from October. Aviation, the worst affected sector this year, is also hoping for a grand bounce back next year, and Vietnam Airlines the started the first regular U.S.-Vietnam direct service and Bamboo Airways is planning to launch direct flights from HCMC to Melbourne in Australia next year. Vietnams economy was actively recovering with a rebound in industrial production and retail sales, continued trade surplus and stabilized credit growth, the World Bank said in an update November. Nguyen Minh Cuong, principal country economist of the Asian Development Bank, has suggested that Vietnam should increase its stimulus from 2 percent of GDP to 5-7 percent to help businesses recover quickly. The center of Sa Pa Town is covered in mist in November, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Gia Chinh A cold spell is expected to hit northern Vietnam from Saturday, with the lowest temperature in Hanoi expected at 10 degrees Celsius. According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF), the northern region is experiencing cool weather over the next three days. In this period, the temperature in Hanoi will stay at 25-27 degrees Celsius in the day and 14-17 degrees at night while in Sa Pa Town of the mountainous province of Lao Cai, the average temperature during the day will be 17 degrees. By Saturday, the cold spell will arrive, bringing the temperature in Hanoi down to 10 while the mountainous region should expect the mercury to drop to 4-7 degrees. The U.S. weather forecast site AccuWeather predicted the temperature in Hanoi on Saturday will remain at 14-24 degrees during the day on Saturday and drop to 10-17 in the next two days before rising to 13-22 next weekend. In Sa Pa, the temperature will stay at 8 degrees in the day and 3 at night on Saturday, it said. Under the cold spells impact, the central region will receive prolonged rains from Saturday to Tuesday, according to the NCHMF. Nguyen Van Huong, head of Climate Forecasting Department under the NCHMF, said this is the first large-scale cold spell in the northern delta region for the winter of 2021-2022. Since November, there have been many cold waves arriving in the north but they mostly affected the mountainous region. The meteorological agency stated this year's winter would come earlier and be colder than last year. Most of the severe cold wave would appear between December and next February. Residents of Vietnamese origin demolish their floating houses on the Tonle Sap river after they were ordered to leave within one week of being notified by local authorities in Prek Pnov district, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, June 12, 2021. Photo by Reuters/Cindy Liu President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has promised to support Cambodia's ethnic Vietnamese to soon have legal identities as they are not registered citizens in either country. During a meeting on Wednesday with officials at the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of businesses and the Vietnamese community in Cambodia, President Phuc said "there is no community that has encountered as many difficulties as the ethnic Vietnamese in Cambodia." It is because of their "uncertain legal status," and many of them do not have any identity documents such as ID cards or passports, he said. Phuc was in Cambodia for a two-day state visit on Dec. 21-22 at the invitation of King Norodom Sihamoni. Sim Chy, head of the Khmer-Vietnamese Association in Cambodia, told the meeting that the ethnic Vietnamese community is facing even more difficulties due to the plan to relocate them by the Cambodian government. Cambodian had earlier this year announced a plan to dismantle or relocate floating houses, fish farms, and boathouses or any other unregulated and illegal structures along the Tonle Sap River in Kampong Chhnang Province and Phnom Penh City. The reason given for this relocation is that the floating village dwellers "seriously affect water biodiversity, damage water quality, pollute the environment and affect the beauty of Phnom Penh, as well as affect the health of people who use unclean water." The decision affects thousands of ethnic Vietnamese as many of them are not eligible for the resettlement policy of the Cambodian government, because they are recognized neither as Cambodian nor as Vietnamese citizens. Sim asked the Vietnamese head of state to suggest the Cambodian government soon issue an official document on the rights of ethnic Vietnamese people who have registered as foreigners living in Cambodia, as well as have a decision to recognize them as expats and grant them permanent residence cards. He also asks the Vietnamese leader to propose the Cambodian authorities simplify the process and procedures for those who have fulfilled the obligations of foreigners in the immigration category. President Phuc said he will discuss with competent authorities to come up with feasible and effective solutions so that the ethnic Vietnamese community in Cambodia will soon have their legal status and settle down. He also called them to "comply with the laws of the host country, take care of their business, and be exemplary." "Embassies must promptly advise people of Vietnamese origin on regulations related to outstanding and border issues," said the president. According to the Khmer-Vietnamese Association, there are currently 30,000 ethnic Vietnamese in Phnom Penh. Between the late 19th century and early 20th century, the French sent thousands of Vietnamese to Cambodia to work on their rubber farms and through the years, a Vietnamese community took root in the new land. This community became a genocidal target under the Khmer Republic and Khmer Rouge governments in the 1970s. Thousands were killed and many more sought refuge in Vietnam. The Khmer Rouge invaded Vietnam and killed tens of thousands of Vietnamese between 1975 and 1979. On the plea of Cambodian revolutionaries, Vietnamese soldiers entered Cambodia in January 1979, launched a retaliatory attack on the Khmer Rouge and succeeded in freeing Phnom Penh and large parts of Cambodia from their grasp. After the war ended, the ethnic Vietnamese returned to Tonle Sap, where their parents, grandparents and they were born, only to discover that they had been labeled as "illegal immigrants." As the Cambodian law only allows Cambodian citizens to buy land, thousands of ethnic Vietnamese settled in villages on stilts. After the pioneers, two more generations of Vietnamese Cambodians have been born in Cambodia, living with no official documentation of their existence until these days. According to the Cambodian Overseas Vietnamese Association, over 1,500 Vietnamese families live in floating villages by Lake Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater body in Southeast Asia. The agreement was reached Tuesday during talks held by Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, a foreign ministry press release said. Phuc is paying a two-day official visit (December 21-22) to Cambodia. The two leaders stressed that they will cooperate to solve issues that arise during the negotiations in the spirit of solidarity and friendship, contributing to building a border of peace, stability and cooperation. Vietnam and Cambodia also agreed to fully and seriously implement treaties, agreements related to the border of the two countries, including two legal documents confirming 84 percent of border demarcation and marker erections that they achieved to date. The two legal documents were signed in 2019. Between 2006 and 2019, Vietnam and Cambodia completed the demarcation of about 1,045 km on their border, and erected 2,047 markers at 1,553 positions. Taliban members in Afghanistan have summarily executed or forcibly disappeared more than 100 former police and intelligence officers since the fall of Kabul on August 15, despite a declared amnesty, Human Rights Watch said in a recent report. In a joint statement, signed as of December 15, the United States, 27 other nations, and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, expressed deep concern over these abuses documented by Human Rights Watch and others. The Human Rights Watch report in particular documents the killing or disappearance of 47 former members of the Afghan National Security Forces who had surrendered to or were apprehended by Taliban forces between August 15 and October 31. Human Rights Watch gathered information on more than 100 killings from Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar, and Kunduz provinces alone. The Taliban have been able to access government employment records, using them to identify people for arrest and execution. According to Human Rights Watch in Kandahar city in late September, Taliban forces went to the home of Baz Muhammad, who had been employed by the former state intelligence agency and arrested him. Relatives later found his body. The Taliban leaderships promised amnesty has not stopped local commanders from summarily executing or disappearing former Afghan security force members, said Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch. The burden is on the Taliban to prevent further killings, hold those responsible to account, and compensate the victims families. The joint statement underlined that the alleged actions constitute serious human rights abuses and contradict the Talibans announced amnesty. We call on the Taliban to effectively enforce the amnesty for former members of the Afghan security forces and former government officials to ensure that it is upheld across the country and throughout their ranks. Reported cases must be investigated promptly and in a transparent manner, those responsible must be held accountable, and these steps must be clearly publicized as an immediate deterrent to further killings and disappearances, declared the joint statement. We will continue to measure the Taliban by their actions. The foreign ministers of the G7 countries warned Russia that there would be massive consequences and severe costs for Russia if it pursued further military aggression against Ukraine. In a joint statement, the top diplomats of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the High Representative of the European Union said they are united incondemnation of Russias military build-up and aggressive rhetoric towards Ukraine. They called on Russia to de-escalate, pursue diplomatic channels, and abide by transparency of military activities as President Biden did in his call with President Putin on 7 December. In a briefing after that call, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said President Biden told President Putin directly that if Russia further invades Ukraine, the United States and our European allies would respond with strong economic measures. We would provide additional defensive materiel to the Ukrainians above and beyond that which we are already providing. And we would fortify our NATO Allies on the eastern flank with additional capabilities in response to such an escalation. National Security Advisor Sullivan said that President Biden told President Putin that there was another option: de-escalation and diplomacy. There are several venues, he noted, where the United States and its European allies could engage in a discussion with Russia that would include our strategic concerns as well as Russias - the NATO-Russia Council and the OSCE, among them. The United States is also prepared to help facilitate implementation of the Minsk agreements in support of the Normandy Format. In an interview with NBC News, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said U.S. allies, including those in the G7, are equally resolute in their determination to stand against Russian aggression, to ideally deter it, prevent itBut if Russia continues to take reckless and aggressive actions, we will respond. Secretary Blinken emphasized that the commitment by the United States and its allies to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, is resolute. But, he said, 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; one country cant dictate to another country its choices Thats what Russia is purporting to assert, declared Secretary Blinken, and if we let that go with impunity, then the entire system that provides for stability, prevents war from breaking out is endangered. The wrong man: inside the world of a Somali sailor hanged for murder. "The Fortune Men" by Nadifa Mohamed; Alfred A. Knopf (320 pages, $27) Mahmood Mattan has been rescued. Given new life, he emerges from the pages of "The Fortune Men" as a full-blooded literary victim-hero with all the complexity that such a status tends to require. It's a miraculous feat by Somali-British writer Nadifa Mohamed, coming 70 years after Mahmood, falsely accused of murdering a woman in her store in Cardiff, was hanged in a dank Welsh prison. Mahmood died in 1952. Family and friends sought for decades to clear his name. Finally, in 1998, a panel of British judges quashed Mahmood's conviction. With the basic facts of the case and its outcome widely known, what is left for a novelist? How will she maintain suspense? Mohamed overcomes such doubts with the feast of her prose. She brings magic to her project, achieving in fiction what no historical account could match. Mahmood grew up Muslim amid famine, drought, clan warfare and colonial occupation in Somalia. His pious mother thought nothing of medicating her boy with words of the Qur'an washed off a chalkboard and stirred into a potion for drinking. As a teen, he began a wandering life as a laborer in Africa before circling the globe as a sailor on merchant ships. Though he spoke five languages, he could scarcely read or write. He never feared taking chances or facing the unknown: "I am a gambling soul. Even as a small boy if someone say to me, 'Oh, I know you won't do that or you can't do this,' I look them in the eye and just do it. I take everything life give me and throw it in fate's face." Mahmood's ill-fated story picks up in Tiger Bay, a port town where he hopes to reunite with his estranged wife and their three young sons. It's a bustling place, blasted, polluted, bruised by World War II, the kind of town where "you can have chop suey for lunch and Yemeni saltah for dinner." The town is multiracial but also plenty racist, with Blacks from the West Indies and Africa working as laborers and living in slums. More prosperous but also emigres are the Volacki sisters, whose Jewish father moved there from Russia 50 years earlier and became a successful merchant. By the 1950s, Violet Volacki is running the family store. One night, answering the door after closing hours, she is killed, purportedly by a Black man. Without much in the way of evidence or witnesses, Mahmood soon becomes the chief murder suspect. "The Fortune Men" revels in the sensual details of its life-and-death tale, from the starry Somali desert of Mahmood's youth to the smell of cooked food threading the air of Tiger Bay. A celebration of Eid, the parade and feast to end Ramadan, is enjoyed by all: "Aproned matrons, flat-capped gamblers, ruined rummies, yapping dogs, fresh-faced bar girls and leather-jacketed teenage delinquents watch from the pavement and wave out of windows. A few tatty Union Jacks, left over from VE-Day celebrations, flap about. The giddy children delight in what they call Muslim Christmas." The unbridled delight of such scenes gives rise to the existential dread that curdles Mahmood's reflective soul when it dawns on him that his innocence will not protect him from the hangman's noose. The trial is a joke. Mahmood's own lawyer may as well have been working for the prosecution, and a guilty verdict and death sentence are quickly announced. Believable, flawed, labile, proud, defiant, fatalistic and vengeful, Mahmood captures our full sympathy, and his final days are filled with insight and pathos. In a reversal of the western perspective, Mohamed shows us Britain through the eyes of this outsider, the Black African, the Muslim. It's an eye-opening angle of vision and an unforgettable one. Claude Peck is a former Star Tribune editor and a member of the National Book Critics Circle. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In a party-line vote on Tuesday, six Republican lawmakers blocked the state Board of Healths COVID-19 vaccine mandates for college students and state health and corrections workers from becoming permanent. The tied 6-6 vote on the Legislative Commission, a panel of legislators charged with giving final approval to proposed regulations, means the mandate for students is no longer in effect, as the 120-day timeline for the emergency regulation approved in August expired over the weekend. The emergency regulation for health and corrections workers is set to expire in early January. Tuesdays vote was a show of political force for the states legislative Republicans, who are in the minority in the Legislature but not on the commission. They challenged the permanent nature of the regulations presented by both the state Department of Health and Human Services and the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE). I dont [think] permanent regulation is a wise thing to do now, but to look at the 120 days, make a substantial change in the emergency regulation that uses real words instead of prove immunity, and just require vaccination if you want to do a mandate, Sen. Joe Hardy (R-Boulder City) said. Hardy distinguished between the two ways of requiring vaccination against COVID-19, noting that even though he is a believer in vaccines, they do not ensure immunity against the virus. Vaccines can limit the spread of COVID-19 and help prevent severe cases of the disease, but Hardy said there are no ways to guarantee someone has proof of immunity against COVID-19, which is the language used in the Board of Healths regulation for college students. Following the vote, the Board of Health is prevented by state law from approving another emergency regulation with the same vaccination requirements, so any vaccine mandate for the same groups would have to be enacted by the Legislature or through the typical permanent regulatory process that would require approval by the board and commission. In a statement Tuesday evening, a spokesperson for the governors office said the traditional promulgation process for such vaccine requirements lengthier and more involved than the one used for the emergency regulations will continue. However, when that process may be completed or if the commission will approve the regulation at that later stage remains unclear. Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro (D-Las Vegas) pushed back on arguments against the mandates in a lengthy speech to the commission, noting her confidence in the process for religious and medical exemptions to the vaccine requirements and defending the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. To me, it is irresponsible of us not to approve this, Cannizzaro said. This is common sense public health policy that we are being asked to approve, and to do anything less than approve these regulations today, I think is simply pandering to a political message that is not what we should owe to the people of the state of Nevada. Since the mandate for state workers was enacted in September, the vaccination among corrections workers has significantly increased, rising by 12 percentage points from Oct. 25 to Nov. 22 to a rate of 76 percent, weeks after an initial Nov. 1 deadline to receive vaccinations. The requirement covered a broad spectrum of workers in the Department of Corrections and Department of Health and Human Services, specifically applying to employees or contractors of the state government who enter into an institution for vulnerable populations, such as a prison or hospital, as part of their work. During the meeting, Hardy raised an issue with the mandate applying to corrections workers, but not to the populations they oversee. I think its ironic that we are proposing a mandate for people who take care of prisoners staff and we dont have that same mandate proposed to take care of the very vulnerable people in prison, Hardy said. Student mandate The Board of Health initially passed a student vaccine mandate under an emergency regulation in August, after both an internal NSHE task force and the governors office asked the board to explore such a mandate amid the early spread of the Delta variant and the then-looming fall semester. The move essentially required all public college or university students enrolling in next springs in-person classes to be fully vaccinated against COVID, barring limited religious or medical exemptions. The tying of a vaccination requirement to the enrollment process as well as exemptions for students taking fully online course loads has since created uncertainty over the actual number of vaccinated students. Though they began in November, enrollment periods extend into mid-January, and it remains unclear how many students may yet enroll in in-person classes and, among them, how many of the more than 106,000 students enrolled at NSHE schools are vaccinated. We have over 70,000 students who have submitted their vaccine requirements, Amy Pason, chair of Faculty Senate chairs, said in an interview after the vote. But the concern is when youre asking us to go into classrooms 100 students, 200 students and youre not sure how many of those students in that room are vaccinated. Thats where the risk goes up. As of mid-November, statistics shared by individual institutions showed a varying range of completed vaccinations and valid exemptions vis-a-vis the number of enrolled students, all the way from 82 percent at UNR to 62 percent at Nevada State College. However, those numbers have likely increased in the weeks since, and the availability of online coursework especially at community colleges may complicate the degree to which in-person enrollment numbers may be used as a stand-in for total vaccination rates among all students. A federal lawsuit was filed in November on behalf of a UNR student challenging the vaccine mandate; a judge denied the request for a temporary restraining order earlier this month. Uncertainties over vaccination numbers have come amid increasing concerns over the possible impact of the highly transmissible Omicron variant on campus communities both faculty and students that have little appetite to return to a fully virtual learning experience. We dont know what the effect will be, but the fear among many is that without the full vaccination mandate and other safety precautions, that we will end up having to go back to remote operations again, Kent Ervin, President of the Nevada Faculty Alliance, said in an interview on Tuesday. And nobody wants to go back to online instruction. In a memo sent late Tuesday, NSHE Chancellor Melody Rose directed institutions to immediately lift any registration holds put in place because of a lack of covid vaccination, a move that appears to allow students to enroll in in-person courses regardless of vaccination status. NSHE staff mandate With the student mandate gone, another vaccine mandate for higher education employees may also come under increased scrutiny by the Board of Regents. Through multiple public meetings discussing the specifics of that employee mandate, some regents including a handful who voted against implementing any requirement at all have linked the necessity of the employee requirement to the existence of the student counterpart. At a meeting earlier this month, some regents again debated the usefulness of the mandate, and four of the 13 members ultimately voted against a procedural motion making the vaccine requirement a permanent policy change ahead of another formal review process expected sometime next year. Things are happening so fast, I just feel that this knee-jerk response is a bit much, Regent Laura Perkins said at the time. I think all of us said that things are changing so fast, theyre in a state of flux, so I would have real reservations about making a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Even if the employee mandate is removed, however, the vast majority of system employees have already proven their vaccination status 94.3 percent as of Dec. 13 or, in a small number of cases 2.9 percent have been granted a religious or medical exemption. The remaining 2.9 percent of unvaccinated employees have already been given notices of termination, but those terminations will not take effect until Dec. 31. Before then, employees who receive their first shot will have their firings stayed, and even after, those who are fired will have a one-month grace period where they may have their employment reinstated if they get the vaccine. It remains unclear if a minimum number of regents may attempt to call a special meeting of the board ahead of the Dec. 31 termination deadline. A spokesperson for NSHE did not immediately reply to a request for comment. When asked about the possibility of a special meeting to consider the employee mandate, Regents Chair Pro Tempore Carol Del Carlo did not respond, and Vice Chair Pro Tempore Amy Carvalho deferred to an NSHE spokesperson. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Over the past two decades, the two-way trade has expanded 8.6 percent, much higher than the average growth rate of 5.8 percent between Australia and other ASEAN countries. (Photo: VNA) The Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy sets out a road map to increase trade and investment opportunities, forging closer ties between the two countries. The Strategy is unique, the first of its kind for Vietnam and Australia and reflective of both countries mutual interests. At a meeting in Hanoi with Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, Tran Quoc Phuong, Australias Ambassador to Vietnam, HE Robyn Mudie, said: We are proud to have publicly released this strategy in partnership Vietnam. It is the strongest reflection yet of our confidence in our shared economic future. Through this strategy we can recover our economies and prosper together. Our economies are highly complementary. Australia is a reliable supplier of the services and raw materials that Vietnams exporters require, and our consumers enjoy Vietnams high-quality products in their homes and workplaces. There is enormous potential to take this relationship even further as we emerge from COVID-19, she added. The Ambassador said that the Strategy would help guide the two countries towards an inclusive and sustainable growth path. Australias Ambassador to Vietnam, HE Robyn Mudie and Vice Minister for Planning and Investment, Tran Quoc Phuong present the Australia Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy. (Photo: The Embassy of Australia to Vietnam) At the meeting, Vice Minister Phuong said: The economic potential between Australia and Vietnam is great. This strategy will be central to realising this potential. It demonstrates our commitment to promote economic, trade and investment links across key sectors and will help support the post COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery. To support Australian and Vietnam businesses, the strategy outlines a series of mutually beneficial, practical initiatives to deepen trade and investment links in key sectors including across agriculture, education, energy, services and the digital economy. The Strategy also highlights the importance of strengthening the rules-based global trading system as the basis for open international trade and working together to address economic challenges and coercive economic practices Binh Thuan attaches QR codes to tourist attractions People scan QR codes at an attraction. (Photo: nhandan.com.vn) From December 21, local people and tourists to tourist attractions in Phan Thiet city in the central province of Binh Thuan only need to scan a QR code to find destination information. The pilot installation of QR codes by the Binh Thuan Tourism Promotion Information Center is part of the strategy of applying science and technology and digitizing tourism data in tourism activities. QR codes are installed at 5 attractions, including: Duc Thanh School relic, Po Sah Inu Tower, Phan Thiet Water Tower, Van Thuy Tu Palace and Thanh Minh Tu Palace. As local people and tourists use their phones or smart devices to scan the QR code, they will be directed to the link to the official website of the tourism industry www.dulichbinhthuan.com.vn. All informational content, images and video clips introducing the attractions will be displayed. The provincial Tourism Promotion Information Center said that in the near future, it will continue to deploy additional QR codes at other tourist attractions of Phan Thiet city and other localities. Additional address for tourists to Hoi An The opening of the "Hoi An Prison" Relic Gallery. (Photo: nhandan.com.vn) On December 21, the Hoi An Cultural Heritage Conservation Management Center in the central province of Quang Nam inaugurated the Hoi An Prison Relic Gallery as a tourist attraction combined with traditional education. Hoi An Prison, commonly known as Xom Moi Prison, or Quang Nam Re-education Center, was built in 1960 to hold cadres, soldiers and compatriots in all localities in Quang Nam and other provinces. In 2007, Hoi An Prison was recognized as a provincial relic by the provincial Peoples Committee. The restoration project started in 2012, on the basis of thousands of pages of collected documents and hundreds of opinion votes. The Hoi An Prison Relic Gallery received 62 artifacts from former prisoners, 3,390 resumes and many other works. Initially, the place will be a space to display documents and artifacts, contributing to enriching types of sightseeing in Hoi An./. Vietnam, Cambodia enhance cooperation in agriculture The two sides agreed to boost cooperation in the agro-forestry-fishery sector; strengthen control of timber import and export activities; and prevent and control diseases on plants and animals. Overview of the working session between the two sides. (Photo: VNA) The agreement was made during a working session between the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Phnom Penh on December 21. The working session took place within the framework of President Nguyen Xuan Phucs ongoing State visit to Cambodia. At the event, representatives of the two ministries also agreed to propose and study the signing of a number of cooperation agreements on agriculture and fisheries between the two Governments in the coming time. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh said Vietnam is the biggest among 90 importers of Cambodian agricultural products, and it wishes to speed up the implementation of cooperation projects in agriculture and aquaculture with the neighboring country. Notably, there is a project to build a model of aquaculture technology transfer in the Tonle Sap region of Cambodia, worth 70 billion VND (about 3 million USD). Meanwhile, Cambodian Minister Veng Sakhon said that in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have recorded remarkable achievements in cooperation in growing industrial and agricultural trees, especially rubber and banana./. Photo taken on Dec. 20, 2021 shows a set of chime bells, the largest ever unearthed in China, which was found in 1978 in the tomb of Marquis Yi, a ruler of the Zeng State during the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC), on display in the new exhibition hall of Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. The Hubei Provincial Museum, located in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, opened a new exhibition hall on Monday, with its most famous exhibits moved to the new location. The museum is one of the best known in China, with more than 240,000 items in the collection and nearly 1,000 top state-level historic and cultural relics, according to the institution. With the new exhibition hall, the area of the Hubei Provincial Museum now totals 113,800 square meters, with around 36,000 square meters of exhibition area. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) A visitor appreciates cultural relics in Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 20, 2021. The Hubei Provincial Museum, located in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, opened a new exhibition hall on Monday, with its most famous exhibits moved to the new location. The museum is one of the best known in China, with more than 240,000 items in the collection and nearly 1,000 top state-level historic and cultural relics, according to the institution. With the new exhibition hall, the area of the Hubei Provincial Museum now totals 113,800 square meters, with around 36,000 square meters of exhibition area. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) A visitor appreciates cultural relics in Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 20, 2021. The Hubei Provincial Museum, located in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, opened a new exhibition hall on Monday, with its most famous exhibits moved to the new location. The museum is one of the best known in China, with more than 240,000 items in the collection and nearly 1,000 top state-level historic and cultural relics, according to the institution. With the new exhibition hall, the area of the Hubei Provincial Museum now totals 113,800 square meters, with around 36,000 square meters of exhibition area. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) A visitor appreciates cultural relics in Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 20, 2021. The Hubei Provincial Museum, located in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, opened a new exhibition hall on Monday, with its most famous exhibits moved to the new location. The museum is one of the best known in China, with more than 240,000 items in the collection and nearly 1,000 top state-level historic and cultural relics, according to the institution. With the new exhibition hall, the area of the Hubei Provincial Museum now totals 113,800 square meters, with around 36,000 square meters of exhibition area. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) Visitors appreciate cultural relics in Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 20, 2021. The Hubei Provincial Museum, located in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, opened a new exhibition hall on Monday, with its most famous exhibits moved to the new location. The museum is one of the best known in China, with more than 240,000 items in the collection and nearly 1,000 top state-level historic and cultural relics, according to the institution. With the new exhibition hall, the area of the Hubei Provincial Museum now totals 113,800 square meters, with around 36,000 square meters of exhibition area. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) Photo taken on Dec. 20, 2021 shows cultural relics on display in the new exhibition hall of Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. The Hubei Provincial Museum, located in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, opened a new exhibition hall on Monday, with its most famous exhibits moved to the new location. The museum is one of the best known in China, with more than 240,000 items in the collection and nearly 1,000 top state-level historic and cultural relics, according to the institution. With the new exhibition hall, the area of the Hubei Provincial Museum now totals 113,800 square meters, with around 36,000 square meters of exhibition area. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) A visitor appreciates cultural relics in Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 20, 2021. The Hubei Provincial Museum, located in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, opened a new exhibition hall on Monday, with its most famous exhibits moved to the new location. The museum is one of the best known in China, with more than 240,000 items in the collection and nearly 1,000 top state-level historic and cultural relics, according to the institution. With the new exhibition hall, the area of the Hubei Provincial Museum now totals 113,800 square meters, with around 36,000 square meters of exhibition area. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) A visitor looks at the Sword of Goujian, which was named after the king of the state of Yue during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), in Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 20, 2021. The Hubei Provincial Museum, located in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, opened a new exhibition hall on Monday, with its most famous exhibits moved to the new location. The museum is one of the best known in China, with more than 240,000 items in the collection and nearly 1,000 top state-level historic and cultural relics, according to the institution. With the new exhibition hall, the area of the Hubei Provincial Museum now totals 113,800 square meters, with around 36,000 square meters of exhibition area. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) Visitors look at the Sword of Goujian, which was named after the king of the state of Yue during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), in Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 20, 2021. The Hubei Provincial Museum, located in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, opened a new exhibition hall on Monday, with its most famous exhibits moved to the new location. The museum is one of the best known in China, with more than 240,000 items in the collection and nearly 1,000 top state-level historic and cultural relics, according to the institution. With the new exhibition hall, the area of the Hubei Provincial Museum now totals 113,800 square meters, with around 36,000 square meters of exhibition area. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) A visitor looks at the Sword of Goujian, which was named after the king of the state of Yue during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), in Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 20, 2021. The Hubei Provincial Museum, located in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, opened a new exhibition hall on Monday, with its most famous exhibits moved to the new location. The museum is one of the best known in China, with more than 240,000 items in the collection and nearly 1,000 top state-level historic and cultural relics, according to the institution. With the new exhibition hall, the area of the Hubei Provincial Museum now totals 113,800 square meters, with around 36,000 square meters of exhibition area. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) Photo taken on Dec. 20, 2021 shows the exterior view of the new exhibition hall of Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. The Hubei Provincial Museum, located in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, opened a new exhibition hall on Monday, with its most famous exhibits moved to the new location. The museum is one of the best known in China, with more than 240,000 items in the collection and nearly 1,000 top state-level historic and cultural relics, according to the institution. With the new exhibition hall, the area of the Hubei Provincial Museum now totals 113,800 square meters, with around 36,000 square meters of exhibition area. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) A visitor looks at a cultural relic in Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 20, 2021. The Hubei Provincial Museum, located in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, opened a new exhibition hall on Monday, with its most famous exhibits moved to the new location. The museum is one of the best known in China, with more than 240,000 items in the collection and nearly 1,000 top state-level historic and cultural relics, according to the institution. With the new exhibition hall, the area of the Hubei Provincial Museum now totals 113,800 square meters, with around 36,000 square meters of exhibition area. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) Visitors look at a set of chime bells, the largest ever unearthed in China, which was found in 1978 in the tomb of Marquis Yi, a ruler of the Zeng State during the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC), in Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 20, 2021. The Hubei Provincial Museum, located in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, opened a new exhibition hall on Monday, with its most famous exhibits moved to the new location. The museum is one of the best known in China, with more than 240,000 items in the collection and nearly 1,000 top state-level historic and cultural relics, according to the institution. With the new exhibition hall, the area of the Hubei Provincial Museum now totals 113,800 square meters, with around 36,000 square meters of exhibition area. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) Editor: WXY Local residents clear up mud and debris after flood hit in Hulu Langat of Selangor state, Malaysia, Dec. 21, 2021. Another nine people have been reported dead, bringing the total deaths due to severe flooding in Malaysia to 17 as of Tuesday, authorities in Selangor stae said. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua) KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Another nine people have been reported dead, bringing the total deaths due to severe flooding in Malaysia to 17 as of Tuesday, authorities in Selangor state said. Selangor state Chief Minister Amirudin Shari said at a press briefing more bodies have been found as floodwaters start subsiding, adding that the state government has mobilized all necessary resources to aid the victims. "At this time, our focus is to ensure search and rescue operations are carried out effectively and that they reach all who need it," he said. The number of displaced persons due to flooding in Malaysia has risen to over 69,400 in seven states plus the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur as of 10:00 p.m. local time Tuesday, according to data from the Malaysian social welfare department. The worst-hit state is Pahang along the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia, with over 42,000 people being evacuated to flood relief centers, followed by Selangor state with over 23,000 evacuated. The country's meteorological department has warned of more rain in the Peninsula Malaysia, with rain and storms expected in several states on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob told a meeting with chief ministers this morning that it was found that states such as Terengganu, Kelantan and Pahang had been prepared to face the floods, especially during this time of the year, according to state news agency Bernama. He said while east coast states have been prepared to face annual floods, the situation in Selangor state is unexpected, and acknowledged that there have been problems with the disaster management response. "I don't deny (the weakness) and will improve in the future. The responsibility is not that of the federal government alone, but also the state governments and the frontliners in the districts." "In Selangor, there is a problem. We are transparent about this, and I do not want to cover for anyone," he said. A local resident walks on a muddy path after flood hit in Hulu Langat of Selangor state, Malaysia, Dec. 21, 2021. Another nine people have been reported dead, bringing the total deaths due to severe flooding in Malaysia to 17 as of Tuesday, authorities in Selangor state said. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua) A cat runs on a muddy path after flood hit in Hulu Langat of Selangor state, Malaysia, Dec. 21, 2021. Another nine people have been reported dead, bringing the total deaths due to severe flooding in Malaysia to 17 as of Tuesday, authorities in Selangor state said. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua) Local residents clear up mud and debris after flood hit in Hulu Langat of Selangor state, Malaysia, Dec. 21, 2021. Another nine people have been reported dead, bringing the total deaths due to severe flooding in Malaysia to 17 as of Tuesday, authorities in Selangor state said. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua) Editor: WXL Chancellor candidate of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) Olaf Scholz attends a press conference at the headquarters of SPD in Berlin, Germany, on Sept. 27, 2021.(Xinhua/Shan Yuqi) Xi said he hopes Germany will continue to play a positive role in stabilizing China-EU ties and inject stability and positive energy into the China-EU relationship. BEIJING, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday held a phone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In the conversation, Xi congratulated Scholz once again on his inauguration as German chancellor. Xi stressed that China attaches great importance to its relations with Germany. In recent years, China-Germany cooperation has always been a "bellwether" of cooperation between China and the European Union (EU), which is a right choice made by the two countries in line with the development trend of the times, he said. Xi noted that the next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany. Over the past half century, China-Germany relations have demonstrated ample vitality, endurance, resilience and potential, Xi said, adding that for the next 50 years, the two countries should embrace a global vision from a long-term perspective, forge ahead and strive for new development of China-Germany relations. First, Xi suggested, the two countries should chart the general course of bilateral relations from a strategic perspective. Both China and Germany are major countries with important influence, Xi said, adding that a sound development of bilateral relations not only serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and their people, but also contributes to world peace and stability. Xi stressed that the two sides should unwaveringly view each other's development as an opportunity, maintain the fine tradition of high-level leadership, and set the direction for the development of China-Germany relations. The two sides should give play to the role of bilateral dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, and particularly make good use of their intergovernmental consultation mechanism, so as to promote cooperation in various fields, Xi said. He added that the two sides should strengthen communication and coordination, and jointly plan the 50th-anniversary celebration activities next year. China-Europe freight train "Shanghai Express" is seen in Hamburg, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Qing) Second, Xi said, the two countries should actively promote mutually beneficial cooperation in a practical manner. The Chinese and German economies have benefited a lot from each other's development, Xi noted, adding that China has been Germany's largest trading partner for five consecutive years, and bilateral economic and trade cooperation has kept growing despite the pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic. He pointed out that the two sides should actively explore new areas of cooperation such as new energy and green and digital economy, and unleash the growth potential of trade in services. German enterprises are welcome to leverage their advantages and seize the new opportunities brought by China's opening-up, Xi said, adding that the Chinese side hopes that Germany will provide a fair business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Germany. Noting that Germany is an important node of the China-Europe Railway Express, Xi said he believes that enhanced cooperation between China and Germany within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative will benefit countries along the route and promote connectivity of the Eurasian continent. Third, Xi pointed out, the two sides need to work together to meet challenges and make new contributions to global governance. Both China and Germany are defenders of multilateralism and contributors to global development, Xi noted. He suggested that they increase coordination and cooperation in international affairs, and find practical solutions to problems concerning the shared future of mankind, such as fighting COVID-19; promoting fair distribution of vaccines; spurring post-pandemic economic recovery across the globe, especially in developing countries; tackling climate change; alleviating poverty; and achieving sustainable development. He called for concerted efforts to seek settlement of regional hotspot issues through dialogue, uphold and strengthen the principle of democracy in international relations, and firmly oppose all forms of hegemonic behavior and Cold War mentality. Only when countries develop together can there be true development, he said, adding that China is ready to work with Germany to promote the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Xi underscored that China and the EU are two major independent forces in the world with broad strategic consensus and common interests. Visitors tour the Germany exhibition booth during the 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Tiancong) The two sides, he added, should stay committed to the comprehensive strategic partnership and the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit, so as to ensure consistent sound and steady development of China-EU relations. Xi said he hopes Germany will continue to play a positive role in stabilizing China-EU ties and inject stability and positive energy into the China-EU relationship. For his part, Scholz thanked Xi for sending a congratulatory message on his election as German chancellor, adding that he still has fresh memories of his exchanges with Xi, and is ready to inherit and advance Germany-China friendship and cooperation. At present, Germany and China are witnessing sound development of their trade and investment ties, close cooperation in confronting such global challenges as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, and close communication on such regional affairs as Afghanistan and the Iranian nuclear issue, which constitute the three pillars for the sustained development of Germany-China relations, Scholz said. Germany is willing to work with China in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual trust to push for further development of the Germany-China all-round strategic partnership, he said. Germany, Scholz said, stands ready to take the 50th anniversary as an opportunity to hold a successful new round of intergovernmental consultations, strengthen practical cooperation in such areas as clean energy, digital economy and the service sector, and promote EU-China relations in a constructive manner. Scholz said that he hopes the EU-China investment agreement will enter into force at an early date, and that Germany is ready to work with China to uphold multilateralism in international affairs. In the conversation, the two leaders also exchanged New Year greetings, and agreed to maintain regular communication and make joint efforts to advance China-Germany and China-EU relations to new levels. Editor: WXL Eduard Mkrtchan, entrepreneur, economic expert, head of a charitable foundation After two years of pandemic, the world began to focus differently on the values of university potential. The higher education system was quicker than others to navigate in COVID-realities. And earlier than others she offered the society anti-crisis algorithms. Many research and student platforms became centers of analysis of public policies and strategies. The result is research programs and applications aimed at curbing the virus and its effects. The most notable marker is the well-known vaccine, the name of which is consonant with the brand of the British University. Even before the pandemic, the worlds leading universities began their transformation from a rapidly obsolete research center to a model "3.0". Its essence is the strengthening of educational and scientific activities by the mission of innovative development of territories. This mission is historic for classical universities. For example, in the Kyiv-Mohyla and Ostroh academies, which formed the Ukrainian elites, they initiated book printing and determined the national consciousness. Responsible leadership stimulates innovation challenges. For example, in Finland, since 2007, universities have been legally assigned the functions of innovative development of territories. A striking example is the provincial town of Joensuu, which has become a technological park and a center for technological research. This role implies an impact on the economy, the quality of human capital and the innovative potential of the community. It forces universities to drift from the periphery to the epicenter of social processes. In Europe, the boundaries between academic and applied knowledge are blurring. Innovation centers are moving into the university walls. Students are not simply given basic knowledge. They are taught to develop technologies, forming an entrepreneurial spirit in them. At the same time, the conservatism of the educational system in Ukraine became apparent. She has not shown leadership in the development of the country or individual regions. Including Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where the pandemic was aggravated by the war and occupation. Moreover, in this region we are witnessing crisis, associated with the relocation of ten universities from Donetsk and seven from Luhansk to the territory controlled by Ukraine. They could have given impetus to the development of local communities, but have now become shackles to their budgets. For example, the Donetsk Medical and Donetsk National Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, which moved to Kramatorsk at the beginning of the war, entered into a constructive dialogue with the city hall only after its reboot in 2020. And before that, they fought for existence, proving their right to live. An important marker, which indicates the understanding of the current Kramatorsk authorities' of the value of the higher education system was the proposal of Mayor Oleksandr Honcharenko to equip Donetsk Medical University in the buildings of one of the local enterprises. Project visualization has already been presented. Of course, the path from idea to implementation will take a long time. But the first step in the case has been taken. In the long run, one of the facets of Kramatorsk's positioning may be the status of a university hub in medicine and construction. Here are the conditions for the start - institutions, initial human resources, generations of students with new thinking. And most importantly - the region's colossal need for innovation. It is not too late for Ukraine to stake on the trend of "responsible universities". This task is especially relevant for Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The region must respond to economic, environmental and infrastructural challenges. It is not enough to state external changes. It is important to predict them by offering applied solutions. This mission is for strong universities capable of transformation. Responsible leadership is for responsible players. For relocated universities, it is necessary to consider the options for merging. This is a requirement of competition. For example, Luhansk National Agrarian University is torn between Slovyansk, Kostiantynivka and Starobilsk. It is important for Ukraine to see the instruments for moving forward in the system of universities. This is a strategic untapped resource. We need solutions to prevent stagnation, de-industrialization and unemployment. University potential can play a decisive role in this. It should be considered more broadly than training, retraining or advanced training programs. The transformation into a university of a third level requires focusing on the interests of society, business, and government. This will give the right to apply to the formation of regional strategies and economic models. Strengthening the self-sufficiency of the educational institution and the human resources of communities. Innovation stimulates the involvement of competitive staff. Go beyond the usual market of applicants, students and teachers to find talent in other regions or countries. These are investments in human capitalization and community competitiveness. Responsible leadership is a magnet that attracts talented graduates. And this is a motivator for their further work for the benefit of local communities. Which will provide innovative development of the region, expert support of self-government, capitalization of the territory. The prosecution authorities in the trial of the downed MH17 believes that the amount that should be paid to everyone who have lost their relatives and loved ones in this disaster should amount to EUR 40,000. Prosecutor General Birgit van Roessel said Tuesday in her indictment at the Schiphol trial that to a spouse, the officially registered partner of the deceased and a close partner who lived together [with the deceased], children, parents, guardians, the amount of compensation should be EUR 40,000. Van Roessel continued that the second category, which includes children and parents who did not live with the deceased, should be paid EUR 35,000, and the third category, which includes brothers, sisters, grandmothers, grandfathers, grandchildren, uncles and aunts, nephews and families of the spouses who lived with the deceased EUR 30,000. She said that this amount applies to everyone who lost a loved one. She also said that the investigation considers it necessary to transfer the wreckage of the downed Boeing to Malaysian Airlines, as well as the cockpit, which was reconstructed to restore the picture of the damage. The prosecution believes that regarding the wreckage of the missile that belonged to the Russian army, they should be confiscated. They believe that the missile did not officially belong to the accused Girkin, it was a missile from the Russian Armed Forces, and it could be confiscated because the Russian armed forces knew that Girkin and other defendants were using the missile to shoot down planes. On Wednesday, the prosecutor is expected to announce his demand for the verdict to four defendants: three citizens of the Russian Federation and one citizen of Ukraine: Igor Girkin (Strelkov), Sergei Dubinsky, Oleg Pulatov and Leonid Kharchenko. All four are prosecuted for causing the crash of flight MH17, which killed 298 passengers, which is punishable by Article 168 of the Criminal Code, and for the murder of 298 passengers of MH17 flight, which is punishable by Article 289 of the Criminal Code. As reported, on July 17, 2014, the MH17 flight was shot down over Donbas, killing all 298 people on board. Two-thirds of passengers are citizens of the Netherlands. Citizens of Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, the UK, Belgium, the United States, Germany, the Philippines, Canada and New Zealand were also onboard. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which includes law enforcement from Ukraine, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, and Malaysia, is probing the incident. In September 2016, the Joint Investigation Group released its findings, according to which the airliner was shot down by a missile launched from a Buk air defense system, and a year ago it announced that the Buk belonged to the Russian 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade stationed in Kursk. Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili feels unwell and will be unable to attend the Tbilisi City Court's hearing on his illegal crossing of the Georgian border on Wednesday, lawyer Beka Basilaia told reporters. "Mikheil Saakashvili is weak and has difficulty moving around. The court will have another hearing tomorrow, and yet another proceeding is scheduled for next week," Basilaia said. Doctor Otar Toidze, who examined Saakashvili at a Gori hospital on Tuesday, recommended that Saakashvili abstain from attending court hearings. Saakashvili, former Georgian president and currently a citizen of Ukraine, secretly arrived in Georgia on September 29 and was detained in Tbilisi on October 1 and put in jail in the city of Rustavi soon afterwards, where he declared a hunger strike. On November 8, he was transferred to the prison infirmary in Tbilisi's Gldani district without the consent of his lawyers and family. On November 20, Saakashvili was transferred to a military hospital in Gori, where he stopped his hunger strike. Saakashvili has been convicted in Georgia in absentia in several criminal cases and is being treated as a suspect in some others. He has described his detention as unlawful and the charges brought against him as falsified. Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk intends in January 2022 to appeal to the speakers of the parliaments of the countries of the world with a request to recognize the Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine as genocide. "One of the fundamentally important for the creation and development of our state is the issue of the Holodomor. The world must know the truth about it, just as it learned about the Holocaust. Next year we will mark the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor. In this regard, in January next year, I will personally appeal to the speakers of the world's parliaments with a request to recognize the Holodomor as genocide of the Ukrainian people," the speaker said at the annual conference of Ukrainian ambassadors "Diplomacy 30. Strategy of a Strong State" on Wednesday. At the same time, he stressed that the support of this initiative on the part of the Ukrainian ambassadors and its correct presentation, taking into account the specifics of each country, are critically important. "I think that the entire Ukrainian people will be sincerely grateful if our ambassadors in all countries contribute to the adoption of appropriate decisions by the governments and parliaments of the world. And therefore I call upon the ambassadors in those countries that have not yet recognized this terrible crime of the Soviet Union and the communist regime, to convince the parliamentarians of these countries to take appropriate decisions," Stefanchuk said. The investigating judge of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) chose a custody status in the form of detention (in absentia) for former board chairman of PrivatBank Oleksandr Dubilet, who is suspected of embezzling the bank's funds in anticipation of its nationalization and causing damage to the bank in the amount of $314.9 million. "On December 22, 2021, at the request of a NABU [the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine] detective, approved by the SAPO [Ukraine's Special Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office] prosecutor, the investigating judge of HACC chose a custody status in the form of detention for the former board chairman of PrivatBank," HACC said in Telegram on Wednesday. As established in the course of the investigation, in December 2016, the day before PrivatBank was declared insolvent, Dubilet together with other persons, on the basis of false documents, paid the bank's funds in the amount of more than UAH 136.89 million to the insurance company associated with the bank, the press service of the court reported. In addition, the ex-head of the bank is suspected of embezzling the bank's funds on the eve of its nationalization in the amount of $314.9 million by illegally writing off the obligations of nonresident companies at the expense of PrivatBank's funds, organizing an illegal and unjustified documentary replacement of the debtor with a company controlled and related to PrivatBank with the aim of further impossibility of collecting funds in favor of the bank and concealing the committed crime. As reported, on October 28, 2021, the investigating judge HACC granted the petition of prosecutors and detectives and allowed a special pretrial investigation (in absentia) regarding the former head of the bank's board. On December 18, 2016, the government of Ukraine, referring to the proposal of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) and former shareholders of PrivatBank, the largest of which at that time were Ihor Kolomoisky and Hennadiy Boholiubov, decided to nationalize this largest financial institution on the Ukrainian market and injected over UAH 155 billion into its capital. According to the NBU, as of October 1, 2021, PrivatBank ranked first in terms of total assets (UAH 550.328 billion) among 71 banks operating in the country. On Wednesday, December 22, a meeting was held between the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and the executive authorities regarding the creation in Ukraine of a single Service Center for the maintenance of helicopters, which will allow the repair and modernization of French-made Airbus helicopters. "We need to agree on scheduled repairs of French helicopters in service in the Ministry of Internal Affairs system. Separately, we must complete all procedures so that the Service Center finally becomes a Service Center. That is, we need to coordinate all issues with the documentation so that we can independently service our equipment," the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs quoted the minister as saying. Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Serhiy Honcharov added that Nizhyn is the main base for servicing, the entire infrastructure for heavy helicopters H-225 has been created there, but other types of helicopters can also be serviced at this base. "The main base of police services will be the town of Kaniv. For the State Border Guard Service, these are Odesa and Kharkiv, the corresponding infrastructure will be created there. Olexandriia is the main base for the location of the air forces of the National Guard of Ukraine," he said. Honcharov said that from next year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will use the training base of the Kremenchuk Flight College, which received materials, equipment layouts, whose instructors were trained at the Airbus plant in France. "In addition, French instructors will come to Ukraine to give consultations," he stressed. Three more helicopters fly from France to Ukraine for Border Guard Service Three new AIRBUS H125 helicopters for the State Border Guard Service arrived in Lviv from France on Wednesday, December 22, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has said. "Today, three helicopters arrived in Lviv. And if the weather conditions permit, then tomorrow, December 23, they will fly to the capital," the ministry said. It is noted that they have modern powerful equipment for detecting and suppressing offenses at the state border. The helicopters are equipped with an optoelectronic surveillance system that allows monitoring, including in infrared mode. "The helicopters are also equipped with a warning system with loudspeakers and specialized aviation searchlights, which can be used synchronously with the optical-electronic surveillance system," the Interior Ministry said. According to the Ukrainian-French contract, the Ukrainian border department already has seven H125 helicopters from the French company Airbus Helicopter. The first four helicopters arrived in Ukraine in January 2020 and November 2021. In total, within the creation of the Unified System of Aviation Security and Civil Protection in Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service should receive 24 new N125 helicopters. Meeza cards will replace the payroll cards of 4.3 million state employees by the end of January, Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait said on Thursday. The minister said savings from setting the weight of a loaf at 90 grams would be redirected to the states budget in order to bolster infrastructure projects, education, and healthcare Egypts Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali Moselhi told parliament on Tuesday that state subsidies should go directly to consumers rather than bakeries and grocers. Speaking before the House of Representatives, Moselhi called on MPs to support the ministry's decision in diverting food subsidies from bakeries and grocers to consumers, arguing that direct subsidies to consumers will be more beneficial for the public. I hope we direct subsidies to the real beneficiaries, who are the Egyptian citizens for whom we are working, and not anyone else, Moselhi said in his speech. Moselhi stressed that such a move would achieve the goals of the governments food subsidy programme. The minister rejected criticism from some MPs regarding a recent ministry decision to reduce the weight of a subsidised bread loaf to 90 grams. The old weight of a single loaf in all governorates never exceeded 91 grams, Moselhi said, adding that the ministry subsequently took a decision to reduce the weight of the loaf to 90 grams to avoid wasting resources." The minister said savings from setting the weight of a loaf at 90 grams would be redirected to the states budget in order to bolster infrastructure projects and the health and education systems. On combatting corrupt practices by some bakers, Moselhi told MPs that bakeries pay the market price for each gram and they would be shut down if the differential exceeds 20 grams. The minister stressed that the ministry would not permit any licensing of bakeries based on false application data and would not allow any bakery that serves less than 2,500 people in any one area to remain in operation. The Speaker of the House of Representatives Hanafy El-Gebaly referred the supply minster's statement to the parliaments committees of Economic Affairs and Social Solidarity for review and follow up. Search Keywords: Short link: The president's remarks came during a ceremony to inaugurate various housing projects in Badr City, northeast of the capital Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said Saturday that the state seeks to restructure the process of providing subsidies for Egyptians not eliminate the subsidies for various commodities, which amount to EGP 275 billion annually. El-Sisis made these remarks during a ceremony to inaugurate various housing projects in Badr City, northeast of the capital, where he is set to open 47,876 housing units. After the inaugural event, the president toured housing units which are being constructed in Badr City to accomodate state employees set to be relocated to the New Administrative Capital. The state bears a huge cost to provide alternative housing to the Egyptians, the president said. The aim behind the national, mega projects that are being implemented by the state is to improve the living conditions of citizens, he noted, adding that the state does not get any profits from such projects. The cost of subsidisation is nearly EGP 3 trillion in ten years while the cost of developing the entire Egyptian countryside is one-third of such cost, the president noted. The Decent Life Initiative, whose budget is estimated at EGP 700 billion, is being implemented with the aim of improving standards of living, infrastructure and services, and targets 58 percent of Egypts 102-million population, who live in 4,658 villages across the country. Im not saying this so as to cancel subsidies, but to restructure it, he indicated. The president's comments on subsidies come days after he said that while the state plans to continue subsidising bread, the price of a subsidised loaf, however, should be raised from a decades' low of 5 piastres so the government could use savings to provide students with much needed meals in schools. El-Sisi said the Egyptian state needs to exert all efforts to bring about "a bright future," stressing "that things cannot continue as they were in the past." The president noted that he deals with all critical issues in a systematic way, stressing that he chose to follow "the difficult path" of reform. "People say that I chose the very difficult path; if I chose the easy path I would have just kept the poor in their predicament and would have just raised subsidies,' he said. I must arrange the cards in this country' in order for it to become an country of significance." Meeting housing needs amid population growth El-Sisi added that "unplanned population growth hinders the state's development strategy," and that the expansion in the construction of unsafe housing has been destroying the country since 2011. Egypts population of 102 million increased by nearly 2 percent growth rate in 2020, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS). The expansion of the housing sector and elimination of slums has been an area of intense focus for the state in recent years, with 1,426 major housing projects built in the last six years alone, according to housing ministrys figures. Plans to eliminate slums have progressed in tandem with the development of new urban communities. According to the Informal Settlements Development Fund (ISDF), unplanned residential areas comprise 40 percent of urban construction in the country and are home to 22 million people. The ISDF says the government hopes to eliminate unplanned residential areas entirely by 2030. The model housing communities which have been built to relocate hundreds of thousands of slum residents include Asmarat complex in Moqattam, Masaken Othman, the Mahrousa Projects, and Bashayer Al-Kheir. Since 2014, as part of the state's efforts to meet population growth, the housing ministry has constructed 165,958 housing units at a cost of EGP 41 billion, and is currently working on an additional 74,927 units. El-Sisi also pointed out that he is keen on solving the problems in all sectors such as roads, ports, airports and water to change the lives of citizens from a "no state to a state". The inauguration ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Defence Mohamed Zaki, Minister of Housing Assem El-Gazzar, other state officials and top army commanders. Madbouly, from his side, said that the problem of overpopulation should be seriously handled. The housing issue was very important for the state over long decades, he said, adding that the state has adopted a strategy for handling the overpopulation problem, based on building new cities and overhauling old houses. The state gave due attention to the file of housing over the past seven years in order to improve the living standards of Egyptians nationwide, Madbouly said. Over the past seven years, the state was successful in doubling the establishment of housing units in Egypt, compared to the past 40 years, according to him. Madbouly further mentioned that the state builds 225,000 homes in one year and aims to increase the construction work in the period to come. Search Keywords: Short link: Pfizer said Tuesday that clinical trials confirmed its Covid pill -- a new type of treatment that should withstand the mutations seen with Omicron -- drastically reduced hospitalizations and deaths among at-risk people by almost 90 percent. The announcement came as a real-world study from South Africa showed two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 70 percent effective in stopping severe illness from the new variant, a result called encouraging by researchers, though it represents a drop compared to earlier strains. Data for the new pill, which hasn't yet been authorized anywhere in the world, came from more than 2,200 volunteers, and backed up preliminary findings announced last month. The American drugmaker said its treatment, called Paxlovid, also held up against the Omicron variant in lab-testing. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told CBS News the drug was a "game changer," and he expected the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to give its green light as soon as this month. The trial showed that the pill reduced the need for hospitalization in high-risk adults with Covid-19 by 89 percent if the treatment was given within three days of symptom onset and by 88 percent if given within five days. Overall, there were 12 deaths in the placebo group, and none in the drug group. Side-effects were found at comparable rates between the treatment and placebo groups (23 percent and 24 percent, respectively), and were mostly mild. Paxlovid also reduced the risk of severe disease, as well as the amount of virus detected, in a separate study of people at normal risk -- but the results were on the edge of statistical significance and need further confirmation. New Type Of Drug Paxlovid is a combination of two drugs -- nirmatrelvir, a new experimental medicine, and ritonavir, an existing antiviral used against HIV, both taken orally over five days. Nirmatrelvir is known as a "protease inhibitor" and works by blocking the action of an enzyme the coronavirus needs to replicate. Ritonavir is administered to slow down the breakdown of nirmatrelvir inside the body. Because Paxlovid does not target the fast-mutating spike proteins that stud the surface of the coronavirus, it should be more variant-proof than other treatments, such as synthetic antibody infusions, as well as antibodies evoked by most types of Covid vaccine. Another Covid pill, Merck's molnupiravir, has already been authorized in Britain. A US panel of experts narrowly voted in favor of the Merck pill two weeks ago, but FDA authorization is still awaited. Final study results showed molnupiravir reduced hospitalizations and deaths by a relatively disappointing 30 percent, and there were also safety concerns related to its mechanism of action, which differs from the Pfizer pill. Merck itself recommended against molnupiravir's use in pregnant women after animal studies showed harm to fetuses. Real-World Vaccine Data The news comes as the heavily-mutated Omicron variant continues spreading fast around the world, raising alarms about surges in severe cases and deaths. Even if early data suggesting that the variant is milder in most people is confirmed, its increased transmissibility and ability to overcome prior immunity may negate this advantage, by infecting higher numbers of people. Many high-income countries have stepped up their campaigns to get people booster shots in order to restore vaccine efficacy. The latest research out of South Africa found that two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine still offered good protection against serious illness of 70 percent, though this was reduced from 93 percent during the country's Delta wave. The study was based on the results of 78,000 PCR tests taken in South Africa between November 15 and December 7 and was conducted by Discovery along with the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC). It also found two doses were 33 percent effective against infection -- a result that lines up with early data from the UK Health Security Agency, which experts say underscores the case for a third dose. The British research found a third dose of Pfizer -- either after two earlier doses of Pfizer or two of AstraZeneca -- brought efficacy against infection back up to 70-75 percent. The South African research further confirmed reinfection risk is higher with Omicron, and a lower percentage of people infected with the new variant were hospitalized when compared to the country's first wave, after adjusting for vaccine status. Very preliminary data suggests that children have a 20 percent higher risk of hospital admission with the new variant, but the absolute numbers remain very low. "It is essential to recognize that these are incomplete and partial data," said Russell Viner, a professor of child and adolescent health at the University College London, though he also warned against complacency. Search Keywords: Short link: The EU announced on Wednesday it is launching legal action against Poland for ignoring European Union law and undermining the independence of its national judiciary. EU economy commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said the infringement proceedings targeted Poland for breaching the primacy of EU law and for deciding that certain articles of EU treaties were incompatible with Polish laws. The step escalates a long-running feud between Warsaw and Brussels over Poland's perceived backsliding on EU democratic norms. Brussels is already withholding approval of coronavirus recovery funds for Poland over the row. Poland's Deputy Justice Minister Sebastian Kaleta hit back by calling the EU announcement "an attack on the Polish constitution and our sovereignty". - Persistent defiance - Legal action from Brussels was expected given persistent defiance from Poland's Constitutional Court to the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The ECJ has already ruled against Poland for implementing a mechanism to lift the immunity of judges in the Constitutional Court and to sack any not deemed acceptable by the parliament dominated by the governing populist Law and Justice party. The European Commission is also upset over a 2019 Polish law that prevents Polish courts applying EU law in certain areas, and from referring legal questions to the ECJ. Gentiloni told a media conference the Polish moves "breached the general principles of autonomy, primacy, effectiveness and uniform application of Union law and the binding rulings of the Court of Justice". The European Commission, he said, considers the Polish Constitutional Court "no longer meets the requirements of an independent and impartial tribunal established by law, as required" by a fundamental EU treaty. He said Poland had two months to respond to a formal letter setting out the grounds of the infringement procedure. In the event of no satisfactory reply, the matter could be sent to the ECJ. While there is no option to kick Poland out of the EU for not respecting the bloc's laws, it could be hit with daily fines for non-compliance. But Poland and Hungary ,another eastern EU member accused of undermining democratic norms , have a pact mutually shielding each other from more extreme EU punishment, such as removing their voting rights in the bloc. Hungary, too, faces delays to receiving EU coronavirus recovery money because of its own defiance of EU rules. Both countries have threatened to block EU business in retaliation for Brussels' actions. Gentiloni said he was "confident" the rows with Warsaw and Budapest would not degenerate into a "tit for tat" cycle , but cautioned "we can't exclude anything". Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities lit up the Giza Plateau in blue to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for one hour on Wednesday. The foreign ministry also lit up its headquarters with the word UNICEF75. UNICEF, which is in charge of spreading awareness about protecting childrens rights, celebrates its anniversary on 11 December every year. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry voiced Egypts keenness to enhance cooperation with UNICEF to protect childrens rights. The organisation has a noble humanitarian message that we all have to support, Shoukry said in a speech during a ceremony in Cairo sponsored by the ministry and UNICEF. Egypt was one of the first member states to sign the Convention on the Rights of the Child and has since ratified all the optional protocols related to it. UNICEFs presence and longstanding cooperation in Egypt goes back to the early 1950s since then, we have worked closely with our line ministry partners and international and national civil society organizations as well as the corporate sector to deliver results for children and always under national leadership, Jeremy Hopkins, UNICEF Representative in Egypt, said during the ceremony. Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said, who attended the ceremony, hailed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UNICEF for the fruitful cooperation with the Egyptian government to support children. Egypt places children in its heart, especially since the largest segment of its population is children and youth. In its 2030 strategy, Egypt focuses on human development and on reaching every child in Egypt and providing them with health care and education services, El-Said said, according to a statement by the UNICEF. The longstanding cooperation and partnership between Egypt and UNICEF is entering a new phase amid ongoing efforts to complete the UNICEF Egypt Country Programme Document (CPD) 2023-2027 as a regulatory framework for all the funds activities in the country. In a meeting with Egypts Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat in October, Hopkins voiced aspiration to cooperate with Egyptian authorities to further support national efforts to protect children and empower girls and youth. UNICEF is working with the Egyptian government to establish a strategic partnership framework from 2023 to 2027, which will focus on providing support to Upper Egypt, the most vulnerable segments of society, persons with disabilities, and youth and girls, Hopkins said. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt reported 848 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing the total infection tally officially to 377,081 since the outbreak began in February 2020. Egypts Health Ministry reported in its daily coronavirus statement that 47 new deaths related to Covid-19 complications were recorded officially in the past 24 hours nationwide, bringing the total number of deaths from the virus to 21,457. The statement added that 731 patients have been discharged after recovering from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 313,782. Egypt's health authorities have sent more than 400,000 text messages to a selected target group from the fully vaccinated citizens for appointments to receive booster shots of the coronavirus vaccines, according to Health Ministry Spokesman Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar. The country is currently prioritising the optional booster shots for an initial group totalling around 4.1 million. Egypt has administered more than 52 million COVID-19 vaccine doses since the launch of its mass vaccination campaign in January, according to the latest figures released by the ministry. Egypt, which plans to vaccinate 40 percent of its 102-million population by 31 December, has currently 64.5 million vaccine doses available for use. Search Keywords: Short link: Alexandria is suspending classes in all schools in the governorate on Thursday over bad weather, a statement by the governorate read. Parts of the northern coast and the northern Delta are expected to witness mild to moderate rainfall on Thursday, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority said today. Alexandria Governor Mohamed El-Sherif also ordered a paid day-off on Thursday for female employees who are tending to children under 12 years of age. Employees in leadership positions and shift workers in Alexandria schools will report to work as usual, in accordance with the requirements set by the heads of the education directorates. The decision has been made to preserve public safety and allow authorities to deal with the effects of the bad weather, the Alexandria governorate said. Several areas in Alexandria saw rare snowfall on Monday as temperatures dropped in the Mediterranean city, coinciding with its seasonal winter thunderstorms. The citys residents have described the snow-covered streets as Europe-like weather. Alexandria had also suspended school last Sunday and Monday over unstable weather. There is a 20 percent chance of mild rainfall on parts of southern Delta on Thursday, the EMA said. Rain may also extend to Greater Cairo during the night time. On Friday, areas of the southern coasts and northern Delta are expected to see mild rainfall. Cold weather is expected in Greater Cairo, Lower Egypt, the northern coast, and northern Upper Egypt during the day time from Thursday through Tuesday, the EMA said. South Sinai and southern Upper Egypt will see warm weather. From Thursday till Tuesday, highs of 17-19 degrees Celsius and lows of 10-11 are expected in Greater Cairo and Lower Egypt. Highs of 17-19 degrees and lows of 12-13 are expected along the northern coast. South Sinai will see highs of 22-23 degrees and lows of 14-15. Northern Upper Egypt will see highs of 18-20 degrees and lows of 7-8, while southern Upper Egypt will witness highs of 21-23 degrees and lows of 10-11 over these days. Search Keywords: Short link: The UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a US-proposed resolution that facilitates humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, which is on the verge of economic collapse, while keeping funds out of Taliban hands. The resolution states that "payment of funds, other financial assets or economic resources, and the provision of goods and services necessary to ensure the timely delivery of such assistance or to support such activities are permitted." Such assistance supports "basic human needs in Afghanistan" and is "not a violation" of sanctions imposed on entities linked to the Taliban, it adds. The international community has struggled over how to avert a humanitarian catastrophe amid economic meltdown in Afghanistan since the Taliban swept back to power in mid-August, prompting the United States to freeze $9.5 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank. An earlier US resolution had sought to authorize case-by-case exemptions to sanctions, but that was blocked by veto-wielding permanent Security Council members China and Russia. "Humanitarian aid and life-saving assistance must be able to reach the Afghan people without any hindrance," China's UN Ambassador, Zhang Jun, said in a tweet Monday. The decision to limit the scope of the resolution to one year, which was not part of the first draft, aims to satisfy Washington's European allies, who, like India, had criticized the absence of any deadline and called for strict control over the destination of aid. Search Keywords: Short link: Greek authorities ramped up a major sea-and-air search and rescue operation in the Aegean Sea on Wednesday after a migrant smuggling vessel sank, leaving at least three people dead and dozens reported missing. The coast guard said 12 people, all believed to be from Iraq, were rescued from an inflatable dinghy off the island of Folegandros in the southern Cyclades, 180 kilometers (112 miles) southeast of Athens. The 11 men and one woman were taken to a hospital on the nearby island of Santorini as a precaution. The bodies of three unidentified men were recovered from the sea. The survivors said they had been on a larger boat that took on water and sank overnight. Most said there were originally 32 people on the boat, but one told authorities there were about 50. The coast guard said a navy frigate joined four coast guard vessels, 8 merchant ships, three smaller private vessels, three military helicopters and a military transport plane taking part in the search and rescue operation as night approached. ``The survivors made it onto a dinghy that was tethered to the (bigger) vessel. Only two of them were wearing life jackets,'' Coast Guard spokesman Nikos Kokkalas told state-run ERT television. ``We always presume the worst-case scenario, in this case that 50 people were on the boat.'' The coast guard said the operation began Tuesday night after it received information that a vessel carrying migrants had suffered engine failure and later began taking on water south of Folegandros. Greece is one of the most popular routes into the European Union for people fleeing conflict and poverty in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Most attempt to cross in dinghies from the Turkish shore to the nearby eastern Aegean Greek islands. But with increased patrols and allegations of summary deportations back to Turkey for those who arrive, many have been attempting lengthier routes on larger vessels. Folegandros, one of the southern islands in the Cyclades, is not along a usual route for migrant smugglers. Other vessels have bypassed the Greek islands and headed directly from Turkey to Italy. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt will submit the FY 2022/2023 draft budget for community dialogue for the first time in January 2022, Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait announced on Wednesday. The minister said the move, initiated as per President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's directives, is meant to consolidate community contribution to set public spending priorities. The dialogue is expected to focus on the key strategic objectives of the budget and its financial targets through eight dialogue sessions with representatives of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Egyptian Industries, Egyptian Businessmen Association, Egyptian Junior Business Association, Senate, and House of Representatives, in addition to governors, business councils, persons with special needs, and young people, according to Maait. The sessions will include a segment for media representatives, experts, professors at Egyptian universities, research centres, and think tanks. The outcomes of the dialogue will be taken into account while drafting the final budget, said Maait. The new budget, which will be rolled out on 1 July 2022, will focus on expanding in developmental investments, especially in green projects, and social protection nets, putting health and education as a top priority in terms of spending and investment, Maait said. It also centres on increasing partnerships with the private sector, particularly in the green-based investments, to improve Egypts competitiveness in the environmental performance indices, he added. Egypt plans to increase public green investments to 50 percent, up from 30 percent, through 2025, the minister stated. In a recent interview with Ahram Online, Vitor Gasper, head of the Fiscal Affairs Department at the International Monetary Fund, said that Egypts return to the pre-crisis primary surplus of two percent is expected in FY 2022/23, which together with stronger growth is expected to anchor a sustained decline in public debt over the medium term. Search Keywords: Short link: KYODO NEWS - Dec 22, 2021 - 10:43 | All, Japan The top executive of Kirin Holdings Co. said Tuesday the company may ask the Japanese government for help to resolve a dispute over ending its beer business partnership with a Myanmar military-linked entity. Kirin Holdings President and CEO Yoshinori Isozaki said in an interview with Kyodo News that his company may need such support, depending on the ruling by a Yangon district court after its partner Myanma Economic Holdings Public Co. unilaterally filed a petition last month to liquidate a joint venture called Myanmar Brewery Ltd. Isozaki said he hopes the dispute on the venture, the biggest beer company in Myanmar owned 51 percent by Kirin and 49 percent by the Myanmar entity, can be resolved by the end of June. "I believe the government did not strongly urge us to invest only to feign ignorance when things go badly," the 68-year-old said, referring to a 2014 investment treaty between Japan and Myanmar. The Tokyo-based company entered the Myanmar market in 2015 following the agreement that protects investors from becoming stripped of their investment assets and as the Southeast Asian country moved toward democratization. Kirin has two joint ventures -- Myanmar Brewery and Mandalay Brewery Ltd. -- with Myanma Economic Holdings but decided in February to end its partnership with the local partner after the Myanmar military seized power in a coup. Since then, the Japanese company has sought to negotiate but has been unsuccessful. In response to the legal action by Myanma Economic Holdings, a Kirin subsidiary filed for commercial arbitration with the Singapore International Arbitration Centre earlier this month. Kirin is looking for a new local partner not linked to the Myanmar military. But Isozaki said Kirin would pull out of the Myanmar market when requested by the Southeast Asian country "if a resolution has been made in a legal and logical manner following a proper discussion." Related coverage: Brewer Kirin files for arbitration to end deal with Myanmar military entity FEATURE: Japan firms worried about business impact as Myanmar unrest grows The chief executive said the military coup was "unexpected" and that the "world is watching" how Kirin will handle the issue. The partner has yet to respond sufficiently to Kirin's request for talks on the matter, Isozaki said, adding he hopes his company and the country's military government, which is looking for overseas investors, will reach a fair resolution in the dispute. KYODO NEWS - Dec 22, 2021 - 22:24 | World, All Over 4,400 people from Myanmar have fled into Thailand since Thursday last week to escape clashes between government soldiers and an armed ethnic minority group, the Thai military said Wednesday. As the fighting between Myanmar's ruling military and the Karen National Union intensifies in southeastern Kayin State and more refugees enter Thailand, Thai authorities in neighboring Tak Province have been tasked with accommodating them in temporary shelters and providing them with humanitarian assistance. Local media in Myanmar reported the military troops raided the town of Lay Kay Kaw in the state Tuesday last week and detained dozens of people from opposition forces who had taken refuge there, including members of ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. The KNU said in a statement that the group responded to the attack with force on the following day, saying "Our KNU troops had to engage in self-defense measures towards the acts of aggressive arrests, destruction of houses, and forceful, violent attacks." The group had signed a ceasefire agreement with the then military-backed civilian government in 2015 after decades of conflict, creating a largely peaceful situation in border areas under KNU control. But since the military ousted Suu Kyi's elected government in a Feb. 1 coup, the KNU has made clear its support for those protesting against military rule and accepted youths who fled in opposition to the coup, providing them with training to fight back. In March, the military raided an area controlled by the KNU by aircraft and thousands of people took refuge in Thailand. KYODO NEWS - Dec 22, 2021 - 13:29 | All, Japan In the wake of the Gulf crisis of August 1990, former U.S. President George H.W. Bush urged Japan to provide logistical support to the U.S. military via its Self-Defense Forces, despite constitutional constraints, according to diplomatic records declassified Wednesday and testimonies from former government officials. The request was directly made to then Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu. Japan did not meet Bush's call to dispatch the SDF to the Gulf War, although it deployed minesweepers in the Persian Gulf as a postwar contribution -- a reflection of the strong influence the United States has on Tokyo's security policy. A top-secret diplomatic cable that recorded a meeting between Kaifu and Bush held on Sept. 29, 1990, revealed that the president told Kaifu he knew Japan was looking for ways to get its "forces" involved in international efforts in the Middle East, and that such action would be appreciated by the world. It is the first time it has been publicly revealed that the U.S. president attempted to persuade Japan to dispatch the SDF in connection with the crisis Koichiro Matsuura, a former Japanese ambassador to France who served as head of the Foreign Ministry's North American Affairs Bureau, said Bush earlier asked in a phone call on Aug. 14 for the SDF to sweep for mines and transport weapons. In a series of talks, Kaifu responded by expressing the need to protect the war-renouncing Article 9 of Japan's postwar Constitution, while stressing his desire to cooperate. During the September meeting in New York, while avoiding clear answers to Bush's request, Kaifu is quoted as saying, "As it is the first (such request) in (Japan's) postwar history, we need to have plenty of discussion and time." Kaifu sought to compromise by establishing a nonmilitary U.N. peacekeeping operations team and having some SDF personnel be part of it. But the plan ran into difficulties after a bill aimed at allowing Japan to cooperate in U.N. peacekeeping operations was scrapped in November of that year due to public opposition. According to diplomatic cables and former government officials, the United States effectively notified Japan of its intention to use force on Jan. 14, 1991, three days before the Gulf War began. Then U.S. Secretary of State James Baker secretly told his Japanese counterpart Taro Nakayama during his visit to the United States that the blood of Americans would be shed. The records and testimonies also revealed that of the $13 billion Japan provided to the multinational coalition in aid, $9 billion was added in response to a request by then U.S. Treasury Secretary Nicholas Brady during a meeting with his Japanese counterpart Ryutaro Hashimoto in New York. Multiple former Japanese government officials have testified that while there was no basis for the total amount sought by the United States, there was "no other choice" but to meet the request. But Japan's response to the Gulf War was internationally criticized as "too little, too late," making it a traumatic experience for lawmakers and government officials that has strongly influenced the course of its foreign and security policies ever since. Taizo Miyagi, a Sophia University professor who specializes in the history of international politics, said Japan was "overwhelmingly strong as an economic superpower" at the time of the Gulf War, and that U.S. "dissatisfaction" at Tokyo's reluctance to bear "a reasonable burden" is reflected in the diplomatic records. "The Gulf War became a trauma for Japan, and the axis for evaluating foreign affairs has since then become the perspective of the United States," Miyagi said. Legal changes now allow Japan's SDF to be dispatched to overseas peacekeeping operations even if they are not under the control of the United Nations. Still, sending the SDF abroad for Japan's defense or international security cooperation needs to meet some conditions and remains a sensitive issue under the pacifist Constitution. KYODO NEWS - Dec 22, 2021 - 23:23 | All, Japan, World, Coronavirus Travelers from nearly all parts of the United States will now have to spend three days of their two-week quarantine periods in government-designated facilities, as part of stricter quarantine requirements, the Japanese government said Wednesday. The measure, effective Saturday, is part of strict border controls to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus. The three-day requirement previously only applied to travelers from a certain U.S. states. Travelers from New York and Hawaii will still be required to spend six days of their quarantine periods in the facilities, the government said. Travelers from Ecuador, Lithuania, Russia and Slovakia will also have to spend three days of their quarantine periods in government-designated facilities. Japan currently bans new foreign arrivals and requires returning Japanese nationals and foreign residents to quarantine in such facilities. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said the tighter rule would remain in force until early January. Japan reported its first Omicron infection last month and the number of cases has continued to increase. Related coverage: Japan reports 1st community spread of Omicron, braces for resurgence Japan to keep strict border controls for the time being: PM Kishida New app allows travelers paperless entry into Japan KYODO NEWS - Dec 22, 2021 - 19:55 | All, World, Japan The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- 1st community spread of Omicron variant reported in Osaka TOKYO - Japan on Wednesday reported its first community transmission of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in Osaka Prefecture, with three family members having no history of travel overseas being infected through unknown routes. Health minister Shigeyuki Goto told reporters that the cases in the western area should be deemed a community transmission and the government will take all necessary precautions. ---------- Panel submits 2 proposals to stop Japan royal family from shrinking TOKYO - A government panel tasked with studying ways to ensure a stable imperial succession submitted Wednesday two proposals to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida that would stop Japan's royal family from shrinking further, but postponed conclusions regarding specific measures on succession. The two options -- allowing female members who marry commoners to retain their imperial status, and male heirs from former branches to be adopted into the imperial family by revising the 1947 Imperial House Law -- seek to address the dwindling number of eligible heirs. ---------- Tokyo Games total cost at 1.45 tril. yen, no extra funds needed TOKYO - The cost of hosting the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics last summer is expected to total 1.45 trillion yen ($12.7 billion), meaning there will be no extra burden on taxpayers as the amount is 191 billion yen less than an earlier budget plan, organizers said Wednesday. The cost savings, presented at an executive board meeting of the games' organizing committee in the Japanese capital, were achieved mainly because most events were held without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ---------- Kihira to miss nationals, Hanyu a practice no-show TOKYO - Two-time defending Olympic men's champion Yuzuru Hanyu did not skate in Wednesday's official practice for Japan's national figure skating championships, while reigning two-time women's champion Rika Kihira will miss the Beijing Olympic qualifying event completely, the Japan Skating Federation said. According to the federation, Hanyu, who has been out injured, is slated to compete at Saitama Super Arena outside Tokyo in what would be his first competition of the Olympic season. ---------- Dozens feared missing after landslide at jade mine in Myanmar YANGON - Dozens of people were feared missing after a landslide at a jade mine in Myanmar's northernmost state of Kachin early Wednesday, according to local media reports. The landslide occurred at around 4 a.m. at the dump site of a jade mine in the Hpakant area where possibly up to 80 people were scavenging for leftover jade stones at the time, the reports said. ---------- Japan's FY 2022 initial budget expected to total 107.6 tril. yen TOKYO - Japan's government will compile a draft budget for fiscal 2022 worth about 107.6 trillion yen ($950 billion), a record high for the 10th straight year, government sources said Wednesday. The government plans to add 5 trillion yen to reserve funds for future responses to the coronavirus pandemic and prepare general account expenditures for the fiscal year starting April topping the 100 trillion yen threshold for the fourth straight year. ---------- U.S. asked Japan to send SDF during Gulf crisis: declassified records TOKYO - In the wake of the Gulf crisis of August 1990, former U.S. President George H.W. Bush urged Japan to provide logistical support to the U.S. military via its Self-Defense Forces, despite constitutional constraints, according to diplomatic records declassified Wednesday and testimonies from former government officials. The request was directly made to then Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu. Japan did not meet Bush's call to dispatch the SDF to the Gulf War, although it deployed minesweepers in the Persian Gulf as a postwar contribution -- a reflection of the strong influence the United States has on Tokyo's security policy. ---------- SBI open to delisting Shinsei to repay public funds: CEO TOKYO - SBI Holdings Inc. President and CEO Yoshitaka Kitao said Wednesday the online financial group is open to delisting Shinsei Bank to repay public funds injected into it in the late 1990s during Japan's financial crisis. "It is an important option," Kitao said in his first press conference since SBI's successful takeover bid for the bank, referring to the possibility of making the bank private to repay some 350 billion yen ($3 billion) through asset sales. highlights IAF pilots conducted test flights of the MiG 35 fighter aircraft during air exhibition IAF delegation led by Air Marshal Amit Dev, Director General Air Operations MiG-35 is a 4++ generation Mikoyan multi-role combat aircraft New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots conducted test flights of the MiG 35 fighter aircraft during an ongoing air exhibition in Zukhovski, Russia. An IAF delegation led by Air Marshal Amit Dev, Director General Air Operations had visited Russia for the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS 2019 air show that was held at the Zukhovski International Airport near Moscow between August 27 and 29. The delegation was also shown the Sukhoi 57E, the export version of the fifth-generation Russian supersonic stealth jet fighter at the air exhibition. "The Indian delegation were shown MiG-35 and Su-57 aircraft. Indian Air Force test pilots G/C BS Reddy and W/C FL Roy got an opportunity to fly two sorties on MiG-35 aircraft during the visit," the IAF tweeted. The MiG-35 is a 4++ generation Mikoyan multi-role combat aircraft that comes in single- and twin-seater versions too. Officials said the MiG 35 as well as the Sukhoi 57E were entirely new version of the aircraft. In July, the IAF Chief B.S. Dhanoa had inspected the MiG-35 during his Russia visit. Dhanoa had clarified that the IAF would select a new jet only after following the due process of tender, evaluation and test flights. The MiG-35 has a sturdier frame, is fitted with an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar and has been fitted with state-of-the-art latest Russian missile weapons. Sources said the fighter jets were shown at the airs show to attract new customers as well as those already using Russian fighter aircraft. It is also being speculated that Russia might offer a sale of the aircraft to India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country next week. Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet in Vladivostok. "The sorties flown by the IAF pilots were regular test flights during the air exhibition. It is not yet clear if India will purchase the aircraft from Russia," an IAF official told IANS. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. highlights The Worlds Longest Cruise, Viking sets sail from London on Sunday The 245 days sail will span 6 continents, 51 countries, 111 ports and covering 55,700 nautical miles Viking will return next year to London in 2020 of May New Delhi: The Worlds Longest Cruise, Viking sets sail from London on Sunday. The epic 245 days journey will span six continents, 51 countries, 111 ports and covering 55,700 nautical miles before returning to London in May 2020. The cruise Viking will also attempt to set the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous passenger cruise," according to a press release. The new record will be confirmed successful upon the return of Viking Sun to London next year by an official Adjudicator. For more than 20 years we have been committed to connecting travelers to culturally immersive experiences that allow them to explore the world in comfort. The eight-month sail will explore Scandinavia, the Caribbean, South America, the south Pacific, Australia and Asia before returning to the Mediterranean and Europe. There will be overnight stays on land in 23 cities including Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Ushuaia in Argentina, Hobart in Tasmania, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Mumbai in India and Luxor in Egypt. However, to embark on the record eight-month cruise customers have to fork out a hefty 82,999 making it a 1,400 per country they visit. Torstein Hagen, the chair of Viking, said, Our ultimate world cruise is the most extensive itinerary available in the industry, nearly double the length of our previous world cruise itineraries. For all the Latest Lifestyle News, Travel News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Lieutenant General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Sunday assumed charge as vice chief of the 1.3 million-strong Army. Naravane will be in contention for the Army chief's post as he will be the senior-most commander when incumbent Gen Bipin Rawat retires on December 31, official sources said. Lt Gen Naravane succeeds Lt Gen D Anbu who retired from service on Saturday. Before taking charge as vice chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen Naravane was heading the Eastern Command of the Army which takes care of India's nearly 4,000-km border with China. In his 37 years of service, Lt Gen Naravane has served in numerous command and staff appointments in peace, field and highly active counter-insurgency environments in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast. READ | Vivek Kumar Johri takes charge as Director General of BSF Naravane has also commanded a Rashtriya Rifles Battalion in Jammu and Kashmir and an infantry brigade on the eastern front. He was also part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka and had served as India's defence attache at the Indian Embassy in Myanmar for three years. Lt Gen Naravane is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy. He was commissioned into the 7th battalion, the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment in June 1980. "He brings with him an enormous amount of experience in serving in the most challenging areas," the Army said in a release. READ | Admiral Karambir Singh takes over as Navy Chief The General is a decorated officer who has been awarded the Sena Medal' (Distinguished) for effectively commanding his battalion in Jammu and Kashmir. He is also a recipient of the Vishisht Seva Medal' for his services as the Inspector General Assam Rifles (North) in Nagaland and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal' for commanding of a prestigious strike corps. Naravane was also honoured with Param Vishisht Seva Medal' for his distinguished services as the GOC-in-C of the Army Training Command. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: US forces attacked leaders of an Al-Qaeda-linked group in Syria on Saturday, the Pentagon said. The strike north of Idlib targeted leaders of the group the Pentagon calls Al-Qaeda in Syria (AQS) whom it blamed for "attacks threatening US citizens, our partners and innocent civilians," Lieutenant Colonel Earl Brown, a spokesman for the US Central Command said in a statement. It did not say what kind of weapons were used. This is a breaking news story. More details will be added soon. Please refresh the page for the updated version. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. highlights Baby Lily Borrill was born weighing only just 1lb, 11oz - and now cannot discharged from hospital The couple has no medical insurance and the stay in US will lead to expensive hospital and hotel bills The couple says they can't wait to have her home New Delhi: A British couple Louis Borrill and his fiancee Yeridiana Chazares gave birth to a child three months early, ahead of the November due date while they were on holiday in the US. Baby Lily Borrill was born weighing only just 1lb, 11oz - and now cannot discharged from hospital for three or four months till his health stabilises. The couple has no medical insurance and the stay in US will lead to expensive hospital and hotel bills. The doctors have told them that Lily would not be 'out of the woods' until around three or four months and only then can she be discharged and they can return home to Scunthorpe. "Obviously, we were shocked by this, we planned to have Lily in Scunthorpe and then we find out that we're going to have to have her born here, and in the back of our minds realising what was going to come, Mail Online quoted Louis Borrill said. Although in pre-term labour, the doctors told Louis and Yeri that this waiting period could have been anywhere between a few hours to a few months, with them having to remain in the hospital throughout. However, at 8.18am on August 6, baby Lily was born. I don't even know how I could possibly describe that 24-hour period. We were scrambling around trying to figure out what we had to do and were both obviously very nervous. But we knew we had to remain calm, knowing our baby could come at any point, he added. The couple says they can't wait to have her home. The doctors say that the baby is doing great breathing, moving and, hopefully, getting stronger and stronger. According to Mail Online have set up an online GoFundMe page to help them meet the hospital, hotel expenses in the US. For all the Latest Offbeat News News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A nuclear war between the US and Russia could break out even if a small asteroid explodes over the two nations, where political tensions are high. Yes, Bryan Walsh, author of End Times, has claimed in the book: The airburst from the 2013 meteor could have easily been mistaken for a nuclear strike by the United States, which was indeed the first reaction of many witnesses on the ground. So, what happened in 2013? In 2013, a 20-metre meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk in Russia that damaged windows and caused injuries to more than 1,000 people. Experts had not anticipated the incident, and at first officials were unsure what caused the impact. Also Read: Asteroid Alert: Earth Will '100 Per Cent Be Hit' By Killer Space Rock, Says Scientist Nuclear tensions between Washington and Moscow are even higher now than they were in 2013. Its not difficult to imagine but horrifying to picture what a knee-jerk Russian reaction to a seeming nuclear attack could have lead to, Walsh said. A new research has found that there would be a 30 per cent reduction in precipitation across the world in the ensuing months of a US-Russia huge nuclear war. This would lead to severe global food shortages, the researchers have warned. The use of nuclear weapons in this manner by the United States and Russia would have disastrous consequences globally, the report added. Also Read: DRAMATIC! Scientists Stunned As Asteroid 6478 Gault Changes Colour The article read: Nuclear winter, with below freezing temperatures overmuch of the Northern Hemisphere during summer, occurs because of a reduction of surface solar radiation due to smoke lofted into the stratosphere. Meanwhile, a large number of asteroids are hovering all around the Earth and we might get hit too sooner or later. Recently, many giant asteroids including 2019 OK, 2019 OD, 2015 HM10, 2019 OE, 2019 NN3, 2019 MB4, 2019 MT2, and others approached towards the Earth, fortunately did not hit our planet and we are safe. It is said that Earth will reach to its end one day and one of the possible reason for this could be an asteroid. Also Read: Are We Safe From An Asteroid Armageddon? Find Out Here Well, the life on the Earth may come to an end in this month (September) as four gigantic asteroids identified as 2019 GT 3, 2010 CO1, 2000 QW7 and 1998 FF14 will dangerously approach towards our planet. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. highlights CBI has taken up investigation into alleged phone tapping of politicians during the previous Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka. CBI has filed an FIR on a request from the Karnataka government headed by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah, M Mallikarjuna Kharge and home minister in the alliance government M B Patil, had sought a probe. New Delhi: The CBI has taken up investigation into alleged phone tapping of politicians during the previous Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka, officials said on Saturday. The agency has filed an FIR on a request from the Karnataka government headed by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, they said. Yediyurappa had announced a CBI probe amid signs that the scandal was gaining political steam ever since disqualified JD(S) MLA A H Vishwanath, who served as JD(S) state president and turned rebel, accused the H D Kumaraswamy government of tapping phones and spying on more than 300 people, including him. Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah, M Mallikarjuna Kharge and home minister in the alliance government M B Patil, had sought a probe while another key party leader and former minister D K Shivakumar has rejected the snooping charges and appeared to side with Kumaraswamy. According to reports, phones of those close to Siddaramaiah, who was the then coalition coordination committee chief, too had come under the watch. Several BJP leaders, including former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, have directly accused Kumaraswamy of being behind the episode to save his government which was then rocked by dissidence within. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Police have issued a general alert for Mumbai in view of the upcoming Ganpati festival and over 40,000 personnel will be deployed for security in the metropolis, an official said on Saturday. Ganpati festival will be celebrated from Monday till Anant Chaturdashi on September 12. An official said 7,703 public and 1.63 lakh domestic idols will be installed on Ganesh Chaturthi, along with 11,667 idols of the elephant-headed God with Gauri this year. Personnel from the State Reserve Police Force, Riot Control Police, Quick Response Teams (QRT), BDDS squad, traffic police, Home Guards, Civil Defence and volunteers of various Ganesh mandals will be part of the security set-up, he said. More than 5,000 CCTVs will monitor activities in the city, he said, adding that Lalbaugcha Raja mandal will have special arrangements considering the massive crowds it attracts. As of now there is no specific terror inputs on the wake of the festive season, but we are alert and taking all precautionary measures, the official said. The idols will be immersed at 129 places in the city, including Girgaum, Juhu and other prominent beaches, he said. Police will coordinate with BMC, Coast Guard, Navy, and boats will be on stand-by to tackle any untoward incident, like drowning, he added. highlights Flipkart Qualcomm Snapdragon Days Sale currently underway. Redmi Note 7 Pro, Poco F1, Vivo V15 Pro, Asus ZenFone Max, Oppo Reno 10X Zoom, among others available with huge discounts. Buyers can get benefit of no-cost EMI plans and assured cashback for Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card, HDFC Bank Debit Card and Axis Bank Buzz Credit Card holders. New Delhi: Recently News Nation reported that Flipkart is hosting its Month-End Mobiles Fest sale until August 31. In the meantime, Flipkart is currently offering a host of smartphones at discounted prices as part of its Qualcomm Snapdragon Days sale. Yes, you read it right. Offers are raining these days. Arent they? Coming back to the Flipkart sale, only Snapdragon processor-powered smartphones are being retailed at discounted prices. These include the likes of Redmi Note 7 Pro, Vivo Z1 Pro and Poco F1. The sale is live and will go on through August 31 (today). In addition to the price cuts on smartphones, buyers can also get the benefit of no-cost EMI plans and assured cashback for Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card, HDFC Bank Debit Card and Axis Bank Buzz Credit Card holders. Under the ongoing Qualcomm Snapdragon Days sale, Redmi Note 7 Pro is being offered at an additional exchange discount of Rs 1,000. The smartphone is listed at Rs 12,999. Oppo A5 is being retailed at Rs 11,990 on Flipkart. It is to be noted that the Oppo A5 comes with an additional discount of Rs 3000 over its regular exchange value. Vivo Z1 Pro gets a discount of Rs 1,000. While the smartphone's base 4GB + 64GB model being sold for Rs 14,990, the 6GB + 64GB variant is currently available at Rs 16,990. On the other hand, the 6GB+128GB variant can be purchased at Rs 17,990. The base 3GB + 32GB variant of Asus ZenFone Max is currently listed at Rs 7,499. On the other hand, Asus 6Z is available with an extra discount worth Rs 3,000 over regular exchange value and is currently available at Rs 32,999 on Flipkart. Samsung Galaxy A70 gets an extra discount worth Rs 3,000 on its listed price of Rs 28,990. Vivo V15 Pro buyers can avail an additional Rs 3,000 discount over its exchange value. It is currently listed at Rs 26,990. Oppo Reno 10X Zoom Edition buyers will get an exchange discount of up to Rs 3,000. It is currently listed at Rs 49,990. The phone's 6GB + 128GB variant can now be purchased for Rs 39,990. Poco F1 Rs is currently listed at Rs 17,999. It has also received an extra discount worth Rs 3,000 over its exchange value. In addition to exchange discounts and price cuts, buyers can also avail 5 per cent cashback using a Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card and HDFC Bank Debit Cards, and an additional 5 per cent discount for purchases made using an Axis Bank Buzz Credit Card. highlights Manoj Tiwari said that NRC is needed in Delhi as the situation is becoming dangerous. The final National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam was released today. A total of 3,30,27,661 people had applied to be included in the NRC. New Delhi: On a day when over 19 lakh people have been excluded from the updated National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said that it should be implemented in Delhi also as the city is facing dangerous problem of illegal immigrants. National Register of Citizens (NRC) is needed in Delhi as the situation is becoming dangerous. Illegal immigrants who have settled here are the most dangerous, we will implement NRC here as well, the BJP MP said. However, another BJP leader said that he had lost all hope in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and feel that it wont be effective in removing illegal immigrants. "We have lost hope in the present form of the NRC right after the draft. When so many genuine Indians are out, then how can you claim that this document is a red letter for the Assamese society," Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The final National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam was released today and names of over 19 lakh applicants have been excluded from list. A total of 3,30,27,661 people had applied to be included in the NRC. Of them, 3,11,21,004 have been included in the document and 19,06,657 excluded, a statement from the NRC State Coordinator's office said here. The status of both inclusion and exclusion can be viewed online in the NRC website, www.nrcassam.nic.in. However the official website of the NRC crashed within a few minutes of the publication of the list. The site belonging to the Office of the State Coordinator of National Registration (NRC), Assam, however, was restored shortly. The final list was published at 10 am and the hard copies of the Supplementary List of Inclusions are available for public viewing at the NRC Seva Kendras (NSK), offices of the deputy commissioner and offices of the Circle Officer during office hours, the statement said. highlights Shah dierects state govt to provide all possible helps to people in need. CM Fadnavis announces Rs 5 lakh for kin of the deceased. Around 100 people were inside the factory when the blasts took place. New Delhi: Hours after a series of deadly cylinder blasts hit a chemical factory in Maharashtra, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday expressed his condolences to the bereaved families of the deceased. Shah has also spoken to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and directed the state government to do everything possible to assist the people in need. As per the latest reports, at least 13 people are dead and 58 others injured at multiple explosions that took place at the chemical unit, located at Waghadi village near Shirpur around 9:45 am this morning. "Anguished to learn about the loss of lives due to explosion at a chemical factory in Dhule, Maharashtra. Have spoken to CM Devendra Fadnavis, state govt is doing everything possible to assist the people in need. My condolences with the bereaved families. May injured recover soon," Shah tweeted. Anguished to learn about the loss of lives due to explosion at a chemical factory in Dhule, Maharashtra. Have spoken to CM @Dev_Fadnavis, state govt is doing everything possible to assist the people in need. My condolences with the bereaved families. May injured recover soon. Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 31, 2019 READ | We Support Peace But Not At Cost Of Our Security, Says Home Minister Amit Shah Shortly afterwards, Fadnavis also took to Twitter and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased. He also condoled the loss of lives in the explosions, adding that the fire is now under control. CM Devendra Fadnavis also announced a5 lakh to the kin of deceased. CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) August 31, 2019 Meanwhile, various teams of police, disaster management and fire brigade officials are present at the spot and put on survice to conduct rescue operations. The rescue operations were underway when the last reports came in. READ | Amit Shah gives presentation on nullifying Article 370, Kashmir situation at cabinet meeting "Prima facie, multiple cylinders exploded at the factory. At least eight bodies have been recovered by police and rescue teams so far. Rescue operation is on," said the Shirpur police station officer. However, the actual reason behind the explosions is yet to be ascertained. Bajrang Dal, BJP taking money from ISI, claims Congress leader Digvijaya Singh According To Reports, Singh Made These Controversial Remarks In Bhind While Addressing A Gathering After Inaugurating The Statue Of Maharana Pratap. highlights Digvijay said non-Muslims are spying for ISI more than Muslims. He claimed Bajrang Dal, BJP are taking money from ISI. Digvijay Singh made these controversial remarks in Bhind. New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has sparked a fresh a controversy by claiming that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Bajrang Dal are taking money from money from Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister also claimed that non-Muslims are spying for Pakistan's premier intelligence agency more than Muslims. "Bajrang Dal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are taking money from ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence). Attention should be paid to this. Non-Muslims are spying for Pakistan's ISI more than Muslims. This should be understood," he was quoted as saying by ANI. #WATCH MP: Congress leader Digvijaya Singh says, "Bajrang Dal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are taking money from ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence). Attention should be paid to this. Non-Muslims are spying for Pakistan's ISI more than Muslims. This should be understood." (31.08) pic.twitter.com/NPxltpaRZA ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2019 According to reports, Singh made these controversial remarks in Bhind while addressing a gathering after inaugurating the statue of Maharana Pratap. Reacting to Singh's statement, BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that he make such controversial statements to stay in news. "He gives controversial statements to stay in news. He and his leaders speak Pakistan's language. Pakistan quotes Rahul Gandhi. As far as BJP-RSS is concerned, the entire world, the entire country knows their patriotism," Chouhan said. New Delhi: Iran on Sunday unveiled a jet-propelled drone dubbed the Kian and said is capable of finding and attacking targets far from the countrys borders with precision. The unmanned aerial vehicle was designed, produced and tested by experts of the air defence force within about a year, said the head of the force, Brigadier General Alireza Sabahifard. The drone comes in two models capable of surveillance and reconnaissance missions and continuous flight for precision missions, state news agency IRNA quoted him as saying. This drone can undertake any drone missions we entrust it with... it can fly more than 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) and find its target with precision, he said. The newly launched UAV can carry different munitions and can climb to an altitude of 5,000 metres (15,000 feet), according to state television. This unmanned aircraft is capable of hitting targets far from the countrys borders and undertaking air defence from the enemys territory, said Sabahifard. Earlier, the UN atomic watchdog had said Iran is still in violation of limitations set by the 2015 nuclear deal with major powers. Irans stockpile of low-enriched uranium still exceeds the amount allowed by the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action the International Atomic Energy Agency said. It said Iran continues to enrich uranium to 4.5 per cent, above the 3.67 per cent allowed. The IAEA says Iran has continued to permit its inspectors to monitor its nuclear facilities. Last year, US President Donald Trump pulled the US out of an international accord designed to curb Irans nuclear program and has reimposed sanctions on Iran in an effort to force it to renegotiate the agreement. Tensions soared in the Gulf in June and July amid attacks on oil tankers, Irans downing of an unmanned US surveillance drone and after the US said it had downed an Iranian drone. Trump has said the attack against the US drone prompted him to order a military strike in response, only to call it off at the last minute. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: This is not usual. In fact, it never happened before. An asteroid called 6478 Gault changed its colour from red to blue. "It is the first time scientists have observed a colour-shifting asteroid, in real time," the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said in a release recently. The colour change wasn't as dramatic to the naked eye as an octopus or chameleon shifting its colours. Astronomers witnessed the asteroid's activity in the near-infrared spectrum, which isn't visible to the human eye. MIT postdoc Michael Marsset called the shift "a very big surprise," saying, "We think we have witnessed the asteroid losing its reddish dust to space, and we are seeing the asteroid's underlying, fresh blue layers." Astronomers first discovered 6478 Gault in 1988 and named the asteroid after planetary geologist Donald Gault. Until recently, the space rock was seen as relatively average, measuring about 2.5 miles wide and orbiting along with millions of other bits of rock and dust within the inner region of the asteroid belt, 214 million miles from the sun. Also Read: Are We Safe From An Asteroid Armageddon? Find Out Here Also Read: Asteroid Terror: Four Deadly Space Rocks To Hover Around Earth THIS September In January, images from various observatories, including NASAs Hubble Space Telescope, captured two narrow, comet-like tails trailing the asteroid. Astronomers estimate that the longer tail stretches half a million miles out, while the shorter tail is about a quarter as long. The tails, they concluded, must consist of tens of millions of kilograms of dust, actively ejected by the asteroid, into space. But how? The question reignited interest in Gault, and studies since then have unearthed past instances of similar activity by the asteroid. We know of about a million bodies between Mars and Jupiter, and maybe about 20 that are active in the asteroid belt, Marsset says. So this is very rare. Meanwhile, supermassive asteroid identified as 2169 Taiwan, a carbonaceous space rock, came very close to the Earth on Thursday at around 11 pm. Fortunately, the giant asteroid failed to hit the Earth and we are safe. 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. Also Read: Asteroid Alert! Heres How Giant Space Rocks Hurtling Towards Earth Can Be DESTROYED, Details Inside Also Read: Asteroid Terror: 2 Supermassive Space Rocks Inching Towards Earth THIS Month, Our Planet In Grave Danger In recent times, many giant asteroids including 2019 OK, 2019 OD, 2015 HM10, 2019 OE, 2019 NN3, 2019 MB4, 2019 MT2, 2006 QV89, 2016 NO56M, RF12 and others approached towards the Earth, fortunately did not hit our planet. It is said that Earth will reach to its end one day and one of the possible reason for this could be an asteroid. Coming back to asteroid 2169 Taiwan, the space rock was discovered in 1964 by astronomers at the Purple Mountain Observatory near Nanjing, China, was 270 million kilometres away from Earth during its closest approach. According to the Taipei Astronomical Museum, 2169 Taiwan has a diameter of 14 km-19 km and rotation period of 7.252 hours, orbiting the Sun at a distance of 400 million km once every 4.66 years. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. highlights Muharram is the first month of the year for Muslims Based on the lunar calendar the Islamic calendar is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar calendar Muharram is considered to be holiest month in the Quran after Ramzan New Delhi: Muharram is the first month of the year for Muslims. Based on the lunar calendar the Islamic calendar is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar calendar, or the Gregorian one, which is referred to in most western countries. The month of Muharram is extremely holy for the Muslim community as Shia Muslims mourn the death of Imam Hussain and his family. Shia's begin mourning from the first night of Muharram and continue for ten nights. Muharram is considered to be holiest month in the Quran after Ramzan along with the seventh month of Rajab, and the eleventh and twelfth months of Dhu al-Qi'dah and Dhu al-Hijjah. Muharram 2019: Here are some Facebook status, WhatsApp messages for you to mark the beginning of new Islamic year You alone we worship and you alone we ask for help, for each and everything. May your faith in him always bring you peace and prosperityHave a blessed Muharram. May all the praises and thanks be to Allah. To whom belongs all that is in heavens and in the Earth. Have a blessed Muharram. As the Hijri New Year begins, let us pray that it will be a year full of peace, happiness and abundance of new friends. May Allah bless you throughout the new year. My admiration for the noble sacrifice of Imam Hussain as a martyr abides, because he accepted death and the torture of thirst for himself, his sons and for his whole family but did not submit to unjust authorities. Todays sunset was the last sunset of this Islamic year and I pray that all your worries set down with this sunset and new beam of new year spread happiness in your life. (Ameen)Happy New Islamic Year. For all the Latest Lifestyle News, Religion News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. highlights Assam is the only Indian state that is carrying out NRC exercise. Last National Register of Citizenship in Assam was updated in 1951. CM Sonowal has said that those excluded will be taken care of. New Delhi: Assams final NRC list has been published by the authorities. Early reports say that 10.06 lakh individuals have been excluded in the list. On the other hand, over 3 crore citizens are part of the final list. The Supreme Court-monitored NRC update exercise published first draft in July last year. It should be noted that the final list, which was published today, can be termed as the supplementary list of the draft published in July last year. The 2019 list will contain the exact status of the people left out in the 2018 draft. Here are LIVE updates in this crucial story: 2:10 pm: Many people in Assam have told me that the parents' names are included, but names of their children are excluded. For example, Mohammad Sanaullah, he has served in Army. His case is pending in High Court. I am sure that he will also get justice: Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM. 1:30 pm: I was not expecting my name to be in the list as my case is still pending in the High Court, I have full faith in the judiciary and I'm confident that I will get justice: Retired Army Officer Mohammad Sanaullah on his name missing from NRC final list. 12:40 pm: I congratulate NRC State Coordinator,& SC for publishing the final list. However, I'm not fully satisfied as many names of genuine Indian citizens have been left out. I appeal to govt to review formation of Foreigners Tribunal: Abdul Khaleque, Assam Congress MP on final NRC list. 12:00 pm: Reports in Indian and international media on Modi Govt's ethnic cleansing of Muslims should send alarm bells ringing across the world that the illegal annexation of Kashmir is part of a wider policy to target Muslims: Imran Khan. 11:40 am: Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said he had lost all hope in the National Register of Citizens. 11:10 am: People queue up outside a NRC Seva Kendra to check their name in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) final list. A total of 3,11,21,004 persons have been found eligible for inclusion in final list leaving out 19,06,657 people. Barpeta: People queue up outside a NRC Seva Kendra to check their name in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) final list. A total of 3,11,21,004 persons have been found eligible for inclusion in final list leaving out 19,06,657 people. #Assam pic.twitter.com/QtkrWWI9QB ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2019 11:06 am: Congress meeting to be held shortly at 10 Janpath on Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC) final list issue. 11:00 am: NRC is needed in Delhi as situation is becoming dangerous. Illegal immigrants who have settled here are the most dangerous, we will implement NRC here as well, says BJP Delhi Chief Manoj Tiwari. 10:40 am: The final list was published at 10 am and the hard copies of the Supplementary List of Inclusions are available for public viewing at the NRC Seva Kendras (NSK), offices of the deputy commissioner and offices of the Circle Officer during office hours. 10:34 am: Those not satisfied with outcome can file appeal before Foreigners Tribunals, says NRC Coordinator Prateek Hajela. 10:33 am: People who would be able to check their application status are those - who submitted a claim after not being included in the complete draft published on July 30, 2018, or excluded in the additional draft exclusions list published on June 26 this year, or had any objection filed against their inclusion, or were called for hearings held from 5 July, 2019 onwards. Heres how you can check your status. 10:31 am: Section 144 has been imposed in parts of Assam. 10:30 am: Around 200 additional foreigners tribunals will be operational in Assam from Monday where bona fide citizens. 10:30 am: Names of additional 1,02,462 persons were included in the list of excluded persons in June this year taking the total ineligible persons to 41,10,169 in the complete draft. 10:29 am: In the complete draft of the NRC, which was published in July last year, names of 40,07,707 people were excluded. It had which contained names of 2,89,83,677 eligible persons out of a total 3,29,91,384 applicants. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The name of the restaurant is "Taka Hisa," an authentic Japanese restaurant in Dubai, the UAE. It is amazing to learn about all those women professionals and entrepreneurs who make sure to push boundaries and spare no effort in clinching the excellence they wish to acquire in their careers. These women business personalities across industries of the world have become the talk of the town and have imprinted their names across global media outlets as well for the kind of work they have been doing and the kind of innovation they have been inspiring in their fields. Amidst such leading ladies of the business world, our attention was grabbed by Aimi Shibuya, the one with an astute mind to build and run incredible businesses. She entered Singapore in 2016 and opened her medical beauty salon for bringing Japanese beauty treatments in Singapore, introducing the concept of teeth whitening there. After that, she invested in various restaurant businesses and became one of the most famous Japanese women entrepreneurs in Singapore. Since Singapore got locked down several times due to the current global health crisis, she decided to move to Dubai in March 2021. Now, she is all set and ready to launch her new restaurant at Caesars Palace Hotel in Bluewaters, Dubai's most notable area, on December 29, 2021. The much-talked-about restaurant is touted to be a grand, luxurious venue with 20 counter seats, six boxes of box seats, and even about 40 very comfortable terraces and has been given the name "Taka Hisa." Interestingly, the restaurant's name is derived from the names of the two chefs, Takashi and Hisao. It will be an authentic Japanese restaurant, and the two concepts are two courses, namely the OMAKASE course by SUSHI and the OMAKASE course by KOBE BEEF. Takashi is in charge of SUSHI, and Hisao is in charge of KOBE BEEF. Also, it is imperative to notice how Aimi Shibuya has been putting all her effort in turning this venture of hers a success, and for that, she has been making sure to focus on every tiny detail, including also the fish used in the restaurant, which will arrive in Dubai by air from Toyosu (Tsukiji) market in Japan. She obtained a trading license for such imports from Japan in Dubai and imports the first fish in an auction in Japan four times a week. Not just that, even the Japanese beef uses KOBE BEEF WAGYU, which is considered the most expensive Japanese beef. Aimi Shibuya only buys A5BMS12 meat directly from Japan, which is said to be only 1% limited of all. These incredibly distinctive concepts are based on Takashi, who has worked at Dubai's most famous Japanese restaurant for years as an executive chef. Whereas Hisao, who has been the executive chef of KOHANTEI, Dubai's first Japanese beef restaurant, cooks. The upcoming restaurant is predicted to become the most famous Japanese restaurant in Dubai in a few months. Aimi Shibuya has become unstoppable in her ventures, and her swift rise in the industry can be attributed to her endless efforts, hard work, and passion. Don't forget to make these five mistakes in winter, it's very dangerous for health Enjoy the December weather in full spirit with these food items This APP will not work where delivery is not possible in 10 minutes Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi has advocated for the reopening of trade routes with nations in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Governor Jagdish Mukhi remarked that reopening trade lines with ASEAN countries will "open the gates of economic prosperity in the Northeast." Governor Mukhi was addressing at Cotton University in Guwahati at a conference on "Atmanirbhar Northeast via science and technology interventions." Governor of Assam, Jagdish Mukhi, went on to say that the Centre has taken a number of steps to create international routes with the ten ASEAN nations. Governor Mukhi, has the potential to become a future hub for organic goods, renewable energy, international tourism, and the country's gateway to ASEAN countries. Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam are the ten ASEAN nations. ASEAN is a ten-country regional organisation that promotes economic, political, and security cooperation among its members. CM Khattar's big statement in Assembly on open prayer, know what he said Cold wave is expected to hit North Korea as it prepares to celebrate Kim Jong-un's 10-year rule Assam Police Seizes More Than 1,000 Illegal Squatters in Karbi Anglong Patna: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Tuesday held the last cabinet meeting of this year at Valmiki Nagar, a forest area in West Champaran district. Valmiki Nagar near the Indo-Nepal border is known for tiger reserves, spread over about 880 square kilometres. Maharishi Valmiki, the author of the Ramayana, is said to have spent a few years in Buffalolotan, now known as Valmiki Nagar. A hall of the forest department was converted into an auditorium for the same Bihar Pradesh Council of Ministers meeting and a waiting room equipped with state-of-the-art facilities was also arranged in the premises. The cabinet meeting chaired by Nitish Kumar began at 1.30 pm and allowed 13 agendas. Ahead of the same cabinet meeting, the CM along with his cabinet colleagues also enjoyed a boat safari at Valmiki Nagar Tiger Reserve. Deputy CM Renu Devi from Bettiah district headquarters in West Champaran gave Nitish a warm welcome. In Valmiki Nagar, arrangements have been made for Nitish to stay overnight at the guest house of the state government. This is not the first time that Nitish has chaired a cabinet meeting away from the state capital. Nitish has held cabinet meetings outside Patna several times during his 16 years in office. Nitish, who came to power in Bihar in 2005, held a cabinet meeting at Barbigha village in Begusarai in 2009 on the run of the Vikas yatra. Does the Constitution allow 'illegal conversion'? Muslims raised slogans in support of the government, expressed happiness by distributing sweets Why are MPs suspended? Now TMC's Derek O'Brien also suspended MANILA: President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines has declared a state of calamity in several regions to expedite relief efforts for victims of Typhoon Rai, which ravaged central and southern Philippines last week. "I've decided to declare a state of disaster. I'll sign it right now "According to Duterte, the worst-affected areas have suffered massive destruction and loss of life. According to reports, Duterte declared a state of calamity in Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga regions in a taped public address aired late Tuesday. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), 156 people died as a result of the typhoon, while the Philippine National Police reported at least 375 deaths. Many more people have gone missing or have been injured. Typhoon Rai made landfall on Siargao Island, off the eastern coast of Mindanao island in the southern Philippines, on Thursday afternoon. It rained for three days in the Southeast Asian country, causing flooding and landslides. Rai left the Philippines on Saturday, leaving a trail of devastation in the central and southern Philippines, as well as some areas on the main island of Luzon. On Tuesday, the Chinese government began distributing relief supplies to thousands of victims in typhoon-ravaged areas. Typhoon Rai makes landfall in the Philippines' southern provinces Typhoon Rai nears Philippines, mass evacuation intensifies Updates: Typhoon lashes Philippines 5 death reports so far Finland: In order to combat the onslaught of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, Finland will reintroduce entry controls from the European Union (EU) and the Schengen area. Non-residents wishing to enter Finland must have a negative test result by December 28, according to Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who made the announcement late Tuesday. According to reports, such a requirement has already been imposed on arrivals from non-EU countries and Omicron risk areas as of Tuesday. The government has also increased restrictions on restaurant opening hours and capacity, but this will be done in two stages. "We wanted to give the industry time to adjust," Marin explained. Marin made the announcement at 11 p.m., following six hours of cabinet internal consultations. Recently, Finnish health districts and hospitals have called for immediate action, such as the suspension of the Covid passport, which allows people to enter restaurants. The suspension of the certificate system was also approved by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) on Tuesday. THL believed that by eliminating the Covid passport, the most effective way to prevent the spread of Omicron would be to restrict the operation of restaurants that specialise in the dispensing of alcohol. Biden announces 500-million free Covid at-home test kits to combat Omicron. Covid-19: South Korea reports 7,456 more cases Omicron surge prompts Israel to impose restrictions New Delhi: Raids have been going on in the offices of Chinese mobile companies across the country since Wednesday morning. The operation has been going on in several cities including Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore since 9 am. Earlier on Tuesday, it was reported that Nepal has also blacklisted several Chinese companies. The income tax department has taken major action against mobile company Oppo Group and Xiaomi. The Income Tax Department has conducted raids against several senior officials, directors, CFO and other officials belonging to the Oppo group. According to a report, the smartphone market in India is worth around Rs 2.5 lakh crore. It has a 70 percent stake in products from Chinese companies. On the other hand, the television market in India is worth Rs 30,000 crore. Chinese companies share smart TVs at about 45 percent. Non-smart TVs account for about 10 per cent. According to sources, the search is going on at Gurugram, Rewari in Delhi-NCR. The Delhi unit and bengaluru unit are conducting raids. The Central Government had reported in Parliament that 80 Chinese companies are currently actively doing business in the country. There are 92 Chinese companies registered in India, out of which 80 are companies that 'actively' do business. EC took major decision on candidates with criminal records South Africa tour: What will Team India do if Omicron explodes in the middle of the series? 10th-12th pass opportunity for youth to work in Army Iran has blamed Saudi Arabia for delaying the return of its envoy to Yemen, who died of the Covid-19 infection later this year. On the sidelines of Hassan Irloo's funeral, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that the Iranian Foreign Ministry tried to get quick permission from Riyadh to evacuate Irloo by plane after he was infected with the coronavirus, but "the Saudi side was unfortunately very late in deciding in this regard, and some executive bodies of Saudi Arabia dragged their feet," according to media reports. Yemen's airspace, including the Sanaa airport, as well as its land and maritime borders, have been under the authority of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition since 2015, when the Houthis gained control of the capital Sanaa and parts of Yemen's northern region. We will legally lodge a protest in accordance with international agreements, while also hoping that Yemen will be able to exit this conflict and terrible humanitarian blockade as soon as possible through political means." Irloo, who "contracted the coronavirus in his place of mission" in Sanaa, died earlier in the day, according to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh. Unfortunately, he returned to the nation in a poor health state, and after undergoing all of the necessary treatment, he was murdered this morning "On Tuesday, Khatibzadeh stated. Irloo was flown to Tehran, Iran's capital, on an Iraqi plane on Sunday, after Iraq mediated between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the region's two regional enemies. Since late 2014, when Iran-backed Houthi terrorists took control of much of the nation's north and drove President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's Saudi-backed administration out of Sanaa, the country has been engulfed in civil conflict. Cold wave is expected to hit North Korea as it prepares to celebrate Kim Jong-un's 10-year rule Putin and Scholz speak on the phone about security in Europe and the situation in Ukraine European Union to limit validity of digital Covid pass to 9 months Sara Ali Khan always talks openly about her personal life as well. Now the actress was recently asked if she ever talks about marriage to mother Amrita Singh and the actress refused. According to media reports, in the midst of an episode of Bombay Journey on Mashable India, Sara has said that she never discusses her mother's marriage. Sara has said that her mother now wants her to focus on work. Sara has also said that after all this in Mumbai, she is finding comfort in her mother's room. Sara has said that a lot of things have become common between her and her mother ever since she became an actress. She said- My mother is an actress and she will always be. When I was in Colombia, I don't think she understood me as much as she does now to explain to me. According to reports, Sara continued, 'Even today, if I have to talk to anyone about anything, she is my mother. She understands me as well as no one can understand.' Where it is also said that Sara is busy promoting her upcoming movie Antargi Ray these days. His movie is slated to release on December 24 with Akshay Kumar and Dhanush in the lead roles. Tiger injured while shooting for 'Ganpat,' shared photos Nora to be official witness against Sukesh Chandrashekhar, to open several big secrets Akshay Kumar once again returning with sequel of 'Rowdy Rathore' Three foreign returnees in the state tested positive for COVID-19, an Omicron panic has spread the Northeast state of Manipur. Two of the three people who tested positive for COVID-19 in Manipur had recently returned from the Netherlands, while the third had recently returned from Canada. The Netherlands went into lockdown on Saturday to deter the Omicron form from spreading during Christmas celebrations. Meanwhile, all three foreign returnees are from Manipur's Imphal West region. They landed in the country on Sunday at Imphal's Bir Tikendrajit International Airport. The Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) Hospital has admitted all three people. Meanwhile, the three COVID patients' samples will be sent for genome sequencing to see if they've been infected with the Omicron variant. According to the health ministry, at least 200 cases of the new Omicron type have been reported in India so far. Omicron Second case confirmed in Andhra Pradesh This actress went topless on her birthday, photos flew away senses Assam: Action initiated for capacity expansion of Digboi refinery Vijayawada: The government of Andhra Pradesh confirmed the second case of the Omicron variant of coronavirus in the state on Wednesday. The Omicron-positive patient is a 39-year-old Kenyan international traveller. Dr. Hymavati, Director of the Andhra Pradesh Public Health Department, stated, "On December 10, a 39-year-old foreign traveller arrived from Kenya at Chennai Airport." She arrived in Tirupati by car. She was tested upon arrival in Tirupati and was found to be RT-PCR positive for COVID19 on December 12." On December 22, the sample was sent to the Centre For Cellular And Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad for Genome Sequencing, and the result was declared Omicron Positive. The state government stated in a notice, "This is the second case of Omicron identified in Andhra Pradesh." So far, 45 foreign travellers and 9 contacts have tested positive for COVID-19 RTPCR." "All of the samples were then sent to the CCMB for genome sequencing." The public is advised not to be concerned or believe any rumours, but to continue to take precautions such as social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand washing on a regular basis," it added. Now, 'Omicron' raises concerns in the state, 3 people in contact with infected people New research on 'Omicron,' these people have to be more alert 2022 will be the last year of Corona, celebration cancellation is better than life cancellation: WHO On a phone conversation, Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed European security problems as well as the situation in Ukraine. Putin briefed Scholz on Tuesday of Russian proposals for long-term and legally enforceable security assurances that prevent the North Atlantic Treaty Organization from extending eastwards and putting offensive weapons near Russia, according to a press statement. They also spoke on how to resolve Ukraine's internal issue, with Putin reminding Scholz that "Kiev is still resolutely evading its obligations under the 2015 Minsk accords." In terms of Russian-German relations, the leaders underlined a shared desire to strengthen bilateral relationships and maintain touch through a variety of channels. Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron had a phone chat earlier in the day to discuss European security problems and the situation in Ukraine. European Union to limit validity of digital Covid pass to 9 months UN Mideast envoy calls for stopping Violence between Israelis, Palestinians Japan to keep up strict border controls: PM Fumio Kishida Winter is well and truly here, and along with it are the migratory birds that travel thousands of miles to get to Nepal. According to experts, over 100 species of birds come to Nepal every year from places like Russia and Siberia and spend a few months in mostly the Terai region of Nepal. Birds like mallard, ruddy shelduck, gadwall, Eurasian teal, greenshank, thrush, flycatcher and booted eagle are among few that can be seen in forests around the country. Apart from that, there are plenty of local birds in Nepal that makes the country a treat to all birdwatchers with a lot of places ideal for birdwatching. But, where exactly in Nepal does one go for birdwatching to get a glimpse of these creatures? Worry not; we bring a list of places you can visit to observe these birds from halfway across the world. 1. Kathmandu Asian paradise flycatcher seen in Kathmandu. Photo: Aryan Dhimal The capital city is home to around 500 species of birds that can be seen in areas like Shivapuri, Nargarjun, Pulchoki and Raniban. Areas around Chobhar, Taudaha, Nagdaha and Manohara are also the desired areas for birdwatching as there are birds like raptors, mallard, gadwall, northern shoveler, northern pintail, ferruginous pochard, common pochard, ruddy shell duck and great cormorant. It is not just in the winters that the valley sees foreign birds because the Eurasian cuckoo, Asian koel, white-breasted water hen, common moorhen and greater painted snipe can be seen in the summer as the valleys weather and its water bodies give the perfect refuge. 2. Chitwan Chitwan is probably the best area for birdwatching in the winter. The dense jungle of the Chitwan National Park is home to so many different birds. According to data, it is home to more than 543 species of birds, which is the largest number of birds compared to other national parks of Nepal. While many people come to Nepal for the mountains, there are few who come here for birds like black-chinned yuhina, Goulds sunbird, blossom-headed parakeet, Bengal florican, lesser adjutant and grey-crowned prinia. The park is also home to the great oriental darter and the honey buzzard. Apart from these, chirping birds like hornbills, babblers, bitterns and kingfishers add some charm to the national park. Additionally, small chirping birds like slender-billed babblers, bitterns, kingfishers many other birds make it a perfect birdwatching destination. 3. Koshi Tappu Boating, birdwatching and sunsets are quite popular in Koshi Tappu. Photo: Kushal Bista This is another paradise for birdwatching where people can see a variety of both resident and migratory birds. As it has plenty of wetlands, this is a haven for both birds and birdwatchers. The wildlife reserve is home to watercock, Indian nightjar, dusky eagle owl, black-headed cuckoo shrike, white-tailed stonechat, striated grassbird, large adjutant stork, Pallass fish eagle, common golden-eye, gull-billed tern, swamp francolin, rufous-vented grass babbler, and Bengal floricans. As some of these birds are endangered, researchers and bird lovers often visit this part of Nepal. 4. Shuklaphanta A peacock dancing in Shuklaphanta National Park. Photo: Bharat Bandhu Thapa Shuklaphanta National Park in far-west Nepal is also another area that should be on the birdwatching destination list of bird lovers. Home to over 400 species, people can expect to see birds like the swamp francolin, Jerdons bush chat, rufous-rumped grassbird, chestnut-capped babbler and Jerdons babbler. Dusky eagle owl, rufous-bellied eagle, and an oriental pied hornbill are also quite popular in the area. 5. Bardiya National Park A sarus crane nesting over its egg [image by: Manoj Paudel] It is another national park that is full of different bird species. Known mostly for tigers, Bardiya is also home to over 500 species of birds including endangered species like lesser florican, Bengal florican, silver eared mesia, sarus crane, white-rumped vulture, jungle prinia, golden-headed cisticola, and many more. These birds are mostly seen along the banks of the Karnali river, Babai river, Badhaiya lake and Satkhalauwa lake. 6. The mountains Himalayan monal seen around Panch Pokhari. Photo: Dibesh Manandhar Apart from Nepals plains and hills, the mountains are also home to different bird species, hence ideal for birdwatching. Nepals national bird, the Lophophorus, is predominantly found there. Researchers also say that Jerdons baza, a bird that is extinct, is also found in the Himalayas. Apart from these, Himalayan raven, blood pheasant, koklass pheasant, Himalayan monal, kalij pheasant and the globally near-threatened satyr tragopan are also found in the mountainous areas like the Annapurnas. White-rumped vulture, the golden eagle, and the crested serpent eagle are also some notable birds one can see in these areas. Can an examinee who is competing for a job think of helping another candidate pass the exam at the cost of his/her own failure? Generally, no one would do it. However, an examinee from Rajapur, Bardiya has made his competitor pass the examination for the position of a government teacher by writing the roll number of the competitor in his answer sheet at the Surkhet examination centre. As a complaint was lodged against them, and the investigators found the examinee and the other examinee sitting next to him were actually spouses. After this incident, both the wifes job secured by the husband writing the examination and the husbands already existing job as a secondary-level teacher are at risk. Investigators say this is a unique example of exam rigging in the countrys human resource management. Planning for the exam rigging The Teachers Service Commission had published a vacancy announcement for teachers from primary to secondary levels for 2017/18. Mana Kala Acharya (Chaulagain) of Bardiya was preparing for the job as a primary teacher whereas her husband Mani Lal Acharya was preparing for the secondary level. But, Mani Lal also decided to take the examination for the primary level teacher again and filled the application form accordingly. As the initials of their name matched and also they had filled the forms at the same time, their roll numbers came closer to each other. On September 29, 2018, the examination was held. Mana Kala with roll number 68100037 and Mani Lal with roll number 68100038 got to sit next to each other in the examination hall at Adarsh Raj Memorial School, Surkhet. Both of them took the exam. As the result came out, Mani Lal could not pass the examination. However, his wife Mana Kala passed it and was appointed a teacher under the womens reservation at Bheri Secondary School in Dhobinpur, Rajapur. Mani Lal later took the secondary level teachers examination and passed it. After that, he was appointed at Mahadev High School in Bajhang and later transferred to Amar Shaheed Dasharath Chand High School in Rajapur. On September 1, 2019, a complaint was lodged at the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), accusing the couple of exam rigging. In the complaint filed in the name of an examinee, it was mentioned that Mana Kala had passed the examination by exchanging answer sheets with her husband, hence committing exam rigging, and this matter should be investigated and the responsible person should be punished accordingly. File: Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) Then, the CIAA launched an investigation. As the investigation progressed, it was revealed that they had been involved in exam rigging as claimed in the complaint. Mana Kala was not confident that she would pass the exam. Therefore, they exchanged their answer sheets thinking she would get the job under womens reservation if the husband wrote the answer, said an official, Both of them have admitted the allegations. Before going to the examination hall, Mani Lal and Mana Kala had planned everything. Upon entering the hall, he first wrote the objective question answers. While the examination was going on, the guards started verifying their entrance cards and doing attendance. By that time, they had already written the answers to the questions in the first section and submitted the answer sheets. They had also already written their roll numbers on the attendance sheets and signed them. Then, Mani Lal started writing answers in the second and third answer sheets. This time, he wrote his wifes roll number in the answer sheet and Mana Kala wrote her husbands roll number. The invigilators who had already left did not find any hint of their plan and did not suspect them either. Then, they handed over the answer sheets and left the examination hall. Mana Kala passed the examination written by her husband. She got appointed as a primary teacher on November 21, 2019, and started teaching. An official source said that Mana Kala had admitted exam rigging in her statement to the investigators. Three days after taking that examination, Mani Lal took another exam for the secondary level from the Mahendranagar centre and passed it. He started teaching at Mahadev High School in Bajhang on August 1, 2019. After some time, he was transferred to Rajapur, Bardiya. The couple were happy as their plan had worked out. However, their happiness did not last long. Authorities began investigating the complaint even before the results of Mana Kala were made public and had already received initial hints to prove exam rigging. Justifying the exam rigging According to the charge sheet filed at the Special Court by the CIAA, Mani Lal had given a statement earlier that his wife was devastated after she failed in the interview of the Teachers Service Commission examination held in 2013. Mani Lal had planned everything for the exam rigging thinking his wife would pass the examination and get the job if he wrote it and then it would be easier for the family. I did so thinking that at least one among us should have a permanent job. There was very little possibility of me passing the secondary level examination, he said, I exchanged the answer sheets thinking that at least my wife would pass the examination and get the appointment under the womens reservation. If only I had known that I would pass the examination, I probably wouldnt have made such a mistake He had argued that he should not be accused of corruption as he did not take the exam in his wifes name but only exchanged answer sheets. The couple admitted that they resorted to exam rigging because they felt the future of their children would be in trouble if they did not have a permanent job and also both of them had nearly reached the age ceiling for applications. Mana Kala had requested that normal action be taken against her, not according to the Corruption Prevention Act but according to the Teachers Service Commission Rules. The revelation Representative image While studying coding and decoding of the answer sheets, the investigators found the objective section and one subjective section of Mana Kala Acharya (Chaulagai)s answer sheets were signed. However, another subjective section of her answer sheet was not signed. Similarly, answer sheets of the objective section of Mani Lal Acharya were signed but both the answer sheets of the subjective section were not signed. While examining the signature of the answer sheet and the number of the answer sheets, it was revealed that the answer sheet number of Mana Kala Acharyas primary level B section was corrected on the attendance form of the examination centre. The commission hence reported that both of them had committed exam rigging. The CIAA, then, tried to match the handwritings in the answer sheets of Mani Lal (secondary level) and Mana Kala (primary level). For this, the CIAA sent the answer sheets to the National Forensic Science Laboratory, Khumaltar, on September 14, 2020. The laboratory reported that the handwriting in the answer sheets of Mani Lals secondary-level examination did not match with the handwriting of B and C sections of his primary-level exam answer sheets. Then, it was revealed it was Mana Kala, not him, who wrote the answers, thus amounting to exam rigging. Instead, Mani Lals handwritings of the answer sheets of the secondary-level exam matched with the handwriting of sections B and C of the answer sheets of Mana Kala. Then, it was revealed that they had exchanged the roll numbers while writing the subjective sections during the primary-level exam. And, the examination of the citizenship certificate submitted by Mana Kala in the interview confirmed that the two were husband and wife. After that, the CIAA concluded that both were involved in exam rigging. The CIAA, then, filed a corruption case at the Special Court demanding one to three months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 from each as per the Corruption Prevention Act. Both the teachers have been suspended as the CIAA have made both defendants. If the court convicts them for exam rigging, it is almost certain that Mana Kala will be dismissed from the job. Moreover, Mani Lal, who was appointed a secondary level teacher by passing the examination separately, has also put his job at risk because if corruption is confirmed, people in public office will be fired. A Swiss man came to Nepal in the 1950s and travelled all over Nepal. He achieved the dream (of travelling across the country) of todays Nepali travel enthusiasts, who probably were not even born or did not know they had such a dream. The manToni Hagenmay not need a big introduction today, but there was a time when Nepal had not realised who he was or what he accomplished in Nepal. Behind this shift is Toni Hagen talking about his work in the early 2000s, and the relentless efforts of his eldest daughter, Katrin Hagen, even today. A lot of my time now goes into collection and organisation of his journals, sketches, photos and videos he had of Nepal. And, we have received a lot of love, respect and adoration from Nepal and Nepali people, shares Katrin Hagen in a recent interview with Onlinekhabar. Katrin Hagen herself is involved in several activities in Nepal, directly continuing her fathers legacy here. Remembering Toni Hagen My father loved the Himalayas. He would tell us he had promised himself once he became a geologist that he would go to the Himalayas and study there. And, that is what he did, recalls Katrin. So, he came here and travelled so much; he loved the people here, she adds. To mark 50 years of Toni Hagens visit to Nepal, the Toni Hagen Foundation was set up in 2001. Katrin is the president of the Toni Hagen Foundation (Switzerland). Katrin Hagen now remembers how she got to spend time with her father in his later years. It was only some 10 years ago before he passed that we worked together. Looking back at the photos and videos now makes me realise how passionate he was that he travelled from east to west of Nepal in such adversities, with only three airports and no health or luxurious amenities like today, she says. Katrin became a surgeon in 1975 in Switzerland, became an orthopaedic doctor with a specialisation in hand surgery in 1985. Her professional life kept her busy. I got to know his work better only after he passed away. But, it is better than nothing. Her relentless efforts to organise and publish her fathers work has made people realise what they missed. In exhibitions we do, people look at the photos of Kathmandu valley then and react surprised about how there were no houses back then. Many have seen the documentary Uhile ko Nepal also put together by the Toni Hagen Foundation in 2018 and they refer them to me while approaching. Many call or write to me and ask me if I have photos of this region or that for their work. And, I help them when I can as well. In her recent visit to Nepal, Katrin Hagen visited the soon-to-be made Toni Hagen Park in Hetaunda, Makawanpur, in the Sub-metropolitans initiative. The park has been envisioned to be a park for the youth and the senior citizens, with a library and recreational activities. The park has been initiated by the local government there and has the full support of the Toni Hagen Foundation. We are talking about installations, research centres, art projects, his old photos and videos to be put up on display as well. Katrin Hagens attachment to Nepal Katrin Hagen spends a lot of time in Nepal. Even in her 70s, she travels frequently between Switzerland and Nepal and manages both her life in different parts of the world. The work here keeps me busy and I visit Nepal sometimes twice a year to twice a month, depending on the work, shares Katrin, who was here in Nepal for two weeks recently, the first time after the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world. File: A photo of Bouddha captured by Toni Hagen on display. But, her first visit to Nepal was when she was a toddler and even has a cameo in the fathers documentary. The first true memory that I have from the time here was seeing a large black snake that crawled up the stairs in Ekantakuna (Lalitpur) and me getting scared. This was when the Swiss embassy was there, she remembers, The rest of the things I rememberwatching the mountains and travelling along the hills of Kathmanduhave all been mixed and I think I remember them from the photos and videos of that time only. But I will never forget the snake. It was the time, as my mother used to say, when we would go to the American embassy Christmas events just to get the chocolates as there were no chocolates here at that time. When I grew older and heard my parents talk about Nepal, Katrin Hagen remembers, I used to envision a different Nepal. But, when I came here myself again, I like the country, the trekking [opportunities], and the mountains. In 1961. my father was still working here, so we came back and visited Pokhara, Muktinath and went trekking. But, the country, the urban and rural areas are so different from the photos now. President of Toni Hagen Foundation (Switzerland) Katrin Hagen remembers her father, Toni Hagen. Photo: Aryan Dhimal She was also a traveller like her father and has travelled to many places in Nepal and went trekking as she started visiting Nepal regularly after 1975. But now, due to old age, she is unable to travel. As a doctor, she also has been active in organising health camps for people outside Kathmandu. One complaint about Nepal that she has to share is the unplanned management of roads. If you see the roads, some are built poorly; some are built but do not reach the village; some are left in the middle, so it is a hassle. She adds, Many doctors are discouraged to go to remote areas. The unmanaged urbanisation and the expensive college fees are not motivation either. So, the government should provide some fellowship or aids to them. But, there is something that surprises Katrin Hagen even today. The people here are still the same, very frank and helpful. I also meet a lot of young people who want to do something for the country and change it for the better despite problems and corruption. Future plans President of Toni Hagen Foundation (Switzerland) Katrin Hagen speaks about her father, Toni Hagen. Photo: Aryan Dhimal Going further, Katrin Hagen wants to continue working for Nepali people, especially in remote areas. The foundation has been supporting in organising health camps in Bajura, supporting spinal injury patients, burn violence survivors, children with cerebral palsy and disabled children, she informs, Organisationally, we are looking forward to expanding research centres here in Nepal. When the foundation was established, he [Toni] said he wanted to work for multi-ethnic and indigenous groups. So we will continue that as well. And, we are also supporting the Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (KIMFF) for the last three years and will continue that, she adds. But, her primary motive is to collect her fathers geology notes on Nepal as the stakeholders here want to publish them. They are the cultural heritage of Nepal and my father was the only person who took such photos and documented areas like Everest, Solukhumbhu, Dolpofrom east to westas he travelled all across Nepal. Katrin Hagen is also working is to uncover more photos of Nepal that her father had in store. There are many photos in the collection, but I do not know where they are or from when. Unfortunately, I cannot ask him where this is or that. Yet, I am trying to piece every bit of information together to make it cohesive. NEW YORK, Dec. 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 35% of the growth will originate from APAC for the digital transformation market in the oil and gas industry. China and India are the key markets for digital transformation in the oil and gas industry in APAC. Market growth in APAC will be faster than the growth of the market in other regions. Increasing investments by oil and gas companies in advanced technologies to secure long-term profitable growth will facilitate the digital transformation market in the oil and gas industry growth in APAC over the forecast period. Attractive Opportunities in Digital Transformation Market in the Oil and Gas Industry by Technology and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025 The digital transformation market in the oil and gas industry is expected to grow by USD 43.62 billion from 2020 to 2025. However, the growth momentum market is expected to decelerate at a CAGR of 17.38% as per the latest report by Technavio For more insights on the digital transformation market in the oil and gas industry - View FREE sample report in MINUTES Read the 120-page report with TOC on "Digital Transformation Market in the Oil and Gas Industry Analysis Report by Technology (IoT, E&P software, Big data, cloud computing, and others) and Geography (North America, APAC, MEA, Europe, and South America), and the Segment Forecasts,2021-2025". Gain competitive intelligence about market leaders. Track key industry opportunities, trends and threats. Information on marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales, and supply functions. https://www.technavio.com/report/report/digital-transformation-market-size-in-the-oil-and-gas-industry-analysis Digital Transformation in the Oil and Gas Industry - Driver & Challenge The digital transformation market in the oil and gas industry is driven by the rise in investments and partnerships. However, factors such as lack of skilled labor may impede market growth. The holistic analysis of the drivers will help in deducing end goals and refining marketing strategies to gain a competitive edge. Digital Transformation in the Oil and Gas Industry - Revenue Generating Segment The digital transformation market share growth in the oil and gas industry by the IoT segment will be significant for revenue-generating. The increasing need for transparency in operations and tighter controls on production and distribution are driving oil and gas operators to adopt wireless IoT technology to enhance and optimize the production and distribution chain. The implementation of IoT is projected to transform the oil and gas industry at a rapid pace. The deployment of IoT solutions across the value chain aids the oil and gas industry in the form of downstream sensors to surface control valves with real-time data analysis. Thus, with IoT solutions, oil and gas organizations are enhancing their operations, making better decisions, and creating a safer working environment along the entire value chain. Story continues To gain further insights on the market contribution of various segments - Download a free sample report now! Some of key Digital Transformation in the Oil and Gas Industry Players: The digital transformation market in the oil and gas industry is fragmented and the vendors are increasingly opting for technological innovations and partnerships to compete in the market. Emerson Electric Co. General Electric Co. Intel Corp. International Business Machines Corp. Microsoft Corp. Oracle Corp. Rockwell Automation Inc. SAP SE Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. Teradata Corp. Get lifetime access to our Technavio Insights. Subscribe now to our most popular "Lite Plan" billed annually at USD 3000. View 3 reports monthly and Download 3 Reports Annually! Digital Transformation Market In The Oil And Gas Industry Technology Outlook (Revenue, USD bn, 2020-2025) IoT - size and forecast 2020-2025 E&P software - size and forecast 2020-2025 Big data - size and forecast 2020-2025 Cloud computing - size and forecast 2020-2025 Others - size and forecast 2020-2025 Digital Transformation Market In The Oil And Gas Industry Geography Outlook (Revenue, USD bn, 2020-2025) North America - size and forecast 2020-2025 APAC - size and forecast 2020-2025 MEA - size and forecast 2020-2025 Europe - size and forecast 2020-2025 South America - size and forecast 2020-2025 For more information on segmentation - Grab an Exclusive Free Sample Report Related Reports: Digital Transformation Market in the Retail Sector - The digital transformation market size in the retail sector has the potential to grow by USD 137.05 billion during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 16.97%. Download a free sample report now! Digital Door Locks Market -The digital door locks market has the potential to grow by USD 6.67 billion during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 22.05%. Download a free sample report now! Digital Transformation Market In The Oil And Gas Industry Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Decelerate at a CAGR of 17.38% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 43.62 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 15.38 Regional analysis North America, APAC, MEA, Europe, and South America Performing market contribution APAC at 35% Key consumer countries US, China, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, and India Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Emerson Electric Co., General Electric Co., Intel Corp., International Business Machines Corp., Microsoft Corp., Oracle Corp., Rockwell Automation Inc., SAP SE, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., and Teradata Corp. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period, Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. About Technavio 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. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ Technavio (PRNewsfoto/Technavio) Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/35-of-growth-to-originate-from-apac-for-digital-transformation-market-in-the-oil-and-gas-industry--evolving-opportunities-with-emerson-electric-co--general-electric-co-17000-technavio-report-301449059.html SOURCE Technavio CHICAGO, Dec. 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL) is pleased to announce that its client, Vesuvius plc (Vesuvius), has acquired Universal Refractories, Inc. (UF), a specialty refractory producer in Pennsylvania. BGL's Metals & Metals Processing and Engineered Materials investment banking teams served as the exclusive financial advisor to Vesuvius on the acquisition. As previously disclosed by Vesuvius, the transaction valued Universal at $57.1 million on a cash and debt-free basis and was funded from Vesuvius' internal resources. This transaction highlights the deep experience of the BGL team with businesses operating in the Mills & Foundries sector. Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL) is pleased to announce that its client, Vesuvius plc (Vesuvius), has acquired Universal Refractories, Inc. (UF), a specialty refractory producer in Pennsylvania. BGL's Metals and Engineered Materials investment banking teams were the exclusive financial advisor to Vesuvius. Founded in 1957 and based in Wampum, Pennsylvania, Universal Refractories manufactures specialty refractory performance solutions for the steel and foundry industries. The company operates two facilities in Pennsylvania consisting of more than 240,000 square feet of production and warehousing space. UK-based Vesuvius plc is a global leader in molten metal flow engineering and technology principally serving the steel and foundry industries. The company's North American operations include facilities across the U.S., as well as in Canada and Mexico. CEO Patrick Andre commented on the acquisition, "Universal is a strategically important acquisition for Vesuvius, which significantly expands Vesuvius' North American presence amongst electric arc furnace steel producers in our focus area of steel tundish applications, while also further strengthening our Foundry business." About Brown Gibbons Lang & Company Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL) is a leading independent investment bank and financial advisory firm focused on the global middle market. The firm advises private and public corporations and private equity groups on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financial restructurings, valuations and opinions, and other strategic matters. BGL has investment banking offices in Chicago, Cleveland, and Philadelphia, and real estate offices in Chicago, Cleveland, and San Antonio. The firm is also a founding member of Global M&A Partners, enabling BGL to service clients in more than 30 countries around the world. Securities transactions are conducted through Brown, Gibbons, Lang & Company Securities, Inc., an affiliate of Brown Gibbons Lang & Company LLC and a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. For more information, please visit www.bglco.com. Story continues (PRNewsfoto/Brown Gibbons Lang & Company) Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bgl-advises-vesuvius-plc-on-the-acquisition-of-universal-refractories-301450132.html SOURCE Brown Gibbons Lang & Company WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Paul A. Samakow, P.C. proudly announce that attorney, Danielle Garcia, has joined their Personal Injury legal practice. Danielle Garcia has been practicing law and vigorously defending her clients since January of 2016. She is a graduate of Florida International University in Miami, Florida where she studied Political Science before attending law school at Wake Forest School of Law in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Upon graduation, Danielle centered her efforts on Family law, but has focused her practice on representing injured victims against insurance companies since 2018. She is a zealous advocate who will not take "no" for an answer in her fight to right the wrongs committed against her clients. Licensed in Maryland and Washington, D.C., Danielle has conducted numerous trials in both jurisdictions and it known to have a very impressive "win-loss" record. "An attorney who truly understands what happens to women in accidents" is a phrase that is commonly associated with attorney Danielle Garcia. For more information about Danielle Garcia, visit https://samakowlaw.com About the Law Offices of Paul A. Samakow, P.C. With combined expertise and a team approach, the Law Offices of Paul A. Samakow are able to handle a broad range of claims involving injuries, such as automobile accidents, workplace injuries, death claims, and more in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. They have been fighting for injury victims since 1980 and have won over 40 million dollars in settlements and verdicts on behalf of their clients. Contact: Danielle Garcia The Law Offices of Paul A. Samakow, P.C. 326418@email4pr.com 703-761-4343 https://samakowlaw.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/danielle-garcia-accident-injury-attorney-in-maryland-and-washington-dc-has-joined-the-law-offices-of-paul-a-samakow-pc-301449648.html SOURCE The Law Offices of Paul A. Samakow German on-demand delivery giant Delivery Hero is pulling its food delivery service out of Germany again. At the same time it has announced it will exit the Japanese market, by divesting Foodpanda Japan, starting in Q1 next year. In a statement accompanying the pre-Christmas exit news, the company's CEO and co-founder, Niklas Ostberg, said: "Scaling down our operations in Germany and planning to divest our Japanese business have not been easy decisions. Facing a very different reality now than we did entering these markets, it is with a heavy heart that we need to pursue other growth opportunities with larger potential. "Despite having built up two fantastic foodpanda teams showing great progress, it has become increasingly difficult to create true value for our ecosystem in these countries. I have nothing but gratitude and admiration for the accomplishments both teams have achieved in the last months. Seeing the amazing service they built from scratch makes me genuinely proud, and we will do everything we can to support our fellow Heroes on their journey ahead." The European on-demand delivery giant only fully returned to its home market -- under its Foodpanda brand -- in August, following a few weeks of testing. Back in May, when it trailed the Germany relaunch in an interview with the Financial Times, Ostberg had talked in terms of being in it for a decade-long haul, telling the newspaper: We dont see necessarily that we are going to go in and win the market in the next year or so. This is a 10-year game. And only last month Delivery Hero was still expanding Foodpanda's footprint in Germany -- announcing the service would be launching into another six cities, as the division's CEO, Artur Schreiber, trumpeted "great" demand and an expansion he said would create "a thousand" jobs. Although that announcement also hinted that it might be having trouble getting customers to stick around -- with Delivery Hero saying it would also be refreshing Foodpanda's branding, launching a new app with a better user experience and expanding a loyalty program. Story continues In the event it's pulling the plug on a commercial delivery service in Germany -- leaving only a Berlin-based R&D hub where it says it will test new services and features, so sounds like it will continue to run some (trial) deliveries in Central Berlin for employees working on developing new products. It's notable it's not selling the Foodpanda Germany unit to a rival -- as it did back in 2018 when it last pulled the plug on the market. Delivery Hero either wants to retain the possibility of a rapid return in future; or -- perhaps more likely -- the local food delivery is so competitively tapped out there was little to be gained by selling the unit (unlike a few years ago when it was able to bag a meaty payout of ~$1.1 billion when it sold its German ops to Dutch rival Takeaway.com; which, incidentally has since merged with U.K. based Just Eat and the combined entity is building out a grocery delivery biz too). How does Delivery Hero explain such a rapid rethink of its long-term strategy to win its home market? "[S]ince launching the service, the landscape of the German market changed significantly. External factors, such as an increased number of players and a shortage of riders, provided a new reality towards the end of the year," is the spin its PR puts on the reversal. Its press release also seeks to strike an upbeat tone in a bid to reassure investors -- saying it has identified "plenty of other growth opportunities... with a better expected return on investment, like other markets and new verticals, primarily in the area of quick commerce". Quick commerce typically refers to grocery-type deliveries via a new wave of on-demand platforms that offer consumers a selection of convenience products (bread, toothpaste, batteries etc.) -- often served out of microfulfilment centers (aka dark stores) located in urban centers to ensure hyper speedy delivery times. Europe has seen investor dollars pouring into the category since the pandemic struck, with a number of startups springing up across the region. And Ostberg noted that it was seeing a larger willingness among its customers to have more than meals delivered when TechCrunch discussed the potential of grocery deliveries with the Delivery Hero CEO early on in the pandemic. Germany, the EU's biggest economy, has grabbed a major slice of this investor-heated q-commerce action -- with homegrown startup Gorillas raising close to a billion dollars in Series C funding this October, for example; while Flink, another rapidly scaling rapid grocery delivery startup, nabbed $240M in the summer, a mere six months after launching. Gorilla's whopping Series C was -- in fact -- led by Delivery Hero so the writing was perhaps already on the wall for its local Foodpanda division at that point. And in another Q-commerce related announcement earlier this month, Delivery Hero trumpeted an expansion of what it billed as a "logistics-a-service" play -- suggesting it sees its future in serving delivery services to a growing sea of smaller (and more specialized) on-demand players. "Partnering with e-commerce marketplaces and platforms, restaurants, as well as pharmaceutical and grocery companies, the company is changing the way that people buy and send goods," was how it fleshed out the move, noting also that it has also recently opened its 1,000th "Dmart" (aka "small warehouses in strategic locations for delivery"). Again, Germany is seeing on-demand action bubbling up on a variety of fronts -- as homegrown startups seek to ride the Q-commerce boom via a strategy of divide and conquer. This means launching app-based delivery services that target (more) specific niches and segments -- such as Yababa (multicultural groceries); Arive (high-end consumer goods); and Mayd (meds, but starting with non-prescription products sold in pharmacies) -- to name three German startups which all raised recently. The mood music suggests there are indeed opportunities for growth in quick commerce beyond the tricky business of biking hot meals to hungry bellies -- and that the evolution of the on-demand delivery category is well underway. This is about diversifying beyond takeaways and instant food gratification -- to serving all sorts of convenience and specialist requirements and the platforms that will be needed to deliver that big picture vision of anything arriving quickly via app order. In Europe there is also the issue of labor rights for gig platform workers to consider too, which looks set to further steer market developments -- and could accelerate the reconfiguration of a business model that some accuse of being inherently exploitative. Earlier this month EU lawmakers presented their legislative proposal on platform work which -- if adopted -- could see millions of gig workers reclassified as employees. Ostberg does not appear to be a fulsome fan of the proposal. Nor, indeed, of current German labor laws -- which he has suggested make it difficult for platforms to hire riders. In a series of tweets earlier this month, as the EU unveiled the draft legislation, the Delivery Hero CEO chipped in to offer the usual platform rebuttal -- which seeks to frame the issue as a choice between employment or flexibility -- making a call for "better terms for riders and more flexibility". Lets move forward with better terms for riders and more flexibility. Not backwards to where we came from. (4/4) Niklas Oestberg (@niklasoestberg) December 9, 2021 However the academic research project Fairwork, which tracks conditions for workers in the gig economy, argues it's false framing to suggest it's not possible for platforms to provide flexibility and fairness right now -- although it has found only a minority do so currently. Hence Fairwork accuses platforms of opting for "a race to the bottom in labour standards" -- instead of getting on and improving conditions for workers. The EU's reform proposal could help enforce fairer working conditions across the gig economy by removing the risk of reclassification for platforms that provide workers with more rights and protections -- and by creating a level playing field of basic standards that all platforms in the region must abide by. Although the reform still needs the backing of the European Parliament and Member States governments to be adopted as EU law. But that prospect may be concentrating gig platform CEOs' minds -- on how to evolve their models to account for fuller regional employment and higher costs. Delivery Hero denied its exit from Germany has anything to do with the EU's planned labor reform when TechCrunch asked -- saying the decision purely relates to recent changes in the market, such as increased competition which it said has led to a knock-on shortage of riders, limiting its ability to scale. "Despite having built up a fantastic foodpanda team showing great progress in all cities, it has become increasingly difficult to create true value for our ecosystem in Germany," it added. "When it comes to the EU proposal, Delivery Hero fully supports the European Commissions aim to improve the labor conditions of platform workers," a Delivery Hero spokeswoman also told us. "The Commissions proposal includes positive and much-needed elements. Even though we believe that the suggested criteria to trigger the proposed rebuttable presumption of employment and reversed burden of proof are too broad and would not contribute to that goal, this has not influenced our decision to scale down our German business." Asked for more detail on where it intends to focus its efforts as it shutters service in its home market, the company offered little, saying only: "We will focus our efforts on a variety of attractive growth opportunities across the group and specifically invest into scaling new verticals, and more prominently quick commerce globally." It also declined to confirm whether or not it's eyeing quick-commerce opportunities beyond food-related deliveries, saying only: "We are always looking for new opportunities to drive the industry forward and make a positive impact on the ecosystem we operate in. We cannot comment more precisely on this at this stage." Asked whether it will be offering any support to Foodpanda workers who did not have employment contracts and are -- just a couple of days before Christmas -- facing the prospect of no more work coming to them via its app, Delivery Hero's spokeswoman said: "All affected employees, riders, pickers, customers, and partners have been informed about the upcoming change. The company will do its best to support them in their journey ahead. Around 70% of employees from foodpanda Germany, including riders and pickers, will be offered new opportunities. Delivery Hero confirms that its riders will keep being employed by Delivery Hero Germany Logistics GmbH (pandalogistics). As of December 23, 2021, the pandalogistics entity will deliver orders on behalf of other industry players in Germany as a transitory measure." (And it's another interesting sign that Delivery Hero is -- at least temporarily -- going to be experimenting with fulfilling delivery orders for rivals still operating in Germany... ) Delivery Hero's PR also commits to the company doing "its best to transition employees from foodpanda Germany to positions within the Delivery Hero Group, or with partners from the companys industry network," adding: "Employees who do not stay within the Delivery Hero Group will receive a severance package." What about Japan? Another market Delivery Hero only entered recently -- also via its Foodpanda brand -- but in that case it launched last year (September 2020). The company blamed "a very similar situation" to the competitive challenges limiting its ability to grow in Germany for its decision to divest the unit early next year. "In order to focus on other growth priorities within the group, Delivery Hero plans to divest its Japanese entity," it said. "The divestiture process will be kicked off in Q1 2022. During this upcoming transition period, it is Delivery Heros utmost priority to support all Heroes and express gratitude for the dedication they have shown in the last 1.5 years." In Japan, Delivery Hero has faced some meaty competition -- from the likes of South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang; the (recently) SoftBank-backed local veteran Demae-Can; the U.S. giant Uber Eats; and the now DoorDash-owned Wolt, to name a few. In another recent move in Asia, Delivery Hero also completed the sale of its Korean business. It's not all scaling back for Delivery Hero, though. Also recently: It picked up a Danish food delivery biz called Hungry; expanded in Slovakia; and grabbed customers in Central American and the Caribbean via acquisition. Last year it also splurged $272 million to pick up Spanish rival Glovo's LatAm business -- so Delivery Hero's consolidation vs growth story continues to be a market-reflective pick 'n' mix. Brisbane, Queensland--(Newsfile Corp. - December 22, 2021) - Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd. (TSXV: GMG) (FSE: 0GF) ("GMG" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its graphene aluminium-ion batteries ("G+AI Battery") 2032 type coin cell prototypes (see Figure 1) have been sent to a number of prospective customers around the world. Coin cell testing to date has demonstrated that the GMG 2032 type G+AI Battery coin cell prototypes are fully rechargeable in several seconds, retain capacity for several thousand charge and discharge cycles, are non-flammable, and are relatively non-toxic and almost fully recyclable. These characteristics compare favourably against typical rechargeable Lithium-Ion 2032 type coin cells which take 3-6 hours to recharge, are toxic and can be quite harmful if ingested, are difficult to recycle, are flammable under certain conditions, and degrade more rapidly in performance. Figure 1: GMG 2032 1.7V Prototype To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/108294_b94e44dee499abaf_001full.jpg GMG is pleased to report that further battery development, in collaboration with the University of Queensland, has increased the capacity of the G+AI Battery coin cells, when compared to earlier proof of concept prototypes. The Company is also currently in the process of developing the technology required to increase the voltage of the coin cell from approximately 1.7 Volts to 3.4 Volts - making the G+AI Battery better suited for interchangeable use in existing everyday personal devices. In addition to graphene manufactured by GMG, the Company also continues to test different grades of graphene from various sources for use in G+AI Batteries. GMG considers the performance characteristics of these prototypes clear enough to engage potential customers and industry partners for feedback on their commercial potential following subsequent further development. Story continues GMG's CEO and Managing Director, Craig Nicol, said, "We are very pleased with the technical and commercial progress we have made to date on our G+AI Batteries, and with the level of interest received from potential customers. We look forward to customer feedback on these prototypes, and to progressing towards the commercialisation of this impressive battery technology. In parallel we will continue to optimise and improve performance in our newly commissioned pilot plant and start to develop pouch pack formats during 2022 in addition to the coin cell." About GMG GMG is an Australian based clean-tech company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: GMG) that produces graphene and hydrogen by cracking methane (natural gas) instead of mining graphite. By using the company's proprietary process, GMG can produce high quality, low cost, scalable, 'tuneable' and no/low contaminant graphene - enabling demonstrated cost and environmental improvements in a number of world-scale planet-friendly/clean-tech applications. Using this and other sources of low input cost graphene, the Company is developing value-added products that target the massive energy efficiency and energy storage markets. The Company is pursuing opportunities for GMG graphene enhanced products, including developing next-generation batteries, collaborating with world-leading universities in Australia, and investigating the opportunity to enhance the performance and energy efficiency of engine oils, biodiesel and diesel fuels. For further information, please contact: - Craig Nicol, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the Company at craig.nicol@graphenemg.com, +61 415 445 223 - Leo Karabelas at Focus Communications, info@fcir.ca , +1 647 689 6041 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends", "expects" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or will "potentially" or "likely" occur. This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forwardlooking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding the continued optimisation of the G+AI Battery, the potential toxicity and recyclability of the 2032 type G+AI Battery coin cell prototypes, the technological development and optimisation of the G+AI Battery coin cells, the potential commercialization of the 2032 type G+AI Battery coin cell technology, the optimisation and improved performance of the Company's pilot plant, and the development of the 2032 type G+AI Battery coin cell prototype in a pouch pack format. These forwardlooking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, risks related to the deployment of the Company's resources, including its personnel, and the intention of the Company to research, develop and produce certain products and technologies, the ability of the Company to optimise certain products and facilities, and the commercial progress and technical characteristics of certain products. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, assumptions regarding the Company's ability to research, develop and test its products within anticipated timelines, and market demand for the Company's products. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/108294 CALGARY, AB, Dec. 21, 2021 /CNW/ - Headwater Exploration Inc. (the "Company" or "Headwater") (TSX: HWX) announces that it has issued a call notice to Cenovus Marten Hills Partnership ("CMHP"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cenovus Energy Inc. ("Cenovus"), requiring CMHP to exercise the 15,000,000 warrants (the "Warrants") to purchase common shares ("Common Shares") of the Company that CMHP holds. Each Warrant entitles CMHP to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of $2.00. Headwater and CMHP have agreed that CMHP will exercise the Warrants on December 23, 2021. On exercise of the Warrants, Headwater will receive $30,000,000 in cash and CMHP will receive 15,000,000 Common Shares (representing 6.9% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares). Other than the Warrants, neither CMHP nor Cenovus hold any additional Common Shares or other securities of the Company. The Warrants were issued to CMHP as partial consideration for the acquisition by Headwater of Cenovus' interest in the Marten Hills area of Alberta in December 2020. SOURCE Headwater Exploration Inc. Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/December2021/21/c3158.html Houston-based company leases facilities with a biotechnology research accelerator. HOUSTON, Dec. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ponce Therapeutics, founded by former Bellicum leaders Kevin Slawin and David Spencer, have signed an agreement to continue their ground-breaking research at K2bio. Ponce Therapeutics is currently developing a biotechnology platform to arrest or reverse the aging process, initially targeting age-related changes to the skin driven by the accumulation of senescent cells. K2bio Laboratory located in Houston, Texas "We started speaking with Kieron Jones and Andrew Strong as we were funded and started to execute our R&D plan, and the rest is history. We appreciate the variety of support services K2bio offers in addition to rental lab space," stated Kevin Slawin, CEO of Ponce Therapeutics. Ponce Therapeutics was the first client to enter into a contract with K2bio. "We are very excited to welcome Ponce Therapeutics to the K2bio family," said Kieron Jones, Co-founder, CEO, and President of K2bio. "Our goal is to build a collaborative environment That allows companies within our facility to focus on efficiently developing their product. For companies outside of our facility, we offer a suite of contracted services to support their in-vivo and in-vitro needs as a long-term partner built on quality and timeliness." About K2bio K2bio is a state-of-the-art facility with a unique model of providing preclinical contract research services and an incubator environment. We provide a unique and flexible co-working facility for high-potential, early-stage life science companies, with experienced biotech research managers and staff, in addition to a mouse vivarium to allow companies access to the research environment that they need to progress at an affordable cost. We've created the concierge of biolabs, offering researchers the option to add or subtract services based on their individual needs. For more information, visit https://K2-biolabs.com. Story continues About Ponce Therapeutics - Ponce Therapeutics is currently developing a biotechnology platform to restore young cells in the skin, targeting p16-expressing senescent cells for elimination. While initially focused on skin, Ponce plans to develop a wide-ranging portfolio of anti-aging products, which could ultimately lead to new cancer treatments. The elimination of pro-inflammatory senescent cells has been shown to suppress cancer and rejuvenate tissues by restoring stem cell niches to their healthy state. Ponce is headquartered in Miami, Florida, with research facilities located in Houston, TX. For more information, visit https://poncetherapeutics.com. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/k2bio-welcomes-ponce-therapeutics-to-houston-301449471.html SOURCE K2bio Pictured here: An African Fish Eagle at the British Falconry Fair held at the National Centre for Birds of Prey at Duncombe Park in northern England on 27 June 2021 (Getty Images) A rare eagle has been touring North America for over a year and has now been spotted in Massachusetts, thousands of miles away from its home in Asia, captivating bird watchers. Massachusetts fisheries and wildlife department posted a photo of the rare bird, known as a Stellers sea eagle, on Monday. The bird was spotted along the Taunton river. The raptor is normally only found in Asian countries like Japan, China, the eastern region of Russia and in the Koreas. However, according to Smithsonian magazine, it was spotted in Nova Scotia on Canadas east coast in November as well as in Texas and even Alaska last year. Birdwatchers are confident the same eagle has been touring the northern American continent since at least August 2020, said the magazine, citing several photos of the bird. The bird in question has a unique yellow beak and white stripes on its wings. It weighs as much as 20 pounds, with a wingspan of up to 8 feet, according to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Spotting the sea eagle in the American continent is very rare. Weve never had one here in this area of the world: the Northeast coast of North America or Massachusetts, Andrew Vitz, an ornithologist based out of Massachusetts, said in a statement. This is like the bird of the decade for people around here, he added. Mr Vitz said the bird most likely arrived in North America after it got caught in a weather-related storm. It is believed the raptor has now lost its way. The authorities are hoping it will find its way back, and there are currently no plans to capture it. There's no place like home for the holidays. One Louisiana military family is experiencing the true meaning of those words thanks to an early return for U.S. soldier Kelvin Green, who surprised his sons at school last week just in time to spend the winter holidays together. Devin and Jakhari Green weren't expecting to see their father again until February of 2022. So, when he showed up at Start Elementary School on Dec. 15, they were in for the greatest Christmas surprise of all time. Soldier with Christmas Gift Getty Images / avid_creative Kelvin has been deployed in Kuwait since March 2021, and has only seen his family through Zoom and FaceTime calls. Devin, who turned 14 just two days after his father's return, said he was left speechless by the surprise. "I didn't know what to say," he told Fox 14's Chelsea Monae Williams. "Only thing I could do was bust out in tears, and that's it really." Mom Kanisha Daniels-Green worked with the boys' school to pull off the surprise. She said the K through 8 school has been instrumental in supporting her family during Kelvin's deployment. "They helped us out tremendously," she told Fox 14. "By keeping the boys motivated. Keeping them encouraged. They kept them in touch with their dad, sending care packages, planning, making sure that he was a part of everything that we had going on." Now that he's home, Kelvin said he's looking forward to spending time with his boys doing all their favorite things: cooking, watching movies, and having guy's nights. Merry Christmas to the Greens! Q1/22 revenue increased over 4.5x quarter-over-quarter, and more than 13.5x year-over-year; The combination of the announced acquisitions of Liver Specialty Group, InfusiCare Canada, and Medvisits aggregate revenue for their last fiscal years was approximately C$33.6M and C$3.3M in total gross profit; Mednow expects to achieve nationwide service all of Canada by mid calendar year 2022; In November, Mednow entered two partnerships; acquired the exclusive Canadian distribution rights for genetic testing from TruDiagnosticTM and closed an investment with Doko Medical by way of convertible debenture. TORONTO, December 22, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mednow Inc. ("Mednow'' or the "Company") (TSXV:MNOW), Canadas on-demand virtual pharmacy, is pleased to announce it has released its financial results for the period ending October 31st, 2021 ("Q1 2022"). Mednows Financial Statements and Management, Discussion & Analysis are available on sedar.com and on the Companys website, https://investors.mednow.ca. "I am extremely proud of our achievements just nine months into becoming a public company, and our growth trajectory is on-track as we continue to build out our digital pharmacies and interdisciplinary model of care across Canada" said Karim Nassar, Chief Executive Officer at Mednow. "To date, we currently service more than half of the population of Canada and expect to achieve nationwide status by the first half of calendar 2022. We have continued our rapid expansion, with growth through the launch of our digital pharmacies and telemedicine services, the continuation of our efforts to increase patient acquisition en masse through our institutional business, Mednow for Business, and agreements to acquire two specialty pharmacies. We have also entered into partnerships with mental health and genetic testing companies and have an interest in the U.S. market through our investment with Doko Medical. Mednow is in a favorable position to continue to grow and implement our strategic plan with plenty of runway, given our cash balance of approximately C$23M and no debt on the balance sheet." Story continues Key M&A, Partnerships and Milestones During and Subsequent to Q1 2022: Key Acquisitions On December 17, 2021, Mednow entered an agreement to acquire London Pharmacare Inc. and Liver Care Canada Inc. (" Liver Specialty Group "), for an aggregate cash payment of C$650,000 and two subsequent earn-out payments in the amount of 0.1x of the revenue generated by Liver Specialty Group in each of its 2022 and 2023 financial years. Liver Specialty Group generated an aggregate of C$21.3M in revenue and C$2.1M in gross profit in their last fiscal year. Liver Specialty Group focuses on the management of hepatology. Mednow acquired specialty pharmacy InfusiCare Canada Inc. (" InfusiCare ") on November 18, 2021, for a cash payment of C$1.85M, which is expected to bolster the Companys expertise in biologic drugs, the fastest-growing class of drugs in the pharmaceutical industry. Annualized revenue of InfusiCare was C$9.3M and C$400,000 gross profit in its latest fiscal year. On August 5, 2021, Mednow acquired Medvisit, a business that provides in-home doctor and patient consultations in Ontario, for C$1.3M in cash. Medvisit has approximately 30,000 patient home visits per year and over 400,000 patients serviced since inception. Annualized revenue of Medvisit was C$3M and C$790,000 In October 2021, Mednow acquired 100% interest in "Mednow Pharmacy Inc." ("Mednow West"). The walk-in and online pharmacy is open for business, operating under the trade name Mednow Pharmacy, and services the province of British Columbia, providing same-day delivery services to the Greater Vancouver Area and surrounding areas. Key Investments On November 24, 2021, Mednow closed a C$500,000 investment in Doko Medical Inc. (" Doko Medical ") by way of convertible debenture. If the convertible debenture is converted to equity, this would equate to a 2.8% equity interest at a C$17.5M pre-money valuation. Doko Medical is a virtual healthcare provider operating across the U.S. currently servicing 38 states; it has over 100 physicians and health care workers engaged over its platform. Mednow increased its equity interest in Life Support Mental Health (LSMH) to 12.3% from 10.5% in October 2021, with a follow-on investment of C$250,000. In Q1, LSMH entered a partnership with a major Canadian pharmacy chain, to provide its clients access to LSMHs Mental Health Check , reinforcing Mednows position that offering holistic services provides greater avenues to assist patients. On November 12, 2021, Mednow acquired the License and Exclusive Distribution Rights of TruDiagnostic for a two-year term and a cash payment of US$150,000 to expand the Companys holistic healthcare offerings on its digital platform. Mednows customers are expected to be able to order this epigenetic test in the first calendar quarter of 2022. Operational Milestones Mednow launched Mednow Virtual Care in September 2021, a proprietary platform to provide virtual care and telemedicine services, facilitated through the Mednow web application and mobile application. Mednow Virtual Care is currently available in the province of Ontario and expects to expand its coverage to serve patients across Canada in calendar 2022. Mednow continues to target large institutional contracts through its Mednow For Business division (" MFB "). MFB has been successfully executing with current broker channel partners and has received commitments from individual plan sponsors and companies to retain Mednow as their preferred pharmacy to support their employees. In September 2021, Mednow received regulatory approvals from the Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists and opened for business under the trade name Mednow Pharmacy. The pharmacy services the province of Nova Scotia and can fill orders from walk-in patients as well as online orders. Mednow Pharmacy provides same-day delivery services to Halifax and surrounding areas. Summary of Financial Results Three months ended October 31, Year Ended July 31, 2021 2020 2021 Revenue $ 570,343 $ 41,400 $ 414,000 Net loss and comprehensive loss (4,446,652 ) (509,097 ) (8,953,835 ) Total assets 32,935,825 5,121,398 34,171,322 Total liabilities 3,770,586 244,391 1,684,582 Basic and diluted net loss and comprehensive loss per common share $ (0.21 ) $ (0.03 ) $ (0.49 ) Source: Mednows MD&A as of October 31, 2021 Normal Course Issuer Bid Update As of October 31, 2021, the Company purchased and canceled a life-to-date total of 309,100 common shares for C$865,955 of cash consideration. The life-to-date weighted average cost of the canceled shares totaled C$455,233 resulting in a loss on cancellation of C$410,821 allocated to the deficit. The Company did not purchase common shares during the period ended October 31, 2021. Mednow continues to have a first-mover advantage in the digital pharmacy market, as it completes its technological and logistical infrastructure. During the next 12 months, the Company is on course to build and open retail pharmacies in the provinces of Manitoba, Alberta and Quebec, and expects to acquire a pharmacy based in Toronto, from related parties of Mednow. Mednow expects to own and operate brick-and-mortar retail pharmacies in these provinces across Canada, which will allow the Company to further develop brand presence, serve walk-in patients as well as serve the majority of orders through home delivery of medications ordered via the web and mobile applications. Its recent acquisitions and partnerships have increased its holistic offering and positions itself to be a leader, providing best-in-class service to every person living in Canada. About Mednow Inc. Mednow is a healthcare technology company offering virtual access with exceptional care. Designed with access and quality care in mind, Mednow.ca provides virtual pharmacy and telemedicine services, as well as doctor home visits, with convenience and through an interdisciplinary approach to healthcare that is focused on the patient experience. Mednows services include free at-home delivery of medications, a user-friendly interface for easy upload, transfer, and refill of prescriptions, access to healthcare professionals through an intuitive chat experience, a specialized PillSmart system that packages prescriptions, and vitamins by date and time, and doctor consultations. To learn more, follow Mednow on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as visit https://investors.mednow.ca/ 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. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding future estimates, plans, objectives, timing, assumptions or expectations of future performance, including without limitation, the statement that the Company expects to achieve nationwide status by the first half of calendar 2022, Mednow is in a favorable position to continue to grow and implement its strategic plan, Mednow's customers are expected to be able to order the epigenetic test in calendar first quarter of 2022, the acquisition of InfusiCare bolstering the Company's expertise in biologic drugs and expanding Mednow's logistical infrastructure in Southwestern Ontario, how the proceeds of the Doko Medical investment are expected to be used by Doko Medical, Mednows strategic investment in Doko Medical fueling Doko Medical's future growth, that the acquisition of Liver Specialty Group will complete as anticipated by management, the Company's 12 month plans, including building and opening retail pharmacies in the provinces of Manitoba, Alberta and Quebec, the acquisition of a pharmacy based in Toronto, Mednow owning and operating brick-and-mortar retail pharmacies in three provinces across Canada which will further develop brand presence, serve walk-in patients as well as serve the majority of orders through home delivery of medications ordered via the web and mobile applications and Mednow positioned as a leader providing best-in-class service to every person living in Canada are forward-looking statements and contain forward-looking information. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". Forward-looking statements are based on certain material assumptions and analysis made by the Company and the opinions and estimates of management as of the date of this press release, including that the Company is in a favorable position to continue to grow, the Company being able to implement its strategic plans, the acquisition of Liver Specialty Group, the Company will receive the required corporate and regulatory approvals, including TSX Venture Exchange approval for the acquisition of Liver Specialty Group, Mednow will expand its infrastructure in Southwestern Ontario, the acquisition of InfusiCare will bolster the Company's expertise in biological drugs, how the proceeds of the Doko Medical investment are expected to be used by Doko Medical, Mednow's strategic investment in Doko Medical will fuel Doko Medical's future growth, Mednow achieving its 12 month plans, including building and opening retail pharmacies in the provinces of Manitoba, Alberta and Quebec, the acquisition of a pharmacy based in Toronto, Mednow owning and operating brick-and-mortar retail pharmacies in three provinces across Canada. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Important factors that may cause actual results to vary, include, without limitation, that the acquisition of Liver Specialty Group will not complete as anticipated by management, the Company does not receive the required corporate and regulatory approvals, including TSX Venture Exchange approval, that the Company will not be able to implement its strategic plans, the acquisition of InfusiCare will not bolster the company's expertise in biological drugs, the Company will not expand its logistical infrastructure in Southwestern Ontario, Doko Medical will not use the proceeds from the Doko Medical investment as anticipated, the Company will not achieve its 12 month plans, including building and opening retail pharmacies in the provinces of Manitoba, Alberta and Quebec, acquiring a pharmacy based in Toronto and owning and operating brick-and-mortar retail pharmacies in three provinces across Canada. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211222005165/en/ Contacts Investor Relations: Lucy Chitilian ir@mednow.ca 647.933.6995 Media: Kieran Lawler Kieran.lawler@loderockadvisors.com 416.303.0799 Companies Profiled in Mobile Security Market:- Microsoft Corporation, Google LLC, IBM Corporation, Lookout, Inc., Apple, Inc., Kaspersky Lab, Intel Corporation, VMware, Inc., AVG Technologies, Symantec Corporation, F Secure Corporation, Oracle Corporation, NortonLifeLock, Inc, Zimperium, Giesecke+Devrient GmbH Pune, India, Dec. 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global mobile security market size is likely to gain momentum by exhibiting a promising 14.6% CAGR between 2020 and 2027. This is ascribable to factors such as increasing adoption of advanced mobility solutions and increasing cyberattack incidents across the globe. Fortune Business Insights, publish this information in its latest report, titled Mobile Security Market Size, Share and Industry Analysis, By Component (Solutions and Services), By Operating System (iOS and MacOS, Android, Windows, and Others), By Vertical (BFSI, IT & Telecom, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail, Education, Government, Others), and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027. The report further mentions that the market was worth USD 34.94 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 103.45 billion by 2027. The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has cast an unprecedented effect on several businesses across industries. While some industries are experiencing significant loss owing to the lockdown announced by the federal governments globally, collective efforts from the government and the industries will ensure that the testing times may soon pass away. We are taking continuous efforts to help your business sustain and grow during COVID-19 pandemics. Based on our experience and expertise, we will offer you an impact analysis of coronavirus outbreaks across industries to help you prepare for the future. Click here to get the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this Market. Please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/mobile-security-market-103038 Regional Analysis: North America to Remain at the Forefront; Increasing Adoption of Mobile Security Solutions to Augur Growth Story continues Among the regions, the market in North America was worth USD 10.38 billion and is expected to gain major global mobile security market revenue during the forecast period. This is ascribable to factors such as the increasing adoption of advanced mobile security solutions owing to rise in cyberattack and malware incidents in the region. Asia-Pacific, on the other hand, is likely to witness significant growth during the forecast period. This is attributable to factors such as massive development in the IT industry. Furthermore, special impetus by the governments in countries such as India and China on fortifying the cyber world by establishing stringent data security regulations will contribute to the market Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2020 to 2027 Forecast Period 2020 to 2027 CAGR 14.6% 2027 Value Projection USD 103.45 Billion Base Year 2019 Market Size in 2019 USD 34.94 Billion Historical Data for 2016 to 2018 No. of Pages 150 Segments covered Component; Operating System; and Vertical; Growth Drivers Increasing Adoption of Enterprise Mobility Solutions to Promote Growth North America to Remain at the Forefront; Increasing Adoption of Mobile Security Solutions to Augur Growth Pitfalls & Challenges Lack of Awareness about Cyber Security and Vulnerability to Hinder Growth Request Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/sample/mobile-security-market-103038 Mobile Security Market majorly refers to the term that involves the safety of user data of a mobile device. Additionally, it involves authentication and protection of private data stored in the connected devices such as smart phones, tablets, and personal mobile devices. Furthermore, it involves basic to an advanced forms of security such as personal identification number (PIN), pattern locks, and fingerprint and eye reader, among others. With increasing adoption of smartphones across the globe, the need for efficient security solutions for mobile devices to prevent incidents of malware and cyberattacks is growing largely. What does the Report Include? The mobile security market report includes an exhaustive study of several factors such as drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities that will affect the growth of the market in the forthcoming years. The report covers regional demographics that include qualitative and quantitative information about the regions that are further divided into nations that are contributing to the growth of the market between 2019 and 2026. Furthermore, the competitive landscape has been discussed in-depth that include information of several players operating in the market. Moreover, information on the adoption of strategies such as merger and acquisition, collaboration, partnerships, and joint ventures by the companies that will drive the growth of the market has been included during the projected horizon. Drivers and Restraints: Increasing Adoption of Enterprise Mobility Solutions to Promote Growth Enterprise mobility solutions ensure that the organizations enable the employees to adopt secure mobile devices. In addition to this, it involves securing corporate data present in the mobile devices of the employees to prevent data theft and economic loss. Furthermore, the emergence of technologies such as the internet of things (ioT) and machine learning is enabling enterprises to promote enterprise mobility among their employees. According to a report by Soti, Inc., about three fourth of the employees in the United States are expected to be introduced to the mobility working environment in the forthcoming years. Moreover, the increasing risk of cyberattacks and malware is expected to drive the demand for the global mobile security market during the projected horizon. Get Your Customized Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/mobile-security-market-103038 Competitive Landscape: V-Key Collaborating with TONIK Digital Bank to Aid Growth Fortune Business Insights with its quantitative and qualitative detailed analysis observes that the market comprises of several players trying to consolidate their position in the global mobile security market during the forecast period. Adoption of strategies such as collaboration, merger and acquisition, and product launches by the companies will bode well for the market growth. For instance, in May 2020, V-Key announced its collaboration with TONIK digital bank. As per the collaboration, V-key will provide security to the mobile banking platform of TONIKs new customers based in Philippines. Greg Krasnov, CEO of TONIK, said on the sidelines of the development, We choose V-Key owing to its history with major banks across the region, wherein their security solutions have been tested and validated. Furthermore, their technology is protected by a global patent with proven track record of delivering security and trust to the customers. Industry Development: September 2019- F-Secure, a Finnish cyber security firm, announced its launch of consultancy services across 11 different locations spread across four continents of the world. According to the company, the primary aim of their consultancy services is to defend cyberattacks for the organization by adopting emerging technologies. List of the Companies Operating in the Mobile Security Market: Microsoft Corporation (New Mexico, United States) Google LLC (California, United States) IBM Corporation (New York, United States) Lookout, Inc. (California, United States) Apple, Inc. (California, United States) Kaspersky Lab (Moscow, Russia) Intel Corporation (California, United States) VMware, Inc. (California, United States) AVG Technologies (Prague, Czech Republic) Symantec Corporation (Arizona, United States) F Secure Corporation (Helsinki, Finland) Oracle Corporation (California, United States) NortonLifeLock, Inc. (Arizona, United States) Zimperium (Texas, United States) Giesecke+Devrient Gmbh (Munich, Germany) Quick Buy - Mobile Security Market: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/103038 Major Table Of Content Mobile Security Market: Introduction Definition, By Segment Research Approach Sources Executive Summary Market Dynamics Drivers, Restraints, and Opportunities Emerging Trends Key Insights Macro and Micro Economic Indicators Impact of COVID-19 Short-term Impact Long-term Impact Key Industry Developments In Response to the COVID-19 Impact Consolidated SWOT Analysis of Key Players Porters Five Force Analysis Global Mobile Security Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2016-2027 Key Findings / Summary Market Size Estimates and Forecasts By Component (Value) Solutions Identity & Access Management Data Security & Encryption Cloud Security Network Security Endpoint Security Web Security Application Security Services Professional Services Managed Services By Operating System (Value) iOS and macOS Android Windows Others (Linux, Blackberry, etc.) By Vertical (Value) BFSI IT & telecom Healthcare Manufacturing Retail Education Government Others (Transport, Logistics, etc.) By Geography (Value) North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa Latin America North America Mobile Security Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2016 -2027 Key Findings / Summary Market Size Estimates and Forecasts By Component (Value) Solutions Identity & Access Management Data Security & Encryption Cloud Security Network Security Endpoint Security Web Security Application Security Services Professional Services Managed Services By Operating System (Value) iOS and macOS Android Windows Others (Linux, Blackberry, etc.) By Vertical (Value) BFSI IT & telecom Healthcare Manufacturing Retail Education Government Others (Transport, Logistics, etc.) By Country (Value) United States Canada Europe Mobile Security Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2016-2027 Key Findings / Summary Market Size Estimates and Forecasts By Component (Value) Solutions Identity & Access Management Data Security & Encryption Cloud Security Network Security Endpoint Security Web Security Application Security Services Professional Services Managed Services By Operating System (Value) iOS and macOS Android Windows Others (Linux, Blackberry, etc.) By Vertical (Value) BFSI IT & telecom Healthcare Manufacturing Retail Education Government Others (Transport, Logistics, etc.) By Country (Value) The U.K. Germany France Scandinavia Rest of Europe TOC Continued! Have Any Query? Speak To Analyst: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/mobile-security-market-103038 Have a Look at Related Research Insights: CRM Market Size , Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Component (Software, Services), By Deployment (On-Premises, Cloud), By Enterprise Size (Large Enterprises, SMEs), By Application (Marketing and Sales Automation, Customer Management, Lead Generation & Customer Retention), By Vertical (BFSI, Manufacturing, IT & Telecommunications, Retail & Consumer Goods, Healthcare) and Regional Forecasts, 2021 2028 Parental Control Software Market Size , Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Operating System (Windows, Android, iOS, Cross Platform/Multiplatform), By Deployment (On Premise, Cloud), By Application (Residential, Educational Institutes), and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028 Core Banking Software Market Size , Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Deployment (SaaS/Hosted, Licensed), By Banking Type (Large Banks, Midsize Banks, Small Banks, Community Banks, and Credit Unions), By End-user (Retail Banking, Treasury, Corporate Banking, and Wealth Management) and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028 Adaptive Learning Software Market Size , Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Deployment (On Premise, Cloud), By End User (K-12, Higher Education, Corporate), and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027 Wireless Microphone Market Size , Share & Covid-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Handheld, Bodypack, and Tabletop), By Frequency band (Ultra High Frequency (UHF), Very High Frequency (VHF), 2.4 GHz, and Others), By End-user (Corporate, Retail, Transportation, Education, Healthcare, Sports and Entertainment, Others) and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027 About Us: Fortune Business Insights delivers accurate data and innovative corporate analysis, helping organizations of all sizes make appropriate decisions. We tailor novel solutions for our clients, assisting them to address various challenges distinct to their businesses. Our aim is to empower them with holistic market intelligence, providing a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. 308, Supreme Headquarters, Survey No. 36, Baner, Pune-Bangalore Highway, Pune - 411045, Maharashtra, India. Phone: US :+1 424 253 0390 UK : +44 2071 939123 APAC : +91 744 740 1245 Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fortune-business-insights Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FortuneBusinessInsightsPvtLtd Twitter: https://twitter.com/FBInsightPvtLtd Read Press Release https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/press-release/mobile-security-market-10033 NEW YORK, December 22, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Harvey Frederick Wachsman, M.D., J.D., F.C.L.M. of New York, New York, a prominent attorney, writer and commentator on public health and other issues, name partner in one of the largest plaintiffs medical malpractice law firms in the country, and a former trustee of the State University of New York, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on December 19, 2021 at ArchCare at Mary Manning Walsh Home in Manhattan, New York. He was 85 years old. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211222005122/en/ Harvey Wachsman (Photo: Business Wire) Among the positions Dr. Wachsman held over the course of his life were: Partner, Pegalis & Wachsman; President, American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys; Board member, American Trial Lawyers Association, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and the American College of Legal Medicine, among many others. He co-authored The American Law of Medical Malpractice and authored Lethal Medicine: The Epidemic of Medical Malpractice in America. A physician himself, as an attorney he became a fierce advocate for protecting the public from negligent medical care. His high-profile cases often drew significant media attention and his insights on public policy often attracted support from members of both political parties. Born on June 13, 1936 in Brooklyn, Dr. Wachsman was the eldest son of Ben Wachsman and Mollie Wachsman (nee Kugel). Growing up in a one-bedroom apartment in Bedford-Stuyvesant, he became the first person in his family to receive secondary education, graduating two years early from Thomas Jefferson High School in East New York. At 20 years old, Dr. Wachsman graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, and four years later graduated from Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Illinois. While completing his neurosurgical residency at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. Wachsman would frequently attend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.s sermons at Ebenezer Baptist Church and Atlanta Braves games, where the PA announcer would often introduce him to stadium attendees as the "young Dr. Kildare." Story continues During the Vietnam War, Dr. Wachsman volunteered for the US Army National Guard, leading troopers stateside in New York, Georgia, and Florida before receiving an honorable discharge in 1970 at the rank of Captain. Dr. Wachsman moved to Connecticut, and was soon elected Chairman of the Board of Police Commissioners in Newtown. He was then elected President of the Police Commissioners Association of Connecticut, where he drafted far-reaching proposals for precincts across the state. While still practicing medicine, he graduated from Brooklyn Law School. He then changed the focus of his career and co-founded Pegalis & Wachsman in Great Neck, New York, which grew rapidly and became a well-respected and prominent plaintiffs medical malpractice law firm. Dr. Wachsman was soon nationally recognized as a preeminent trial lawyer, winning many challenging and noteworthy cases. Dr. Wachsman became a fixture on national and cable television networks, entering the public debate with great frequency on talk shows like 60 Minutes, CNN Crossfire, Charlie Rose, Morton Downey Jr., Sally Jessy Raphael, Montel Williams, and Geraldo Rivera. As an advocate for public welfare, he was regularly featured by the countrys leading periodicals and contributed dozens of op-eds to newspapers such as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. Dr. Wachsman was the co-author of American Law of Medical Malpractice, a legal treatise expanded over time to four volumes and the definitive textbook series covering the intersection of medicine and law. He was the author of Lethal Medicine: The Epidemic of Medical Malpractice in America, a non-fiction work published by Henry Holt that further expanded the national conversation over health care. Dr. Wachsmans advocacy and activity were often featured in the news. In 1984, Dr. Wachsman brought forth a $130 million lawsuit against the government of apartheid South Africa, claiming that Barry Martin, a Black American dancer, was left quadripeligic due to medical malpractice and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment in part due to racist policies. In 1988 and on behalf of dozens of female plaintiffs, Dr. Wachsman successfully developed a sustainable theory of negligence and sued "The Love Surgeon," an Ohio-based physician who had, for more than two decades, performed experimental surgery wherein he mutilated women because they were allegedly "structurally inadequate," without their informed consent. In March 1988, he made international press when, after midnight and hurriedly en route to a Manhattan hospital with his wife Kathryn in labor, he was forced to stop the car upon her urgent request. Despite complications and near total darkness, with just a shoelace, Dr. Wachsman safely delivered his child in the backseat of their car on the Grand Central Parkway. Headline writers had a field day. After more than 32 years of school and training and in accord with a life uplifted through education, Dr. Wachsman pursued many opportunities to teach. Throughout his career, he served as a full professor at Brooklyn Law School, as an adjunct professor at St. Johns Law School, as an adjunct professor of neurosurgery for the State University of New York and on the faculty of the University of South Florida College of Medicine. He lectured at undergraduate and graduate schools throughout the Ivy League and at universities across America. In 1995, Dr. Wachsman was nominated by Governor George Pataki and confirmed by the New York State Senate as a member of the State University of New York Board of Trustees, where he helped administer the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States. Dr. Wachsmans legendary nine-page-long curriculum vitae was littered with awards and accolades. He held eight medical licenses and was admitted to the legal bar in seven states. Throughout his career, Dr. Wachsman served on boards for the American Trial Lawyers Association, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, as President of the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, and the Board of Governors for the American College of Legal Medicine, among many others. He contributed and served on the board of philanthropic organizations throughout his life, including as a founding member of the board of the Carson Scholars Fund set up by his close friend and fellow neurosurgeon Ben Carson, M.D., former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Dr. Wachsmans extracurricular passions were numerous. He was a longtime patron of the New York Metropolitan Opera House, where for twenty years he hosted guests to productions at the central, parterre box at The Met in Lincoln Center. Dr. Wachsman served as Bailli of the Long Island chapter of the Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs, the worlds oldest food and wine society. At his home, he hosted events with the Bolshoi Ballet and for friends including politicians Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Paul Simon, Max Cleland, Al DAmato, Patrick Kennedy, and comedian Jackie Mason, among others. Dr. Wachsman revived a childhood interest by retrofitting a greenhouse to present one of the largest collections of model trains in the United States. Fascinated by photography, he collected dozens of Hasselblad and other fine cameras. Dr. Wachsman curated thousands of records and books at the five libraries within Fox Hall, reading every evening to expand and deepen a knowledge in all matters of history, philosophy, and literature. Dr. Wachsman is survived by Kathryn Mary Wachsman, Esq., his wife of 45 years, and by his brother Robert Wachsman. He will remain loved by his children Ashley Max Wachsman, M.D.; Marea Lane Wachsman, Esq.; Melissa Roseanne Wachsman; Dara Nicole Wachsman, J.D.; David Winston Wachsman; Jacqueline Victoria Wachsman; Lauren Elizabeth Wachsman; and Derek Charles Wachsman. He leaves behind grandchildren David Galkin; Jeremy Galkin; Michael Wachsman; Bina Wachsman; Clara Victoria Gabern; and Margot Elisabeth Gabern; great-grandchild Cayden Galkin; and the many thousands of people across the world whose lives were touched by his brilliance and determination. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211222005122/en/ Contacts Media: Jeremy Berrington jb@wachsman.com Savosolar Plc Company Announcement 22 December 2021 at 3.30 p.m. (CET) Savosolar hands over solar district heating system in Cadaujac, France Savosolar handed over a solar thermal system for a local heat network in Cadaujac, France, to AbSOLAR SAS. Savosolar delivery included a turn-key solar plant with the solar collector field, piping, solar station and automation. Our delivery is part of 100% renewable energy solution where the solar thermal plant is combined with a seasonal borehole thermal storage from AbSOLAR to supply heating and domestic hot water to the 67 single family houses newly build and connected to this heat network. The energy mix is intended to be >95% from solar thermal making it nearly CO2 emission free. The delivery agreement for the Cadaujac project was announced in January 2021 and total value of the project is approximately EUR 300 thousand. The c. 950 m2 collector field is built with Savo 15 SG collectors. Jari Varjotie, the CEO of Savosolar: This project in Cadaujac is a perfect example of two important trends, which benefit also Savosolar business development: The first one is the rapid growth of demand for CO2 free heating solutions. The other trend is the increase in heating network coverage in Europe. This project, while relatively small compared to our other recent projects, serves as a lighthouse project and technology demonstrator for compact scale heating networks where nearly 100% fraction of solar heat can be achieved when combined with a seasonal thermal storage. SAVOSOLAR PLC For more information: Savosolar Plc Managing Director Jari Varjotie Phone: +358 400 419 734 E-mail: jari.varjotie@savosolar.com About Savosolar Savosolar with its highly efficient collectors and large-scale solar thermal systems has taken solar thermal technology to the next level. The companys collectors are equipped with the patented nano-coated direct flow absorbers, and with this leading technology, Savosolar helps its customers to produce competitive clean energy. Savosolars vision is to be the first-choice supplier to high performance solar installations on a global scale. Focus is on large-scale applications like district heating, industrial process heating and real estate systems market segments with a big potential for rapid growth. The company primarily delivers complete systems from design to installation, using the best local partners. Savosolar is known as the most innovative company in the business and aims to stay as such. The company has sold and delivered its products to almost 20 countries on four continents. Savosolars shares are listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Sweden with the ticker SAVOS and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland with the ticker SAVOH. www.savosolar.com . Story continues The companys Certified Adviser is Augment Partners AB, info@augment.se , phone: +46 8-604 22 55. NEW YORK, Dec. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Baidu, Inc. (" Baidu " or the "Company") (NASDAQ: BIDU) . Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7 980. Fighting for victims of securities fraud for more than 85 years (PRNewsfoto/Pomerantz LLP) The investigation concerns whether Goldman Sachs Group Inc. ("Goldman Sachs") and/or Morgan Stanley have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] According to media reports, in March 2021, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley confidentially learned that the family office Archegos Capital Management ("Archegos") had failed or was likely to fail to meet a margin call, requiring Archegos to liquidate its position in various companies, including Baidu. Trading on this non-public information, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley reportedly avoided billions of dollars in losses on their Baidu investments by selling Company securities in late March 2021 before the market learned of Archegos's difficulties. When this information reached the market, the price of Baidu securities fell sharply, damaging Company investors. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com . CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP rswilloughby@pomlaw.com Story continues Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-on-behalf-of-investors-of-baidu-inc---bidu-301449484.html SOURCE Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, Dec. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Citrix Systems, Inc. ("Citrix" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: CTXS). 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 Citrix 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 April 29, 2021, Citrix announced lower than expected license conversions of the shorter duration, on-premise licenses that Citrix began offering during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to the shift to remote work (the "Business Continuity Licenses"). Specifically, the Company explained that the Business Continuity Licenses did not transition to long-term cloud contracts as expected. Instead, many customers "rolled to another short-term" on-premise license, citing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. On this news, Citrix's stock price fell $10.49 per share, or 7.6%, to close at $128.02 per share. Then, on July 29, 2021, Citrix reported that despite prior assurances, the transition to cloud was not as successful as the Company had led investors to believe. Specifically, Citrix cited "the challenge associated with transitioning the business to [cloud] and the need to evolve our sales strategy to deliver more predictable results." F urther, Citrix announced a major restructuring of its sales leadership in order to "enhance [its] focus on" cloud migration. According to the Company, these changes were "significant and may cause short-term disruption before yielding tangible results." On this news, Citrix's stock price fell 13.6%, from $114.55 per share to $99.00 per share. Finally, on October 6, 2021, after markets closed, the Company announced the resignation of its President and Chief Executive Officer. This disclosure caused the Company's stock to decline 7.2% over the next two days, from $105.96 per share to $98.32 per share. Story continues 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 Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-on-behalf-of-investors-citrix-systems-inc---ctxs-301449554.html SOURCE Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, Dec. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of ReneSola Ltd. ("ReneSola" or the "Company") (NYSE: SOL). 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 ReneSola 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 2, 2021, Grizzly Research ("Grizzly") published a research report on ReneSola entitled "We believe ReneSola is a Fraudulent Company; Most Projects Never Existed." Citing "on the ground due diligence, lings review, and communications with local municipalities in Europe", The Grizzly report alleged, among other things, "that ReneSola has been vastly misrepresenting its project development pipeline." On this news, ReneSola's stock price fell $0.50 per share, or 7.62%, to close at $6.06 per share on December 2, 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 Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-on-behalf-of-investors-of-renesola-ltd---sol-301449501.html SOURCE Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, Dec. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Everbridge, Inc. ("Everbridge" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: EVBG). 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 Everbridge 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 9, 2021, Everbridge disclosed that on December 6, 2021, David Meredith, Everbridge's Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Company's Board of Directors, informed the Company of his intention to resign from his roles at Everbridge effective January 30, 2022 and that on December 8, 2021, Everbridge's Board of Directors accepted Mr. Meredith's resignation. On this news, Everbridge's stock price fell $52.37 per share, or 45.39%, to close at $63.00 per share on December 10, 2021. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP rswilloughby@pomlaw.com 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-on-behalf-of-investors-of-everbridge-inc---evbg-301449560.html SOURCE Pomerantz LLP (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government is expanding the number of businesses that can use Covid-19 aid programs as the omicron variant fuels a surge in cases and new restrictions in Canada. Most Read from Bloomberg At a press conference with Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Trudeau said companies and individuals affected by new capacity limits will be eligible for extended financial help. Firms can receive wage and rent subsidies of 25% to 75% depending on how much revenue theyve lost, the government said in a statement. Trudeaus government and Canadas provinces have been caught by an exponential rise in cases in recent days, with testing labs in some places becoming jammed with patients. Quebec is a particular hot spot: the French-speaking province on Wednesday reported a record 6,361 new cases in the past 24 hours. It has 445 people hospitalized with the virus, nearly double the number at the start of December. Governments are now pleading for Canadians to be cautious with their Christmas gatherings. When asked about the contrast between Trudeaus message and that of U.S. President Joe Biden -- who said Tuesday that vaccinated Americans can safely enjoy the holidays -- Freeland pushed back. Look, Canada is not the United States and I think all of us know that very profoundly. Our countries have taken very different approaches in the fight against Covid, she said at a news conference. Canada has had 80 virus deaths per 100,000 people compared with 247 deaths in the U.S., according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Workers can also receive benefits if theyve lost at least of half their income due to Covid-19 public health lockdowns. Provinces including Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia have introduced capacity restrictions on gyms, bars, event venues and other businesses in recent days. Story continues Quebec Closes Schools, Bars With Covid Hospital Cases Up 76% In October, Freeland shut down the governments broad-based virus support programs for individuals and businesses, replacing them with new targeted aid for the hardest-hit industries. The new programs were initially estimated to cost C$7.4 billion ($6 billion), but the changes will add C$4 billion to the price tag, Freeland said. The government set aside C$4.5 billion for higher costs related to Covid-19 in a fiscal update last week. (Updates with Freelands comments and other new information) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Debuting in January 2022, the New Viking Octantis Will Explore Antarctica and the Great Lakes LOS ANGELES, Dec. 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Viking (www.viking.com) today announced it has taken delivery of Viking Octantis, the company's first of two new purpose-built expedition ships. The delivery ceremony took place this morning at Fincantieri's VARD shipyard in Sviknes, Norway. Viking Octantis hosts 378 guests and sets sail tomorrow toward South America to welcome guests in January 2022 for Viking's first voyages to Antarctica. Viking Octantis will be officially named in April 2022 in New York City by her ceremonial godmother, Liv Arnesen, the famed explorer and educator. The ship then makes her way to the Great Lakes, for a series of voyages during spring and summer. A second, identical sister ship, Viking Polaris, joins the fleet in August 2022 for journeys to the Arctic and Antarctica. Viking today announced it has taken delivery of Viking Octantis, the company's first of two new purpose-built expedition ships. Viking Octantis hosts 378 guests and sets sail tomorrow toward South America to welcome guests in January 2022 for Viking's first voyages to Antarctica. For more information, visit www.viking.com. "Today is a proud day for the entire Viking family as we welcome our first expedition ship to the fleet and usher in a new era of exploration. Our guests have asked us to build on our award-winning river and ocean voyages to take them further, and that is just what we have done," said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. "Leveraging our long history of destination-focused travel, enrichment and innovative ship design, we are now perfecting expedition voyages and offering curious travelers the opportunity to visit the world's most pristine destinations in the most responsible way possible. With the arrival of Viking Octantis, Viking is now exploring all seven continents, and we look forward to welcoming her first guests on board in the coming weeks." Viking's new expedition ships were designed by Richard Riviere, Founding Principal of internationally acclaimed interior design firm Rottet Studio of Los Angeles, who also designed Viking's award-winning Longships and ocean ships. SMC Design of London contributed with their expertise in the maritime sector. Together the two firms were recently awarded "Design Studio Team of the Year" in the 2021 Cruise Ship Interior Awards for their work on Viking's expedition ships. More detail on the design and features of the ships can also be found in a new virtual video tour, Discover Our Expedition Ships, now available on Viking's website and narrated by Viking Executive Vice President Karine Hagen. Story continues Viking Expedition Ships The new Polar Class Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris host 378 guests in 189 staterooms. Designed by the same experienced interior designers, nautical architects and engineers that designed Viking's Longships and ocean ships, the new ships are purpose-built for expeditions, at an ideal size for safety, comfort and onboard amenities in remote destinations. An integrated bow creates a longer waterline for the ships; state-of-the-art fin stabilizers allow the ships to glide over the waves for the calmest possible journey; ice-strengthened Polar Class hulls provide the safest way to explore; and U-tank stabilizers significantly decrease rolling by up to 50 percent when the ships are stationary. The new ships feature the company's signature Scandinavian design, with public areas that are favorites on Viking's ocean ships, as well as new spaces created specifically for expeditions. Highlights include: The Hangar: An industry first, The Hangar is an enclosed, in-ship marina that brings true comfort to expedition voyages with an innovative new way to embark and disembark excursion craft. The Hangar's most innovative feature is an 85 ft. slipway that allows guests to embark and disembark excursion craft from a flat, stable surface inside the ship, shielded from wind and waves. There is also a FerryBox, a set of instruments continuously collecting and displaying data on water quality, oxygen content, plankton composition and more. The Science Lab: Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris are the first expedition ships with substantial onboard laboratories. Developed in partnership with the University of Cambridge and Akvaplan-Niva, The Science Lab, at 380 sq. ft., is designed to support a broad range of research activities and is equipped with wet and dry laboratory facilities, a sample processing area, fume cupboard, freezer and cool storage, comprehensive microscope optics and extensive bench space for analysis-specific instruments. Guests have supervised access to The Science Lab, which is located in a glass-enclosed mezzanine above The Hangar, to learn from and participate with scientists undertaking primary research, an experience unique to Viking. Expedition Equipment: Viking will offer a variety of ways for guests to experience their destination, according to their interests and activity level, at no extra charge. With a robust program of complimentary experiences, expedition equipment available for guests on Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris includes a fleet of military pro zodiacs designed for professional use; a fleet of two-seater Arctic-tested kayaks; and two 12-seater convertible Special Operations Boats. Each ship also features two six-guest submarines with revolving seats and 270-degree spherical windows for an incomparable undersea experience. Everything guests need will be provided: a Viking Expedition Kit contains items like boots, binoculars and waterproof pantsand all guests will receive complimentary use of Viking Excursion Gear, which includes specialty items like trekking poles, snowshoes and skis. The Aula & Finse Terrace: The world's most advanced venue for learning at sea, The Aula, is a stunning panoramic auditorium at the stern of the ship. Inspired by the University of Oslo's famed ceremonial hall where the Nobel Peace Prize was historically awarded, The Aula is a dynamic venue for lectures and entertainment, with floor-to-ceiling windows and 270-degree views. Adjacent to The Aula is the Finse Terrace, an outdoor lounge area just above sea level with recessed couches and warming lava rock "firepits" perfect for panoramic views of the surroundings. Nordic Balcony: A first for polar expedition vessels, all staterooms on board Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris feature a Nordic Balcony, a sunroom that converts into an al fresco viewing platform. The Nordic Balcony's floor-to-ceiling, distortion-free glass lets guests take the views in, while keeping the elements out. Should guests wish to feel even closer to nature, the top of the panoramic glass lowers to transform the stateroom into a sheltered lookout, with an observation shelf at elbow level to stabilize binoculars or a camera. Guests can choose from six stateroom categories that range from 222 sq. ft to 1,223 sq. ft: Nordic Balcony, Deluxe Nordic Balcony, Nordic Penthouse, Nordic Junior Suite, Explorer Suite and Owner's Suite. All staterooms feature a Nordic Balcony, as well as a king-size bed and large bathroom with spacious glass-enclosed shower, heated bathroom floor and anti-fog mirror. Every stateroom is also equipped with a unique floor-to-ceiling drying closet that circulates warm air to dry and store clothing and expedition gear. Expedition Ship Suites: Nordic Junior Suites (322 sq. ft.) and Explorer Suites (580 sq. ft) on Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris are similar to those on Viking's fleet of ocean ships, with wood detailing and amenities that include additional storage and seating, an expanded bathroom with extended shower and double sinks, welcome champagne, a fully-stocked mini-bar replenished daily, complimentary laundry and shoeshine services, priority restaurant reservations and more. Explorer Suites feature two separate rooms, a Nordic Balcony and a full outdoor veranda. Additionally, each ship features one Owner's Suite, which at 1,223 sq. ft, is twice the size of the Explorer Suites. With the most exclusive accommodations and amenities on board, it features two separate rooms a living room with six-seat dining table and a bedroom as well as a 792 sq. ft. private garden with a traditional Norwegian badestamp (wood-sided hot tub) and outdoor dining table. Aquavit Terrace & The Pools: Located at the stern and featuring a retractable glass dome, this indoor-outdoor heated sanctuary allows guests to be surrounded by their destination as they swim and lounge in three different temperature-controlled pools, including an "inside-out" swimming experience. The Nordic Spa & Fitness Center: In keeping with Viking's Nordic heritage, The Nordic Spa on board is designed with the holistic wellness philosophy of Scandinavia in mind with a thermal suite that features a Sauna, Snow Grotto and chaise lounges, as well as a warm hydrotherapy pool and a traditional Norwegian badestamp (wood-sided hot tub), surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. A state-of-the-art Fitness Center also provides the latest equipment and workout gear. Explorers' Lounge: Similar to Viking's ocean ships, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris have a two-deck Explorers' Lounge at the bow of the ship to take in the stunning scenery through double-height windows. Dining Choices: Viking's expedition ships offer an array of dining options that build on the venues from Viking's ocean ships. The Restaurant offers fine dining featuring regional cuisine and always-available classics; the casual World Cafe offers live cooking, an open kitchen, bakery, grill and premium seafood and sushi choices, as well as a wide range of international flavors; Mamsen's, named for the Hagen family matriarch, serves Scandinavian-inspired fare; Manfredi's offers the best of Italian cuisine; and 24-hour room service is complimentary for all guests as on Viking's ocean voyages. Enrichment On Board and On Shore: Viking has created the world's leading enrichment environment in an expedition setting. Exclusive partnerships with the Scott Polar Research Institute at Cambridge University, The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)as well as other prestigious scientific institutionswill match leading researchers and educators with each expedition. More than 23 experts will accompany each journey as part of the Viking Expedition Team, including an Expedition Leader and staff, photographer, field research scientists, general naturalists, mountain guides, kayak guides and specialists (ornithology, geology, higher predator biology and history). On board, guests will enjoy daily briefings and world-class lectures about their destination and engage with working scientists from renowned academic institutions in The Science Lab or participate directly in citizen science programs. On shore, guests can assist in fieldwork or interact through experiential activities during landings such as monitoring birds to help identify migratory patterns; accompanying scientists to collect samples; or taking their cameras ashore alongside a professional photographer to learn how best to capture scenic landscapes. Environmentally Considerate: Viking's expedition ships have set a new standard for responsible travel with an energy-efficient design that exceeds the Energy Efficiency Design Index* (EEDI) requirements by nearly 36%more than any other expedition ship. In addition to an integrated bow, engines with heat recovery systems and Azipod Electric Propulsion, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris have received one of the industry's first SILENT-E notationsthe highest-level certification for quiet ship propulsion, minimizing underwater noise pollution. Viking Health & Safety Program Guests on Viking's new expedition voyages will also experience the company's industry-leading health and safety program. Grounded in scientific research, the Viking Health & Safety Program was developed in partnership with an international team of medical advisors, including Raquel C. Bono, M.D., Viking's Chief Health Officer. Dr. Bono is a board-certified trauma surgeon and retired Vice Admiral of the United States Navy Medical Corpsand in 2020, led Washington State's medical and healthcare systems response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Viking requires all guests and crew to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Furthermore, Viking is the first and only cruise line with full-scale PCR laboratories installed on board its ocean and expedition ships. Utilizing the PCR laboratories on board Viking ocean and expedition shipsand a strong network of dedicated shoreside labs for Viking river ships in Europeall guests and crew receive frequent quick and easy non-invasive saliva PCR tests. The easy access to robust PCR testing also simplifies guests' travel experience with a final COVID-19 test taken onboard that satisfies the requirement for pre-flight testing before arrival into the U.S. New air purification technology has also been installed on all Viking ships, which have always featured independent air handling units for all guest staterooms. And additional health checks, sanitization and physical distancing measures provide further protection for Viking guests and crew at all points of the journey. A complete overview of the Viking Health & Safety Program can be found at: www.viking.com/health-safety. *Since January 1, 2013, the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) was made mandatory for new ships, requiring a minimum energy efficiency level per capacity mile. This was the first legally binding climate change treaty to be adopted since the Kyoto Protocol. About Viking Viking was founded in 1997 and provides destination-focused journeys on rivers, oceans and lakes around the world. Designed for experienced travelers with interests in science, history, culture and cuisine, Chairman Torstein Hagen often says Viking offers guests The Thinking Person's Cruise in contrast to mainstream cruises. With more than 250 awards to its name, Viking has been rated the #1 River Cruise Line and #1 Ocean Cruise Line by Conde Nast Traveler in the publication's 2021 Readers' Choice Awards. Viking has also been consistently rated the #1 ocean cruise line and one of the best river cruise lines in Travel + Leisure's "World's Best" Awards. For additional information, contact Viking at 1-800-2-VIKING (1-800-284-5464) or visit www.viking.com. For Viking's award-winning enrichment channel, visit www.viking.tv. Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen arrives at Fincantieris VARD shipyard in Sviknes, Norway, for the delivery ceremony of the companys first expedition ship, Viking Octantis. The ship hosts 378 guests and sets sail tomorrow toward South America to welcome guests in January 2022 for Viking's first voyages to Antarctica. For more information, visit www.viking.com. Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen and Executive Vice President Karine Hagen with Viking staff and crew during the ceremonial flag exchange onboard the companys new expedition ship, Viking Octantis. The ship hosts 378 guests and sets sail tomorrow toward South America to welcome guests in January 2022 for Viking's first voyages to Antarctica. For more information, visit www.viking.com. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/viking-takes-delivery-of-first-expedition-ship-301450089.html SOURCE Viking OAKVILLE, ON, Dec. 22, 2021 /CNW/ - The WORKS Craft Burgers is set to open their first International location in Cairo, Egypt on Wednesday, December 22nd. While some of the menu offerings will vary such as no alcohol and replacing pork bacon with beef bacon in keeping with local customs, the same gourmet craft burgers, craft poutines and an expanded list of craft milkshakes will be available for guests to enjoy. Locally named favs such as The Red Sea featuring cheddar, beef bacon and smokey BBQ sauce and The Nutella Nile, with a river of Nutella piled in the middle of a crunchy onion ring will be featured to bring a touch of innovation and creativity to the Cairo burger scene. The WORKS Craft Burgers & Beer logo. (CNW Group/The Works Craft Burgers & Beer) The highly popular Canadian gourmet burger restaurant is excited for this expansion "We are thrilled to introduce and share our gourmet hand-crafted burgers in this market", says Andrew Kay, Brand Lead for The WORKS Craft Burgers & Beer. "We certainly think our new guests will enjoy our burgers the same way our Canadian Burgerheads do". The WORKS Craft Burgers in Cairo will have the enhanced new brand look launched last year across some locations, in a comfortable two story restaurant not far from the Pyramids, with black brick, stencils of the brand promise and copper touches. About The WORKS Gourmet Burger Bistro Open since 2001, the full-service neighbourhood bistro is known for its more than 30 different, hand-prepared gourmet burgers, bottomless fresh hand-cut fries, cool classic shakes and ice cold beer, which are all 100 per cent Canadian. The WORKS offers guests eight different patty options as well as gluten-free and vegetarian combinations to choose from. The WORKS is now open in 27 locations in Ontario, 1 in Cairo, Egypt, offering the ultimate fresh gourmet burger experience in each neighbourhood. For more information on The WORKS in each community visit www.worksburger.com, on Facebook www.facebook.com/worksburger, or get daily updates by following @WORKSBURGER on Twitter and by joining the conversation at #myworksburger. Story continues SOURCE The Works Craft Burgers & Beer Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/December2021/22/c3366.html Amy Henecke, dean of professional and technical studies and workforce development for Germanna, said cybersecurity jobs are very difficult to fill. So its important to start that pipeline earlier, she said. With the dual enrollment program, students can start to earn credentials and apply for college credit. Tate is partnering with a Germanna professor to teach this years first dual-enrollment course. Students come to Spotsylvania Career and Tech Center from their home high schools every other day for half the day, and they earn credits that will transfer to Germanna or any other Virginia community college. They can also apply to transfer them to a four-year college. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Even with this one class that they have, they could graduate [high school] and go into the workforce if thats what they decided to do, Henecke said. Tate, who has been teaching computer systems courses for 13 years, said about 25 percent of his graduates do go straight into the workforce, anywhere from entry-level Geek Squad tech support jobs to local cybersecurity firms that contract with the Department of Defense. Spotsylvania County has to redraw its district lines based on updated U.S. Census data. The Board of Supervisors got an update on the process at its Tuesday meeting. The updated U.S. census is forcing Spotsylvania County to redraw district lines by spring. Mark Cole, deputy county administrator, told the Board of Supervisors last week that the county received the census data in October, later than normal. County officials will need to certify new district boundaries prior to the 2022 primary and general elections. Spotsylvania has seven districtsChancellor, Courtland, Salem, Battlefield, Lee Hill, Livingston and Berkeley. The fastest growth since 2010 happened in the Battlefield and Lee Hill districts. Each district tops the list in terms of population, with Lee Hill totaling 22,440 residents and Battlefield following with 21,886. Those two districts will need to shrink, with other districts growing to create the required balance in population totals. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The Chancellor (18,854) and Salem (18,755) districts have the fewest residents, which means they will grow the most when the new lines are drawn. The target population for each district is 20,101. Aguilera-Mederos was traveling as fast as 85 mph when his truck slammed into traffic on a section of Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colo., where commercial vehicles are limited to 45 mph because of the road's steep grade. He said at his trial his brakes had failed and when his emergency brake didn't work, he planned to stay on the shoulder to avoid traffic, but couldn't because another truck was in the way. Prosecutors said failing to use a runaway truck ramp several miles before the crash was among a series of bad decisions Aguilera-Mederos made that precipitated the wreck. He was convicted of 27 counts, including vehicular homicide and assault. A state law requiring the sentences be served consecutively, rather than at the same time, contributed to the lengthy sentence. But the judge said publicly it would not have been what he would have imposed if he had more discretion. The law also allows the court to "reconsider its sentence in an exceptional case involving unusual and extenuating circumstances," according to a motion filed Friday by the office of District Attorney Alexis King, but the motion doesn't elaborate. DETROIT (AP) The parents of a teenager charged with killing four students at a Michigan high school didn't anticipate that he would commit violence and are devastated like others in the community, a lawyer said Wednesday in requesting that they be granted a lower bond. James and Jennifer Crumbley are charged with involuntary manslaughter and have been jailed on $500,000 bond since their arrest on Dec. 4. They're accused of making a gun accessible to Ethan Crumbley and failing to pull him out of school when summoned about his writings before the shooting on Nov. 30. Defense attorney Shannon Smith acknowledged that Jennifer Crumbley sent a text message to her son that day, telling him don't do it. But Smith said it was a plea for him to not kill himself after the shooting at Oxford High School had already occurred and the gun was missing from home. Ethan Crumbley, 15, is charged as an adult with murder and other crimes. The Downtown Business Improvement District Board approved taking bids for its speaker system project at its first meeting after its renewal and addition of three new members Tuesday. The boards new members were present at the meeting, including Daniel Cech of Petersen Body Shop, Sam Heineman of Dodge County Realty Group and Berta Quintero of Reinita Restaurant. I appreciate everybody coming today, Chairman Tom Coday said. This is good, so we can get a lot of this work done. With the speaker system project, first approved by the board in September, Coday said the board could approve a request for proposal to start accepting bids within 30 days, which it would then take to the Fremont City Council. Additionally, Coday said the board could also send it to the projects committee to reevaluate the process and add Wi-Fi to the system to provide it with wireless capabilities. City Administrator Brian Newton said doing so would be difficult and expensive, as installations would have to be made on buildings instead of poles. Board member Richard Register supported the prospect of sending the matter to the projects committee to look at Wi-Fi usage and made an initial motion to do so. Coday said the speaker system would provide a better experience for those in the downtown area through music and announcements. I think it bodes well for our future plans and it will build momentum, Board member Howard Krasne said. So at John C. Fremont Days, if we can have an announcer during the parade that can communicate, we can use the speakers. Krasne also said the system could be used in other events, including the Hispanic Festival, Crazy Days and Winter Walk. And we need to create more events like this, he said. So the more events that we have downtown, I think the more use well have for those speakers. However, Board member Jerry Johnson said he didnt approve of the speaker systems size within the district. I am not real big on using taxpayers money to enhance private enterprise, he said. I think that if were going to do a project, it should encompass the entire BID. In response, Coday said the project could be viewed as just the first phase and could see expansion in the future. Board member Brenden Murray questioned whether the project would bring more people to downtown and saw it as more of a future-planning project and said the equipment could potentially be outdated in the future. A future plan, a current investment in technology is not a good investment, he said. If youre going to say, Lets do this now because itll be helpful in five years, its going to be garbage in five years. Several board members showed support for the project, including Quintero, who said the downtown area needed something new and said that equipment could be upgraded in the future. Register withdrew his motion, which was replaced by a motion from Board member Roxie Kracl to go forward with submitting the RFP for the project. The motion passed 7-3, with Board members Heineman, Johnson and Cech voting against and Board members Register and Murray abstaining. Board members JJ Bixby and Bill Parks were not present. The board also discussed its revised budget, which was approved by the city council on Nov. 30. Coday said the total was kept the same as in the past, which included $48,196 annually. When asked by Krasne, Coday said the BID would also retain an additional $100,000 that rolled over prior to its renewal. He said the city would post a financial statement on the BID section of its website. Itll just show what we spent and what our income was by amount, he said. Were trying to make it as public as possible so we can get as much as we can out there on the different things that were working on. The board also approved spending up to $300 to send out a newsletter in January 2022, which would be put together by MainStreet Executive Director Amy Vermeline and mailed to business owners and property owners. It would be good to tell everybody that we were renewed for two more years and whos on the board, Coday said. And anything that we would want to be planning, we could put in there. Heineman also suggested sending out emails and asked for a request for BID members to send their email addresses to be included within the newsletter, while Cech recommended adding a note to send questions or comments to the board. So that way, they feel like, They are including us, they want to hear from us, he said. At the meeting, Heineman was appointed as chair of the projects committee, while Cech was appointed as chair of the equalization committee, which will look at the possibility of a two-tier tax system in the district. In other news, the board approved a reimbursement to MainStreet for 50% of Vermelines wages, updating the bylaws to reflect the new plan and members and a bid from Purple Ribbon Lawn Care for parking lot maintenance. The BIDs next meeting will start at noon on Jan. 17, 2022, at Nebraska Quilt Company at 330 N. Main St. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Early Saturday morning, Devon Baker was playing videos games when he noticed something strange. An oscillating fan stopped and there was a hot, burning smell. So the 18-year-old Fremonter went downstairs in his familys home at 1818 Mayfair Ave. He checked the fuse box in the basement. One side was cold, while the other was very hot. Meanwhile, Bakers best friend, 19-year-old Kenny Wallin, who was spending the night, went into the kitchen. A spark fell in front of him. He looked up and could see the glow of fire coming through recessed lights in the kitchen. Kenny heard a cracking sound and yelled to people downstairs, where Devons parents and other family members bedrooms were situated. Devon woke his mom, Christine. Mom, we need to go, he said. The house is on fire. Days after a fire destroyed their Fremont home, the Bakers could focus on the blaze and all it consumed. Instead, theyre so very grateful no one was hurt, including their beloved pets. They want to thank those whove helped them. And with Christmas just days away, they look toward the holiday with hope. Looking back, Christine, who related the story, recalls how shes always complained about Devon being up at 4 a.m. playing video games. But after he realized the house was on fire, Devon called 911. Christine woke her husband and Devons dad, David, whos deaf and uses cochlear implants. David put in his bone anchor hearing aids. Family members scrambled into clothes. We tried grabbing the dogs, but they got scared and ran and the house started filling up with smoke and I couldnt find them, Christine said. It was a terrible feeling that I couldnt get to them. Thats a feeling I will never forget. The Bakers got all the people outside. David Baker put his 89-year-old mother, Norma, on the seat of her walker and pushed her outdoors. Besides Devon and Kenny, the Bakers evacuated their son, Garrett, 31, who has special needs, and Xander Partridge, 18, for whom the Bakers are guardians. They did get one dog, Keani, an Australian shepherd, out of the house. Lt. Nick Morris of the Fremont Fire Department said firefighters were called to the scene at 4:41 a.m. When they arrived, firefighters could see that most of the fire was contained to the attic. The fire had burned a hole through 1/3 the size of the roof. There was no fire on the main floor. Firefighters sprayed water on the fire from the houses exterior. We had to calm it down from the outside before we could go inside when it was that involved, Morris said. The two other shifts of firefighters were called to help at the scene. A neighbor brought blankets to the Bakers, who worried about their pets. After firefighters were able to knock down the blaze from the outside, they went inside to find the hot spots. And the pets. The Bakers are thankful for the firefighters, Fremont Police, American Red Cross, neighbors and friends and Fremont Department of Utilities for all their help. Firefighters went into the house and brought out Zoey, a Yorkie, and a tabby cat named Fluffy. It took two firemen to carry out a golden retriever named, Daisy Mae. Thats because shes full-figured, Christine said. After family members realized Devons turtle, Apollo, was missing, firefighters went back into the house and found it, too. We wrapped him up in a blanket and put him in a bucket and got him back to the family, Morris said. Another cat, a Maine coon-mix named Felix, couldnt be found right away, but later came up from the basement. Morris believes the feline probably was waiting for the water to go down in the basement. No fire occurred there, but it had an estimated 4 to 6 inches of water from the hoses. Firefighters also retrieved wrapped Christmas gifts and put them in a pickup. Family members dont know if the soot-covered gifts have smoke or water damage. Were hoping theyre OK, Christine said. But if theyre not, theyre not. As long as were all safe thats all that matters. Christmas is about spending time with family. David Baker said hes lost his father and aunts and uncles during Christmases of the past. Five weeks ago, the Bakers lost their nephew, Joseph R. Trumble, 25, whom they said died during a heart transplant. Its been a tragic year for us, Christine said. We have learned to endure a lot. And yet, they had a bright spot this year, too. About two weeks ago, their daughter, Brianna Baker, and her boyfriend, Joe Bautista, became parents of a son, Ronin. Now, just days before Christmas, the Bakers note that being homeless isnt easy for the family. Its a feeling I never thought I would experience, Christine said. At the same time, the Bakers remain thankful. Im grateful that were all safe, that nobody got hurt and that were all together, because a house is rebuild-able. My family is not, she said. The Bakers are grateful to their neighbor, Amy Sue Holman, whos been gathering donations and storing donated items in her garage. Theyre thankful for Bea Moore of Oakland and Cindie Serrano of Wahoo, whove brought a variety of items, and to Walmart, where Christine works. Theyre grateful to the Hands of the Heartland, which provides services for people with special needs, where Garrett attends. David said their family will be able to gather there for Christmas so they can all be together. Morris said the Nebraska State Fire Marshal said the cause of the fire was electrical in nature. David Baker said the house, owned by his mother, is a total loss. His mom, Norma, was the first Tiny Tot teacher at Fremont City Auditorium. She also was a secretary at the former First Christian Church in Fremont. Its been our home since 1977, he said. The house will be torn down and rebuilt. Baker hopes construction will start before spring, weather permitting. As they work to put the pieces of their lives back together, family members retain their perspective regarding what the fast-approaching holiday is all about. Christmas is about being with family and its not gifts, David Baker said. As long as weve got family, were good. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Wednesday Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont. Holiday Movie Day, 1 p.m., Keene Memorial Library, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and pillows. Mens Bible Study, 1 p.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont. Fremont Eagles Club open, 3 p.m. to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business. Aerie and Auxiliary meetings begin at 7 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Fremont Community Breastfeeding Support Group, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Three Rivers Health Department conference room, 2400 N. Lincoln Ave., Fremont. This support group is for mothers and their babies. Siblings are welcome. Narcotics Anonymous Library Group, 7 p.m., Keene Memorial Librarys east building, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont. The hotline number is 402-459-9511. Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Thursday Mens Bible Study, 8 a.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont. Alcoholics Anonymous big book study, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont. Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Community Free Skates, 1-3 p.m., Sidner Ice Arena, Fremont. The event is open to grades kindergarten through 12th. No pre-registration is required. Fremont Eagles Club open, 3 p.m. to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business. The kitchen will be open from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The menu will include hamburgers and cheeseburgers, tacos and soup. Everyone is welcome. Lego Club, 4-5 p.m., Keene Memorial Library, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont. Lego bricks will be supplied. Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. The Banquet, 5:30-6:30 p.m., First Lutheran Church, 3200 E. Military Ave., Fremont. Drive-thru meals served. The dinner is free. Civil Air Patrol, 7 p.m., 1201 W. 23rd St., in yellow hangar at Fremont Airport. Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave. Tally Ho Toastmasters, 7-8 p.m., Midland Universitys Anderson Building, Ninth and Clarkson streets, Fremont. Everyone is welcome to learn skills in communication, self-confidence and leadership. For more information, call 402-936-3479. Narcotics Anonymous Back to Basics meeting, 7:30 p.m., First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 201 N. Davis St., Oakland. Alcoholics Anonymous big book study, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Bellevue man who told police that he was hearing voices the night he fatally shot his longtime girlfriend was sentenced Monday and will spend at least 15 years in prison. David S. Clark, 38, agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter and two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. Clark initially was charged with second-degree murder, use of a firearm to commit a felony, possession of a firearm by a felon and being an habitual criminal. Clark was sentenced to 18 to 20 years for manslaughter and five to six years on each count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The sentences are to be served one after the other, with a three-year minimum on each firearm charge. Under state law, sentences typically are cut in half. The charges stemmed from the fatal shooting of Brenda Henderson, 35. She was killed about 1:15 a.m. Dec. 13, 2018, in their home near Childs and Camp Gifford Roads. Also at the house were the couples then-17-year-old and 11-year-old sons, who now live with relatives. During a preliminary hearing, Bellevue police detective Lindsey Betsworth testified that Clark told her that Henderson had purchased a handgun the day before her death. Betsworth said Clark told her that both he and Henderson had been hearing voices in the house and also believed someone had placed child pornography on their computer. Clark also allegedly told detectives that he and Henderson barricaded themselves in their bedroom, where he heard voices coming from a pile of clothes. Clark said he fired a shot into the clothes because he thought the pile had moved. Clark told detectives that he took the gun into the bathroom because he heard voices coming from under the sink. Henderson left, he said, to check on their 11-year-old son. Mr. Clark then stated that he thought he heard something as he came out of the bathroom, where he was surprised by an individual that he shot ... in the arm, Sarpy County Judge Tricia Freeman wrote in her notes from a preliminary hearing. Mr. Clark then realized it was Ms. Henderson that he had shot. Betsworth said an autopsy found that Henderson had been shot in the neck from at least 36 inches away. Freeman said in her decision that Clark may not have intended to shoot Ms. Henderson, but his actions suggest that he was intending to shoot someone. Freeman rejected the defenses contention that the shooting was accidental, due in part to Henderson having run back into the bedroom from checking on their son. Henderson was assistant director of student financial services at Bellevue University. Clark worked in construction. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Dozens of Afghan girls speak in hushed voices as they cram inside a house in the Afghan capital, Kabul. For months, the house has served as a secret school, with around 50 girls attending science, math, and literature classes. They are among the millions of girls who have been denied an education since the Taliban forcibly seized control of Afghanistan in August. Since its takeover, the militant Islamist group has only allowed girls in grades one through six to attend school. But girls' secondary school education has been restricted to only a handful of the countrys 34 provinces. Mursal, a university graduate, has risked her life by running the secret school. The sole teacher at the school, she believes educating the dozens of girls in her neighborhood is a risk worth taking. Her students, too, face severe punishment by the Taliban if they are caught. The aim of establishing this school is to help girls catch up on their studies after their education was stopped after [the Taliban] grabbed power, Mursal, who requested that her real name not be used out of concern for her safety, told RFE/RLs Radio Azadi. I think it is very clear that all of the reasons that they are coming up with are just ways to try to cover up the fact that, essentially, they dont want girls to go to school." Mursal, who is in her 20s, runs the school at her own expense, providing school supplies for her students. Suraya, one of Mursals students, says the return of Taliban rule feels like being sentenced to a life in prison. Many girls were hopeless and suffering from depression and stress, Suraya says. This school has helped us a lot. My request to the Taliban is to reopen schools so that girls dont remain illiterate and without a future, says Gul Meena, an 11th-grader who attends the underground school. Seeking an education is compulsory for all Muslims, men and women alike, she adds, referring to Islamic principles under which education is considered a religious duty for both males and females. 'Don't Want Girls To Go To School' The Taliban claims that its ban on girls secondary school education is temporary while the new regime ensures a safe environment for all girls to go to school. Critics point out that the militants made similar pledges during their first stint in power from 1996-2001. Yet they banned girls education during their entire six-year rule. Millions of girls, particularly in urban areas, flocked back to school following the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 that toppled the Taliban regime. Nazar Mohammad Irfan, a spokesman for the Talibans Education Ministry, told Radio Azadi that the hard-line group was not opposed to private or informal schools for girls. The Taliban claims that its ban on girls secondary school education is temporary while the new regime ensures a safe environment for all girls to go to school. We are committed to working with them as much as possible so we can raise the literacy and education levels across the country and overcome our shortcomings, Irfan said. But many are not convinced. I think it is very clear that all of the reasons that they are coming up with are just ways to try to cover up the fact that, essentially, they dont want girls to go to school, Heather Barr, the associate director of the womens rights division at Human Rights Watch, told RFE/RL. She says the real aim of the Talibans delay seems to be gender segregation -- something the Taliban has gone to great lengths to enforce in universities and government offices. Government secondary schools were already segregated by gender, so it is very difficult to see what they want to do, she adds. Barr says some schools have reopened in eight of Afghanistans 34 provinces. In many cases, the schools have reopened after negotiations between local teachers and local Taliban officials. Private schools, often run by nongovernmental organizations, are allowed to operate in theory. But many of them have shut down amid the countrys devastating economic and humanitarian crisis. The policies that the Taliban has already put in place that are so harmful to women and girls could actually become even worse and more rigid and more violently enforced, Barr warns. All-Male Government Since regaining power, the Taliban has reimposed some of the same repressive laws and retrograde policies that defined its former brutal rule, when it banned girls from attending school and women from working outside their homes. In September, the Taliban formed an all-male government that was made up exclusively of senior militants. The militants also abolished the Womens Affairs Ministry and reestablished the feared Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The Taliban has advised women to largely remain indoors for their own safety. The militants have also ordered tens of thousands of former female government workers not to return to work, even as their male colleagues went back. Neda, one of Mursals students at the secret school, says the future of girls and women under the Taliban weighs heavily on her mind. What will our future look like? she asks. The government of the Pakistan-administered portion of the disputed region of Kashmir has barred entry to the leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), an organization that campaigns for Pashtuns in the South Asian country. A notification issued on December 22 said that PTM head Manzoor Pashteen would be barred from entry and from speaking at public events for three months. The PTM campaigns against violations of human rights and seeks to locate missing persons who are believed to have been detained by the Pakistani intelligence agencies. In December 2020, the government of Pakistans southwestern province of Balochistan also banned Pashteen from entry. In March, the authorities expelled him from the province after he attended a condolence ceremony for slain political leader Asad Khan Achakzai. Some 35 million ethnic Pashtuns live in Pakistan, many near the border with Afghanistan where the military has conducted campaigns against the Pakistani Taliban. Thousands of Pakistani Pashtuns have been killed and millions displaced by the Pakistani Armys campaigns since 2003. Kashmir is a disputed Himalayan region claimed by both India and Pakistan, each of which administers part of it. The two countries have fought two wars over Kashmir, and a UN-negotiated cease-fire has been in effect since 1965. FILE - In this Feb. 12, 2020, file photo, a statue stands outside the Boy Scouts of America headquarters in Irving, Texas. Congregations affiliated with the United Methodist Church have agreed to contribute $30 million to a fund for victims who say they were molested as youngsters in the Boy Scouts of America, an attorney said Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021. State wildlife officials on Tuesday confirmed the first killing of livestock by a pack of wolves in more than 70 years. Colorado Parks and Wildlife said officers on Sunday investigated reports of a calf killed by wolves on a ranch in Jackson County. The results of this investigation indicated wolf tracks in the immediate vicinity of the carcass and wounds on the calf consistent with wolf depredation, CPW Area Wildlife Manager Kris Middledorf said in a statement. The Colorado Cattlemen's Association, which first reported the incident, said the pack killed and ate a 500-pound purebred heifer near Walden in Jackson County. The young heifer belonged to a producer with a small herd, according to the association's executive vice president, Terry Fankhauser. In the last several weeks, the producer saw tracks from the pack on his property, including near his house, Fankhauser told Colorado Politics. In June, a mating pair with at least six pups was spotted in Jackson County, according to CPW. The state agency said it will handle reimbursement under its current game damage process. CPW is working on draft regulations for the commissions consideration on hazing for these naturally migrating wolves in the state, CPW Director Dan Prenzlow said in a statement. Our goal is to provide producers with resources to minimize the likelihood of conflict or depredation as we work to create a statewide wolf restoration and management program as directed under Proposition 114. Colorado voters along the Front Range approved the reintroduction of gray wolves on the 2020 ballot, despite objections from ranchers and rural Coloradans that wolves are a threat to livestock. Proposition 114 called for reintroducing between 20 and 30 wolves to the Western Slope by 2023. The measure, which passed 50.9% to 49.1%, succeeded largely because of support from voters in urban, Democratic-leaning counties where wolves would not be reintroduced. In the northern Colorado counties where wolves would be reintroduced (Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco and Routt), the measure failed by a nearly 3-to-1 margin. The Cattlemen's Association was among the most vigorous opponents of Proposition 114. Ranchers and hunters opposed the measure, citing concerns for the safety of livestock and big game, specifically elk and deer. One study opponents cited found that, in five states where wolves have been reintroduced, they killed 158 cattle and 218 sheep in 2015 alone. Backers of Proposition 114, however, said in 2020 that wolves can coexist with ranchers. Rob Edward, president of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund, told Colorado Politics that science said "it is possible for working ranches to coexist with wolves as part of the landscape. Science tells us that returning wolves can help restore balance to Colorados wild places. Colorado is excited to show the rest of the West what it looks like to welcome wolves home with open arms. Future generations expect us to get this right." In March, Rio Blanco County commissioners passed a resolution declaring Rio Blanco a "Wolf Reintroduction Sanctuary County." Under the resolution, "artificial" reintroduction of wolves would not be allowed. The resolution added that they should only be reintroduced in counties that supported the measure. Five Western Slope counties voted in favor of Proposition 114: La Plata, San Miguel, Pitkin, Summit and San Juan. In other counties, the resolution stated, wolves should be introduced by natural migration and repopulation only. Just after the November 2020 election, the Trump administration removed gray wolves from the endangered species list. The Biden administration is defending that decision in a lawsuit filed by Defenders of Wildlife, WildEarth Guardians and the Natural Resources Defense Council. A hearing on the lawsuit took place on Nov. 12 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and a ruling is expected soon. Once the gray wolf was delisted at the federal level, species management became the responsibility of tribes and states, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. In Colorado, the gray wolf is a state endangered species, and, under state law, killing wolves can result in fines of up $100,000, jail time or or loss of hunting privileges. Proposition 114 also contains a requirement that ranchers be compensated when wolves kill their livestock. Colorado Parks and Wildlife are tasked with coming up with a management plan for reintroduction by 2023, under Proposition 114. The Cattlemen's Association said in a statement that the livestock kill "brings to light issues that must be addressed by the Wolf Restoration and Management Plan, specifically: Lethal and non-lethal methods, including hazing, of wolves for conflict minimization. A guaranteed funding source that allows Colorado Parks and Wildlife to fairly provide the needed tools for prevention and compensation from wolf impacts. Impacts from wolves go beyond livestock death and injury, to include more far-reaching impacts on livestock performance, such as loss of pregnancy, weight loss, imbalanced range usage, etc." The association said it "strongly encourages the members of the Wolf Restoration and Management Plan working groups and the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to consider this wolf attack and the widespread impacts as a sentinel example of how livestock can be impacted by wolf introduction." 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. Firefighters on Wednesday extinguished a fire in an auto body garage, the Colorado Springs Fire Department tweeted. Firefighters responded to 319 Auburn Drive, just south of The Citadel mall, for a working structure fire, the Colorado Springs Fire Department tweeted just after noon. No one was injured in the fire, which Deputy Fire Marshal Mark Trudell said was "accidental," and was knocked down in around 15 minutes. No roads were closed in connection with the fire, and Trudell said the investigation's been wrapped up. Trudell said the fire started after a vehicle caught fire and spread to the auto body garage. Just after 1:20 p.m., the department tweeted a photo of what appeared to be a garage blackened at the top and several firefighters on scene. The omicron variant is expected to be Colorado's dominant strain of the novel coronavirus in the coming days and weeks, state and local officials said Tuesday, and its presence has likely led to a surge of cases in Eagle County. Omicron accounted for more than 9.7% of positive COVID-19 cases in Colorado last week, according to state data, up from 1.22% the week before. Over that same time period, it has become the dominant strain nationwide. Community transmission has been detected in Denver and elsewhere in Colorado, including El Paso County. "At this point, we can essentially confirm that transmission of omicron variant in Colorado is occurring," Gov. Jared Polis said Tuesday. "It still is not the predominant strain in Colorado, but based on what has occurred elsewhere, we expect omicron to increase even as we continue to see delta decrease, which is what we've been seeing the last few weeks." Tori Burket, the epidemiology and disease intervention manager for the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, added, "Like weve seen in other parts of the country, we anticipate omicron will become the dominant variant in Denver very soon. Early data indicate that the omicron variant is more contagious than the delta variant, and we anticipate case rates to increase as we know community transmission is occurring in Denver and in the state." Polis said omicron was beginning to spread in parts of the state with high levels of travel, ticking off Eagle, Summit and Pitkin counties. Eagle has seen its cases surge over the past week: It averaged about 15 cases per day on Dec. 12. But that average has nearly tripled in the days since, to more than 43 cases per day by Sunday. The county reported 139 new cases Monday, the most it has identified in a single day during the pandemic, according to the Eagle County Public Health website. A spokesperson for the state Department of Public Health and Environment said Monday that "sequencing is pending" to confirm omicron is driving the spread in Eagle County. But the area's samples contain a telltale marker that indicates the presence of the new variant, the spokesperson and Polis said this week. "That plus their rapid rise suggests it is highly likely that omicron is circulating there," the spokesperson said in an email Monday night. A follow-up email sent Tuesday morning to the state health agency was not returned. Attempts to reach public health officials in the county were unsuccessful Tuesday. On Friday, Eagle County Public Health issued a public health advisory warning of the "sharp increase in cases." "This is an indication that community spread is very high and the likelihood for exposure has increased considerably," the agency wrote. "In addition, local testing is quickly reaching its capacity and persons with symptoms will be prioritized for testing." Omicron was only officially identified a month ago but has surged to become the dominant variant in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that the latest strain accounted for 73% of cases in the country over the past week. In Colorado, the variant has been identified in several counties, including Denver, Arapahoe, Jefferson, Boulder, Pitkin, El Paso and Garfield. The cases in Denver and Garfield counties have been linked to community transmission, as opposed to infections picked up while traveling. Wastewater sampling has also indicated traces of the variant in various systems around the metro area. In addition to two cases related to community transmission, Denver officials have identified a third case in the county, tied to an outbreak in Chicago. Burket, of the Denver health department, said that given omicron's high level of transmissibility, "we do anticipate there are other omicron cases that have not yet been sequenced or reported." She emphasized the need for boosters as a key method in combating the new strain's spread and blunting its impact for those infected. Though omicron is now widely considered to be more transmissible than other strains of the virus, it remains unclear if it's more severe. The impact of omicron on Colorado will in part hinge on that question, experts said. "Omicron is here for sure with last weeks surge in Eagle County probably a signal," said Jon Samet, dean of the Colorado School of Public Health. "The good news is that omicron will arrive while delta is descending, easing the strain on the medical care system. From what we know in other countries, omicron will likely rise steeply because of its transmissibility and immune escape. The impact on health care and on Coloradans will depend on its virulence." The variant's arrival here comes as the state emerges from a prolonged COVID-19 surge that threatened to overwhelm hospital capacity and caused mortality levels to spike to their highest point in a year. But Colorado appears to have avoided that worst-case scenario: Though hospital bed capacity remains limited, COVID-19's direct burden on hospitals has lessened of late. There were 1,030 people hospitalized with the disease here as of Tuesday afternoon, a sharp decline from 1,565 on Nov. 22. Polis said Tuesday that the use of monoclonal antibodies which can help prevent severe disease if given early helped avoid hundreds of hospitalizations and dozens of deaths. With many questions still to be answered about omicron, it remains unclear how it will impact Colorado's people, hospitals and day-to-day life as it gains ground. Polis said the state was watching other parts of the country and world that are dealing with new surges. Much of that information is concerning. Glen Mays, also of the public health school, said in an email that "there is a real possibility of a new surge in infections and hospitalizations due to omicron." "We still have large pockets of susceptible people across the state, and omicron appears much more transmissible than other variants," he said. "High risk adults who have not yet received a booster vaccine are of particular concern. Long-term care facilities and other congregate care institutions are again areas of concern." Polis told reporters Tuesday that a third vaccine dose or second, if you received Johnson & Johnson initially should no longer be considered "optional" and that it should instead be viewed as part of the normal course of full inoculation. Mays said vaccines and boosters will continue to offer protection against omicron going forward. Samet agreed. "The goal is to avoid severe COVID-19 and death," he said. "We have that possibility with vaccination, including a third dose. With that third dose for the mRNA vaccines, there is strong protection against hospitalization and death." An experimental winter drop-in center for homeless teens that opened temporarily last December is now a permanent program of The Place, which operates El Paso Countys only emergency shelter for homeless youths. About 90 homeless teens and young adults used the day center last year, Executive Director Shawna Kemppainen said Tuesday at an open house at the new center. She attributes use of the drop-in center as leading to six times more homeless teens getting off the streets. They had the time to relax in a nonjudgmental atmosphere, where they got to de-escalate and observe, 'You guys seem all right,' which is more effective at helping youth open up, Kemppainen said. Doing so makes teens more receptive to receiving assistance to better their lives, she said. El Paso County had 189 unsheltered youth in November, according to statistics. The new drop-in center at 2708 E. Fountain Blvd., next to Amys Donuts, is about 2 miles from the organizations 20-bed shelter and headquarters near downtown Colorado Springs. Ill be curious how many kids figure out where it is, said Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers as he took a tour of the 2,000-square-foot former co-working office. Well be issuing more bus tickets, Kemppainen said, adding that a city bus stop is across the street from the new center. The organization used space from Inside-Out Youth Services, which supports LGBTQ youth, for last years four-month program and tried to find a downtown office for the permanent drop-in center, she said. One downtown building Kemppainen declined to identify seemed like a good possibility, but she said the deal fell through after the landlord said, We dont want any more homeless people in the area. We said we dont either, Kemppainen said. With values rising, downtown property is becoming difficult to obtain, Suthers noted. The Place also plans to apply for low-income housing tax credit financing through the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority to build a new 50-unit permanent supportive housing complex for homeless youths and young adults, Kemppainen said. There isnt a specific project targeted for young people in this area, and it works, she said. Boulder and Grand Junction have such programs, she said, which have been proven to reduce the number of homeless youths. A location for a new housing complex in Colorado Springs hasnt yet been determined, Kemppainen said. It super exciting; were working with consultants at the state and with architects on trauma-informed design. Her organization helped 150 youths get into housing this year, working with private landlords and low-income housing providers such as Greccio Housing. Well continue to do that, Kemppainen said. But having youth in a supportive community with 24/7 staff so we can work with them if they need it is different. The Place is renting the drop-in center space for two years, she said, at an operational cost of about $200,000 per year. The organizations long-range goal is to build a new homeless shelter for adolescents in downtown or on the periphery in the next two years, and convert the current downtown office into its drop-in center. The new drop-in location on Fountain Boulevard is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Theres no limit on how long kids can hang out and eat food, use computers and phones to do schoolwork or look for jobs, pick up blankets and jackets, talk to a full-time counselor in private and just relax. A daytime drop-in center available to homeless kids is an excellent addition, Suthers said. Its a new component but a very essential component. Homeless youth is a serious problem, and this facility gives them a safe place they can connect with services and a path to housing. One year after the Colorado Supreme Court laid down a new standard for prosecuting felony drunk driving cases and prompted the reversal of dozens of convictions, the justices have now clarified that prosecutors may, in fact, seek to try those defendants again for driving under the influence. Mason City Police Department hires four new officers On Tuesday night, the Mason City City Council approved the hiring of four new police officers to the Mason City Police Department. The four new officers welcomed to the police department are Jim Redeker, Lucas Akemann, Aaron Prestholt and Brandon VanHorn. Mason City Police Chief Jeff Brinkley told the council that the four new hires brings the Mason City Police Department closer to being fully staffed, currently just five officers short of the mark. Brinkley told the council that the police department will begin another wave of recruitment to hire new officers starting on Friday. A coalition to improve the Shell Rock River is beginning to make progress. The Cerro Gordo Conservation Board Executive Director Mike Webb met with the board of supervisors on Tuesday morning on behalf of the Shell Rock River Watershed Management Coalition to review the coalition's request for financial support in the form of a donation of $500. Webb requested a letter of financial support from the supervisors for the coalition's Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Comprehensive Water Quality Management Planning Grant application. If awarded, the $100,000 grant would allow for the coalition to begin the process of making improvements to the Shell Rock River. According to Webb, the coalition was formed by a group of communities situated along the Shell Rock River in an attempt to improve the water quality, improve the recreational activities and reduce peak flooding in the river. "Anything we can do to help the water quality and reduce flooding peaks," Webb said about seeking the grant. If the grant is awarded, it will fund a hire to create a management plan for the coalition, and help seek outside funding for the chosen improvements to the river. "This is just the starting point for this process," Webb said. "If we don't get the grant, we have to wait until next year for the next go around." Webb said that some of the improvements could consist of filter strips and buffer strips being added in the river, a wetland being created or storm-water upgrades being made. As part of its grant process, the conservation board is requesting a $500 donation from several parties, including Cerro Gordo County, because the grant requires a 25% contribution from the receiving party, and $5,000 must be in cash. The supervisors unanimously approved the donation to the coalition. The coalition has until Dec. 30, 2021, to file the grant with the IDNR, and Webb said a decision will be made by Feb. 15, 2022. If the grant is successful, work on the management plan will begin no later than July 1, 2022. Zachary Dupont covers politics and business development for the Globe Gazette. You can reach him at 641-421-0533 or zachary.dupont@globegazette.com. Follow Zachary on Twitter at @ZachNDupont Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Saturday afternoon shift turned into an act of heroism for one Minnesota teen. When 15-year-old Sydney Raley clocked in for her Saturday shift at a McDonald's in Eden Prairie, a few miles south of Minneapolis, she didn't expect to clock out as a hero. Sydney has been working at McDonald's for around seven months and told CNN that this was just another routine weekend shift. "The day had been mostly normal -- making coffee, making drinks. Going into the lunch rush, it was all normal." she said. After handing a customer some of her food in the drive-thru, Sydney popped back out of the window to let her know the rest was on the way. That's when Sydney noticed the woman was choking on a chicken nugget. "She was coughing like crazy, and I noticed she was gagging." Sydney told CNN. "Her daughter was in the passenger seat and she looked so freaked out. I immediately knew 'Oh, no, she's choking." Sydney instructed both her manager and the woman's daughter to call 911 as she quickly jumped through the window to help the woman. Sydney told CNN she took a Red Cross babysitter class at age 11, where she learned the Heimlich maneuver, and "all that training immediately kicked in." The maneuver didn't work the first couple of times Sydney tried, so she called on a bystander to assist. '"We worked together and were able to successfully dislodge the food from her throat." Sydney said. Eventually the nugget was set free, and the woman was able to breathe again. Afterwards, the woman was in shock but very thankful toward Sydney. Two officers from the Edina Police Department then arrived on the scene to check on the woman, and had a reward for the teen. "They said, 'Congratulations you're a lifesaver; you're a hero.'" Sydney said. They gave her $100 from a fund they use for people who do good work in the community. This was the first time she had ever had to perform the manuever but knew the seriousness of it and to always be prepared. Around the corner were her parents, Tom and Stephanie, who were on their way to pick her up. "There was an ambulance and a police car sitting there and I looked at my wife and said, 'Please tell me that's not something for Sydney,'" Tom told CNN. "And sure enough Sydney is sitting outside waiting for us to pick her up and says 'So this happened today.'" Tom also told CNN that Sydney was diagnosed with autism when she was younger. Autism is a spectrum of conditions marked by challenges with communication and social skills. "We always worried it was going to be a challenge for her, and it's done a complete 180", Tom told CNN. "It's actually been a blessing and a gift at this point. All the things we worried about never happened." And her employer recognizes how important her actions were, too. "We are incredibly proud of Sydney and her quick, heroic actions over the weekend to help one of our valued customers." owner-operator Paul Ostergaard told CNN in a written statement. "Sydney truly personifies what it is to be a hero and we are incredibly lucky to have her as a highly-valued crew member at our Eden Prairie restaurant location. We are excited to see all of the well-deserved recognition she has received from the community and will continue to celebrate her courageous efforts of literally jumping out of the drive-thru window to provide aid to a customer in need." *** CNN's Katherine Dillinger contributed to this story. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Justice Department laid it right on the line. In a report issued earlier this month, federal officials said Iowa relies far too heavily on institutions to house people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Justice Department said Iowa is almost certainly violating the Americans for Disabilities Act and if it doesnt change, the state may well face a federal lawsuit. We hope state leaders are listening, and not just because of the threat of legal action. More importantly, because the report is a poor reflection on how the state deals with people with intellectual disabilities. The federal governments yearlong investigation said that not only are the state-run resource centers in Glenwood and Woodward unnecessarily segregating people with disabilities from their home communities, but that the state relies too heavily on disabled people living in privately-run residential facilities and nursing homes. The state plans, administers, and funds its public health care service system in a manner that unnecessarily segregates people with intellectual disabilities in the Resource Centers, and almost certainly many other institutions, rather than providing these services where people live, in their community, the report said. Consider this: The Justice Department said that Iowa is among five states that are the biggest users of intermediate care facilities. The states utilization rate is more than twice that of 35 other states, the Justice Department said. The size of these facilities can vary, from 4 beds to 96 beds, but more than a quarter of them are larger than 18 beds. Other states have worked to get people with disabilities out of institutions, cutting the number nationally by about 50% since 1982, according to the report. But in Iowa, the number has stayed roughly the same. About 1,800 Iowans with intellectual disabilities are living in private intermediate care facilities. Separately, the Justice Department estimated that between 600 and 1,000 Iowans with intellectual disabilities, related conditions, or both, are living in nursing homes across the state, and that Iowa has the fourth highest rate of nursing home utilization for people with disabilities. The report added that another 274 people with intellectual disabilities are living in psychiatric facilities across the state. We think the quality of any facility, no matter its size or classification, should be judged individually. Indeed the most appropriate setting for a person with a disability must be judged on that same basis. But Iowas bias toward institutions is evident. Its long been clear the state-run institutions at Glenwood and Woodward have had significant problems. This latest Justice Department report is the second phase of an investigation that began in 2019 with the Glenwood facility. A year ago, the Justice Department said residents there were subjected to human experiments, inadequate healthcare and werent given enough protection from harm. Iowa recognizes it has a problem. Kelly Garcia, the head of the Department of Human Services, acknowledged Iowa has a longstanding history of over-reliance on institutional settings. However, she promised that her team is committed to building out the array of services to ensure individuals are able to live their most independent lives as possible. But as the Justice Department report makes clear, the state admitted to its lapses years ago. Still, the problem persists. If its a question of funding, the state has a huge surplus that can be tapped. It doesnt look like the federal government is willing to wait much longer for this situation to be remedied. The Civil Rights Division will actively defend the rights of individuals with disabilities to participate fully in community life, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clark for the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, said in a statement accompanying the report. It is past time that Iowa dealt with this problem. Other states, including Illinois, have found themselves having to respond to lawsuits alleging violations of the ADA, and wed rather the Justice Department not have to take action against Iowa. But this isnt about avoiding legal action. Most importantly, all people with intellectual disabilities deserve the right to live in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs. Iowa officials say they recognize that. Now, its time to make it happen. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A 22-year-old Danville man died early Wednesday morning after being hit by a vehicle on Mount Cross Road in Pittsylvania County, the Virginia State Police reported. It was about 1:40 a.m. when Christian Lee Kidwell was driving a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt that ran off the right side of the road and struck a small tree, causing minor damage, police reported in a news release. When Kidwell got out of the vehicle and stepped into the roadway, he was hit by a 2010 Toyota Camry traveling south on Mount Cross Road near Beavers Mill Road, the release stated. Police did not identify the driver of the Camry. Kidwell died at the scene. There are no charges pending, and the crash remains under investigation. The Hilburns have a long history of helping others. In the late 1990s, they started building churches in Jamaica through the Church of Living God where they pastored in High Point for more than 15 years. When the Twin Towers fell, Dawn Hilburn said the Lord birthed a new homeland ministry for the couple and Generation 4 Hope came into being. Over the next several years, the Hilburns led their ministry team to assist poverty-stricken children in West Virginia and Kentucky. When the government restricted travel and movement, the HIlburns were undaunted. They said they prayed and that God led them to organize Hometown Christmas. That first year was highly successful. The Hilburns were astonished at the outpouring of love and contributions they received from the Rockingham County community. The daughter of the late Johnny and Barbara Jones Evans, Dawn Hilburn grew up in Stoneville and graduated in 1981 from Stoneville High School. She received her surgical technology degree in 1985 from Catawba Valley Technical Institute in Hickory. WENTWORTHChristmas will be brighter for more than 1,000 children and families who received large colorful red and green packages filled with toys during the annual toy distribution at The Salvation Army Rockingham County on Barnes Street. Excitement was high, as new bicycles were rolled out to accompany many of the bags for youngsters. More than 70 volunteers, many from the Eden and Reidsville police departments, Reedy Fork Community Church and Genesis Ministry joined members of The Salvation Army Advisory Board to help with the jolly giving. After loading loot into shopping carts, volunteers carried the gifts out to the families in an estimated 500 cars that drove through the parking lot and waited patiently for their turns to receive the items that would make their childrens holiday more joyful. What an exciting day, said Major Syung Lee, noting the gifts came from throughout the Rockingham County community. We could not have done this without the love and support of this amazing community, doing the most good this Christmas season, said Young, who operates the local branch of the non-profit with Major Hae Young Lee, his wife. STONEVILLE Kenneth Lee Bell, 60, was arrested in Henry County on Friday night after allegedly shooting another Stoneville man in the face with a shotgun. Investigators with the Rockingham County Sheriffs Office got a tip at around 7 p.m. Friday that Thaddeus Grey, 57, was being treated for a shotgun wound at a Triad-area hospital, according to a press release from the RCSO. Grey suffered injuries to his face and shoulder from the blast, according to RCSO Public Information Officer Lt. Kevin Suthard. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The spokesman did not know if Grey had yet been released from the hospital, but said, He is expected to recover, in an email. Authorities learned that Grey and Bell, of 6032 US 220 Business, had argued at Bells home before Bell allegedly shot Grey there, the release said. Sheriffs officers and the Stoneville Police Department worked to find Bell. In short order, Henry County Sheriffs deputies apprehended Bell in Bassett, Va. Subsequently, Rockingham County investigators charged Bell with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. Bell is being held in the Henry County Jail pending extradition to Rockingham County, the release said. Suthard said Rockingham County authorities are not sure how soon Bell will be back in Rockingham. If Bell fights the extradition order in Virginia courts, his transfer to North Carolina will be delayed, Suthard said. There are some concerns on the Russian side that are legitimate, Steven Pifer, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, told me. Putin has complained about American offensive missiles on his border that could reach Moscow in five minutes. There are no such missiles there now, but we could certainly have a conversation about missiles. We could talk about conventional forces too, Pifer added. But the conversation would have to cover both sides. Its not clear that the Russians would get what they want. U.S. leaders have known since the Soviet collapse that Russias loss of empire would be traumatic. They may not have foreseen that the trauma would persist for 30 years. Empires die a slow and painful death, Sarotte said. WASHINGTON (AP) The District of Columbia government is imposing a series of COVID-19 vaccine mandates as it intensifies virus protocols in response to spiraling infection numbers and the march of the omicron variant. Starting in mid-January, residents over age 12 will have to show proof of vaccination to enter any restaurant, bar, nightclub or gym. All D.C. students whether in public, private or charter schools must be fully vaccinated by March 1. That means two shots for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. People will be required to prove their status with their vaccine card, a photocopy or via an app on their phone. The new rules come two days after Mayor Muriel Bowser reinstated the district's indoor mask mandate. Officials strongly recommended booster shots as well, but they are not required to get into the places affected by the new mandate. For those who get the two-shot regimen of Moderna or Pfizer, proof of one shot will be required by mid-January and both shots a month later. I don't make any of these types of decisions lightly, Bowser told reporters Wednesday. She said crises such as the pandemic are the exact time when the government needs to make some decisions for the whole society." The university also is looking to hire a director for the center. Ongeri said that director will also be a faculty member who would do teaching and research and whose salary would be paid from state dollars for faculty positions. Along with public funding and various external research grants, the school expects to tap $400,000 from the $45 million donated to the university by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The center is set to get $200,000 per year for the next two years, which could be used to pay for support staff and for marketing to increase awareness of the center. Ongeri said its not enough to just get researchers working together, the center must also work and communicate with communities in Greensboro that are dealing with health disparities. That means getting community input to shape what issues they research, and how they conduct the research, and also sharing research findings with the affected communities. A&T she said, has a history of doing this kind of work, whether thats sharing health information with diabetes patients at community clinics or opening dialog with local faith groups. Bobby Jenkins, an attorney who argued for the plaintiffs in both cases that the panel ruled on, said he wasnt fazed by the judges decision. Hed always expected that the three-judge panel would be the first of several steps to finalizing the laws validity. It was going to go to the Supreme Court anyway there was no question about that, Jenkins said. I would rather go up having won, but well get it. His firm, Lanier Law Group, hasnt yet decided how theyll handle the appeal. But theyre rushing to file all their clients complaints by the end of the year, in hopes of a Supreme Court decision that will allow them to try cases against institutions including the Gaston County Board of Education and UNC School of the Arts. With the cases pending on appeal, Jenkins doesnt expect that judges will dismiss other cases or, if they do, judges arent expected to prohibit the parties from resurrecting their claims. Most of the cases theyve filed over the last two years have already been stayed, Jenkins said, pausing arguments until higher courts decide the constitutionality of North Carolinas law, which altered the filing window. Were confident that the monitoring included in the agreement will enable Greensboro to determine sources of 1,4-dioxane so that the city can prevent discharges, including extraordinarily high-level discharges like the one that occurred earlier this month. The agreements increased penalties will further incentivize the city to fix this problem. The recent spikes in 1,4-dioxane in the Haw and in downstream drinking-water supplies should have never happened; this agreement will provide the information necessary to stop these discharges going forward and it will impose penalties if the city fails to do so. Though this agreement is only focused on Greensboro, which has been the primary source of 1,4-dioxane pollution in the Haw River basin, the Environmental Management Commission has committed to conduct a comprehensive, basin-wide investigation of 1,4-dioxane discharges throughout the Haw and Cape Fear river basins and take action to reduce those discharges. Haw River Assembly will continue to monitor compliance reports with this Special Order by Consent in order to protect the Haw River watershed and our communities that depend on it. For more information about Haw River Assembly and the Special Order by Consent, visit www.hawriver.org. The writer is the Haw Riverkeeper. 8) Nearly 500 million doses of the vaccine have been administered and more than 200 million people are fully vaccinated. Thats a massive sample size from which to find problems with a vaccine. Therefore, to those who are not vaccinated: Think of it as a purely economic decision. If we can vaccinate 203 million people in the U.S. and more throughout the world, we may well not infect someone else, and we can go back to normal, whatever that is. Paul Herger High Point A local act? Two small suggested changes for Tuesdays editorial (Find somewhere else to spread your hate, Dec. 21): First, lets not send these folks off to do the same somewhere else. It would be far better to put an end to it here and now much easier said than done. Second, until they are identified, we dont know that they are outsiders. Tom Duckwall Greensboro Not anywhere Please, no. Do not encourage antisemites with your headline, Find somewhere else to spread your hate (editorial, Dec. 21). According to the Scottish magazine bellacaledonia, on Tuesday, "last week witnessed, launching an international petition to remove PKK from the "terror list". The petition includes more than 1,000 signatures around 100 parliamentarians and thirty lawyers, as well as councilors, academics, doctors, trade unionists, journalists and writers". Scottish names feature strongly on this list, and MPs Chris Stevens, Tommy Shepherd, Bill Kidd, Ross Greer and Maggie Chapman, award-winning writers James Kellman and Paul Lafferty, and unionists Mike Arnott and Stephen Smiley have joined in signatures from around the world. , including Greek economist and politician Yiannis Varoufakis, French parliamentarian and presidential candidate for the Popular Union Jean-Luc Melenchon, Austrian playwright and Nobel Prize winner for literature Elfriede Jelinek, British director and two-time Palme d'Or winner Ken Loach, and Slovenian philosopher Slavojizek. While the petition is addressed to the European Union, the same arguments can be made to the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States as well. The magazine says that Turkey has always refused to recognize the rights of nationalities or allow these nationalities to freely express their cultures. Turkey wants the Kurds to consider themselves as Turks, and those who refuse to do so will be punished, all other avenues closed in front of kurds, so the Kurdish freedom movement turned to armed struggle, first for national independence and then for autonomy and minority rights within Turkey. After collapse of the old empires after World War II, international law recognized legitimacy of the struggle for freedom and independence, which was recently relied on by Belgium's highest court, which said that criminalizing the PKK is illegal. The peaceful coexistence must come through political negotiations involving the Kurdistan Workers' Party, which has long indicated its willingness to negotiate, the political solution is vital for the Kurds to live in peace and dignity within Turkey. It is also vital to restoring Turkish democracy. Removing PKK from black list would also acknowledge the role PKK in the fight against ISIS. While ISIS was receiving support from Turkey, PKK was helping to liberate large parts of Syria and Iraq from ISIS control. Countries should acknowledge PKK's role has in supporting women's rights and freedoms. Turkey is using the "terrorist" designation to delegitimize and suppress all persons and organizations that fight for Kurdish rights or oppose government policy. The EU list helps support and whitewash an increasingly authoritarian regime that has imprisoned thousands of Kurds and opposition activists, including former HDP co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Vejn Yuksekdag, other HDP elected representatives, mayors, local representatives, and numerous journalists. A.K Its not too late for that very important date. Looking for some Real Montana gifts to put under the tree and havent landed on quite the right idea? The Montana Historical Society gift shop has some hot, new book titles to recommend that could be just what youre looking for. We love Montana books, said MHS museum store manager Rodric Coslet during an interview last week, surrounded by stacks of fascinating options for just about any age. Flying off the shelves these days is A History of Montana in 101 Objects: Artifacts & Essays from the Montana Historical Society. The book features appropriate, curious, and rare items in the museums vast collection. Its a top recommendation by Coslet. Its what we suggest for everybody. Thats our top seller right now. People love it. They really enjoy seeing all the wonderful things in our collection, many of which dont get displayed very often. And the book includes beautiful new photographs by Tom Ferris and essays about each object by 21 different authors and edited by Kirby Lambert. Its a tremendous way to make our collection available to the public. Delving into it, one discovers such Montana treasures as: Thomas Cruses electric bathrobe, or Standard Electric Thermo Coat; The historical societys very own Lewis and Clark Bridge spanning the Missouri River in Wolf Point; and A piece of the gallows on which the infamous Henry Plummer was hanged. Theres a lot more treasures to discover that will open your eyes to nuggets of Montanas rich and wild history. And for the curious child, theres a companion book by Far Country Press, Montana History for Kids in 50 Objects by Steph Lehman. It includes 50 fun activities for kids. What better way to learn and remember history than with a hands-on craft, like sculpting your own grotesque out of clay. Dont know what a grotesque is? Pick up this vividly illustrated book and find out. Other good things for our list are Home Waters: A Chronicle of Family and a River, said Coslet. Its written by John N. Maclean, son of Norman Maclean of A River Runs Through It fame. Its so interesting. I got to hear his talk at the Montana Club. It was so much fun, said Coslet. Its full of wonderful tales of fishing, of Norman and his beloved murdered brother Paul, and their unique bond, and also of Jessie Burns, Normans wife, and the close friendship of the trio. Another hot book is Hell With the Lid Off! Butte, Montana: A Memoir of the Wildest Town in the West by 1890s Police Reporter Horace Herbert Smith, edited by William Lambrecht and published by New Bay Books. It is one rip-roaring true tale by 21-year-old Bert Smith, who was a police reporter for Marcus Dalys Anaconda Standard in the 1890s. He knew the crooks, the prostitutes and the police, said Coslet. The young Smith became enamored with Butte and its sizzling history in his seven years as a reporter there, where he turned into a pistol-packing newspaperman. Smiths reporting led to death threats from two dangerous criminals Billy Fay, a professional gambler who was also a professional killer, and his arch enemy, Frank Dougherty, a crooked gambler and morphine addict. In fact, city undertakers were vying for Smiths business. When Smith left Butte, he went on to become a correspondent in the Spanish American War and ended up in New York writing novels and doing journalism at a very high national level, said Coslet. He was also part of a literary salon that included Zane Gray and Sinclair Lewis. And he published two books A Captain Unafraid and The War Maker. He died in 1936 before he was able to publish his memoir, which he had hoped would be turned into a film. Thanks to his granddaughter, who found the manuscript in his papers and donated the collection to the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives, the book has made its way into readers hands. Reviewer David McCumber, editor of the Montana Standard wrote of it, What a rip-snorter of a story! Hell With the Lid Off is a spectacular contribution to the history of one of the greatest towns in the West, but even better its an irresistible read. Its a cool new thing. I really like it, added Coslet. Who wouldnt want to read about Butte in the 1890s? A delightful and whimsical new book for kids is Charlie Russell and the Gnomes of Bull Head Lodge by Emily Crawford Wilson with colorful paintings by Jeanne Bowman. Russell loved his Bull Head Lodge cabin on Lake McDonald in Glacier Park and would paint there, Coslet said. In this childrens story, he goes up to Bull Head Lodge and has trouble finding inspiration for painting. What hes done, and this is true, hes created these little gnome creatures out of bark and other things from the forest, Coslet said. He used to put them on the porch railings and next to the trails in the forest. In the story, the gnomes come to life and help him paint. Theres also an inspiring board book to introduce young children to some of the fascinating and inspiring Montanans in our history, Courageous People from Montana Who Changed the World, by Heidi Poelman. Among the personalities featured with colorful artwork and short write-ups are Running Eagle, Granville Stuart, Alma Smith Jacobs and none other than Evel Knievel. Coslet also recommends a book by Missoula artist Josh Quick, Yellowstone Quick Facts: 100 Surprising and Strange Facts About Yellowstone National Park. For instance, did you know, Gas from Norris Basin in Yellowstone Park killed 5 bison at once in 2004. Or this, Yellowstone Park has 1,000 to 3,000 earthquakes per year. And Quick has obligingly illustrated this factoid with his drawing of some poor terrified camper quaking in her sleeping bag. This brief introduction of new books in no way exhausts the stores options and Coslets recommendations. But note, now is the time for action. The store is closed Friday and Saturday, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The museum store is at the Montana Historical Society, 225 N. Roberts St., 444-2890, https://app.mt.gov/shop/mhsstore/. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Montana chapter of White Lives Matter held a protest Saturday at a busy intersection in Helena as part of a nationwide "Day of Action" organized by the neo-Nazi hate group, officials with the Montana Human Rights Network said Tuesday. MHRN officials said their research indicates that most of the WLM supporters who appeared in Helena over the weekend drove in from other parts of the state. The roughly 10 white nationalists who participated in the protest held signs and banners at Washington Street and Custer Avenue, MHRN, which monitors such activities, said Tuesday in a post online. Social media posts show WLM supporters wearing masks and holding banners urging people to "honk if white lives matter." A woman was seen in one post confronting the protesters. Helena police received a call about the demonstration from someone who was offended, Lt. Jayson Zander said Monday, but the protesters had dispersed by the time officers arrived. White Lives Matter, designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, was formed by established white nationalists, MHRN said. SPLC described the group as a racist response to the civil rights movement Black Lives Matter. According to SPLC, two white supremacists and the Texas-based Aryan Renaissance Society, a neo-Nazi group, appear to be the main players behind it, hosting WLM rallies and engaging in WLM flyer distributions across the nation since 2015. Travis McAdam, MHRNs program director of combating white nationalism and defending democracy, said activity for the Montana chapter has increased recently, and supporters have encouraged like-minded extremists to move to Montana. There was some mystery as to where the group would be Saturday in Helena. McAdam said that in the week leading up to Dec. 18, WLM extremists said they would hold a rally and hang a banner off an interstate overpass. There were also rumors of a rally at the state Capitol, which would have provided the optics that groups like this crave white nationalist signage with the Capitol building and flags in the background. In the end, the small group of Nazis stood with their signs at a Helena intersection and left without any splashy activities, McAdam said. No banner hung on the overpass and no rally at the Capitol took place. When a counter-protester started filming WLM sign holders at the intersection, an extremist allegedly pulled out a hammer and threatened the person, McAdam said. On the online messaging app Telegram, a member of the Montana chapter posted, I carried a hammer at the demo Saturday lol, McAdam said. In another video posted on Telegram, a WLM member yells at a woman: Why dont you go to a health food store and quit being so fat and annoying? McAdam said that because their numbers are so small, WLM Montana extremists travel around the state to make it appear that their group has a statewide presence. Our research indicates that most of the WLM supporters who appeared in Helena over the weekend drove in from different places in the state, McAdam said. Its clear that each activity in which WLM engages is designed to radicalize more people to their movement, advertise Montana as a perfect Aryan homeland, and draw white nationalists to the state. Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins said Tuesday he has seen online posts about people around town with White Lives Matter signs. He said they have that right under the First Amendment protection of free speech. I just hope its peaceful, he said, adding he was sure the police were aware of the protests and would address the situation accordingly. Collins said he knew of a previous time WLM Montana had a protest in Helena. The group had hung a banner at Prospect Avenue and Interstate 15. There are a few people who want to stir up things that are not there, Collins, a Liberian refugee, said. Its is not going to work. This community is way too decent for the crap that two or three people are trying to pull. McAdam agreed about what was accomplished. Their plan backfired, he wrote. Instead of making people feel targeted and alone, their presence has brought together many community members who are organizing to share information and remove any sign of WLMs presence as quickly as it pops up. McAdam said the best way to resist violent extremism is to publicly support and protect the people they target. WLM Montanas biggest presence had been in the Flathead Valley until recently, McAdam noted, where supporters had placed racist stickers in public spaces throughout Kalispell. After the national group announced its day of action, WLM stickers and extremists have been spotted in Bozeman, Great Falls, Helena, Missoula and Polson. He said the Montana chapter was trying to attract attention and new recruits for its Dec. 18 event in Helena. McAdam said in his online post that communities should be concerned whenever groups like WLM are comfortable enough to show up in public. He said their sad stunt over the weekend served two purposes: get publicity and recruit new followers, and create a presence that intimidated and threatened Jewish, Black, Indigenous and people of color and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. McAdam said membership in WLM can be expected to grow and the small turnout in Helena should not be interpreted as a reason to dismiss the legitimate threats that WLM presents. To stop groups like WLM, we all need to work to make our communities safer and healthier places for everyone, he wrote. What happened this weekend in Helena is a perfect time for all of us to look ahead to the new year and decide which organizations, institutions, and leaders we are going to support. MHRN is a nonprofit group that challenges bigotry and discrimination and advocates for legislation that honors rights, its website states. Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021. Love 14 Funny 21 Wow 8 Sad 5 Angry 53 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A group of residents, business people and government and elected officials are seeking nearly $46 million to help with improvements to the Sil Leonard Collins Armando Frederico Carina Robin Otteson These three people, who died on the streets of Helena while experiencing homelessness during the last year, were memorialized during the annual Longest Night ceremony hosted by YWCA Helena and United Way of the Lewis and Clark Area Tuesday evening at Anchor Park. "They're human beings," local United Way Executive Director Emily McVey said in an interview following the memorial. McVey noted that many of the people her organization and others in the community work with to find and maintain stable housing are working full time and are from the area. YWCA Helena Executive Director Jen Gursky said the number of people experiencing homelessness across the state of Montana has increased nearly 16% over the past year. "That number is expected to increase," Gursky said, noting the persistence of the COVID-19 health pandemic and the end of a related eviction moratorium. The memorial is meant to honor those largely forgotten by their community, but it also is intended to inspire action among those in attendance. "We can be a community of compassion, dignity and neighborliness," Gursky told the nearly 40 people in attendance Tuesday. Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins said there is plenty of work in this vein to go around. "The problem is increasing in Montana," Collins said. "It is not one person's problem; it's all of ours." Collins encouraged community members, local organizations and his fellow leaders in city government to do more to address the problems. "This year there were more homeless people on the streets than ever before in my 28 years in Helena," he said. Collins urged people to get involved and offer ideas instead of complaints. "Let's come back next year and say, 'This is what we did,'" Collins said. Other community members who participated in the memorial included Mike Jetty, who sang a Native American prayer song, and Helena Symphony Orchestra Hornist Erin Vang who played and read aloud the traditional Jewish mourner's Kaddish. McVey said though homelessness is a complex issue with no simple solution, she encouraged those looking for ways to help to contact local officials, city and county commissioners, and express their concern over the issue. Helena's city commissioners are in the midst of determining how to spend federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars. One place the more than $8 million in aid could land is with programs dedicated to combating homelessness and affordable housing. Love 5 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Deer Lodge man pleaded guilty earlier this month to several charges after illegally killing a bighorn sheep in the Highland Mountains. Harold Horine, 45, shot a bighorn ram on Nov. 22 without a license. He did not report the kill to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and he left the meat to waste, authorities said. A witness who observed the violation contacted FWP after finding the dead bighorn abandoned. Game wardens interviewed Horine, who said he mistook the sheep for an elk. Horine pleaded guilty in Madison County Justice Court on Dec. 7 to hunting without a valid license, unlawful possession of a game animal, failure to obtain landowner permission when hunting and waste of a game animal. Horine was ordered to pay $5,245 in fines and restitution. His hunting, fishing and trapping privileges were suspended for two years, and his ability to apply for special permits was suspended for 12 years. Montana game wardens rely on tips from people who observe crimes against wildlife. FWPs 24-hour hotline for reporting these crimes is 1-800-TIP-MONT. Callers could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 Montana is one of the 24 states that on Tuesday signed onto a federal lawsuit challenging the Biden administration's vaccine and masking requirements at Head Start programs. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Louisiana, takes aim at a recent federal provision requiring vaccines for Head Start teachers, staff and volunteers, as well as face masks for students aged 2 and older. Children ages 5 and up are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines. Head Start is a federal program that provides funding to local education programs for preschool-aged children from lower-income families. In a press release announcing the new lawsuit, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said the state has 20 organizations receiving Head Start funding, employing 1,500 workers. The plaintiff states argue that the administration's requirements overstep the executive branch's authority, violate the federal law that authorizes Head Start and run afoul of the 10th Amendment's reservation of powers to the states. They also argue the rules violate several other federal laws. Democratic President Joe Biden has sought to wield federal agencies and funding to bolster the United States' stagnant rate of vaccinations against the coronavirus. He has pushed back against Republican-led challenges to his vaccine mandates, accusing GOP leaders of being "cavalier with the health of their communities." In the press release, Knudsen called the masking requirements for children in Head Start "ridiculous" and said the rules will have a detrimental effect on local communities. "Head Start organizations in Montana are facing challenges finding staff who can provide the early childhood education services communities need," the attorney general stated in a press release. "Firing workers and telling volunteers theyre not wanted is going to make that problem worse. Children in Montana will suffer because of President Bidens policies. The lawsuit asks the court to declare the Head Start requirements unlawful. The plaintiffs have also asked for a preliminary injunction putting the rules on hold while the case proceeds. When Biden announced many of the federal vaccine requirements in September, it was framed as a response to the summertime surge of COVID cases fueled by the more-contagious delta variant. The challenge to the Head Start rule comes as cases are again climbing rapidly in parts of the country, a day after the even faster-spreading omicron variant became the virus's dominant strain in the U.S. Montana officials announced the state's first detection of the new variant Monday, after all but a handful of states had reported omicron cases. While daily COVID-19 cases have fallen over the past two months in Montana, the state's caseload has followed previous surges of the virus elsewhere in the country. The lawsuit has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, who last month sided with a group of Republican-led states, including Montana, by granting a preliminary injunction for a separate vaccine requirement from the Biden administration. That rule would require all health care workers at organizations funded by Medicaid or Medicare to be fully vaccinated. Doughty's order pausing that requirement applied nationwide. Another regulation from the Biden administration, requiring vaccines for most employees of federal contractors, was put on hold nationwide by a federal court on Dec. 7. On Monday, a federal judge granted another injunction in a separate challenge to that rule, which applies only to the 10 states that filed it, Montana included. And last week, Biden's most far-reaching vaccine requirements that workplaces with 100 or more employees mandate vaccinations or weekly COVID testing for most staff were reinstated after a federal judge overturned an injunction. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is enforcing that rule, announced it would move the deadline for compliance back to February. It had been slated to take effect Jan. 4. While Montana lawmakers passed legislation earlier this year banning employers from requiring vaccines, it's likely the federal requirement would supersede that. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. When I was growing up I was fortunate to have many strong women role models in my life who empowered me to pursue whatever career I wanted. I attended college and earned a bachelors degree, and then went on to graduate school so I could fulfill my dream of teaching at the college level. After nine years of post secondary education I began teaching at a small undergraduate college. I love working with young people and helping them figure out what they are capable of and what path they wish to pursue. But I have considered quitting my job many times. Several years after I began teaching, my partner and I decided to start our family. After our first child arrived I was very suddenly struck by the reality that so many others already understood: that having two working parents try to raise a child is nearly impossible. I didnt have a real maternity leave with either of my children. My partner and I worked nights and weekends to juggle schedules so we could keep our infant home for as long as possible. We took a significant financial loss to do this. And we are lucky, as many families dont have that choice. When our next child arrived things became even more difficult. Finding quality affordable child care is next to impossible, especially for children under 2. I have researched and visited more than 15 child care facilities in our small town since my first child was born just over six years ago. Our monthly child care bill was significantly more than our mortgage. When our children were young they were constantly getting sick, and both ended up in the hospital on oxygen after contracting RSV. I have never been as scared as I was seeing my children hooked up to monitors and tubes in a hospital room. In addition to constantly worrying about our kids health, we were missing work, scrambling to find babysitters when our children were better but still needed a day or two to rest before going back to school, and feeling the financial hit of working fewer hours and paying babysitters on top of normal child care costs. I love my kids more than anything in the world, and it often just didnt seem worth it to try to keep my job. Quite honestly, I felt misled. For all of the Get it girl, you can do anything! encouragement, there should be a footnote that says Also its going to be impossible to balance working and kids, there is no structural support and everyone is struggling! Youre sure to feel like a failure and you will worry about your kids all the time! That needs to change. The Build Back Better Act is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to provide meaningful support to families, kids and caregivers, and to strengthen our communities and our economy. I hope lawmakers will seize this moment to invest in affordable child care, make preschool free for 3- and 4-year-olds, extend the expanded Child Tax Credit, and create a national paid family and medical leave program. Im one of many working Montana parents who are closely following the negotiations and counting on our elected leaders to finally build the care infrastructure we need. In fact, a group of local moms and I recently delivered 94 handwritten letters from working parents in Helena to our representatives in Congress, urging them to support family-friendly policies that would help Montana families. The letters were powerful and heartbreaking. These women are so strong and resilient, yet we are struggling to balance our jobs, raise a family, and stay afloat financially. I hope our elected leaders listen to us. The Senate must follow the House of Representatives lead and pass the Build Back Better Act this year. For families like mine, and so many others, its long overdue. Caroline Pharr is a mom of two, a professor, and a proud member of MomsRising. She lives in Helena. Love 9 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 2 Todays Highlight in History: On Dec. 22, 2010, President Barack Obama signed a law allowing gays for the first time in history to serve openly in Americas military, repealing the dont ask, dont tell policy. On Dec. 22: In 1894, French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-martial that triggered worldwide charges of anti-Semitism. (Dreyfus was eventually vindicated.) In 1937, the first center tube of the Lincoln Tunnel connecting New York City and New Jersey beneath the Hudson River was opened to traffic. (The second tube opened in 1945, the third in 1957.) In 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in Washington for a wartime conference with President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1944, during the World War II Battle of the Bulge, U.S. Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe rejected a German demand for surrender, writing Nuts! in his official reply. In 1984, New York City resident Bernhard Goetz shot and wounded four youths on a Manhattan subway, claiming they were about to rob him. In 1989, Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu, the last of Eastern Europes hard-line Communist rulers, was toppled from power in a popular uprising. In 1990, Lech Walesa took the oath of office as Polands first popularly elected president. In 1991, the body of Marine Lt. Col. William R. Higgins, an American hostage slain by his terrorist captors, was recovered after it had been dumped along a highway in Lebanon. In 1992, a Libyan Boeing 727 jetliner crashed after a midair collision with a MiG fighter, killing all 157 aboard the jetliner, and both crew members of the fighter jet. In 2001, Richard C. Reid, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami, tried to ignite explosives in his shoes, but was subdued by flight attendants and fellow passengers. (Reid is serving a life sentence in federal prison.) In 2003, a federal judge ruled the Pentagon couldnt enforce mandatory anthrax vaccinations for military personnel. In 2008, five Muslim immigrants accused of scheming to massacre U.S. soldiers at Fort Dix were convicted of conspiracy in Camden, New Jersey. (Four were later sentenced to life in prison; one received a 33-year sentence.) In 2011, a wave of 16 bombings ripped across Baghdad, killing at least 69 people in the worst violence in Iraq in months days after the last American forces left the country, heightening fears of a new round of sectarian bloodshed. In 2016, President-elect Donald Trump named close adviser Kellyanne Conway as his White House counselor and former Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer as press secretary. The Syrian government took full control of the city of Aleppo for the first time in four years after the last opposition fighters and civilians were bused out of war-ravaged eastern districts, ending a brutal chapter in Syrias civil war. In 2020, President Donald Trump unexpectedly released two videos, one falsely declaring that he had won the election in a landslide, and the other urging lawmakers to increase direct payments for most individuals to $2,000 in a COVID relief package, a move opposed by most Republicans. The coronavirus pandemic reached every continent on Earth, as Chile announced that 58 people who were at military bases in Antarctica or on a navy ship that went to the continent had tested positive. President Donald Trump pardoned four former government contractors who were convicted in a 2007 massacre in Baghdad that left more than a dozen Iraqi civilians dead; others pardoned included former Republican Reps. Duncan Hunter of California and Chris Collins of New York. California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Secretary of State Alex Padilla to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris; Padilla became Californias first Latino senator. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DECATUR A Decatur man described by a judge as believing he can shoot whoever he wants was sentenced to 35 years in prison Tuesday after being convicted of attempted murder. Thomas L. Boone, 29, was also sentenced to an additional 10 years on a second conviction for being a felon in possession of a weapon. But Macon County Circuit Court Judge James Coryell ordered that sentence to run concurrent with the 35-year term, which must be served at 85 percent. Boone, who claims the U.S. legal system has no authority to try him, had been convicted after a jury trial in November at which he represented himself. Prosecutors said he had gotten into a confrontation with a 21-year-old Decatur woman on Sept. 19, 2020, in the 2400 block of East Eldorado Street before shooting her in the stomach. Boone represented himself at Tuesdays sentencing hearing and continued to claim the court had no authority over him as an American States citizen. His attitude led to some bizarre exchanges with Coryell as Boone, dressed in a red and white striped jail jumpsuit, would frequently ask the judge things like Who are you addressing when you say that? Who or what are you addressing? Coryell calmly replied: The person seated in court in the jail uniform. Asked if he had anything to say by way of mitigation, Boone told the judge the case should be settled and closed without any further prosecution of him. And I am to be released immediately, he added. Prosecuting, Assistant Macon County States Attorney Timothy Tighe called for a sentence of 50 years 25 years for the attempted murder plus another 25 years for the use of a handgun and cited Boones complete lack of contrition. Tighe added: We have a defendant who apparently and honestly believes he is above the law and can do whatever he wants. Coryell said the evidence did show Boone had shot the victim for no particular reason and believes the court has no jurisdiction and he can shoot whoever he wants. Coryell then sentenced him to 10 years on the attempted murder charge, plus an additional 25 years for his use of a firearm in the crime. Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. DECATUR Cindy Ford heard such a clatter outside her Decatur home late Tuesday morning she sprang to the window to see what was the matter. This, however, was no early visit from St. Nicholas dropping in from the North Pole but a military jet punching it through the sound barrier with a sonic boom that jarred and concerned people throughout Central Illinois. Oh yeah, it shook the windows, it shook the house, I felt the floor vibrate, said Ford, whose home is located between South Shores and Mount Zion. I felt it was either a huge accident out front or something had blown up very near my house. But I think Tuesdays boom was even louder than that, she said. Emergency phone lines in Decatur lit up with calls from anxious families wondering what the noise was when it hit around 11:28 a.m. Deputy Decatur Fire Chief Dan Kline said the vibration was so prominent he even thought something had dropped onto the roof of Fire Station No. 1. It was a bang like someone dropped something heavy upstairs, he added. The actual explanation had arrived by early Tuesday afternoon, however, when officials confirmed it was the sonic boom of an F-15 fighter jet. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency said in a social media post that the noise had "kicked off an immediate collaboration between federal, state and local officials" to identify the source and impact. Further review found that the F-15 fighter jet had course-corrected above Central Illinois, creating a sonic boom. When the aircraft broke the sound barrier, the pressure wave created an audible noise and minor shaking in the region, the agency said, adding that no reports of damage were associated with the incident. But the mystery boom noise had so rattled nerves that some officials were getting personal calls about it. I live on the west side of town and I got calls from my neighborhood, and our administrative assistant lives on the east side of town and she got calls from her neighborhood, said Kline. So it was heard from east to west. Springfield police Lt. Jason Brands said officers received numerous reports from residents who heard a loud noise, and that other local communities received the same type of reports from the public. Other shocked listeners with some military experience said this sonic boom was louder and more resonant than other ones theyd heard before. Ellsworth Dansby, who lives south of Millikin University, said the sound was so intense he thought a train car had derailed near his home and blown up. I have prior service in the military and was occasionally exposed to that (sonic booms), he said. And that must have been one heck of an F-15 that did that; in fact, if that really was an F-15, Id eat my hat. Dansby, 70, has some theories it might have been some kind of high velocity spy plane or similar clandestine aircraft. And if it was, they wouldnt say it was a spy plane, he added. But it was loud. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Driven by legislators, automakers and growing consumer demand, electric vehicles are poised to rule the road over the next decade, and Illinois may be a key manufacturing hub in the auto industrys transformation. Newly public EV startup Rivian is flush with cash and scrambling to keep up with orders for its electric truck, SUV and Amazon delivery vans at a former Mitsubishi plant in downstate Normal. Meanwhile, industry analysts expect Stellantis to convert its nearly dormant Belvidere Assembly Plant, which makes the Jeep Cherokee, into the automakers first EV factory in the U.S. by 2024. Theres even an electric school bus factory being built in Joliet. But with charging infrastructure lagging and new models just beginning to trickle out, there are still miles to go before EVs supplant gas-powered vehicles in many garages. Were not there yet, said Jessica Caldwell, executive director of insights for car shopping website Edmunds. I think in the broader market were still in early adopter phase. Until we see more production roll out, well probably still be at that phase for a while. Rivian, which launched production of its R1T electric truck in September, raised $13.7 billion through a massive initial public offering last month and is now worth more than Ford or General Motors. Buying stock in Rivian may be easier than getting your hands on the actual trucks. The California-based startup has produced only 652 vehicles in its first three months of operation, according to its third quarter earnings report Thursday. The first two R1S SUVs rolled off the line this month, and Rivian is expected to deliver the first of 100,000 EV vans to Amazon, an investor in the company, before the end of the year. In total, Rivian is projected to come up a few hundred vehicles short of an initial 1,200-unit production target it set for 2021, CEO R.J. Scaringe said during the earnings call. Launching and ramping production of three different vehicles within a few months is an incredibly tough challenge, Scaringe said. Rivian has 71,000 preorders for its R1T and R1S models, which means anyone who puts money down now on the $70,000 EVs will have to wait until 2023 to take delivery, Scaringe said. The company announced Thursday it is building a second $5 billion assembly plant in Georgia to keep up with anticipated future demand. Electric vehicle sales gained traction in 2021, making up 2.5% of the U.S. auto market through November, up from 1.6% for the same period in 2020, according to Edmunds. Tesla accounted for nearly two-thirds of the EVs sold in the U.S., with Volkswagen at about 8%, followed by GM and Ford at about 7% each. Edmunds projects the U.S. EV market share will climb to 4% in 2022, surpassing 600,000 vehicles sold, with Teslas market share dropping to 46% as new players enter the segment. New federal and state legislation is designed to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles. The Biden administration released its EV charging action plan Dec. 13, outlining the steps federal agencies are taking to boost infrastructure, manufacturing and consumer adoption. The $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, signed into law in November, includes $5 billion in funding for states and a $2.5 billion competitive grant program for rural and disadvantaged communities to put the U.S. on the path to a national network of 500,000 charging stations. A measure for increasing the maximum federal tax credit for EV buyers from $7,500 up to $12,500 is part of Bidens $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act, which was approved by the House in November and is now in the hands of the Senate. In November, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois Act, which incentivizes EV manufacturers to locate in the state through tax credits, including up to 100% of income tax withheld for new jobs created. The legislation also allows local municipalities to abate property taxes for EV projects. President Joe Biden has set an ambitious target of a 50% market share for EVs by 2030, while Pritzker wants to see 1 million registered EVs on Illinois roads by then preferably built at Illinois plants. Founded in 2009 by Scaringe, a 38-year-old MIT grad, Rivian has nearly 3,900 employees working at its sole production facility in Normal. Rivian said Thursday it plans to expand the plants capacity from 150,000 to 200,000 vehicles per year. Rivian, which has more than 10,000 employees overall, plans to break ground on the Georgia plant next summer and begin producing the next generation of EVs by 2024. The plant will employ 7,500 workers with an eventual production capacity of 400,000 vehicles per year, Scaringe said. Until then, Rivians ambitions to become the Tesla of trucks will depend entirely on the production output at the Normal plant. Stellantis, which was created by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot of France in January, is projecting more than 40% of its U.S. sales to be electric vehicles by 2030. Illinois could be at the center of those plans, with the Belvidere Assembly Plant near Rockford slated to build new electric versions of the Dodge Charger, Challenger and a crossover beginning in January 2024, according to industry analysts. The sprawling plant, which has been laying off employees for several years amid dwindling sales for its only product the Jeep Cherokee SUV could be buzzing again with an all-electric future, said Sam Fiorani, vice president global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, a Pennsylvania-based research firm. The plant is a relatively large plant, and the Cherokee was supposed to fill it. But it is not anymore, Fiorani said. Instead of having just one, theyll have at least three models built in Belvidere, so that will fill up capacity a little better. Fiorani said Stellantis is expected to retool the Belvidere plant to launch its EV production, while moving production of the Cherokee to another plant outside of Illinois. While we wont comment on rumor or speculation about the future of any of our facilities, we can say that Stellantis is committed to bringing consumers an electrified future, investing $35 billion through 2025 on electrification and software, Stellantis spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said in an email. Bidens infrastructure bill also includes $5 billion for zero- and low-emission buses, with the White House saying it will replace the yellow school bus fleet with thousands of electric school buses nationwide. Canadian EV truck manufacturer Lion Electric announced in May it was investing $70 million to convert a Joliet warehouse into a factory to produce up to 20,000 electric trucks and buses a year. Construction to repurpose the 900,000-square-foot building is finishing up and Lion will begin moving its manufacturing equipment into the plant early next year, company spokesman Brian Alexander said. The Joliet facility will produce up to 15 different models in the next two years, including 11 trucks and four school buses. Lion, which is in line to receive $7.9 million in state tax credits if it meets investment and job creation goals, plans to hire 745 workers over the next three years, with recruiting efforts getting underway early next year, Alexander said. Were still planning to have vehicles rolling out of there by the second half of next year, Alexander said. While EV manufacturing is gearing up, consumer adoption has a long way to go to hit Pritzkers goal of 1 million EVs by 2030. There are currently 33,390 electric vehicles registered in Illinois, or less than 1% of the states 10.3 million vehicles, according to Dave Druker, a spokesman for the Illinois secretary of states office. The biggest obstacle may be building a charging infrastructure. There are 46,341 public charging stations in the U.S., including 943 in Illinois, according to the U.S. Department of Energys alternative fuels website. The network is far less developed for fast-charging stations, where drivers can fully charge their vehicles in 15 to 45 minutes, with 5,682 stations in the U.S. and 110 in Illinois. Most public stations use Level 2 chargers, which generally take hours to recharge an EV. The lack of a robust charging network may make EVs more costly to refuel than gas-powered cars, according to a recent study. Patrick Anderson, a Michigan automotive industry economist, became a lightning rod for criticism with an October report challenging the widely accepted notion that EVs are cheaper to operate than gas-powered vehicles. The study found the real world cost of driving 100 miles was $12 to $15 in an EV, compared with $8 to $12 in a gas-powered vehicle. A midpriced or luxury EV is going to cost an amount of fuel that is not significantly less and may be more than for an ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle, Anderson said. Andersons study calculates the EV cost with home charging equipment and installation costs, deadhead miles spent driving to public stations and the higher cost of commercial charging. It also adds $200 per year for higher EV registration fees, which some states charge to recoup lost gas taxes used for road repairs. In 2019, Illinois lawmakers briefly flirted with jacking the annual EV registration fee up to $1,000 before settling on the current $251 per year which is $100 higher than gas-powered car owners pay. The rising price of gas has already thrown a wrench in Andersons numbers. At the time of the study, regular gas was calculated at $2.81 per gallon, while the current national average price is $3.30 per gallon, according to AAA. In Chicago, gas prices are much higher, averaging $3.84 per gallon, according to AAA. Recalculating current costs for a Chicago driver using Andersons methodology, the midpriced gas-powered car and midpriced EV using mostly commercial charging both cost about $12 per 100 miles of driving. While a number of EVs get 300 miles or more on a full charge, reducing so-called range anxiety, Caldwell said the spotty public charging network may deter some buyers particularly in less urban areas at least until Bidens infrastructure build out starts filling in the gaps. Automakers need to convince people this is something that can fit seamlessly in their lives, Caldwell said. People have to think about an electric vehicle and where to charge it. That is probably going to be a big barrier to entry that we dont really talk about too much just change of behavior. Caldwell said EVs will remain mostly the province of EAs early adopters throughout 2022, but the introduction of electric trucks and SUVs will likely provide a significant bump to sales, and a glimpse of the road ahead. Light trucks and SUVs are far more popular than sedans across the entire auto market and are projected to account for 73% of the 15 million new vehicles sold this year, according to Edmunds. In addition to Rivian, the Ford F-150 Lightning is set to launch in the spring, starting at just under $40,000, offset by a $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles. Ford recently stopped taking reservations on the EV truck after reaching nearly 200,000 preorders, the company said. The key to growth is meeting consumers where they want to buy, which in this country is SUVs and pickups, Caldwell said. So I think the introduction of a lot of those products in the coming year will probably let us gauge a bit more in terms of how fast we can get to that 50% target. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Travelers flying out of Chicago for the holidays can expect busier airports than last year especially on Dec. 23, which is expected to be the busiest travel day, according to the city. As COVID-19 surges in Illinois, free rapid tests will be available for passengers arriving at OHare International Airport and Midway Airport. Appointments can be made online. Between Tuesday and Jan. 3, nearly 2.5 million passengers are expected to fly through OHare, the Chicago Department of Aviation said. Thats more than twice as many passengers as the 2020 holiday season. About 500,000 passengers are expected to fly through Midway, an increase of 50% over 2020. Travelers are also expected to hit the roads, and the Illinois Tollway is pausing some lane closures to free up space. About 1.3 million vehicles are expected to travel on tollways on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, the tollway said. Nearly 1.1 million travelers are expected on Christmas Day and New Years Day. Both are expected to be less than the roughly 1.6 million vehicles that use the tollway on an average day. Temporary maintenance and construction lane closures will be lifted from noon Thursday through 9 a.m. Dec. 27, and again from noon Dec. 30 through 9 a.m. Jan. 3. Some construction work zones might remain in place, however. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close BRISTOL, Va. Bristol Virginia City Council cast its final votes Tuesday needed to shift city elections from May to November. The second reading vote to amend the city code goes hand in hand with a previous set of votes to amend the city charter and bring both documents in line with a new state law. The city charter change must still receive approval from the Virginia General Assembly when it goes into session next month. City Council and School Board candidates who formerly had May ballots to themselves will now share the November general election ballot with all federal, state and legislative races. Earlier this year the Virginia General Assembly changed state law to require all such elections be held to coincide with state and federal elections on the first Tuesday in November. Pity poor Mark Meadows, former North Carolina representative and White House chief of staff, who has traded his dignity for the worst of causes. The loss came to light last week as we learned more about his role in former President Donald Trumps illicit attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election, as illuminated and detailed by thousands of pages of documents and texts Meadows turned over to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection. At first, it seemed Meadows realized his duty to cooperate with the committee. But he has since withdrawn his cooperation and sued the committee, claiming executive privilege as justification for his refusal to appear before the committee in person. Thats one way to disguise his complicity in a scheme to overthrow the U.S. government a summary of events that becomes more difficult to deny with every new revelation. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday evening released data showing omicron is now the dominant version of the coronavirus in the U.S., accounting for 73% of new infections last week. In place of mandates, North Carolina officials are hoping additional testing resources and a strong informational campaign appealing to the roughly 62% of vaccinated individuals who have not yet come in for a third shot will suffice. We've seen with the omicron variant that you can get real protection from boosters, Cooper said. This is the first news conference we've had where boosters is the main message. The second message is testing. Those two things right now can help us get through this. Cooper, Cohen and Kinsley were not alone in pushing for people to get an extra shot. Duke University, which has been widely praised for its management of the pandemic and has limited exposure risk during the fall semester, announced on Monday that it will require all students and employees to provide proof of receiving the COVID-19 booster shot in January or as soon as they are eligible. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on Monday said he plans to endorse Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Cheri Beasley in the coming days. Asked about recent comments in which he appeared to back his party's presumptive Senate nominee, Cooper said he would soon formalize his support. I will be doing that. Yes," Cooper said. State Sen. Jeff Jackson, a Mecklenburg County Democrat, last week abruptly left the race to make way for Beasley, the first black woman to serve as chief justice of the state Supreme Court. Jackson swiftly endorsed Beasley, and many Democratic congressional leaders have since done so as well. In an interview with WRAL, Cooper told the station that the path is clear for her now and that he plans on helping her get elected. Public health is continuing to vaccinate people at the health department building. The number of people being vaccinated has slowed, but some people who waited to see if the vaccine is safe are coming in now, Killian said. Our sincere hope is that more people who have been waiting to vaccinate will decide that its time to receive the vaccine now, especially given our current situation, Killian said. The health department is encouraging people to get a booster dose of the vaccine, especially in the face of another foe: the omicron variant. The state epidemiologist told public health that omicron appears to spread two to three times faster than the delta variant and four to six times faster than the original COVID-19 virus, Killian said. The omicron variant is in all parts of North Carolina now, Killian said. In the coming weeks, the state is predicting omicron will cause record high COVID-19 cases, she said. Early research shows people who previously had COVID-19 and people who are vaccinated may be less protected against omicron, Killian said. There is some indication that a booster dose of the vaccine can help. The vaccine is still protecting against severe disease with omicron. DOVER, Del. (AP) Congregations affiliated with the United Methodist Church have agreed to contribute $30 million to a fund for victims who say they were molested as youngsters in the Boy Scouts of America, an attorney said Tuesday. A committee representing United Methodist churches that sponsored Scouting activities also agreed to help raise an additional $100 million for the fund. Jessica Lauria, an attorney for the BSA, told Judge Laurie Selber Silverstein about the planned agreement during an online hearing Tuesday in federal bankruptcy court in Delaware. Lauria said the United Methodist-affiliated churches would receive protected party status, which means they would be released from further liability for abuse claims. The proposed trust is expected to grow to more than $2.6 billion and would be the largest sexual abuse settlement in U.S. history. More than 82,000 sexual abuse claims have been filed in the bankruptcy case. Victims who say they were abused must vote by Dec. 28 on a Boy Scouts reorganization plan. Prosecutors said in June that Greene, who served in the Army National Guard, was willing to put lessons learned in that military service to use against the U.S. They noted that Greene had a pistol and an unregistered AR-15 rifle in his home and that he had ordered over 2,000 rounds of ammunition and a gas mask after Jan. 6. He encouraged an associate to read up on guerrilla warfare and to use the tactics used by the Taliban and to be prepared to do uncomfortable things, prosecutors wrote. Defense attorney Michael Kasmarek said in June that Greene, then 34, was a partner in a multimillion-dollar digital graphic design company. Greene had a very limited association with the Proud Boys before Jan. 6 and didnt have a leadership role in the group, Kasmarek said. Greene has concluded that his personal beliefs and ethics do not align with those of the Proud Boys, and he is anxious to publicly disavow his brief membership in this group, his lawyer wrote. More than 700 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the riot. Over 150 of them have pleaded guilty, including at least two other defendants with Proud Boys ties. ALMODOVAR: At that moment, I was sick. I got the virus the first week. Even before the first week. I had just arrived from LA after being at the Oscars at the end of February. Then I felt like I had a flu and stayed at home. Three days later, they called for the quarantine. The days were so long that I tried just to talk and write something about the situation. One day, I was disobedient and went into the street to see Madrid completely deserted. It's a very impressive image that I wanted to have. So I pretended to go buy something just to see, just to see the town. AP: It must have felt ironic that in the midst of a pandemic you were making a movie where swabs and lab tests, in proving the children's maternity, is central to the plot. ALMODOVAR: When I was writing the movie a year before, it was like science fiction. But when we made the film, it did feel very familiar. AP: What initially interested you in making a film that deals with the mass graves from the Spanish Civil War? For a barbecue lover, or someone who is just curious about our states affection for this smoky dish, expert John Shelton Reed has written another book, On Barbecue. It is a compilation of Reeds engaging short writings about various barbecue topics. Because Reed knows barbecue and knows how to entertain his readers, the new book would be a welcome gift. Although Frank Porter Graham, president of the University of North Carolina, has been dead almost 50 years, the stamp he put on public life in this state remains strong. A new biography, Frank Porter Graham: Southern Liberal, Citizen of the World, by William Link, helps explain Grahams enduring influence. It would be an excellent gift for anyone who wants to understand North Carolina history, especially if the recipient tilts liberal. One feature of the Graham book is a history of a complicated effort to open the University of North Carolina to Black students. The liberal Graham had to deny Blacks admission because he was bound by rules established by the universitys conservative trustees. During the Christmas season it is heart warming to see people helping people through various charitable projects, such as food distributions, clothing drives, toys for children, etc. Many churches provide free meals to the homeless and hungry in our community. At these times we tune our minds and hearts to the voices of our "better angels." a phrase Abraham Lincoln often used to heal a war torn nation with the spirit of charity towards all. Although times are clearly different, we still need a sense of unity and healing to unite in common purpose our efforts to achieve love, hope and lasting peace. Unfortunately we have not been successful in reducing the polarization we find in our nation. We need to learn to disagree without the anger that separates us into two or more competing political positions. Divided camps are prevalent in the pros and cons of vaccinations, mask wearing, testing, voting rights, racial equity, history lessons in public schools, etc. Compromise has become a dirty word in Congress and in many state legislatures. If one party is in power, gerrymandering favors that party in drawing voting districts. There is often no logic to the boundaries established, except to entrench the ruling party. Lawyers for WikiLeaks founder and publisher Julian Assange will submit an application on Thursday [23 December], seeking leave to appeal to the UK Supreme Court to annul the High Court decision on his extradition to the US. The appeal is one of the last two avenues remaining for the Australian to avoid extradition. If he is granted leave to appeal, then that will go ahead. Else, Assange's lawyers will have to appeal to the EU Court of Human Rights to defeat the US bid. On 10 December, a two-bench High Court panel reversed a 4 January lower court verdict to deny the US to right to extradite Assange to try him on criminal charges in Washington. British District Judge Vanessa Baraister hadthat Assange should not be extradited, saying the risk he would commit suicide in a US jail was too high. Assange faces criminal charges in the US for publishing classified information that was leaked to WikiLeaks by an American soldier, then known as Bradley Manning, but now, after gender reassignment surgery, known as Chelsea Manning. On Thursday December 23rd, Julian's lawyers will submit their request for leave to appeal the High Court's ruling to the UK Supreme Court. #FreeAssangeNOW #Assange #FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners #JournalismIsNotACrime pic.twitter.com/StlgvmGWlK Stella Moris #FreeAssangeNOW (@StellaMoris1) December 21, 2021 Meanwhile, Assange has received support from a surprising quarter, with a columnist for The Australian, a newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch, calling for the vendetta against the Australian to end. Publications owned by Murdoch have either supported the moves against Assange or else stayed silent on the issue. The newspaper's Washington correspondent, Adam Creighton, used strong language to call for Assange's release, saying: "The Biden administration could have dropped the pursuit [of Assange], showing itself to be above the sort of petty, vicious vendettas that motivate authoritarian regimes." He wrote that the true casualty count of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, which WikiLeaks disclosed, had already come to light. "The US has never made a convincing case that the information, related to events that occurred more than five years earlier, put anyones life in danger the traditional argument for censorship. No 'clear and present danger' from publication existed," Creighton claimed. He also had harsh words for Australia and the UK. "Nothing Assange did was illegal in Britain or Australia, both of which have shamefully facilitated his extradition and probable imprisonment. Both rely on the US militarily and economically, especially Australia, but combined they could have acted to thwart his extradition, as the US would have done for its own citizen, a point made by [Australian deputy prime minister Barnaby] Joyce." On 14 December, Joyce called for Assange to tried in the UK and then either jailed in that country or else in Australia. Assange was arrested by British police on 11 April 2019 and removed from the Ecuador embassy where he had taken refuge for seven years. His asylum was withdrawn shortly before he was arrested and he appeared in court shortly thereafter. The US made a formal request for his extradition on 6 June 2019. Rob Joyce: "If you're a heavy gamer or someone who uses their mobile phone for watching HD movies or tethering, then 5G is going to give you a much better experience." A Nokia official in the Oceania region says he is satisfied with the uptake of 5G in Australia, pointing out that about 80% of the smartphones sold in the country are now 5G-capable. Robert Joyce, chief technology officer for Nokia Oceania, told iTWire in response to queries that the affordability factor was not affecting take-up. He added that in some cases operators allowed all 5G handsets on the 5G network since many operators' 4G/5G tariffs were the same. "For example, even a pre-pay SIM in a 5G handset can connect to Vodafone Australia's 5G network," he said. Joyce has been in the mobile telecommunications field for more than 25 years and headed Radio Access Technologies for Qatar's Ooredoo Group before joining Nokia. He was responsible for setting up the globe's first 5G commercial network at Ooredoo Qatar in May 2018 and holds a doctorate from the University of Leeds, with the topic of his research being self-organising heterogeneous networks. Joyce said the incentive to take up 5G depended on the user. "I can't comment on the individual tariffs of the operators, but 5G is certainly faster than 4G, so I guess it depends on what you use your mobile phone for, as to whether you'd get more value from a 5G phone and associated subscription," he said. "If you're a heavy gamer or someone who uses their mobile phone for watching HD movies or tethering, then 5G is going to give you a much better experience. A recent study undertaken by one of the big crowd sourced companies suggests 5G users have an average throughput experience that's five to ten times faster than 4G. "Currently, the 5G networks in Australia are demonstrating peak downlink rates of over 5Gbps per second and represent some of the fastest networks in the world. Nokia provides network equipment/solutions to all three of the mobile operators here in Australia and we've set a number of 5G world records with them." A recent survey by Ookla, the company behind the popular Speedtest app, suggests however that 5G speeds have slowed down at the global level. "Over the past year from Q3 2020 to Q3 2021, the median global 5G download speed fell to 166.13 Mbps, down from 206.22 Mbps in Q3 2020," the survey noted. "Median upload speed over 5G also slowed to 21.08 Mbps (from 29.52 Mbps) during the same period." About industry use cases for 5G, Joyce noted that Australian mobile operators provided 5G coverage to more than 80% of population. "They do this by deploying 5G across multiple frequency bands including the 700, 850 and 900MHz bands that propagate much further than the higher bands such as the 3.5GHz band also used for 5G," he said. "Nokia recently demonstrated the effectiveness of the 700MHz band for 5G with TPG Telecom when we set a 5G range record of 148km between 5G handsets in a cell in Rural Queensland. It is this wide area coverage that will enable many of the 5G use cases we see being of value to Australian industries such as mining, oil and gas and transport. These physical industries need wide area, ultra low latency, robust coverage, exactly what 5G in the 700MHz band provides." Thus far, Australia had been 5G use in enhanced mobile broadband and fixed wireless access, he said. "eMBB is effectively an enhanced 5G service to a smartphone, enabling a higher data rate, lower latency and all the benefits I mentioned. "And FWA is providing a fixed internet connection over 5G rather than the fixed line. In Australia, Optus and Nokia together launched Australia's first FWA service using Nokia's 5G fast mile FWA Gateway. This product has proven to be so good it is now the number one selling 5G FWA Gateway globally. "In future, Nokia thinks virtual reality and augmented reality will be some of the new killer apps as we see manufacturers start to produce smart glasses and other wearables that support VR and or AR." Joyce said it was a common misconception that one needed 5G mmWave for ultra-low latency. "While 5G mmWave and the massive bandwidths available within these bands will enable both low latency and super-fast data rates of 20Gbps and beyond, low latencies can actually be better provided by the legacy Frequency Division Duplex bands (FDD) like 700, 1800 and 2100MHz," he said. "This is because at 3.5GHz and mmWave, 5G is Time Division Duplex (TDD) based and this means that there can be a delay between the uplink and downlink transmissions. In FDD, this delay does not occur as we have simultaneous uplink and downlink transmission and therefore in theory FDD can support a lower latency than TDD. "Of course, there's a bit more to it than that, like Frame Structure and time slot duration, but future versions of the 3GPP standard will deliver low latencies across all 5G bands, not just the mmWave band." He said recently Nokia and its partners had been awarded over $3 million of government funding to investigate new and exciting 5G use cases. "The first of these projects is the 5G Connected Cobots project we're doing with UTS at the recently opened Nokia 5G Future Lab at UTS Tech Park, Sydney. This project will demonstrate how we can control Collaborative Robots (Cobots) connected over the 5G network ...with the brain of the Cobot actually running on a Nokia Edge Cloud rather than on the Cobot itself. "The second project we're involved with is the creation of the National 5G Industrial Incubation Lab with the South Australian Government in Lot 14, Adelaide. This lab will be aimed at demonstrating the use of 5G within industry and we'll initially be looking at connected airports, connected trains and power grid inspection/control using 5G. We're now three months into both projects so it's still in the early stage as we set up the labs, but we look forward to sharing the results of these projects as they become available." Joyce said with regard to the Open RAN Policy Coalition, it would be fair to say that Nokia was taking the lead in development of the technology for the project. A communications expert, Henry Kressel, recently listed the following as issues for ORAN: The cost of implementing networks with elements from diverse customers and relying on open-sourced software as the glue may be more costly and troublesome than installing an integrated product suite from one proven vendor. Maintaining and upgrading such a O-RAN heterogeneous network will require costly internal carrier resources, and hence may be costlier to maintain than current equipment. The idea that such heterogeneous networks are more secure is an unproven assumption that has been challenged by a recent study in Germany. Asked about these hurdles, Joyce said: "Yes, that is an interesting point of view and security remains a key concern in O-RAN networks. That said, we see many of our customers progressing rapidly with O-RAN trials, including some in Germany that we are fully supporting, and we look forward to supporting our customers in the months and years to come should they decide to move to more open RAN architectures." As to whether these issues meant Open RAN was another pie in the sky project, Joyce did not agree. "We're already seeing different methods of network deployments taking place. Take Rakuten in Japan and DISH in the US: while neither of these networks can be classed as being official O-RAN compliant, both companies are pushing the boundaries of how operators may deploy their RAN, transport and core networks in the future," he replied. "At Nokia we know we can't predict the future, but certainly being open and involved with all possibilities sets us in the best position to support our customers whatever network architecture becomes the norm in the not too distant future." SPRINGFIELD U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, in an interview Monday, was bullish on Republicans chances of taking back the majority in the U.S. House next year. I guarantee it, the Taylorville Republican said assuredly, adding that he will be the chairman of the House Administration Committee should that happen. In fact, he thinks Republicans will do well statewide, perhaps with a boost from billionaire Ken Griffin, the state's wealthiest man. I think we can win some statewide seats, Davis said. I think we can pick up more seats in the House and the Senate. I think it's going to be a great year for Republicans. Though Davis is now out of the statewide picture, Lee Enterprises and other news outlets confirmed last week that billionaire Griffin plans to bankroll a slate of statewide Republican candidates to challenge Pritzker and other Democrats. Even if the slate were to come up short, party operatives believe there could be a down ballot trickle effect. When you've got J.B. Pritzker, who's not afraid to throw out hundreds of millions of dollars to keep his seat at the governor's mansion, we Republicans need to be able to compete, Davis said. I'm glad that we can have competitive races in Illinois because when we do, I think we can elect a Republican governor. If it happens, that Republican governor will not be Davis, who opted to run for reelection in a conservative district Democrats seemingly drew to appease him. Though Springfield Democrats, in control of the redistricting process, approved a map with the intention of creating a 14-3 Democratic majority in the state's congressional delegation, Davis thinks theres at least two additional districts that could swing Republicans way next year. And don't sleep on the fact that I think we're going to surprise a lot of Democrats in Springfield by winning some congressional seats that they assuredly thought we're going to go to Democrats, Davis said. The first is the 17th Congressional District, which includes Bloomington, Peoria, the Quad Cities and Rockford, which is represented by retiring Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-East Moline. Many have rated the seat a tossup in next years election. Republican Esther Joy King is running again after almost defeating Bustos in 2020. Five Democratic candidates have announced. The other is the 13th Congressional District, which snakes from East St. Louis to Champaign, picking up Springfield and Decatur in between. Its the condensed version containing the urban elements of Davis current district, which he was drawn out of. "These are districts that the Democrats drew in their in their calculation to elect Democrats, but just as my current district was drawn to elect a Democrat 10 years ago, we beat the trend," Davis said. "I think we're going to see those districts represented by Republicans." Davis notes with pride that Democrats connected the major urban centers of central Illinois and every college campus they could find into the district so a Democrat could be competitive. Yet the five-term Republican has won every time. At the same time, the 12th Congressional District, stretching from Metro East across much of rural Southern Illinois, once a strong Democratic seat, has now been in Republican hands for several cycles. The Democratic gerrymander is strong, but perhaps not as strong as Democrats think it is, Davis believes. A key factor may be the role for former President Donald Trump, who is popular in conservative bastions downstate but a pariah in the moderate Chicago suburbs. In Virginia, Republican Glenn Youngkin defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the governor's race by successfully keeping Trump at arms length. Some think that formula could work in suburban Chicago state legislative and congressional races. Davis' arc on Trump is somewhat interesting. He went from saying that he could not vote for Trump in 2016 after the release of the "Access Hollywood" tape, in which the president described grabbing women, to serving as a co-chair of the his 2020 presidential campaign. Serving in his current swing district, Davis was always careful to tout his bipartisan credentials even as he embraced Trump's policy agenda, a balancing act that helped him get reelected in a close race in 2018. But Davis, perhaps acknowledging the increasingly conservative nature of his district, invoked Trump's name several times in the interview, touting his support for the president's signature tax cut legislation, for example. "I hope the president joins us in electing as many Republicans to the U.S. House so that we can make Kevin McCarthy speaker of the house, and we can hold the administration accountable for some of the terrible decisions that they've made policy-wise and legislatively wise," Davis said. Davis' Republican credentials have never been questioned. And he's never shied away from Trump. But the frequency in which he invokes the former president has seemingly increased. It doesn't seem like a coincidence. And should Trump run for president in 2024? "That's a decision that he's going to have to make," Davis said. "I think if he does run, he will immediately be the frontrunner and likely win the Republican nomination." And Davis would likely be a co-chair of Trump's 2024 campaign as well. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 KANKAKEE, Ill. Within hours of a fatal gunbattle on the Kankakee County Courthouse lawn this past summer, city officials went on live television to allay the towns fears. It was an isolated incident in which two people died from their bullet wounds and a third was seriously injured, they said. Two men one Latino and one Black already had been apprehended. There was no longer any threat to community. A few hours later, Kankakee police Chief Robin Passwater stood in front of the television cameras again to offer an update on a murder charge filed against one of the men and a vague postscript about the other: The Black male, the one he described as running away from the scene after shots were fired, was not connected to the case after all. He was, however, being held on an unrelated, unspecified charge. For the media, the brief addendum served as an important reminder that the initial narratives provided by police in chaotic breaking-news situations oftentimes do not match the reality. But for 19-year-old Kankakee resident Amauri Gee, a Black male who been stopped that day while walking to the library, it reflected the racial and economic inequities that permeate the justice system. Records show officers stopped Gee several hours after the shooting, while he was walking across a bridge nearly a mile from the courthouse, and held him overnight in jail because he had failed to appear in court for a misdemeanor traffic ticket. Gee says officers told him he fit the description of someone involved in the gunbattle, which city officials initially confirmed and then later disputed. Gees experience exemplifies the kind of small, typically unpublicized, occurrences that can erode community trust in local law enforcement. Experts say such stops happen at troubling levels in smaller towns, where there are fewer civil rights groups and journalists monitoring law enforcement conduct. Gee agreed to speak to the Tribune at his mothers urging, but he repeatedly expressed doubts that his story would be considered newsworthy or that anyone would care. Im a Black teenager in Kankakee, Gee told the Tribune shortly after his arrest. You just expect stuff like this to happen to you. Theres no sense getting mad about it because it wont make a difference. Kankakee police never publicly released Gees name, but city officials initially confirmed to the Tribune that Gee had been stopped in connection with the courthouse slayings. Earlier this week, however, Passwater said he was referencing a different Black teenager during his news conference. That teen also was held on an unrelated warrant after officers determined he had nothing to do with the shooting, he said. The Tribune could not confirm the warrant involving the other teenager because his case is being handled in juvenile court, where records are kept from public inspection. I dont know if Amauri misunderstood the reason why he was he stopped or not. I wasnt there, Passwater said. There was a lot going on that day. Under orders from his mother to find a job, Gee said he had headed out to the Kankakee Public Library in the early afternoon of Aug. 26 to use the computers and fill out online applications. His mother, Kiwanna Williams, warned him to be careful because there had been a shooting at the courthouse that morning and police still had streets closed off. Gee shrugged off his mothers concerns. He was walking, so he didnt expect to have any problems getting where he needed to go. As he crossed the bridge into the downtown, a police car pulled up. Gee said the officer told him his jacket matched the description of a suspect in the courthouse shooting and they needed to ask him some questions. One patrol officer patted him down, while another rifled through his backpack. They didnt ask him any questions about the shooting or any crime, Gee said. He said he never worried, not even for a second, that he would be wrongly arrested for the courthouse killings because he believed the officers motivations to be transparent. I knew they were lying, the teen said. They just wanted to stop me, and they picked the shooting as their excuse. In response to a Freedom of Information Act request, police said there were no video recordings of Gees arrest. City officials declined to release any law-enforcement bulletins that included physical descriptions of suspects in the courthouse case, citing the pending trial against the lone person indicted in connection with the shooting. Gees jacket the reason he said police used to justify the stop was a well-worn Nike windbreaker with an uncommon mix of orange and green fabric. Passwater told the Tribune that in the minutes of pandemonium after the shooting, witnesses told police a Black male had also been involved in the incident. A sheriffs deputy stopped a Black teenager, the one with the aforementioned juvenile case, who had been waiting in a car for the first man shot and who ran when the gunbattle began, Passwater said. Gees police report makes no mention of the courthouse shooting. Instead, it states Gee was stopped for possibly fitting the description of someone involved in an unspecified incident near the bridge. He was not arrested or questioned in connection with that incident either, records show. Passwater told the Tribune he could not locate records about the incident the report alleges. He said the officer who stopped Gee did not remember a lot about the interaction. The fact is, if Amauri didnt have the outstanding warrant, they would have talked and sent him on his way, Passwater said. It would have been over quickly. It marked the second time Gee had been stopped by Kankakee police claiming he looked like a suspect in a criminal investigation. According to separate accounts provided by Gee and his mother, he was stopped the first time when he was 15 years old because police said he fit the description of someone wanted for burglary. He was detained briefly on the sidewalk, then allowed to leave. Both times, his only crime was walking while Black, his mother said. What kind of message do you think that sends a teenage boy? What does it tell him about how this community sees him or values him? Across the country, Black and brown people are stopped by police more often than white people. A Trump-era Department of Justice study found Black pedestrians were stopped 61% more often than white pedestrians on the streets and 13% more than whites while driving. Illinois also has wide disparities, with the most recent state study showing Black pedestrians were stopped at nearly five times the rate of white pedestrians in 2020. The problem, however, is more difficult to define in communities outside the Chicago area, where the police departments report small data sets and dont prioritize tracking their stops. With a population of about 26,000, Kankakee recorded just 22 nontraffic stops in 2020, according to a Freedom of Information Act request. Fourteen of those stopped were white, three Black and five Hispanic. About 41% of Kankakee residents are Black, while 19% identify as Hispanic or Latino. Records show Kankakee officers did not provide a reason for stopping the majority of Black and Hispanic people, though the standard police forms ask them to do so. A reason was given for every white pedestrian stopped, according to documents reviewed by the Tribune. Too often race and the color of ones skin is a substitute or is a stand-in for suspicion, Ed Yohnka, director of communications in public policy for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, told the Tribune. People end up being targeted for stops, for searches, for policing activities on the basis of their skin color, and not because theyre engaged in any criminal activity. Gee said it took police only a few minutes to declare he was not involved with the shooting, which authorities now say involved a Latino gang rivalry. Gee is not Hispanic and has no public record of gang ties. Police, however, still arrested him on a bench warrant stemming from an unresolved traffic ticket. In February, Gee had been involved in a minor accident and ticketed for driving without a license. He did not appear for his court date, and the judge issued a warrant for his arrest. Court records show Gee was never served with the warrant and was unaware of its existence. Financial difficulties forced him and his mother to move out of their home during the pandemic and they had not yet found a permanent place to live, making it difficult for authorities to locate the teen. Gee said police officers told him not to worry about the warrant. He only needed to post $200 bond and hed be free to go. Its not like he would be spending the night in jail, he recalls them saying. The teen, however, knew it wouldnt be that easy. He didnt have that kind of money, and he doubted his mother did either. The bond amount would be needed to keep a roof over their heads. Gee called his mom anyway, and she confirmed his suspicions. I told him I would see if I could raise enough money, but I wasnt sure I could do it that quickly, Kiwanna Williams said. I told him that he might have to stay in jail until I could come up with it. In many cases, what officers may think of as an inexpensive, inconsequential ticket turns into a much larger ordeal for those who cannot afford to pay it, experts said. A white motorist somewhere probably either gets a lawyer or takes care of it or does something else so they never find themselves in this particular set of circumstances, Yohnka said. Gee was booked into the Kankakee County Jail and spent a sleepless night wondering how long he would be there. His mother had encouraged him to stay strong, so he tried for her sake. It was the only time I felt a little scared, he said of his night in jail. I didnt know what was going to happen to me or if things would be OK. With help from a public defender, he was released on his own recognizance after a bond hearing the following morning. It wastes an enormous amount of resources. The people of Kankakee were not safer because this young man spent the night off the streets in jail, Yohnka told the Tribune. And the people of Kankakee and Kankakee County spent tax dollars to keep him in that jail overnight. Passwater, however, believed it to be a fitting punishment for someone who failed to appear in court. When people dont show up, he said, they create more work for police and increase the number of contacts a person has with law enforcement, he said. As the number of contacts increase, the chief said, so does the likelihood of something bad happening as a result. Though he acknowledged Gee would not have spent the night in jail if he had $200, Passwater said he doesnt see it as proof the system is inequitable to those without money. He doesnt get any sympathy from me, the chief told a Tribune reporter. If he had shown up to court the first time, he wouldnt be in the situation. He never showed up to court and thats all he had to do. Gee, who turned 20 last month, appeared at both status hearings related to his traffic ticket since his arrest. He has entered a not guilty plea, and the traffic court judge encouraged him to get his drivers license before his next court date in February. He doesnt know how hell pay the fine that almost certainly will be imposed, but he applied for several jobs and is hopeful about getting at least one of them. His mother said it will be up to him to figure it out. As he stood outside the courthouse and watched Kankakee police officers enter the domed building after a recent court appearance, Gee shook his head when asked if he ever got an apology for wrongly tying him to a crime he didnt commit. Would he accept one now? No, he said. Its too late for any of that. He doubts theyll have many more chances to interact. He and his mother moved out of Kankakee a few weeks ago. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A boo and a hiss to Sen. Joe Manchin, who for the indefinite future has buried Build Back Better in a shallow grave, proclaiming himself unpersuadable, despite months in which President Biden and other Democrats bent over backward to negotiate with him and craft the bill more to his liking. If he doesnt return to the bargaining table, he may have just made it easier for the execrable Donald Trump to win a second term. But Democrats, including Biden, angry at Manchin for betraying their best chance at pushing through a transformative policy agenda including important advances like paid family leave, a dramatic expansion in free pre-K, hearing benefits under Medicare and lower-cost prescription drugs should save some ire for Republicans, who said hell no from day one, and for their own strategists. For months, Democrats wasted energy on a debate over whether to connect Build Back Better to a bipartisan infrastructure bill, with progressives insisting that the two had to move in lockstep, lest they lose leverage over centrist Democrats. Now, the likes of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are crowing that the gargantuan bills demise proves they were right all along. To the contrary, the country is far better off having passed the infrastructure bill, and theres no way Manchins concerns about spending would have been allayed if the fate of the two packages had been fused. This never shouldve been a choice between everything and nothing. Democrats also likely erred by cramming almost all of Bidens domestic policies into a single huge box. Nothing would have been wrong with three, four or more bills: one enhancing child care, one improving health care, one investing in climate change resiliency, and so on. Perhaps it wouldve been harder for Manchin to naysay them all in succession. Members of the party in power can grouse all they like about the fact that in the 50-50 Senate, Democrats represent 41 million more Americans than Republicans do. But they knew they needed 50 votes, and they didnt get there. Thats on them. New York Daily News Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Artwork by Israeli painter Keren Farago An Israeli artist and an Iranian photographer are breaking new ground by collaborating in concurrent art exhibitions in both Houston and Israel.The artwork of Houston-based Iranian photographer, Ashkan Roayaee, and Israeli painter, Keren Farago, features dancers from local Houston companies, photographed by Roayaee and interpreted into paintings by Farago. In Houston, the exhibition is titled Dream Peace, and is sponsored by the Consulate General of Israel to the Southwest, along with Sawyer Yards and Que Imaging. It runs through Jan. 23, at Silos of Sawyer Yards, 1502 Sawyer St., Gallery 100.When a dance is artistically choreographed, it is called a piece, similar to a piece of art, Roayaee told the JHV. This thought, blended with a peaceful relationship between two artists from Iran and Israel, respectively, inspired the collaboration that is Dance Peace.When Farago discovered Roayaees photographs of dancers on Instagram in 2017, she began painting them on the backdrop of pages taken from books, atlases and sheet music that were being discarded. Soon, Roayaee discovered her work and loved what he was seeing.She started painting my pieces and I really admired and I really liked her style it was really unique, Roayaee said. And, I reached out to her and I said, Did you know that I am from Tehran, Iran? And she said, No, thats crazy! So, then she started actually to be more eager about it.Before long, Farago had 50-60 pieces featuring Roayaees dancers. An exhibition was in the works, but they werent sure how to make it work. Farago called the office of the Consulate General of Israel in Houston to see if they would help. Not only did they help, they became sponsors. The only hiccup was that they were to open just as COVD roared its ugly head, preempting them a year.My job is to build a bridge between the communities between the Iranian community in the United States and the Israeli and the Jewish community, Consul General Livia Link-Raviv told the JHV.The bridge spanning the communities appears to be working. Because Roayaees photography features local dancers, some of their parents are purchasing Faragos paintings for their kids, and the products are coming from Israel.Excited by both the art and the message such an exhibit sends, Link-Raviv said, The art brought these two people that come from another culture and another country and they managed to collaborate, to do something special and it mixes with dancing, painting, photography and I think that these three arts brought us wonderful works.In Iran, where dance is prohibited and women must dress modestly, Roayaees photographs of dancers, clad in leotards, would be forbidden. In order to photograph dancers, he had to leave his homeland. First, he went to Turkey, where he attended college and enjoyed the relative freedom he felt there. It was in Turkey that he first picked up a camera and discovered his calling.On Mothers Day 2000, Roayaees parents left Iran, settling in the United States. In 2012, he joined the rest of his family in the States and began working to create compelling dance imagery.Walking through the exhibit, one cannot help feeling the sensuality of Roayaees dancers.Besides the sensuality of it, we are trying to empower women to it. This is something that is missing in the Middle East, said Roayaee, empowering women and showing them that we are all in it together. We are all people.While Farago and Roayaee have never met face to face, they have forged a friendship and a camaraderie.Although the world is going crazy right now, added Roayaee, we just want to show that we all can work together through this art exhibit.For more information, visit ashkanimage.com or contact Roayaee at [email protected] Charges are still pending against McKey and Jordan. Forsyth County prosecutors had alleged that the three women encouraged Moore and another woman to fight and that they all shared videos with other people, some of whom posted one of the videos to YouTube. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The lawsuit made several claims, including negligent hiring, supervision and retention and medical negligence. Danby House released a statement after the lawsuit was filed, saying that what happened was an isolated incident and that Danby House does not and has never condoned such egregious misconduct, which is contrary to the training, policies and values of this community. According to the lawsuit, Moore, who is in her 70s, was in the Special Care Unit, which is reserved for residents who have dementia and Alzheimers. On June 19, 2019, she was in her room when the other woman came into her room. The lawsuit said the 71-year-old resident had a history of coming into other residents rooms and agitating them. She had come into Moores room before, causing conflict, the lawsuit said. The health system will said it will continue to monitor and assess the need for expanded vaccination and testing efforts and adjust as needed. Cone Health said it has scheduled additional mass vaccination events at the Greensboro Coliseum for Jan. 7 and 8. Cone said demand so far this week for vaccinations and testing was more than double that from a week ago. Delta vs. omicron Doctors, including Cohen and Priest, say there are early indications that omicron could be less severe in vaccinated and boosted individuals, or those who recovered from a COVID-19 infection and received vaccine doses. However, Priest cautioned that omicron is a threat, and individuals who are unvaccinated are at higher risk for hospitalization and death, as has been the case with the other variants. Priest was wary Tuesday of suggestions that less severe infections caused by the omicron variant may be a silver lining. Throughout the pandemic, weve had moments like this where we think about best-case scenarios, Priest said. My experience so far is that best-case scenarios seldom play out. Statewide update Both 2018 and 2019 were terrible years for farmers who experienced net losses due to decisions in Washington and adverse weather conditions," Doggett said. "In fact, farmers suffered a $6.3 billion loss in 2018 alone during that time because of the tariffs. The GAO report was requested by the Senate Agriculture Committee chaired by Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. This report confirms that the Trump USDA picked winners and losers in their trade aid programs and left everyone else behind," Stabenow said in a statement. Making larger payments to farmers in the South than farmers in the Midwest or elsewhere, regardless of whether those farmers actually experienced a larger loss, undermines our future ability to support farmers when real disasters occur. In its audit of the UDSA's Market Facilitation Program, GAO recommended that the USDA Office of the Chief Economist revise its internal review process to ensure transparency of its documentation and that the agency conduct a review to ensure proper baseline methods are used in analysis. Agriculture editor's pick alert Federal watchdog: USDA overpaid corn farmers by $3B Associated Press file photo A field of corn grows in front of a windmill near Pacific Junction, Iowa, in 2018. The Trump administration overpaid corn farmers by about $3 billion in federal aid in 2019 and farmers in the South were paid more for the same crops than those elsewhere in the country, a federal watchdog agency has found. DES MOINES, Iowa The Trump administration overpaid corn farmers by about $3 billion in federal aid in 2019, and farmers in the South were paid more for the same crops than those elsewhere in the country, a federal watchdog agency has found. The Government Accountability Office said in a report released this week that international disputes resulting from tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump hurt farmers but that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's county-by-county methodology for computing the extent of damage was flawed, leading to overpayment and inconsistent compensation. Though corn yields are higher in the Midwest and West, corn producers received an estimated average of $69 per acre in the South, $61 in the Midwest, $34 in the Northeast, and $29 in the West, the report said. The GAO also estimated that payments to corn producers were approximately $3 billion more than USDAs estimate of trade damage to corn, while payments to soybean, sorghum and cotton producers were lower than their estimated trade damages. National Corn Growers Association CEO Jon Doggett said the USDAs higher compensation for corn farmers in 2019 included items the GAO did not consider in its analysis, including the trade damage value for corn ethanol and a high protein livestock feed byproduct of ethanol production. Both 2018 and 2019 were terrible years for farmers who experienced net losses due to decisions in Washington and adverse weather conditions," Doggett said. "In fact, farmers suffered a $6.3 billion loss in 2018 alone during that time because of the tariffs. Trump administration releases details of COVID-19 aid to farmers WASHINGTON The Trump administration unveiled the ground rules Tuesday for distributing $16 billion in direct payments to farmers and ranchers feeling financial pain from COVID-19, but several agriculture groups say producers may need more federal aid in the future. The GAO report was requested by the Senate Agriculture Committee chaired by Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. This report confirms that the Trump USDA picked winners and losers in their trade aid programs and left everyone else behind," Stabenow said in a statement. Making larger payments to farmers in the South than farmers in the Midwest or elsewhere, regardless of whether those farmers actually experienced a larger loss, undermines our future ability to support farmers when real disasters occur. In its audit of the UDSA's Market Facilitation Program, GAO recommended that the USDA Office of the Chief Economist revise its internal review process to ensure transparency of its documentation and that the agency conduct a review to ensure proper baseline methods are used in analysis. Seth Meyer, the USDA chief economist, responded to the report in an Oct. 21 letter. He said the USDA analysis was based on a widely accepted trade model and methodology that the USDAs Office of Inspector General found to be reasonable, and was applied consistently across a range of commodities for the 2018 and 2019 trade mitigation packages. He said the USDA Office of the Chief Economist did not make the policy decision, and it provided options to policy makers. Trump imposed higher tariffs on certain products from China, Europe, Canada and other key trading partners in 2018. China, Canada, Mexico, the European Union, Turkey and India responded with tariffs targeting U.S. products, including agricultural commodities. In 2018 and 2019, many U.S. agricultural exports declined and the Trump administration poured money into support for farmers, including the Market Facilitation Program. Corn, cotton, sorghum, soybean and wheat farmers were paid more than $21.7 billion in 2018 and 2019. Dairy and hog farmers were paid more than $900 million, and specialty crops, including tree nuts, cherries, cranberries, ginseng and table grapes, were paid $346 million. Before he lost the November 2020 election, Trump made it clear he was courting farmers' votes with federal aid. In a late October 2020 campaign appearance in Omaha, Trump said he believed farmers were better off getting government payments than relying solely on their farming receipts. In 2019, one-third of U.S. farm income came from direct government payments and last year it was nearly 40% of their income. Some farm groups questioned the way the federal money was being distributed to commodity and livestock farmers. Subsidies total $694M for Nebraska farmers As the trade war between the U.S. and China drags on, Nebraska farmers have pocketed $694 million in federal payments designed to cushion the blow of tariffs leveled against American ag exports. Iowa farmers set to receive most trade payments; Nebraska ranks sixth DES MOINES, Iowa Iowa farmers are set to receive the most government payments to offset damage from the U.S.'s ongoing trade war with China. Sarpy farmers who value conservation easement disappointed by Ricketts' critique Gov. Pete Ricketts has criticized easements in opposing President Joe Bidens plan to boost conservation. Some Nebraska farmers say the programs help them and the environment. I think the approach I take to trumpet playing is the same I take with management, he said. "You want to be prepared, be friendly and helpful and surround yourself with people who are good at their jobs. If you do that, good things happen and youll have fun. Thats how it is with Mannheim. Its been really smooth every time Ive worked with them. When we do a major advertising campaign for a show, we want to have the same experience have it go really smooth and have fun. Boring was doing a little of both jobs Monday afternoon, working on marketing campaigns in his home office, then chasing off his cat when he practiced the parts he was going to play Tuesday. Im bouncing back and forth between them, he said. Ive got all the horns on the stands, so Im getting some notes in. After wrapping up the Tuesday afternoon performance at about 5 p.m., Boring and the band returned to the stage for a sold-out 7:30 p.m. show. The 3 p.m. show nearly sold out, putting Tuesdays total attendance at more than 4,200 the largest for any event at the Lied since March 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Brandon, who represents a group of women who have alleged LPD is a hostile work environment for female officers, said what she and Sands think was behind the move. "She believes that as a strong female voice, she made complaints about the discriminatory culture at LPD and was then the subject of unwarranted investigations that resulted in her firing. She intends to bring legal action to clear her name," the Gretna-based employment law attorney said. Last week, the city paid $65,000 to settle former Lincoln Police Officer Sarah Williams' lawsuit. Williams, who now works for the Omaha Police Department, told the Lincoln City Council that sexual harassment and discrimination "was and is pervasive" in the Lincoln department and implored the council to intervene. During public testimony at the council meeting, Williams named Sands and another female officer who she said were facing retaliation from the department because of formal complaints. Sands, who had been placed on a 30-day unpaid suspension, was in the council chambers and walked out with Williams after she made her comments. The district will reevaluate its plan to continue requiring face masks at the elementary school level by Jan. 30. "We think that by mid-January to the end of January, we'll have a clearer picture of the (omicron) variant and the impact it's having on our community and our schools, and we'll adjust accordingly," Joel said in a Wednesday news conference. By comparison, nearly 70% of county residents ages 12-15 have at least one dose of vaccine. Among 16- to 24-year-olds, the one-dose numbers dip to 57%. "We're much more comfortable now at the middle and high school level than we were at the beginning of the school year," Joel said. "We felt like again at this point ... everyone that wants to get vaccinated over the age of 12 has. Now it's a matter of personal responsibility, and that goes for staff as well." LPS said mask requirements could return on a school-by-school basis based on attendance. All students, staff and visitors will be required to mask up for two weeks if a school has 10% or more of its population absent because of illness. And similarly, if an outbreak pops up in a classroom, grade level or within a team, masks could be required for those groups. That was before the county's mask mandate was reinstated and vaccines were approved for anyone ages 5 and over. In Lancaster County, about 30% of children ages 5-11 have had at least one dose of the vaccine. Health department officials hope to see that number climb over the holiday break from classes. Matthew Hecker, chief administrative officer for schools in the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln, said masks would be recommended moving forward, but said the diocese is still evaluating what the best strategy is for next semester. "There are lot of pieces of the puzzle, and masks are just one piece," he said. Hecker said if local Catholic schools move forward with a mask policy based on vaccination status, the diocese would not follow up on who is vaccinated. State statute requires schools collect students' vaccination history, but districts like LPS said at the beginning of the year that it would rely on the honor system in regards to mask compliance. Lincoln Lutheran Principal Matt Heibel said that while plans are fluid, the school will strongly recommend masks for unvaccinated students and staff, while masks will be optional for those who are vaccinated. Prior to serving the arrest warrant, the WING Task Force allegedly observed Hunt selling methamphetamine to a confidential informant. According to an arrest affidavit, authorities accused Hunt of selling meth on five occasions from March 22 to June 23. Scotts Bluff County Sheriffs Deputy Matt Dodge, who had been leading the investigation that involved Hunt, described him as a street dealer. That was described as someone who sells methamphetamine in quantities of 3 grams or more. With sales of half an ounce to an ounce each time, Hunt faced a five to 50 years imprisonment on the drug charges in the warrant. The task force had been granted a no-knock search warrant, allowing them to enter the RV he lived in at 123 Second Ave. in Bayard without notification to Hunt or other residents. As one team of officers closed in on the RV in a form described as a stack, with officers in a line behind an officer with a large shield, Hunt came out of the RV and saw them. He fled, going into a tent-like structure that consisted of a tarp draped over forms. Most of the officers could not see into the tent, according to their testimony. Spurred by social media posts about auto break-ins, a man confronted a couple in a suburban Omaha park this summer, shooting one of them on the mistaken belief that they were involved in the break-ins, authorities said. Manuel L. Mata, 25, has been arrested on suspicion of assault and weapons charges and is out on bail, according to court records. For the couple, Keelin Johnson and Shevaun Nelson, it was a terrifying experience wounded and injured, they knocked on multiple doors before getting help, all the while fearing that their assailant was hunting them. Court documents provide this account of what happened in the Aug. 22 shooting: Nelson told authorities that she and her boyfriend, Johnson, were test-driving his gold Honda Accord late on that summer Sunday night and stopped at a neighborhood park about 11 p.m. Within minutes of pulling into the parking lot of Stone Ridge Park, northwest of 156th Street and West Maple Road, the couple noticed a car a Dodge Challenger pull in behind them and block them in. A man got out of the passenger side, went to the trunk of his car and then approached the couple, coming up to Johnsons drivers side window. KEARNEY One of the first students Mark and Mary Balcom hosted in the International Friendship Program was with them for five years. After graduating from the University of Nebraska at Kearney with a degree in biology, she returned to Japan to work in a cancer research center. When she started, it was really sad because the coworkers would come up to her face and call her traitor because she came here to college and not there, Mark said. They started creating errors and mistakes and blaming her for it. Her boss got really mean and said, I dont know why I hired you. You are worthless to me. She eventually quit her job and returned to her family home. Mark and Mary would Skype with her once a week and send emails almost every day. Suddenly, all communication stopped. The Balcoms feared something happened to her, but they kept trying to reach her. I had just retired. Each day I wrote her Bible verses. When they come, we try to give them a Bible in English and Japanese. We dont force religion, but if they are curious, Mark explained. Mark emailed her a Bible verse every day for five weeks, but he never got a response. RACINE Dr. Jones Elementary Schools closure has been delayed despite the Racine Unified School Districts recommendation to close the school early. During Mondays School Board meeting, several members of the public spoke in opposition to the schools early demise, including a current student. I go to Dr. Jones and I have been coming here since 4K. I love my teachers and friends; this is my home. I have gone to Mitchell for summer school and I did not like how other students treated me. I saw how other kids got bullied and how they treated the teachers. I would like for you to keep my school open, the student said. Dr. Jones serves a large portion of economically disadvantaged students, which make up 86% of the student population, as well as English learners, which make up 36.9%, according to the Department of Public Instruction Data. One of the speakers, a bilingual parent of the student who spoke, pointed to the fact that she was the lone bilingual parent in attendance, a fact she said was due only to the fact she spoke English. Board member Dulce Cervantes, a bilingual teacher, voiced her concerns about preserving the trust of Spanish-speaking families in the district. Closing Dr. Jones earlier than planned, she said, would likely damage that trust. I just want to make a comment as a mother and as a Spanish-speaking parent: Its very hard to trust a system thats not built for us, Cervantes said. So, when you see something thats so precious to you being taken away, I can see how that can be bad. The board ultimately voted 6-2 to keep the school open, for now, which prompted those in attendance to cheer. Janes Elementary School, however, is still to close at the end of the school year with the grounds being sold to the city as a historic site. New boundaries were also adopted to accommodate the closure. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Bruno is home. The 10-month-old Boston terrier was in a Land Rover stolen from the parking lot at Jellystone Park Friday. His family which now lives in St. Francis after moving from Racine earlier this year had been seeing the Christmas Carnival of Lights at Jellystone in Caledonia. They then went inside the lodge, leaving the Land Rover running without the keys in it, but with Bruno warm inside. When Jamie Soto, the owner, let her son run out to the car to get some quarters to play arcade games, he forgot the keys inside. When they left, the Land Rover with Bruno inside was gone. The car was recovered Monday night on Milwaukees south side, but Bruno was still missing. Later Tuesday, Bruno was found tied with a shoestring around his neck on a fence at Kosciuszko Park in Milwaukee. Not far from where my Rover was found, Soto said in a text to a reporter. No suspects have been publicly named nor have any arrests been reported. Soto said she was told by the Caledonia Police Department that video from Jellystone had been reviewed, but she had not seen it. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. RACINE The man at the center of the squabble between Racine Countys sheriff and a local elected official who paid $10,000 cash to gain the mans release on behalf of a bail fund, appeared in court Tuesday. Sort of. Adrian O. Jefferson, 23, of Milwaukee, faces a long list of charges for his alleged role in a 2018 burglary of a Racine County Sheriffs Office deputys pickup truck in which multiple SWAT-issued high-powered firearms were stolen. With his cash bail paid, Jefferson was released from Racine County Jail in late November. On Tuesday, he was in court via Zoom. Joshua Glover Justice Fund The Joshua Glover Justice Fund assists those who are unable to pay cash bail to get out of Racine County Jail. Sheriff Christopher Schmaling objected to the release of Jefferson, whom he called a dangerous criminal with access to high-powered weapons. The sheriff also lashed out at the JGJF board member who brought the cash, Nick Demske, who is a trustee for the City of Racine on the Racine County Board. Schmaling called for Demske to be removed from county government. In response, Demske noted there is no crime in posting bail that has been set by the court. Further, everyone is innocent until proven guilty, Demske continued, including Jefferson. He told The Journal Times that it wasnt JGJF that provided the money to get Jefferson out of jail; it was actually the Milwaukee Freedom Fund, which paid JGJF to post the bail on its behalf. The Racine County Board has not publicly addressed the issue. At its only meeting since Schmaling called for Demske to be removed, no one on the board addressed the sheriffs request, although one member of the public submitted a comment in support of Demske. I fully support County Board Supervisor Nick Demske and am strongly opposed to the statements from Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling, the member of the public, Julie Jacob of the City of Racine, wrote in the comment. Jacob wrote that she does not personally know Demske, and that I am becoming weary of Sheriff Schmaling antics, whether he is openly defying the state mask mandate ... or pushing for the removal of the hardworking county board (supervisor) who opposed the budget increase in the law enforcement budget, its time for the Racine County Board of Supervisors to stand up to Sheriff Schmalings bullying and remind him that he works for the county not the other way around. The RCSO did not immediately respond to questions Tuesday about the agencys policies regarding the storage of firearms associated with the department. Case history The RCSO responded to the 1900 block of Crestwood Drive in Raymond on July 6, 2018, for a report of a burglary of a black Chevrolet pickup truck. The owner of the truck, who has now been identified as an RCSO deputy, reported he locked the doors on the truck the evening before, hitting the lock feature on the key fob three times. In the morning he found his truck ransacked, his firearms missing, and it appeared as though whoever broke into the truck also attempted to pry open the garage door. According to the criminal complaint, a number of firearms as well as firearm accessories and ammunition were stolen from the vehicle, including: A fully automatic Colt M16A1 An Armalite AR-10 rifle with a sniper sight 20 rounds of what was described as federal ammo with nickel cases 20 rounds of armor-piercing ammunition A .40-caliber Glock that was kept in the center console A Colt .223 caliber rifle $425 in cash A law enforcement badge The RCSO issued a Wisconsin Crime Alert, part of a law enforcement notification system, advising other agencies of the theft and providing photos of missing items. Investigators were contacted on July 8, 2018 and advised that the Milwaukee Police Department has a suspect in custody who had been in possession of a gun with a camouflage Aimpoint attached to the flashlight rails on the bottom of the barrel. According to the criminal complaint, the Aimpoint was similar in nature to what was affixed to the M16 stolen from Racine County. Further, when MPD searched the residence of Jefferson, they allege to have found a 10-round magazine that was empty and a tray of nine armor-piercing rounds and multiple other items that purportedly matched the description of the items stolen from Racine County. Later, the victim of the burglary and theft identified the AR-10 magazine as belonging to him. The criminal complaint states that, in an interview, Jefferson told investigators he was shopping for a gun to buy, so he called someone he knew as Al, who said he had some guns for sale. Jefferson allegedly told investigators Al had two big guns, both painted green, one of which was $450 and a bigger gun for $500. The defendant claimed Al stayed the night and left the Aimpoint, AR-10 magazine, and the armor-piercing ammunition behind when he left. Investigators said video taken from the defendants phone show him with the stolen firearms. The charges Jefferson faces are as follows: Three felony counts of theft of movable property (with special facts) Felony attempted burglary of a building with use of a dangerous weapon Three felony counts of receiving stolen property/firearms Seven misdemeanor counts of theft with use of a dangerous weapon Misdemeanor damage to property with use of a dangerous weapon Entry into a locked vehicle with use of a dangerous weapon The case has made little movement in court so far. A not-guilty plea was submitted in July when Jefferson was still in jail, and no jury trial is set. Adam Rogan and Rachel Kubik of The Journal Times contributed to this report. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Tedd Swartz is construction leader for Racine Habitat for Humanity, where hes worked for the last 10 years. But he took a very unique path to get there, from being a professional server to a Zen monk to a carpenter. UNION GROVE No pandemic is going to stop leaders of the veterans community from remembering their brothers and sisters living inside the Wisconsin Veterans Home this holiday season. Normally, veterans and others would visit the home to celebrate Christmas and other winter holidays by treating residents to a party or taking them shopping. The COVID-19 pandemic has temporarily halted those traditions, forcing visitor restrictions and other safety precautions that have left the homes 100 residents virtually cut off from the outside world. But veterans groups are making a special effort this year to ensure that residents inside the home do not feel forgotten. Volunteers from several organizations have pulled together to deliver gift bags filled with personal items and best wishes for all residents of the Wisconsin Veterans Home. Gathered inside American Legion Post 171 in Union Grove, participants assembled more than 100 gift bags, and then loaded them onto trucks for transport to the veterans home at 21425 Spring St. in nearby Dover. Its what Christmas is all about, said Karen Smars, who joined about 30 other volunteers Monday for the special holiday initiative. In addition to personal items such as soap, shampoo and socks, each bag contained clothing items, blankets and other goodies. Each veteran also received an American flag and a handmade holiday greeting card prepared by students at Kansasville Grade School. Of the recipients in the veterans home, Kim McWilliams, another volunteer, said: We want to lift their spirits up this year. The gift-delivery mission united representatives from several American Legion posts, Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, auxiliary groups, AMVETS and Disabled American Veterans. It was sponsored by the Recreation Committee, a volunteer group that works to meet the needs of residents in the facility officially known as Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove. A home for them The state-owned home currently accommodates 103 men and women who are either veterans or family members of veterans. The facility offers skilled nursing and rehabilitation services to those who are aging or battling health problems. In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, an outbreak of the contagious virus in August 2020 killed 10 residents and infected more than 50 residents and staff at the Dover home. Finding new ways Volunteers attempted no holiday festivities at the home in 2020. With the facility still locked down, organizers of this years holiday gift delivery planned to leave presents outside for staff to gather and distribute among residents on Dec. 23. Don Larsen, chairman of the Recreation Committee, said his group in the past has organized bingo games, picnics and other activities for the men and women in the home. Larsen said it is difficult to imagine how the residents feel during a holiday season so badly disrupted by COVID-19. They probably feel abandoned, he said. Its a shame. Volunteer Dan Jahn said he recalls past years when he and others took residents from the veterans home out for a holiday lunch, or took them shopping at nearby stores. Monetary donations would go directly into each residents account at the home so that they had some cash to go shopping. Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, residents are not permitted to leave for such things as shopping. And visitors to the home are restricted, too. Jahn, however, said the gift bag delivery is a worthwhile alternative. I feel good about this, he said. At least they know were out here and were thinking about them. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CALEDONIA When Mocha Lisa Coffeehouse founder Susan Kennedy passed the torch to current owners Sue and Scott Brucker, the Bruckers attended coffee college to learn everything there is to know about making a good brew. Its been 12 years since then they first took ownership in September 2009 and they have announced they are stepping down. The Bruckers last day as owners of Mocha Lisa, 2825 4 Mile Rd., is Dec. 31. The new owners, Sheri and Craig Manka, will be taking over on New Years Day. Theyre starting off by following in the footsteps of the Bruckers, having attended coffee college as well at Colectivo Coffee in Milwaukee. Both couples know that many customers may be concerned that things will change at the coffee shop that has consistently won Best of Racine County with the coming of new hands, but Mocha Lisa is here to stay, reassured Sheri. Its a huge, huge comfort to know were leaving it in good hands. It makes it much easier to go, Sue said. Some history The Mankas said they have been regular customers at Mocha Lisa since day one. According to the Mocha Lisa website, the farmhouse-turned-coffee-shop first opened in 2004 when founded by Kennedy. Before then, there wasnt a place to get coffee north of Racine there wasnt even a free-standing Starbucks in the Racine area until 2004. The Mankas said the coffee shop was a place they would often sneak out to for small dates when their kids were old enough to be left alone for an hour. They used to sit in the fish room and have a little coffee together and dream about owning a coffee shop, Sheri said. So its a perfect fit. The Mankas daughter, Ashley, is currently a manager at Mocha Lisa; she began working at the shop about four years ago. Jokingly, the Mankas would tell the Bruckers that if the Bruckers ever decided to retire, they would be willing to take over. They asked and said, Are you serious? And we said, Yes we are, Sheri said. Craig added, Were buying it to keep it going, not to reinvent the wheel. Looking back The Bruckers held a small open house at the coffee shop on Sunday to announce their retirement. They said they had at least 100 supporters coming and going throughout the day, from regular customers to vendors to send the pair off. The community has been so supportive from day one. We have such loyal customers; its just such a family here. I have no words for the amount of people that showed up, Sue said. Scott said he has enjoyed watching the baristas grow up and start their own families; some have invited the Bruckers to their weddings. A lot of our baristas would start in high school and work their way through college, Scott said. They keep in touch with us. All became like our children. We have been able to see them grow, watch them get married. Now theyre having babies. I find that such a blessing that they would even include us in any of that stuff, because, you know, were just us, Sue said. Not disrupted The Bruckers first decided they were going to step down in September 2020, but they kept it on the down low while feeling things out. They were curious to see what the new influx of businesses coming to the Douglas Avenue corridor would do to their business. Culvers is the newest establishment along that road, having opened on Dec. 6. Over the summer, a new Starbucks and a relocated O&H Danish Bakery opened across the street. Being a small and local coffee shop, they werent sure how Starbucks would affect their business but it hasnt at all. Its actually been very good, Sue said. Scott said it may be due to both coffee establishments serving a different crowd. A typical Starbucks customer may be more on the go, whereas the Bruckers have noticed their crowd is more of a sit-and-relax. A lot of customers were worried about it I just knew it would be OK, Sue said. Customers can still expect the consistency and quality in coffee that the baristas have delivered since the shop opened in 2004. You come here for 20 years and its always the same cup, Craig said. Final goodbye Sue and Scott wanted to thank the regular customers and the baristas for making Mocha Lisa what it has been since it opened. The regular customers have been pretty special to us, Scott added. When COVID hit, people were really concerned for us They really wanted to help us and stayed with us throughout that time. And we didnt miss a beat. When asked if the Bruckers would still visit the coffee house after stepping down, Sue said: You better believe well be in here. A lot. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. David Hanaway killed himself and two other people on Madisons East Side on Dec. 14. Hanaway was the driver of a silver sedan that was speeding west on Cottage Grove Road at about 9:20 a.m. when it ran a red light and T-boned a black SUV containing Mark A. Brylski and Kathy A. Brylski, killing them, Madison police spokesperson Stephanie Fryer said. The sedan was driving about 60 mph at the time of the crash, more than twice the speed limit, according to witnesses, Fryer said. A passenger in the sedan admitted he was drinking alcohol in the vehicle while Hanaway was driving, Fryer said. Hanaway has a lengthy criminal record that includes four OWI convictions. A Cambridge, Wis., man pleaded guilty on Nov. 18 to charges for the drunken-driving deaths of two people who were in his car that crashed after he fled from a traffic stop last year. Lonzo J. Simmons was charged in September 2020 with causing the deaths of Kara J. Cloud, 28, of Madison, and Clinton W.G. Harvey, 27, of Sun Prairie, after driving away from a Sun Prairie police officer who had initially stopped Simmons. Simmons blood alcohol concentration was 0.21 percent, nearly three times the legal limit for drivers in Wisconsin. Data retrieved from the car indicated Simmons car was going 61 mph one second before the crash, and that the brakes were not engaged for eight seconds before the crash. In September in Racine County Circuit Court, Keisha Marie Farrington was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of driving drunk when she struck and killed Clarence A. Ellis, 64, on July 30, 2019, as he crossed the street at the intersection of Marquette and Sixth streets. Farrington had been arrested in 2015 for second offense OWI causing injury, after she hit a friend with her car. When that collision occurred, she was traveling with her infant daughter. Farrington had been arrested for third offense OWI just 20 days before the collision that killed Ellis. As we enter the heart of another holiday season, were here today to ask you to know when youve had too much to drink, to know when its time to ask for a ride. The Tavern League of Wisconsins SafeRide program has as its stated objective to eliminate drunk driving on Wisconsins roadways. Its members encourage your bartender to ask about the SafeRide program. You can locate your nearest Tavern League member and SafeRide provider at https://www.tlw.org/saferide/find-a-saferide-member/. Or you can download the free TLW mobile app. The app shows you which members are nearby, in order of location. During the holiday season, and after it, theres no good reason for you to drive when you know youve had too much to drink. Get home safely, and do your part to make sure everyone else gets home safely, too. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Vote View Results KEARNEY Right after Christmas, Dick Cochran will pack up his Hot Meals USA sleigh and head for western Kentucky to help feed emergency workers and storm victims after the deadly tornadoes of Dec. 10. Theyre in trouble. We go when asked to fill the gap when others cant, he said. He and four others will leave Monday or Tuesday. They will drive a pickup and pull the smaller of the two Hot Meals USA trailers. Cochran will train people in Kentucky on Hot Meals USA procedures and leave the trailer there for as long as it is needed. When working with disasters here, Cochran gets food from Cash-Wa Distributing Co. He said Cash-Wa is working on getting a food vendor in Kentucky. He and the crew expects to return to Kearney in the pickup in eight to 10 days. Cochran is working with Cheri Clark, executive director of the Kearney Jubilee Center, because her mother lives 15 miles from Mayfield, Ky., which was especially hard hit. Right now, he said, women from one of the two Mayfield churches that was not destroyed have been feeding about 500 people a day, but theyre about at the end of their rope. Were heading out there to give those ladies a break. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} These are the rules governing all contests aired on Classic Rock 92.9 KISM radio and on the kism.com website, unless otherwise specified. 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To be eligible to win any prize on KMIT 105.9 FM you must not have won anything on KMIT 105.9 FM in the past 30 days or any prize valued at $600 or more in the past 6 months. Only one winner per household is permitted within 30 days after a household has a winner. Any prize awarded to an ineligible listener will be deemed null and void, and an alternate eligible winner may be named. Anytime you call the KMIT 105.9 FM studios you assume that your call will be broadcast or recorded and you grant us permission to broadcast the call or record it for later broadcast. As a winner of a KMIT 105.9 FM contest your voice, name and/or picture may be used for promotional, broadcast, or internet purposes without any compensation to you. Prizes awarded are not redeemable for cash. No prize is transferable. No substitution for a prize will be made at the request of winner. KMIT 105.9 FM reserves the right to substitute a prize of similar value. All winners of all contests are responsible for all taxes on prize awarded. All winners of a prize valued at $600 or more will be required to complete the appropriate tax forms at the KMIT 105.9 FM studios prior to claiming prize. All winners will be sent a 1099 MISC federal tax form if in one calendar year the prize value of all prizes won exceeds $600. In the event the winner is subject to or the subject of any order or legal process issued by any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the affairs of the winner (i.e. garnishment, child support order, judgment, lien, and the like), KMIT 105.9 FMs delivery of the prize to the official representative of the governmental entity claiming a right to the prize shall be thus deemed as (KMIT 105.9 FM) awarding the prize to the winner. KMIT 105.9 FM shall be entitled to rely in good faith, upon any documents presented by the representative seeking to collect the prize in lieu of the winner. KMIT 105.9 FM shall not be liable for any claim by any winner for damages incidental thereto. All KMIT 105.9 FM contests are open to all eligible residents 18 or over (unless otherwise specified) living within 75 miles of station transmitter(s). Contestants must possess a valid form of identification bearing the picture of the contestant acceptable to KMIT 105.9 FM that will be presented to KMIT 105.9 FM and accepted before the prize is awarded. Employees of KMIT 105.9 FM, it's advertising agencies, affiliates, contest sponsors, employees and immediate families of each, and employees of all media of mass communication within a one hundred mile radius of the KMIT 105.9 FM main studio are not eligible to win any contest. Immediate family includes the spouse, great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of the employee and his/her spouse. This also includes individuals for whom the employee is current legal guardian. Winners will be expected to claim prize at the KMIT 105.9 FM studios, 501 South Ohlman, Mitchell, South Dakota 57301, between 9:00am 5:00pm, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) within 30 days of being notified that they are winners, unless there is an expiration date on prize, which will be specifically stated. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. Contest is void where prohibited. KMIT 105.9 FM reserves the right to disqualify any entrant if any contest rules are violated in any way. KMIT 105.9 FM assumes no liability for situations, repairs, or incidents arising from any aspect of any prize awarded in any contest. KMIT 105.9 FM, its advertising agencies, affiliates, contest sponsors, employees, and immediate families of each are absolved and shall be held harmless from any action or liability arising from any contest or prize awarded in any contest. As a licensee of the FCC and a trustee of the public airwaves, KMIT 105.9 FM reserves the right to interrupt and/or discontinue any contest or promotion (and not award the offered prize) at the discretion of KMIT 105.9 FM management if world events, the national mood, or public safety so warrant. KMIT 105.9 FM reserves the right to amend the rules to any contest at any time. KMIT 105.9 FM's decision is always final. In the event any one of the general contest rules which govern all KMIT 105.9 FM contests contradict with any specific contest term, the specific contest term will control. For any contest requiring phone entry you must use only the following number unless otherwise specified: 605-996-1751. For texting it is 77000. The person operating the telephone at KMIT 105.9 FM has the final decision as to who is the winning caller. KMIT 105.9 FM shall have no responsibility for contestants inability or failure to participate, failure to win or claim any prize based on malfunction or difficulties with telephone, cell phone, texting, email, or internet access, or any other circumstances in any contest beyond KMIT 105.9 FMs control. For any contest involving on-line voting: If an entrant receives irregular votes, including but not limited to, votes generated by a robotic, programmed, script, macro, or other automated means, KMIT 105.9 FM reserves the right to disqualify the entrant in its sole discretion and/or use another means to determine the winner(s), ex. random selection or appointing a panel of judges. For any contests involving tickets to live performances or events, winners will need to follow all COVID guidelines and protocols put in place by the concert organizer. KMIT 105.9 FM is not responsible for for any event cancellations or reschedules. KMIT 105.9 FM is not responsible for Internet crashes or slowdowns caused by network congestion, viruses, sabotage, satellite failures, phone line failures, electrical outages, natural disasters or act of man or God, lost, late, misdirected, postage-due, unintelligible, returned, undelivered entries or email, or lost, interrupted or unavailable satellite, network, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP), website, or other connections availability, accessibility or traffic congestion, miscommunications, failed computer, network, telephone, satellite or cable hardware or software or lines, or technical failure, or jumbled, scrambled, delayed or misdirected transmissions, computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties, or other errors of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic, or network. 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Those same precautions will carry us forward into 2022 as we strive to keep the library functioning at a high level even during these unprecedented times. If you havent returned to the library since the start of the pandemic we understand. Please know we continue to offer contactless pickup for all library items so you dont even have to enter the library building to obtain the materials you need. We also offer home delivery service every week to all residents living in the Viroqua Area School District. Contact our circulation desk at 637-7151, extension 6 for questions about the services we provide. Enjoy this holiday season and best wishes to you in 2022! Myron Daubert from the Department of Workforce Development will be returning to the library in January with monthly visits. Myron specializes in assisting individuals looking for employment by writing resumes, providing interview tips, and registering people to search the Wisconsin Job Center website. Myron plans to be at McIntosh Memorial Library on the first Tuesday of every month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The first visit in 2022 is scheduled for Jan. 4. Appointments to meet with Myron can be made, otherwise most of the meetings are drop-in at the library inside the conference room. We look forward to welcoming Veronica Kleiber back to the library with a new program in January! Veronica will be presenting a fascinating program about folk medicine and early pioneers. The program is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 14 at 10:30 a.m. The program will be held in person inside our lobby space. Veronica is a volunteer with the Vernon County Historical Society and is a regular guest presenter for us. The library will be closed Dec. 24, 25 and Jan. 1, 2022. We will close at 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31. The library return slots along Jefferson Street are always open for you to return your library materials. To stay up-to-date on everything happening at the library, like the Viroqua Library page on Facebook, visit our website at www.mcintoshmemoriallibrary.org, or visit us in person at 205 S. Rock Ave. in Viroqua. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The annual live Nativity returns to the sanctuary of Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Westby, Friday, Dec. 24, after having been a drive-through event last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Live animals, provided by the Steve Michaels family, children, and the Holy Family, portrayed this year by Dillon and Makayla Bean and baby Stella Rose, will tell the story of Jesus Christs birth from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The live Nativity will stay in place during the worship service, which runs from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Pastor John Dumke said the service includes Scripture readings, Christmas carols and special music. Worship ends with everyone singing Silent Night, while the adults hold lit candles and the children hold electric candles. Dumke said masks are strongly encouraged. We are celebrating the One who came to care for people and show us how to live, and the way we can care for others is to wear a mask. He said the live Nativity has been done for years, and the congregation is happy to continue the tradition. Its important to have continuity in any organization, Dumke said. (The live Nativity) is something Our Saviors feels is important for the community and the congregation. Some traditions are so vital. Giving ourselves to the community is in our DNA. The church is located at 306 S. Main St. The Bean family The Beans Dillon, Makayla and baby Stella have the honor of playing the roles of Jesus, Mary and Joseph this year. Each year a family from the congregation who recently had a baby plays the Holy Family. Stella Rose was born Sept. 11, and was baptized at Our Saviors Dec. 5. Dillon said when he and Makayla were setting up Stella Roses baptism, they offered to portray the Holy Family. Both our parents and siblings were Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Dillon said. We thought it would be a little fun thing to do as well, Makayla added. Dillons parents, David and Cheryl Bean and baby Caycee were the Holy Family at Our Saviors in 1996. Makaylas parents David and Terry Muntner and baby Danielle were Jesus, Mary and Joseph in 1992 at a congregation in Wild Rose, Wisconsin. Dillon said hes looking forward to having a bigger part in Christmas. Makayla said that as things are getting back to normal, people are excited to get Christmas traditions back and shes looking forward to that. Its always been one of my favorite parts of the holidays to attend the candlelight service, Dillon said. Stella is the Beans first child. This is our first Christmas as a family, and it feels more special now that Stellas here, Dillon said. To be a part of something so special with Stella (is amazing). We wish everyone a happy holiday, Dillon and Makayla said. The Beans, who live in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, own a lodging and resort business in Hatfield, Wisconsin. A bit of history The live Nativity was the brainstorm of former Pastor Walter Larson and Neil Nelson, who raised ponies and burros on his farm outside of town. The two men (both deceased) pooled their resources to produce an event whose popularity and interest has withstood the test of time. Animals for the live Nativity were provided by Nelson, who also built the manger and stored the equipment on his farm. When Nelson died the duties shifted to longtime church custodian, LeRoy Anderson, who took it upon himself to oversee the event for years until health concerns sidelined him and a changing of the guard occurred. Angela Cina can be reached at angie.cina@lee.net. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. After five decades in health care, including 27 years at Tomah Memorial Hospital and Tomah Health, CEO Phil Stuart has announced his plans to retire. In an announcement to the hospital board of directors Dec. 21, Stuart indicated that he would step down in June 2022. It has been my honor and privilege to have been in this position for 27 years, Stuart wrote to the board. Stuart has served as CEO since arriving at Tomah Memorial Hospital in 1994. It is bittersweet as it feels like I am leaving at a time when healthcare and Tomah Health, are faced with very significant challenges, Stuart said. I am confident that the team is well positioned to handle whatever comes their way. Stuart said that his plan to retire has been in the works for several months. If the transition to a new CEO takes longer than anticipated, I will be available to ensure a solid handoff, Stuart added. Hospital marketing and public relations director Eric Prise said internal discussions around Stuarts impending retirement have been taking place for some time. He said the process to fill the position is expected to take several months. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS CALLS ON THE SENATE TO RECONVENE AND PASS VOTING RIGHTS LEGISLATION Today, Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) and members of the Congressional Black Caucus are standing for the American people and will continue to demand justice for voting rights. Representative Maxine Waters (File Photo) ADVERTISEMENT Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Joyce Beatty said in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the fierce urgency of now calls for the Senate to immediately bring voting rights legislation to a vote. As the Conscience of the Congress, voting rights remains a primary focus of the Congressional Black Caucus. Black communities across the nation stand to lose the most if the Senate does not do their job and pass voting rights legislation. Every citizen is entitled to an equal opportunity to participate in our democracy. This must not be filibustered. Voting rights has been a bipartisan issue reauthorized by four republican administrations, and it is time to send it to President Bidens desk for reauthorization. The Congressional Black Caucus stands with Martin Luther King, III, in saying we must restore the very voting rights protections Dr. King and countless other civil rights leaders bled to secure. How can we commemorate the legacy of a man who dedicated his life to voting rights, and then allow inaction when the looming threat of Jim-Crow era suppression threatens to dismantle every stride Dr. King worked to achieve? The recent wave of voter suppression is a stain on our democracy. The Senate owes it to the American people to return from their holiday break and protect the sacred freedom to vote, said Congressman Steven Horsford. Over our fifty years as the Conscience of the Congress, the Congressional Black Caucus has used Our Power and Our Message to lead the fight for voting rights. Today, we call on the Senate to do their job and pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act into law. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee reminds us the right to vote is a powerful instrument that can break down the walls of injustice and must be protected against attack from all enemies, foreign and domestic, using all the legal tools at our disposal. We must all do our part to preserve this most important heritage because it was earned with the sacrifices and the lives of our ancestors. It is time for the Senate to act by protecting and expanding the right to vote. American President Joe Biden said his administration plans to provide 500 million COVID-19 tests to the United States at no cost to users. Speaking at the White House, Biden described several efforts to support hospitals, to increase testing and to increase the availability of vaccines. The presidents message comes as the world is struggling to contain yet another version of the new coronavirus, the Omicron variant. Biden pushed Americans to get additional COVID-19 vaccine injections known as booster shots. He said he was not planning on shutdowns or severe restrictions like those seen earlier in the pandemic. "We know a lot more today than we did in March 2020," he said. "We're ready, we'll get through this." Biden said vaccination efforts will be increased and he urged Americans who are not vaccinated to get the shot. 400,000 Americans died of COVID this calendar year almost all were unvaccinated, Biden said. Efforts to support hospitals The president said the government will establish additional testing sites. There are about 20,000 operating now in the U.S. The government will use the Defense Production Act to order manufacturers to make more tests, Biden said. Biden administration officials say they are working with Google to help people find testing sites through online searches. The president also said the government will send 1,000 medically skilled troops to hospitals overloaded with COVID-19 cases. Federal medical workers are immediately going to the hard-hit states of Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Arizona, New Hampshire and Vermont. There are also plans to give hospitals more medical and protective equipment from the national supply. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, will send hundreds of medical vehicles and medical teams to hospitals. The aim is that, if one hospital fills up, patients can be moved to open beds in other hospitals. The Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, says 204 million people in the United States are fully vaccinated. That amounts to 61 percent of the population. Only about 60 million of the fully vaccinated have received booster shots, the CDC reports. About 50 million Americans have not gotten any vaccine. Biden said they have a responsibility to get vaccinated. Im Jill Robbins. Josh Boak and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar reported on this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. __________________________________________________________ Words in This Story calendar year n. the year from January 1st to December 31st What do you think of the new government actions? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. Countries around the world are considering new limits on movement because of the fast-spreading Omicron version of the coronavirus. The proposed restrictions come as many people worldwide prepare to celebrate Christmas later this week. Omicron infections are increasing quickly across Europe, the United States and Asia. Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and South Korea are among countries to have restarted partial or full lockdowns or other social distancing measures in recent days. In New Zealand, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said his country was delaying the start of a methodical reopening of its border until the end of February. "All of the evidence so far points to Omicron being the most transmissible COVID-19 variant yet," he said. Germany's Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases on Tuesday recommended that "maximum contact restrictions" be put in place. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday he was considering all kinds of measures. Sweden will urge all employees to work from home if possible and put in place stronger rules for social distancing. "We must now take joint responsibility and we need to adapt to the new reality," Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said at a news conference. In Denmark, Omicron is now the main version of the new coronavirus, Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said. Many countries in the West are hoping that booster vaccine shots will help control the spread of Omicron, as some studies have shown two shots may not be enough. The European Union's drug regulator is prepared for the possibility that vaccines may have to be changed to fight Omicron. There is no evidence that that will be necessary yet. Were not going back to lockdowns In Australia, Omicron cases have risen but hospitalizations remain low. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged state and territory leaders to avoid more lockdowns. "We're not going back to lockdowns. We're going forward to live with this virus with common sense and responsibility," Morrison said. In the United States, the administration of President Joe Biden said it plans to buy 500 million COVID-19 tests for Americans to get online and use at home. Omicron was first found last month in southern Africa and Hong Kong. The form of the virus has been reported in at least 89 countries. The severity of illness it causes remains unclear. But the World Health Organization warned it is spreading faster than the Delta version and is causing infections in people already vaccinated or who have recovered from COVID-19. Im Ashley Thompson. The Reuters news agency reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. ___________________________________________________________ Words in This Story lockdown n. an emergency in which people are not permitted to freely move about an area because of danger transmissible adj. able to be spread to other people, animals maximum adj. the highest number or the most possible adapt v. to change your behavior so that it is easier to live in a particular place or situation regulator n. an official who works for the part of the government that controls a public activity (such as banking or insurance) by making and enforcing rules; an agency that supervises a public activity As Lebanon Community Schools prepares to float a school facilities maintenance bond measure, a fire alarm triggered by a heating system malfunction may serve to highlight the need. Lebanon Fire District crews responded to an alarm at around 3:30 p.m. at Green Acres Elementary School on Monday, Dec. 20, according to an agency news release. Seeing smoke coming from the building, the alarm was upgraded and firefighters searched the building, finding two smoky classrooms in the north hallway. Further investigation revealed a heating system actuator and motor had malfunctioned, causing smoke to accumulate in the two classrooms and surrounding areas. The building was checked out and cleared, according to the fire district. Twenty-two fire district personnel responded with 11 units. No injuries were reported. There was no actual fire damage, just a lot of smoke, according to Susanne Stefani, school district communications director. She said the damage estimate, though not yet certain, is around $400-$500, mostly for the labor needed to work in the difficult-to-reach area. When this happens typically you can smell it start to go, so you can hop on it and fix it right away, Stefani said. But of course, since there was no one in the building, that wasnt the case. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Lebanon Express. Stefani said the heating system is 15 to 20 years old and has been regularly serviced, but it runs constantly which can lead to occasional issues. The school districts upcoming bond proposal includes money to renovate the heating and cooling systems in many of its schools, including Green Acres. A similar problem occurred around seven years ago in the gym at Cascades Elementary School. No damage or injuries were reported in that incident. Cascades heating and cooling system renovations would also be covered in the proposed bond measure. The school district plans to pursue a bond measure in May. Renovations are needed to improve safety and security at facilities and for maintenance to extend the lives of buildings. The projects aim to bring the facilities up to code and in line with districtwide standards. A portion of the bond would renovate the Lebanon Community Pool, which is owned by the school district, and add space in school buildings for preschool programs. The district will seek around $20 million from residents, along with $4 million to $8 million in state matching funds. Property owners with an assessed value of $175,000 the average home in Lebanon, according to the district would pay about $50 extra each year in taxes. The maintenance work would include heating, air conditioning and ventilation upgrades (which are critical during the pandemic and for summer school), fixing roofs, streamlining security, and doing seismic upgrades, such as at the high school gym where students might gather in an emergency. Superintendent Bo Yates has acknowledged that the $28 million is short of the more than $41 million needed for repairs for the district indicated in a 2019 assessment. Cody Mann covers the cities of Albany and Lebanon. He can be contacted at 541-812-6113 or Cody.Mann@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The discussion among the commissioners was whether or not to reinstate the leave policy, given the current situation. Commissioner Zarek said if someone is doing all they can to protect themselves; masking, full vaccination, etc., they shouldnt have to use their PTO if they do end up contracting COVID-19. There was some discussion about making the COVID-19 leave policy open to those who are fully vaccinated, similar to how employees receive an insurance benefit if they exercise through the YMCA or dont smoke. Commissioner P.J. Jacobson was clear he did not want this to be a mandate on employees. Commissioner Zarek said, anything we can do to encourage employees to protect themselves will pay dividends. The idea being if an employee does what they can to protect themselves from COVID-19, the county will aid them if they do still contract the virus. Chairman Bill Stewart said he would work with Zarek and Dawson County Deputy Attorney Katherine Kuhn to write up a new policy that will be presented at the board at a future date for more discussion and a vote, if the commissioners approve. GRAND ISLAND The Central Platte Natural Resources District is cautioning landowners along the Platte River that with the colder temperatures, ice formation in the river channels will begin in the next few weeks. If enough ice forms, it can jam together, causing the river water to escape the banks and cause flooding. David Carr, CPNRD Range Management Specialist, said some helpful information to remember: Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem are Lucille Ball and Desi Arnazor as millions of TV viewers knew them in the 1950s, Lucy and Ricky Ricardoin Aaron Sorkins enjoyable if overly busy behind-the-scenes look at I Love Lucy during an especially busy week leading up to taping. Conflating several events into a melodramatically compressed time frame, Ricardos opens with a scandal, when the nations favorite redhead is accused of being a redCommunistduring the McCarthy witch hunt. (It isnt true.) While this crisis unfolds, Lucyshown in the movies best scenes to be a true and exacting student of comedyannounces to horrified network execs and sponsors that shes pregnant, and insists that Lucy Ricardo will also be on camera, then unheard of. Adding brilliant support are character actors Nina Arianda and J.K. Simmons as picture-perfect replicas of Vivian Vance and William Frawley, Lucys Ethel and Fred Mertz. Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. One woman, a real estate agent, said her car was essentially her office and not having it impaired her ability to make a living. She said Kwik Trip wanted money from her after her car was filled up with stolen gas. The car eventually came back to her in shambles, costing more than $16,000 to repair. But her insurer wont pay to re-key the car to keep it from being stolen again, because her car key is still out there somewhere, and she has been unable to sell it. Treveon took something that didnt belong to him and left it destroyed, another woman said. She was frustrated that police kept catching him and he would be released from jail over and over, only to go back to what he was doing. A construction company project manager who was staying in Madison for work at Veterans Hospital was struck in his vehicle at 55 mph by Thurman, who had been going 85 mph in a stolen car on Mineral Point Road at Glenway Street. A veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq, he was never injured while in the Air Force but because of the crash he now has a metal rod in one of his legs and a lifelong disability. Conti, parent of an OKeeffe Middle School student, said she is interested to hear more about the districts plans for restorative justice and trauma-informed responses. Im hoping that school staff are given a lot of support in being able to experience some of these things for themselves and to embody that and bring it into the classroom, she said. Positive move One of four assistant principals at East, Rachelle Bly, came to the district in August from Beloit, where she had been trained in restorative justice. She said she hopes the workshops will help the community consider different options to punitive measures. I saw some really powerful conversations happen between students and I think that it is a positive move in the right direction as far as helping everyone understand their truth in situations and being able to rectify situations, she said. HEYBURN A Heyburn man is charged with raping an 11-year-old girl. German J. Turcios-Rosales, 32, is charged with felony rape where the victim is under 16 years old and the defendant is over age 18. On Dec. 12, the Minidoka County Sheriffs Office was called by the Heyburn Police Department after a 22-year-old man reported that he walked in on Turcios-Rosales raping a child that lived in a nearby apartment. The child was taken to St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls for a rape examination. The man who reported the alleged crime told police Turcios-Rosales was sending him threatening messages and said he may go back to Texas. A warrant was issued for Turcios-Rosaless arrest. He was set for a preliminary hearing in Minidoka County magistrate court on Wednesday, but paperwork was filed waiving the time allowed for the preliminary hearing. The new time and date had not been entered into the states court records system as of Wednesday. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BURLEY Senior judges are playing a greater role in keeping justice moving along while saving litigants, attorneys and counties time and money. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Idaho Supreme Court to restrict hearings in courtrooms and delay trials, the Fifth Judicial District developed a robust mediation program, thanks in part to senior judges that have stepped in to hear the cases. A senior judge is a retired judge who is hired to hear cases on an as-needed basis, Fifth Judicial District Trial Court Administrator Shelli Tubbs said. Cassia County Magistrate Judge Mick Hodges, who retired on Friday, applied and was accepted as a senior judge in the state. I have really mixed emotions about retiring, Hodges said. I love my work. I feel like I accomplish something and the people I work with are great. A judge applies to a committee to be a senior judge and is able to specify if they want to work statewide or just in a specific area, he said. I have signed up to work anywhere in the state, Hodges said, but he and his wife will move from Burley to Treasure Valley, where they have a home. I think its a wonderful resource for Idaho to use the experience of these part timers and not have to hire new judges, Hodges said. The way Public Employee Retirement System (PERSI) works, a retiree has to wait 90 days after retirement before they can start working again. At age 67, he said, he will likely be one of the youngest senior judges in the state. Senior judges provide emergency courtroom coverage when judges become ill, oversee mediated cases and step in when a judge excuses themselves from a case due to a conflict of interest. Many times, Tubbs said, judges have very large case dockets and when they get sick and cant hear those cases, it costs everyone time and money. Senior judges keep the wheels turning for us here, Tubbs said. For instance, she said, Judge Hodges retired Dec. 17, but Judge Jeremy L. Pittard, who will replace him, will not be ready to take the bench until the end of January. In the meantime, the scheduled cases will be heard by senior judges. Thats one way senior judges can seamlessly step in and keep the court system running, Tubbs said. Senior judges are required to attend trainings to stay up-to-date and if they choose to mediate cases they have to complete a comprehensive course to qualify as a mediator. Sitting judges who mediate cases also have to fulfill that requirement. Many sitting judges do not want to mediate cases, Tubbs said. In 1999 the Legislature made an appropriation to use senior judges, but the use of them greatly increased in the Fifth Judicial District in June 2020 when the district established a mediation program to alleviate the case backlog caused by the curtailment of in-person court hearings and the delay of trials during the pandemic. Since June 2020, 836 cases have been mediated in the district, and all but five of those cases were heard by senior judges, Tubbs said. Since January, 436 cases have been mediated in the district. The Idaho Supreme Court makes an allocation of judges who will work in the district to the districts roster, Tubbs said. Senior judges are only compensated for they the days they work, Tubbs said. The Fifth Judicial District has five district court senior judges and six magistrate senior judges. When the pandemic restrictions began lifting from the courtrooms, the question became whether to keep the new mediation program going, Tubbs said. We made the district decision to continue to use senior judges for the program, Tubbs said. When a case is mediated, she said, it saves litigants and attorneys time and money, and it saves the county money through decreased detention costs. It moves all the cases along more quickly, she said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BOISE An Idaho environmental group has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service, claiming the federal agencys plans in a Boise National Forest logging project could potentially damage habitat and wildlife, including a threatened fish species. The Idaho Conservation League filed suit on Monday over the Sage Hen restoration project, which was proposed in 2020 and approved in April. The group argues that the Forest Service excluded the public from its process and rushed past an in-depth environmental impact study, opting instead for a less-rigorous environmental assessment. ICL called that a highly unusual move for such a large and transformative project. The Sage Hen project includes prescribed burning, commercial logging and road-building, all part of an effort to restore forestland damaged by tussock moths, mistletoe and other invasive pests and weeds. The project covers 68,000 acres surrounding Sage Hen Reservoir, northwest of Smiths Ferry. When the project began, the Forest Service said logging and burning treatments would be conditions-based, meaning the agency would determine the location and extent of those operations when the project was underway. The Forest Service set maximum acreages for each treatment, but the Idaho Conservation League said that gives the agency a blank check to fill in without public input or environmental assessments. As a result, important details of the project are largely unknown, and the true extent of its adverse environmental impacts are highly uncertain, ICL wrote in its lawsuit. The environmental group said it has concerns that logging, burning and road-building may disturb wildlife and native plants, as well as bull trout. ICL argues that the population of bull trout in the Squaw Creek area is isolated and may be decreasing, putting the fish which are protected as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act at risk if the project disturbs their watershed. The Idaho Conservation League has asked the U.S. District Court of Idaho to void the approval of the Sage Hen restoration project and order the Forest Service to complete an environmental impact study to determine the effects of its proposed treatments. Its not the first time environmental groups have pushed back against the project. The Idaho Conservation League and the Boise Forest Coalition, of which ICL is a member, filed objections to the project in December 2020, claiming the project didnt disclose necessary details and was not based on an environmental impact study. Wildlands Defense, Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Yellowstone to Uintas Connection and Native Ecosystems Council filed a lawsuit last month to stop the project, citing concerns similar to the Idaho Conservation Leagues. Randy Fox, West Central Idaho conservation associate for ICL, said in the groups news release that the Conservation League is not opposed to the project. The group has collaborated with the Forest Service to help develop the project but wants to see more diligence to ensure watersheds and wildlife arent harmed by the forest restoration. Make no mistake, the Idaho Conservation League wants the Forest Service to succeed, Fox said. We have invested years in this project. But we need to correct the course. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Mozambican army, backed by soldiers from allied African forces, attacked a rebel base and killed 10 insurgents in northern Mozambique, the Defense Ministry said. The gas-rich, Muslim-majority province of Cabo Delgado in the northeast has been the scene of a jihadist insurgency since 2017 that has killed at least 3,500 people and forced nearly 820,000 residents to flee their homes. Since July, more than 3,000 African soldiers including South Africans and Rwandans and European and American instructors have been supporting and training the Mozambican army, which has been overwhelmed by the insurgents On Sunday, Mozambican and allied forces attacked a terrorist base in (the district of) Macomia and shot dead ten terrorists, Mozambican Defense Minister Cristovao Chume said Monday night. Since early December, jihadists have attacked several villages in the Macomia district of Cabo Delgado province. The situation is worrying, but our forces are on the ground and in the coming weeks we will achieve positive results, the minister assured. Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi recently claimed that the number of terrorist attacks could be reduced by three in Mozambique in 2021, compared to the previous year, thanks in particular to military cooperation with Rwanda and the 16 countries of the SADC (Southern African Development Community). Ethiopian rebels from Tigray, who had advanced in recent months into the neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar, are retreating to their region in order to open the door to humanitarian aid, their spokesman announced. This announcement opens a new phase in the deadly conflict that has pitted pro-government forces against Tigrayan rebels for more than a year and triggered a deep humanitarian crisis. We have decided to withdraw from these areas to Tigray. We want to open the door for humanitarian aid, said Getachew Reda, spokesman for the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF). Until now, the TPLF has described a withdrawal from these two regions, demanded by the government as a precondition for negotiations, as absolutely not feasible. For their part, the rebels demanded that the federal authorities end the humanitarian siege of Tigray. We are conducting phase-by-phase withdrawals. We started withdrawing our forces a few weeks ago. We are now announcing it, Getachew said on Monday, saying that the rebels had left Lalibela. The town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its 12th and 13th century rock-hewn churches, has changed hands several times, as have other localities. Travelers wait in line to get tested for COVID-19 at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported more than 3,500 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday as the number of daily new cases tripled over the week. Credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong California will require health care workers to get a booster shot of the coronavirus vaccine, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday, pledging to make sure hospitals are prepared as a new version of the disease begins to spread throughout the state. California already requires health care workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, a directive that took effect in September and has since led to the firing or suspension of thousands of people. Now it will join New Mexico as at least the second state to require booster shots for health care workers. Newsom made the announcement on his personal Twitter account. His office declined to give more details, including how many workers would be affected and whether frequent testing would be allowed as an alterative. Newsom has scheduled a news conference in the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday. "California will require healthcare workers to get their booster," Newsom said. "With Omicron on the rise, we're taking immediate actions to protect Californians and ensure our hospitals are prepared." California has so far fared far better than many other states that are dealing with a coronavirus surge, with areas in the Midwest and Northeast seeing the biggest jump in cases and hospitalizations amid frigid temperatures that have kept people indoors. Travelers wait in line to get tested for COVID-19 at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported more than 3,500 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday as the number of daily new cases tripled over the week. Credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists California as a place with "high" transmission of the virus, along with nearly everywhere else in the country. But in the last week California averaged 114 new cases per 100,000 people, less than half the national rate. Meanwhile, coronavirus related hospitalizations have been rising slowly in California, up 15% in the last 11 days to 3,852. That's less than half as many as during the late summer peak and one-fifth of a year ago, before vaccines were widely available. But while hospitals overall have fewer patients than last winter, many have fewer workers to treat the patients they do have. The staffing shortage comes as businesses are having trouble finding workers, including hospitals. A recent study by the University of California-San Francisco estimated the state's nursing shortage could persist until 2026. "The staffing shortages we are experiencing are worse than ever," Kiyomi Burchill, group vice president for policy for the California Hospital Association, said in an interview Tuesday before Newsom made his announcement about booster shots. Travelers wait for a shuttle but to arrive at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported more than 3,500 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday as the number of daily new cases tripled over the week. Credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong California is poised for a surge in new infections amid holiday parties and family gatherings forced indoors by a series of winter storms. But experts say the nation's most populous state is likely to avoid the worst scenariospikes in hospitalizations and deathsbecause most Californians have either been vaccinated or already been infected. That gives a higher level or protection against the omicron variant that, while not guaranteeing people won't get sick, means they are less likely to need to go to the hospital. "It's a highly transmissible respiratory virus and people are going to get it. And they are going to get it every winter," said Dr. Monica Gandhi, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of California, San Francisco. "We have to go toward measuring our true success with a disease, which is how we're doing with hospitalizations." More than 70% of the state's nearly 40 million residents have been fully vaccinated while 42% have gotten a booster shot. As of Monday omicron is now the dominant variant of the coronavirus in the United States. Donning a Santa Claus hat, Caitlin Banford waits in line to check in for her flight to Washington at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported more than 3,500 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday as the number of daily new cases tripled over the week. Credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong Much about the omicron variant remains unknown, including whether it causes more or less severe illness. Scientists say omicron spreads more easily than other coronavirus strains, including delta. Early studies suggest the vaccinated will need a third shot for the best chance at preventing infection but even without the extra dose, vaccination still should offer strong protection against severe illness and death. Computer models used by state officials to forecast the virus say hospitalizations will stay steady through the holidays and dip slightly in mid-January. "I'm on the fence a little bit about how horrible is this," said Dr. Brad Pollock, associate dean for public health sciences at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. "We're going to have more people infected because of the more transmissible variant. It may be a little less virulent, which means it causes less symptoms." In San Diego, researchers recently discovered the highest levels of coronavirus since February in a wastewater treatment plant that serves about 2.3 million people. Travelers wait in line to check in for a flight at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported more than 3,500 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday as the number of daily new cases tripled over the week. Credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong "Every time we've seen that kind of increase in the wastewater, a couple of weeks later we see an increase in cases," said Rob Knight, a professor at the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine. Last week, Newsom, who imposed the fist statewide shutdown order in March 2020, warned that cases would likely rise and re-imposed a rule requiring everyone to wear masks at public indoor gatherings. Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest city, once again canceled its in-person New Year's Eve celebration. Mayor Eric Garcetti said Tuesday that he didn't anticipate another lockdown because "I think we're so much better protected than we were." However he said he believes restrictions such as masking indoors will continue into February and perhaps even March, depending on vaccination, hospitalization and infection rates. While 70% of Californians have been fully vaccinated, that still leaves 30%or roughly 12 million peoplewho haven't been. The California Department of Public Health says people who are not vaccinated are seven times more likely to get infected, nearly 13 times more likely to be hospitalized and nearly 16 times more likely to die from the coronavirus. Travelers look at the arrival and departure screens at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported more than 3,500 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday as the number of daily new cases tripled over the week. Credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong Places in California with lower vaccination rates, including Riverside and San Bernardino counties, have seen jumps in hospitalizations recently. "The problem is there are counties in California, particularly in central California and eastern California, where they have had neither high vaccination coverage or a lot of prior infections," said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. "We can expect in those communities that there may be an increase in hospitalizations for people at high risk for severe consequences." Explore further California exempts San Francisco from COVID indoor mask rule 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. For nursing homes, the pandemic also means a permanent balancing of safety and quality of life. A simulation tool from TU Graz and CSH Vienna supports the decision for or against individual measures. Credit: Reiner Riedler Researchers from TU Graz and Complexity Science Hub (CSH) Vienna have developed a detailed epidemiological model for the spread of the coronavirus in nursing homes. This enables optimal prevention strategies to be identified, as practical experience in Caritas nursing homes has shown. Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, residents of nursing homes have been particularly at risk. The spatial proximity to each other favors local transmission chains, and old age combined with pre-existing conditions can lead to severe courses of disease and an increased mortality rate. Political leaders and agencies responded with far-reaching measures, such as bans on visits or restricted community activities. By strictly isolating the homes, the virus was intended to be "locked out," so to speak. "But at the same time, that meant 'locking people in,'" says Jana Lasser, a complexity researcher at the Institute of Interactive Systems and Data Science at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) and working at CSH Vienna until March 2021. Through her grandparents, Lasser herself experienced how tense the situation in nursing homes was, especially at the beginning of the pandemic, but also how the lack of social contacts endangers the physical and mental health of older people. Almost two years later, testing facilities and vaccinations now make it possible to control the spread of infections in nursing homes and at the same time relax isolation measures. Nevertheless, there can always be dramatic developments that require a trade-off between safety and quality of lifefor example, when coronavirus mutations or new infectious diseases emerge for which vaccines are not yet available. Agent-based simulation minimizes risk of infection Especially at the beginning of a new wave of infections, the optimal combination and timing of individual measures is crucial. Here, a new simulation tool can now facilitate the decision for or against individual measures. Based on information from nursing homes run by Caritas Vienna, Jana Lasser and a team led by Peter Klimek at CSH Vienna have programmed a so-called agent-based simulation of residents and staff in a nursing home. Agent-based means that individual active entitiesin this case peoplehave been identified and their behaviors modeled using several parameters from empirical observations. Analogous to the behaviors of the people in the care homethese include everyday encounters and interactionsconnections are established between these units that map potential infection pathways. The interactions of many individual behaviors result in the dynamics of the whole system. With this simulation tool, different scenarios in residential care homes can be studied and results relevant to everyday life obtained, the researchers explain in the latest issue of the Journal of the Royal Society Interface. Balancing safety and quality of life The work was done at the request of and in close cooperation with the Caritas Vienna. The aid and social organization is engaged in social work, nursing, care for people with disabilities, education, youth work and disaster relief and provided the researchers with insights into the pandemic management of its nursing homes. Based on this, a detailed model of a nursing home was developed and calibrated using COVID-19 outbreak data in Caritas homes. Two questions were at the center of the study: What measures can be taken to optimally protect people in residential care homes from a SARS-CoV-2 infection? And how can measures be chosen in such a way that the quality of life of the residents is maintained? Thomas Wochele-Thoma, medical director of Caritas Vienna: "The virus poses a particular threat to older adults. Especially at the beginning of the pandemic, it was difficult to balance the safety of those affected on the one hand and their freedom on the other. As a consequence of the strict measures, older adults were faced with fears of isolation and experiences of loneliness during this period. The jointly developed test strategy was enormously helpful for our pandemic management in the homes. At a time when case numbers were rising in many residential care homes across Austria, infections were the exception in the homes where we piloted and implemented the testing strategyand at a time when the vaccination was not even available." All vaccinated or all unvaccinated Specifically, the work plays out two scenarios: one without vaccinations and one with a high vaccination rate in the homes. "It is likely that there will be infectious diseases again in the future for which vaccines are not available in the early days, as was the case with COVID-19. For this scenario, our study provides a decision-making basis for organizing preventive measuressuch as a testing strategyin nursing homes," explains Jana Lasser. The simulations were strongly oriented towards everyday work and were directly relevant to Caritas' decision-making processes during the pandemic from autumn 2020 onwards. Vaccination rate is decisive On the one hand, the study shows that the time gap between sample collection and the test result as well as the accuracy of COVID-19 test results have a great influence on the incidence of infection in nursing homes. Thus, in the scenario of a completely unvaccinated home population, twice-weekly PCR tests of staff and, in the case of positive test results, strict quarantine measures are sufficient to prevent large outbreaks. In turn, with a current vaccination rate of well over 80 percent among residents, simulation results indicate that major coronavirus disease outbreaks are no longer to be expected, even if all other measures are relaxed or discontinued. However, the prerequisite is a vaccination protection against infection of at least 60 percent. "More research is definitely needed here to better assess the effectiveness of vaccinations for older age groups," Lasser emphasizes. It is therefore recommended that the testing infrastructure in the houses is maintained, voluntary tests carried out on a regular basis and the virus genomes sequenced so that new variants of concern can be detected at an early stage. Basis for testing strategy in Caritas homes Based on these simulations, Caritas developed its own testing strategy starting from autumn 2020 and introduced it in its homes. "The fact that nursing homes have largely vanished from public attention shows what a great job our colleagues at Caritas have done," said the scientific project manager Peter Klimek from CSH Vienna and MedUni Vienna. "This work also shows that only several measures in combination lead to the desired prevention success." Currently, measures in the homes are being adapted to the threat assessment against the background of the high vaccination rates in such a way that the quality of life of the people is restricted as little as possible. "This work is a wonderful example of how helpful reliable simulation tools are, especially in critical phases. The simulation tool we developed facilitates evidence-based decisions. You can play with different variables and immediately see the effects of each measure. It is desirable to use the results of our and other simulation studies for pandemic-related decisions as early as possible," conclude the project participants. Explore further Outbreaks of COVID-19 in French nursing homes traced back to staff More information: Jana Lasser et al, Agent-based simulations for protecting nursing homes with prevention and vaccination strategies, Journal of The Royal Society Interface (2021). Journal information: Journal of the Royal Society Interface Jana Lasser et al, Agent-based simulations for protecting nursing homes with prevention and vaccination strategies,(2021). DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0608 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Estimates suggest patients with Omicron cases are 15% less likely to attend hospital, and 40% less likely to be hospitalized for a night or more, compared to Delta. The researchers stress that these estimated reductions in severity must be balanced against the larger risk of infection with Omicron, due to the reduction in protection provided by both vaccination and natural infection. For example, at a population level, large numbers of infections could still lead to large numbers of hospitalizations. They say the estimates provided in this paper will assist in refining mathematical models of potential healthcare demand associated with the unfolding European Omicron wave. The new report from the Imperial College London COVID-19 response team estimates hospitalization risk for Omicron cases in England. It includes all PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases in England between 1-14 December 2021 where the variant causing infection could be identified from genetic data or via S gene target failure (SGTF). The data set included 56,000 cases of Omicron and 269,000 cases of Delta. In the study, hospital attendance was defined as any record of attendance at a hospital by a confirmed case in the 14 days following their positive PCR test, up to and including the day of attendance. A secondary analysis examined the subset of attendances with a length of stay of one or more days. The researchers caution that insufficient time has passed for enough data to have accumulated for severity to be judged for more severe outcomes such as intensive care unit admission or death. Reduced risk of hospitalization The estimates suggest that patients with Omicron cases have, on average, a 15-20% reduced risk of any hospitalization and an approximately 40-45% reduced risk of a hospitalization resulting in a stay of one or more nights. Reinfection is associated with approximately a 50-60% reduction in hospitalization risk compared with primary infections. However, after adjusting estimates to account for only one in three reinfections being identified, the estimated difference in intrinsic hospitalization risk (i.e., defined for primary infections in unvaccinated people) between Delta and Omicron is reduced (i.e., 0-30% reduced risk of any hospitalization) but the estimated reduction in risk of hospitalization due to previous infection is increased (around 55-70% reduction). Moderately reduced severity is also supported by the observation that the mean lengths of hospital stay for Delta and Omicron cases in the study were 0.32 (95%Ci: 0.29-0.34) and 0.22 (95%CI: 0.15-0.28) days, respectively. However, it should be noted that Omicron cases on average had less follow-up time in the study. The researchers say that as more data accumulate, with longer periods of follow-up, assessment of more severe outcomes will become feasible. They state that it is quite possible that larger reductions in hospitalization risk for Omicron versus Delta may be estimated for ICU admission and death, given that remaining immune protection against more severe outcomes of infection are expected to be much higher than those against milder disease. Varied prior immunity As different groups of the English population have widely varying prior immunity from both vaccination and natural infection, the researchers also provide estimates stratified by vaccination status, though the researchers caution about over-interpreting these trends due to limited sample sizes. The estimates suggest that individuals who have received at least two doses of either AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna vaccines have substantially reduced risk of hospitalization compared with primary infections with Delta in unvaccinated individuals, even if protection against infection has been largely lost against the Omicron variant. Contextualizing Omicron's severity The authors say it is essential to place the severity of Omicron in the context of reinfection risk in countries, like England and South Africa, where a large proportion of the population may have already been infected. For example, a total of 9.8 million people had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in England by 21 December 2021, equating to 17.3% of the population. Given that reported cases may only capture a third of total infections, over half the English population may have been infected prior to the start of the Omicron wave. Hence the hospitalization rates in England for Omicron are being strongly affected by infection-induced immunity. Professor Neil Ferguson from Imperial College London said, "Our analysis shows evidence of a moderate reduction in the risk of hospitalization associated with the Omicron variant compared with the Delta variant. However, this appears to be offset by the reduced efficacy of vaccines against infection with the Omicron variant. Given the high transmissibility of the Omicron virus, there remains the potential for health services to face increasing demand if Omicron cases continue to grow at the rate that has been seen in recent weeks." Professor Azra Ghani from Imperial College London said, "Whilst the reduced risk of hospitalization with the Omicron variant is reassuring, the risk of infection remains extremely high. With the addition of the booster dose, vaccines continue to offer the best protection against infection and hospitalization." Explore further Modeling suggests rapid spread of omicron in England but same severity as delta More information: The full report is available at The full report is available at www.imperial.ac.uk/mrc-global- 50-Severity-Omicron/ Credit: CC0 Public Domain Finland will expand its vaccination programme to include children aged five to 12 as the country faces record COVID infections, health officials said on Wednesday. "I'm expecting that vaccinations can start immediately after Christmas," senior health ministry official Taneli Puumalainen told a press conference. Until now only children in vulnerable groups of that age have been eligible for the jab. The measure comes alongside new restrictions to curb Christmas drinking and tighten border controls agreed by the governing coalition late on Tuesday. "We are buying more time to make sure Omicron does not pose a serious national threat," minister Krista Kiuru told the press conference. Bars in Finland will stop serving alcohol at 9:00 pm on Christmas Eve. A three-week alcohol sales ban past 5:00 pm will then apply to bars and restaurants from December 28. Regional authorities will be advised to ban large gatherings such as sporting events and concerts with unallocated seating, while universities will be advised to move to distance teaching. Meanwhile EU citizens arriving at the Finnish border will be required to show a negative COVID test even if vaccinated, in an extension of a policy which previously only applied to non-EU and high-risk areas. Finland has maintained some of Europe's lowest incidence rates throughout the pandemic, but the country of 5.5 million is now facing record infection levels, with more than 23,000 new coronavirus cases in the past two weeks. Speaking on Tuesday night, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said the government will begin preparing a support package to compensate hospitality businesses affected by the restrictions. "We must take this situation seriously and react accordingly," Marin said. In recent weeks Finland has experienced a sharp rise in new infections, with health authorities registering a total of 221,292 COVID cases. Yet the country's tally of 1,495 COVID-related deaths equates to one of the lowest fatality rates in Europe. Explore further Omicron compels Portugal to reimpose COVID-19 restrictions 2021 AFP Credit: CC0 Public Domain Reducing frailty in older adults could be an effective strategy to prevent dementia, according to a largescale new study. Published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, the study found that frailty was a strong risk factor for dementia, even among people who are at a high genetic risk for dementia, and that it might be modified through a healthy lifestyle. The international team from Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Health in Canada and the University of Exeter in the UK, worked with data from more than 196,000 adults aged over 60 in the UK Biobank. They calculated participants' genetic risk and used a previously-developed score for frailty, which reflects the accumulation of age-related symptoms, signs, disabilities and diseases. They analyzed this alongside a score on healthy lifestyle behaviors, and who went on to develop dementia. "We're seeing increasing evidence that taking meaningful action during life can significantly reduce dementia risk," says lead author Dr. David Ward, from the Division of Geriatric Medicine at Dalhousie University "Our research is a major step forward in understanding how reducing frailty could help to dramatically improve a person's chances of avoiding dementia, regardless of their genetic predisposition to the condition. This is exciting because we believe that some of the underlying causes of frailty are in themselves preventable. In our study, this looked to be possible partly through engaging in healthy lifestyle behaviors." Over the 10-year UK Biobank study period, dementia was detected via hospital admission records in 1,762 of the participantsand these people were much more likely to have a high degree of frailty before their diagnosis compared with those who did not develop dementia. The importance of preventing or reducing frailty was highlighted when the researchers examined the impact of genetic risk in people with different degrees of frailty. Genetic risk factors exerted their expected effect on risk of dementia in study participants who were healthy, but genes were progressively less important in study participants who were the most frail. In those frail study participants, risk of dementia was high regardless of their genes. Even in those at the highest genetic risk of dementia, the researchers found that risk was lowest in people who were fit, and highest in people who were in poor health, which was measured as a high degree of frailty. However, the combination of high genetic risk and high frailty was found to be particularly detrimental, with participants at six times greater risk of dementia than participants without either risk factor. Compared with study participants with a low degree of frailty, risk of dementia was more than 2.5 times higher (268 per cent) among study participants who had a high degree of frailtyeven after controlling for numerous genetic determinants of dementia. The research identified pathways to reducing dementia risk. Study participants who reported more engagement in healthy lifestyle behaviors were less likely to develop dementia, partly because they had a lower degree of frailty. "The risk of dementia reflects genetic, neuropathological, lifestyle, and general health factors that in turn give rise to a range of abnormalities in the brain," says Dr. Kenneth Rockwood, a Professor of Geriatric Medicine and Neurology and the Kathryn Allen Weldon Professor of Alzheimer Research at Dalhousie University, and the Senior Medical Director of the newly formed Frailty and Elder Care Network at Nova Scotia Health. "Our study is an important step forward on the role of frailty, which appears to have a unique and potentially modifiable pathway in influencing dementia risk. That's an incredibly exciting prospect that we must urgently explore to potentially benefit the growing number of people worldwide affected by dementia. Co-author Dr. Janice Ranson, from the University of Exeter Medical School, said: "These findings have extremely positive implications, showing it's not the case that dementia is inevitable, even if you're at a genetic high risk. We can take meaningful action to reduce our risk; tackling frailty could be an effective strategy to maintaining brain health, as well as helping people stay mobile and independent for longer in later life." The paper is entitled, "Frailty, lifestyle, genetics and dementia risk," and is published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. Explore further Biopsychosocial frailty measure predicts risk for dementia Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The number of daily COVID-19 cases in France is set to exceed 100,000 by the end of December due to the faster-spreading Omicron variant, Health Minister Olivier Veran said Wednesday. "This is what the modelling is showing," he told BFM-TV in an interview, also announcing that France would from Wednesday open vaccinations to five- to 11-year-olds for the first time. France recorded almost 73,000 new infections on Tuesday, with an average of over 54,000 over the last seven days. But officials fear that the emergence of Omicron has changed the nature of the pandemic. Veran said that Omicron cases accounted for 20 percent of new infections in France but up to 35 percent in the Paris region. He said the variant was expected to account for the majority of new cases between Christmas and the New Year. "There is one certainty. Omicron is very contagious, it will spread, and no country will be spared," said Veran, emphasising that vaccines did have an effect on the variant. President Emmanuel Macron is keeping a close eye on the spread of Omicron, with his handling of the pandemic set to be a crucial issue in 2022 presidential elections. Unlike some European neighbours like the Netherlands, France has not re-imposed tough restrictions ahead of Christmas to slow its spread. But the country has one of the strictest health pass systems in Europe, with proof of full vaccination, recovery or a recent test needed to enter catering and cultural establishments. The government is now introducing legislation to tighten this further to transform the health pass into a vaccine pass, meaning it will only be valid with a full course of vaccination and not through testing or recovery. Macron meanwhile promised that next year's presidential election would take place regardless of COVID. He told Wednesday's cabinet meeting "very clearly" that "this country's elections dates will be kept", government spokesman Gabriel Attal told reporters. Any suggestion to postpone the presidential vote in April was "neither on the table, nor under the table and not even in the cupboard next to the table", Attal said. Explore further First Omicron case confirmed on French mainland 2021 AFP Already exhausted Belgian health workers face a fifth wave of coronavirus cases. France started vaccinating children over five and China plunged a city into a strict lockdown Wednesday as governments scrambled to contain fresh virus surges driven by the Omicron variant. The UK approved Pfizer's jab for children aged five and up, while the World Health Organization warned that getting booster shots did not mean tossing aside safety measures at end-of-year celebrations. The threat of the highly mutated Omicron variant is looming large over the end-of-year holidays, pushing many governments to roll out new restrictions and urge citizens to get vaccinated. The latest data suggest Omicron does not cause more severe illness than previous variants, including Delta, but as soaring infection numbers threaten to overwhelm health systems, scientists warn it could still cause more deaths. France on Wednesday opened vaccinations to children aged between five and 11, as it warned daily infections rates could hit 100,000 by the end of the year, up from a weekly average of 54,000 daily cases. "There is one certainty," said Health Minister Olivier Veran. "Omicron is very contagious, it will spread, and no country will be spared." But vaccines did have an effect on the variant, he stressed. There are fears the Omicron variant is more resistant to existing vaccines. Record surge in UK cases The UK is also seeing an alarming rise in new cases, on Wednesday recording another record for daily new cases, with 106,122. The government approved Pfizer's COVID jab for children aged five to 11, announced it would buy millions of COVID pills, and cut the isolation period for infected people from 10 to seven days with negative tests. It also signed deals to acquire 4.25 million courses of Pfizer's ritonavir and US rival Merck/MSD's molnupiravir antiviral drugs, which have raised hope for an easy at-home treatment. Finland revealed plans to expand its vaccination programme to children aged between five and 12, a day after announcing bars must close at 9:00 pm on Christmas Eve to fight record COVID infection levels. But in China, only 52 new reported infections were enough for authorities to impose a stringent lockdown on more than 13 million people in the northern city of Xi'an. China is pursuing a rigorous zero-Covid policy before next year's Winter Olympics in Beijing. From midnight on Thursday, residents must stay at home except to buy necessities once every two days or in emergencies. Travel to and from Xi'an is heavily monitored by health authorities and non-essential businesses will close. The move comes as China pursues its rigorous zero-COVID policy before next year's Winter Olympics in Beijing and is reminiscent of the world's first pandemic lockdown in the central city of Wuhan in January 2020. Europe tightens restrictions Belgium has announced cinemas, concert halls and other entertainment venues will have to close from the weekend as three in 10 COVID cases are now Omicron. Spain's government said Wednesday it will re-impose the mandatory wearing of face masks outdoors at an unspecified future date. While in France an expert warned that the variant and any new rules could throw into doubt the staging of political rallies ahead of next year's presidential elections. One week of new Covid-19 cases. The all-too-familiar restrictions threatened festivities across the world, even as governments speedily rolled out booster campaigns. But WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned Wednesday: "No country can boost its way out of the pandemic." Third doses did not mean a carte blanche for celebrationsand could actually exacerbate vaccine inequity, he added. "Blanket booster programmes are likely to prolong the COVID-19 pandemic, rather than ending it, by diverting supply to countries that already have high levels of vaccination coverage, giving the virus more opportunity to spread and mutate." Nigeria destroys vaccine doses As some poorer countries struggle to get initial vaccine campaigns off the ground, Israel said citizens over the age of 60 and medical teams would be eligible for a fourth COVID vaccine shot. Scientists warn Omicron could cause more excess mortality if soaring infection numbers overwhelm health systems. "The world will follow in our footsteps," Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tweeted. Across Africa, countries are lagging behind Western nations in getting populations inoculated as the continent faces fresh surges of it own. But in Nigeria, around a million AstraZeneca COVID doses donated by developed countries were destroyed Wednesday after they expired. "When these vaccines were offered to us, we knew that they had a short shelf-life," said Faisal Shuaib of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency. "But we were living in an environment where the supply of COVID-19 vaccines was very scarce," he added, blaming rich countries for hoarding the jabs and donating them only when they had almost expired. Explore further Biden says US 'prepared' for Omicron as Israel calls for 4th shots 2021 AFP Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain French Health Minister Olivier Veran said Wednesday that omicron infections are spreading fast and that the coronavirus variant will become the dominant infection in the last days of 2021. Speaking to BFMTV, Veran ruled out additional restrictions on public life and said the government's main effort to stop the spread of the virus is a robust vaccination campaign, including vaccination of children aged 5-11 that started on Wednesday. "It's time to start vaccinating children," Veran told the morning news program on BFMTV after 350 vaccination centers opened around the country to start administering shots to young children. Children need the consent of one parent to be vaccinated, and one parent has to be present when they get a shot. More than a thousand in every 100,000 children aged 6-10 are infected with coronavirus, according to government figures that were last updated Dec. 6. Currently, 145 children are hospitalized in France for severe illness due to COVID-19 and 27 children are receiving medical treatment in intensive care units, the heath minister said. He did not give the ages of the children. Among the general population, the "very contagious" virus is spreading fast, Veran said, warning that the omicron variant could start dominating infections as early as next week. In the past 24 hours, France registered 72,832 new cases. Omicron amounts for 20% of all registered cases, the health minister said. France currently has 16,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19 and 60% of the country's ICU beds are occupied by virus patients. As infections soar, the government is trying to push through a law requiring vaccination to enter any restaurant and many other public places. The health minister said on Wednesday that authorities are considering enforcing identity card checks along with the vaccine passes because of large number of forged health passesover 100,000, according to media reportsdiscovered over the past weeks. The French government wants a law passed by Jan. 15 requiring vaccination to enter restaurants and many public venues. Currently a "health pass" is required to enter all such spaces in France, but people can get the pass with either a vaccination certificate, a negative virus test or proof of recent recovery from COVID-19. The government on Tuesday dropped efforts to require a health pass for all workplaces, however, amid opposition from unions and employers. In a radio interview on Wednesday, Labor Minister Elisabeth Borne asked companies and businesses to enable employees to work remotely wherever possible for at least three if not four days a week. Ahead of the holiday season, France has shut down nightclubs and banned New Year's Eve fireworks and other mass end-of-year celebrations, including concerts. "It's an evening sacrificed for a good cause," the health minister said. Explore further France seeks to avoid a lockdown with tougher vaccine rules 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. A pediatrician administrates a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to Dimitri Marck, 8 , at the National Velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, west of Paris, France, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021. Schoolchildren clung nervously to their parents as they entered a vast vaccinodrome west of Paris, then walked proudly away with a "vaccination diploma" as France kicked off mass vaccinations of children age 5 to 11. Credit: AP Photo/Michel Euler Frenc schoolchildren clung nervously to their parents as they entered a vast vaccine center west of Paris on Wednesdaythen walked excitedly away with a decorated "vaccination diploma," as France kicked off mass COVID-19 inoculations for children age 5 to 11. It's not a moment too soon for the French government, which is facing the highest recorded infection rates since the pandemic began but trying to avoid a new lockdown. The health minister said Wednesday that the swift-spreading omicron variant is expected to be dominant in France by next week, but ruled out additional restrictions on public life for now. Officials are hoping that a surge in vaccinations will be enough to limit the mounting pressure on hospitals, where COVID-19 patients occupy more than 60% of beds. At a "vaccinodrome" in the Paris suburb of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, children lined up for first-day jabs Wednesday wearing masks adorned with puppies, flowers or Marvel superheros. One worked out his nerves by rolling his toy car on any surface he could find. Another played games on his mom's phone. Eight-year-old Alvin Yin cried, while his 9-year-old sister Noemie tried to comfort him. Dimitri Marck, 8, admitted, "It's a little weird. I heard about this on TV, and now I'm here." But he said he's glad to get vaccinated so he can see grandparents for the holidays. A medical staff hands over a syringe with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children to her colleague at the National Velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, west of Paris, France, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021. Schoolchildren clung nervously to their parents as they entered a vast vaccinodrome west of Paris, then walked proudly away with a "vaccination diploma" as France kicked off mass vaccinations of children age 5 to 11. Credit: AP Photo/Michel Euler France started vaccinating 5- to 11-year-olds with health risks earlier this month and expanded it to all children in that age group Wednesday as part of accelerated vaccination efforts. Children need the consent of at least one parent, and one parent has to be present when they get a shot. As of early December, more than 1,000 in every 100,000 children in France aged 6-10 were infected with coronavirus, according to government figures. Currently, 145 children are hospitalized for severe illness due to COVID-19 and 27 children are receiving medical treatment in intensive care units, Health Minister Olivier Veran said Wednesday on BFM television. France registered 72,832 new cases Tuesday and has 16,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19, among the highest numbers in Europe. In a radio interview Wednesday, Labor Minister Elisabeth Borne asked companies to let employees work remotely wherever possible for at least three if not four days a week. French businesses largely returned to in-person work in 2020. Hugo Chappaz, 9, displays his vaccination diploma at the National Velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, west of Paris, France, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021. Schoolchildren clung nervously to their parents as they entered a vast vaccinodrome west of Paris, then walked proudly away with a "vaccination diploma" as France kicked off mass vaccinations of children age 5 to 11. Credit: AP Photo/Michel Euler France has shut down nightclubs and banned New Year's Eve fireworks and other mass end-of-year celebrations, including concerts. "It's an evening sacrificed for a good cause," Veran said. But his main message was to urge more vaccination. More than 89% of people 12 and over in France have had two doses, and about a third have had a booster shot. Hugo, 8, was the last member of his family to get the shot and felt left out. His father, Benoit Chappaz, said they got him vaccinated "not because the government wants us to," but for their family's peace of mind and for general public health. Nearby, American-born Evan, 7, squirmed in his chair. His great-uncle died with COVID-19, and his family knows several people who have been hospitalized with the virus. Asked how he would face the injection, he said, "I'm going to scream. And then maybe if Mommy agrees, I can get an ice cream or something sweet, because I got a vaccine." Hugo Chappaz, 9, left, waits with his father Benoit Chappaz, right, and his mother >> Julie Roret to be vaccinated at the National Velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, west of Paris, France, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021. Schoolchildren clung nervously to their parents as they entered a vast vaccinodrome west of Paris, then walked proudly away with a "vaccination diploma" as France kicked off mass vaccinations of children age 5 to 11. Credit: AP Photo/Michel Euler General view of vaccination center at the National Velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, west of Paris, France, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021. Schoolchildren clung nervously to their parents as they entered a vast vaccinodrome west of Paris, then walked proudly away with a "vaccination diploma" as France kicked off mass vaccinations of children age 5 to 11. Credit: AP Photo/Michel Euler A pediatrician administrates a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to Hugo Chappaz, 9, at the National Velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, west of Paris, France, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021. Schoolchildren clung nervously to their parents as they entered a vast vaccinodrome west of Paris, then walked proudly away with a "vaccination diploma" as France kicked off mass vaccinations of children age 5 to 11. Credit: AP Photo/Michel Euler Dimitri Marck, 8, center, waits with his father Matthieu Marck at the National Velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, west of Paris, France, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021. Schoolchildren clung nervously to their parents as they entered a vast vaccinodrome west of Paris, then walked proudly away with a "vaccination diploma" as France kicked off mass vaccinations of children age 5 to 11. Credit: AP Photo/Michel Euler Medical staffs prepare syringes with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children at the National Velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, west of Paris, France, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021. Schoolchildren clung nervously to their parents as they entered a vast vaccinodrome west of Paris, then walked proudly away with a "vaccination diploma" as France kicked off mass vaccinations of children age 5 to 11. Credit: AP Photo/Michel Euler As the doctor glided the needle into his arm, Evan didn't scream. Instead, he wrapped himself around his mother and buried his head in her jacket. Then as he left, he proudly held up his "diplome de vaccination." Explore further France makes vaccination push as omicron's domination looms 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: U.S. Department of State While we have much to learn about omicron, the new coronavirus variant, two things are certain: Vaccinations will provide some level of protection, and until the majority of the world's population is vaccinated, we may continue to see new variants. Anna Durbin, director of the Center for Immunization Research, and William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center, recently spoke with Stephanie Desmon, host of the Public Health On Call podcast, about what may lie ahead when it comes to viral mutations of SARS-CoV-2, how to address ongoing challenges of global vaccine distribution, and the importance of sharing vaccine technology to help curb future pandemics. Read their edited conversation below. We are just hearing about the omicron variant. What do we know about vaccines and this new variant, which has many mutations? Anna Durbin: We know that the variant has multiple mutations, but I do want to stress that it is still the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. So although there are many mutations, there are so many parts of the protein that are the same that are contained in the vaccine. I'm predicting that antibodies don't neutralize or kill the virus as well as it might [kill] the original strain, but people will have what we call 'memory' because they've been vaccinated. A person's immune response will recognize parts of the omicron virus, and that will provide some protectionwe just don't know how much. We're still waiting for data to come in to see how severe omicron infections are in both vaccinated and unvaccinated people and just how transmissible it [the variant] is. What we're hearing is that we should all run out and get boosters now that omicron is here. How do you feel about that? William Moss: We don't know how long the protection from a booster will last, but I think it's a reasonable suggestion in the absence of real evidence, and we're going to have some of that evidence in the coming weeks. The biggest threat right now in the U.S. is the delta variant. We're still seeing 80,000 cases a day, and 800 or so deaths a day. So booster doses may play a role in helping at least reduce those somewhat as well. As we move toward 2022, the number of people who are vaccinated in Africa is very low. Where does that leave us and what might we see going forward? AD: I think that's everybody's concern. Until we get the world vaccinated, we're going to continue to see new variants arise. Globally, we need to do a much better job in getting these highly effective vaccines and these vaccine technologies to parts of the world so that they can produce the vaccine and deliver it to their own population. Just like here in the United States, there's a lot of misinformation and disinformation and vaccine hesitancy in other parts of the world. We have to work on that globally to ensure that when vaccines are available, they will be used. How does a lack of vaccination contribute to more variants? WM: It's simple. The more opportunities this virus has to be transmitted, the more opportunities we're giving it to develop a mutation. All virusesand this virus in particularare mutating all the time. Most mutations are actually not helpful to the virus and are dead-end mutations. But a mutation or a combination of mutations can result in making the virus more transmissible and make the virus evade our immune response. Those are advantageous mutations to the virus, and those are the ones that are then going to persist as virus transmission goes forward. As long as there are susceptible individuals and we're providing the virus with opportunities to be transmitted, the virus will continue to mutate and potentially develop mutations that are harmful to us. AD: The longer the virus can replicate or reproduce within a host, the more opportunity for mutations to occur. That's a scary scenario. It sounds like this is going to get all of us. WM: Well, no. The caveat is that there isn't an infinite variety of mutations that are going to be advantageous to the virusthere are evolutionary constraints on viral evolution. Through the spike protein, the virus needs to bind to our receptors on our cells in order to get into our cells and replicate. So there may be mutations [involving the spike protein] that may evade our immune system but that hinder the virus's ability to attach to our cellular receptors [and replicate]. Those mutations are not going to [perpetuate]. I would think that, at some point, the virus is going to hit an optimal combination of mutations and settle on that. So this thing isn't ending anytime soon. WM: It's not ending anytime soon, but there will be a slow down at some point. I think we will reach a truce. Returning to the topic of Africa, we've discussed how there is very little vaccination being done there, as well as in parts of Asia. Talk to me about why there's a shortage of vaccination. Are there poor distribution methods? Are wealthy countries hoarding? AD: It's a little bit of everything, but the largest driving factor is that the vaccines just aren't available. The highly effective mRNA vaccines, even some of the adenovirus-vectored vaccines, aren't being provided in large enough numbers to these countries. To be frank, I think both Pfizer and Moderna are really focusing on selling these vaccines to higher-income countries instead of providing them at very low cost to low- and middle-income countries who really need them. There are some inactivated vaccines that are being provided, however, those have been shown to be much less effective and have a much shorter duration of effectiveness than the mRNA vaccines and the adenovector vaccines. Distribution is a problem, however, as they've improved the stability of these vaccines and the storage conditions, those concerns have been lessened. There is also a lot of vaccine hesitancy, just as there's misinformation here in the U.S. and it's not unique to COVID vaccines. There have been issues of misinformation and disinformation around polio vaccines in Africa. It's multifactorial, but I think we really need regional production facilities for vaccines for situations like this pandemic. Until we get the world vaccinated, we're going to continue to see the emergence of new variants. WM: I like to refer to the four d's when thinking about what makes a successful vaccination campaign: doses, delivery, demand, and data. You need to have the doses available. This is especially a problem in sub-Saharan Africa, with the delays of COVAX getting vaccines to the low-income countries. Countries need to have the supply chains and the personnel to be able to deliver these vaccines, and that can be a challenge in some resource-limited settings. Having the demandmisinformation and disinformation need to be addressed. Lastly, good data is necessary to be able to track who's being vaccinated, particularly with a multi-dose vaccine. At a national level, a country needs to be able to track whether you're reaching the vulnerable populations or the target populations that you want to. How can we make sure that happens? AD: It's going to require continued efforts, such as campaigning. There's a lot of resistance, particularly from these large vaccine manufacturers to share their technology, and that's a mistake. Moving forward, I think there will continue to be investigations into this pandemic [asking] what could we do better? As public health practitioners and public health officials, I think it is incumbent upon us to continue to raise this issue. How do we ensure there's equitable access and distribution of vaccines globally? It doesn't just benefit countries in Africa and Asia; it benefits everyone in the world because we need to stop the virus everywhere. WM: There needs to be longer-term investment in building the capacity for vaccine manufacturing and distribution in all regions of the world so that they're not dependent on the high-income countries outside the region. We're seeing in some places that the rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths are higher than ever, even though we have a vaccine that is very effective. Why is this happening? WM: There are a number of factors that contribute to that, but there is still a large proportion of people here in the United Statesand around the worldof people who are unvaccinated. I would say the number one thing is to raise vaccination coverage. Some countries are doing quite well on that, but most of the world is still lagging, and we're certainly still lagging here in the United States. We can also prevent transmission of any SARS-CoV-2 variant, no matter how many mutations it has, by wearing masks and distancing. Lockdowns, closing schools and workplaces, and travel restrictions have huge economic and social costs, but I think even with just the basic public health measures that we can take, we can help control virus transmission. AD: I could not agree with Bill more. I think where you're seeing it, particularly here in the U.S., is where you have pockets of unvaccinated people where it can spread. We know the delta variant, in particular, is highly transmissible and can grow to higher concentrations within unvaccinated hosts. We can only hope that omicron is not as effective in terms of its transmission and replication as delta, and I think only time will tell. Explore further Experts discuss coronavirus variants Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain By now, many are aware that the pandemic has affected lower-income groups the most within countries, including in Canada. But what most do not know is that income inequalitythe economic distance between higher and lower-income groups within individual countriesis also driving national COVID-19 infection and death rates. The specific impacts are only just becoming clear. As researchers in economics and epidemiology, we are interested in how economic inequality has impacted COVID-19 outcomes. The pandemic has given researchers like us a unique opportunity to study the relationship between inequality and health across various countries. Working independently to study the pre-vaccine phase of the pandemic, our teams approached the research question from different perspectives. We brought together economists who are concerned with the analysis and economic impact of income inequality, and epidemiologists who study how social factors influence health. Taking into account pre-pandemic inequality and other structural variables, we found that higher income inequality was associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes within countries. Studies show link between inequality and COVID-19 The first study, conducted by Edgardo Sepulveda of Ryerson University and Ann-Sylvia Brooker of the University Health Network in Toronto, an economics-epidemiology team, focused on 22 high-income countries that are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental economic organization. Given that age is one of the most significant COVID-19 risk factors, their analysis broke the population into four age groups: 1544, 4564, 6579 and above 80 years. They accounted for economic and other known risk factors, such as national poverty and the number of residents in long-term care homes in each country. They found that higher income inequality in a country was associated with more COVID-19 deaths across all age groups. There are a number of possible explanations for this association, such as a larger proportion of the population being more at risk. This may be due to higher exposure, more comorbidities or poorer access to treatment. The second study, conducted by James Davies of Wester University, looked at COVID-19 severity in 127 high-, medium- and low-income countries. Taking into account a number of variables including national poverty, geography, the number of hospital beds and the level of democracy he found a strong association of COVID-19 cases, deaths and inequality. For example, during the first wave of the pandemic, the U.S. had 60 percent more deaths and 150 percent more cases per capita than Canada. Davies estimates that one third of these gaps could be explained by higher U.S. inequality. But Canada should not be smug. There are 20 OECD countries with lower inequality than Canada, meaning that there are 20 countries who are dealing with inequality better than Canada is. Davies' results suggest that if Canada's income inequality gap was smaller, it could have had 34 percent fewer COVID-19 cases in the first wave. Inequality has widespread effects Not only is inequality within countries socially and economically undesirable and politically corrosive, but it is also wasteful. Reducing inequality can increase the overall welfare in society. While it's true that too much redistribution can potentially reduce the size of any future "economic pie," it is unlikely that Canada, and most other OECD countries, are close to reaching that point. It's clear that inequality has a negative effect on health, and has worsened the severity of the ongoing pandemic. Lower-income groups within OECD countries, including in Canada, tend to have lower vaccination rates. Towards more economic equality Looking only at the United States for comparison, some Canadians may think that ours is a relatively equal society, but it is not. We are just the middle of the packwe can and should do better. If Canada is truly interested in achieving greater equality, we need to focus on the systems and policies that exacerbate inequality, to improve our pre-distribution policies and our redistributive effort. We can increase investments in people, enrich our social programs and have a fairer tax system where the rich contribute more. If such measures are taken, we can expect that both economic performance and public health would improve, and that more Canadians would be in the same boat and paddling in the same direction. Explore further States with highest income inequality experienced a larger number of COVID-19 deaths This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Twenty years ago, the Canadian province of Ontario launched an aggressive campaign to tackle stroke from every angle: It hyped prevention and awareness; beefed up its acute care practices and response times; and increased access to post-stroke rehabilitation. It worked. Stroke rates fell 32 percent within a decade. But that wasn't all. Dementia rates also fellby about 7 percentconfirming what Dr. Vladimir Hachinski, a research pioneer in this field, already suspected: Preventing strokes helps prevent dementias. Now, Canada is exploring how to apply this lesson nationwide. And Hachinski, the neuroscientist leading the effort, has an even bigger vision. He wants the whole world to focus not solely on stroke and dementia prevention but on any and everything that can go wrong with the brainand how to keep things going right. "You need your brain to be healthy," Hachinski said. "There is no health without brain health." The idea is starting to gain traction. "The World Health Organization recognizes brain health as a major issue," said Dr. Victor Dzau, president of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine and part of a loose coalition of leading medical experts pushing governments and research institutions to make it a global priority. "People are getting very excited about this." "Every year, there are more strokes, more heart attacks, more dementias," said Hachinski, who helped form the World Brain Alliance, a coalition of nine of the world's largest brain-focused organizations. "The more we can delay or prevent this, the better we are able to cope because, otherwise, all health care systems around the world will be overwhelmed." Along with Dzau and others, Hachinski raised the issues in October at the G20 Summit, an intergovernmental forum of the world's 20 largest economies. They plan to do so again at the G7 meeting in June in Germany. Brain health "doesn't get the attention it deserves, given the magnitude of the problem," Dzau said. Neurological disorders are a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. Dzau co-chairs the Healthy Brains Global Initiative, which seeks to raise $10 billion over the next 30 years to transform what he considers a fragmented and underfunded "research ecosystem" into a collaborative, interdisciplinary model focused on better brain health over the lifespan. "Whether we're talking about Alzheimer's disease or schizophrenia, you have to understand how the brain works and when it becomes dysfunctional and why," Dzau said. "Brain health is the overarching umbrella." At the center of this movement is the connection between healthy brains and healthy bodiesnow firmly established by decades of research, particularly around the link between heart and brain health. Heart disease and stroke share many of the same risk factors as dementia, such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar and a lack of physical activity. Research also shows good psychological health can improve cardiovascular health, while poor mental health can harm it. Dzau, a cardiologist, and Hachinski, a neurologist, want the world to stop thinking of brain health in terms of individual disorders that develop later in life and start thinking about how to promote good brain health from birth onward. "The dementia people look at one thing and stroke looks at another and nobody looks at the big picture," said Hachinski, who helped develop a new definition of brain health that goes beyond disease or its absence to encompass neurological health, mental health and physical well-being and how the three interact. Currently, most research focuses on the diseased brain, rather than ways to preserve and promote optimal brain health, Hachinski and others wrote in an August 2021 paper in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia. The authors call for transdisciplinary collaboration among the world's neurologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, neurobehavioral and social behavioral scientists, policymakers and others. One priority, they say, should be to find out why some countries have successfully reduced stroke and dementia cases while others have not, and to apply those lessons globally. The Canadian-led Dementia Prevention Brain Health Initiative is a first step in that direction. It will map regions of good and poor brain health, dementia, stroke and heart disease by tracking population, environmental, socioeconomic and individual risk factors, along with factors that protect brain health. And it won't stop at Canada's borders. The effort involves researchers from the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand to identify cost-effective ways of reducing dementia. Meanwhile, the Healthy Brains Global Initiative will begin its work with a focus on anxiety and depression in people under the age of 30, based on research showing three-fourths of mental health problems and neurological disorders take root in adolescence and young adulthood. But that's just the beginning, said Dzau, who said he sees "a huge need for more impactful research. We need breakthroughs and studies that look at community implementation of solutions." Both the researchand its implementationalso need to be more equitable and inclusive, he said. "Small clinical trials in white populations are insufficient. We have to build more diverse, living cohorts globally. At least, that's the vision of what we're trying to do." Even when nations have the knowledge and technology to improve brain health, translating those into positive outcomes equitably can be a problem, he said. It's either because countries have too little money to do so, or they have poorly structured health systems that can't get the job done. The United States is a case in point, he said. "We are pioneers in technology and science and research," Dzau said, "but when it comes to implementation, because our system is so fragmented, it is more challenging." For example, despite big increases in the use of potentially lifesaving stroke treatments, studies show Black and low-income adults are less likely to receive them. And Black men in the U.S. are 70 percent more likely to die following a stroke than their white counterparts. Fixing problems like these on a global scale are what this movement is about, said Dzau. But it won't happen overnight. "We don't have the solutions yet, but we do have the ambition." Explore further Keeping your brain sharp isn't about working more puzzles More information: Abolfazl Avan et al, Brain health: Key to health, productivity, and wellbeing, Alzheimer's & Dementia (2021). Abolfazl Avan et al, Brain health: Key to health, productivity, and wellbeing,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/alz.12478 Credit: CC0 Public Domain With the COVID-19 omicron variant spreading quickly across the country, the chief of infection prevention at one of Michigan's largest hospital systems urged state residents to consider the vulnerable among us over the holidays. "I'm not going to tell you not to have your holiday gatheringsinstead I'm going to tell you to do your gatherings as safe as possible," Beaumont Health's Dr. Nick Gilpin told reporters Tuesday. His suggestions: masking, social distancing, frequent hand-washing, stay home if you're sick, consider getting tested before traveling. And this: "We need to think around the holidays about the people in our lives who are the most vulnerable and we should plan our holiday gatherings and get-togethers based on who those vulnerable individuals might be, plan your activities around that person," Gilpin said. "I certainly want to bring a message of hope at this time of year," Gilpin said. But he also delivered the bad news too: The country is experiencing an extraordinary number of COVID-19 cases, and the number is climbing, Gilpin said. "So things are certainly going in the wrong direction from a nationwide perspective," Gilpin said. "Statewide we are a little bit more stable." Nevertheless, local numbers suggest there is still widespread transmission of COVID in the community, Gilpin said. Beaumont Health has approximately 580 patients in its eight hospitals, and while that number also is stable over the last few days there is still "a very significant amount of COVID within our health care system." Gilpin said 23% of Beaumont's hospitalized patients are vaccinated, meaning the other 77% have not been vaccinated. Based on recent data from most Michigan health systems, the Michigan Health & Hospital Association found that three out of four COVID patients are unvaccinated, 76%. Meanwhile, 87% of COVID patients in intensive care were unvaccinated and 88% of COVID ventilator patients were unvaccinated, according to a Dec. 2 news release from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. "The data is clear: If you are unvaccinated, you are risking hospitalization or death," said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. "We have a safe and effective vaccine that is quite literally saving lives. Michigan residents absolutely need to get vaccinated to keep their loved ones safe this holiday." Vaccinated patients who are hospitalized tend to be older adults, immune-compromised, or were vaccinated early on and may not have been boosted. "We know there's a tendency for vaccine protection to wane over time," Gilpin said. "We're all getting pretty sick and tired of COVID," Gilpin said. And while some people may be done with COVID, he said, "it's pretty clear that COVID is not done with us just yet." So the best protection, he said, "is to make sure you're getting vaccinated ... now is the time to get boosted. Especially as we're coming into the holiday season." Explore further Switzerland targets unvaccinated with new COVID curbs 2021 freep.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Teachers from the Earth School speak out on issues related to lack of COVID testing outside of P.S. 64 on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. Credit: AP Photo/Brittainy Newman Kathryn Malara, a Brooklyn teacher, lingered on a street Tuesday, filled with dread about going to her job. "I'm sitting in my car terrified to walk into school," she wrote on Twitter just before taking a deep breath and heading to her classroom. "Cases exploding. People I really care about are sick & frightened." The quick spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus has stirred another angst-ridden reckoning about whether in-person schooling is worth the risk. Malara and other teachers worry about endangering their health by entering crowded schools. Frustrated parents wonder how to keep their children safe and whether campuses could become superspreader sites. "It's creeping back up again, and I don't like this. I'm worried. Lives are at stake herenot just my son's life," said Starita Ansari, a public school parent in Manhattan who is keeping her 10th grader home after being rattled by the latest COVID-19 infections at his school. Scientists say omicron spreads more easily than other coronavirus strains, including delta, though many details about it remain unknown, including whether it causes more or less severe illness. But even if it is milder, the new variant could still upend schooling and overwhelm health systems because of the sheer number of infections. Student teachers from the Earth School hold signs encouraging those in leadership positions provide universal testing to their students and faculty on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. Credit: AP Photo/Brittainy Newman The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said schools can remain safe when proper protocols are followed, including observing safe distancing, wearing masks and getting vaccinated. "Detection of cases in schools does not necessarily mean that transmission occurred in schools," the CDC said. On Monday, a fifth of New York City's public school students skipped in-person classes, an indication of the anxiety spawned by the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in New York state, which in recent days has broken infection records. "Parents are voting with their feet, and many of them don't feel that the current protocols are actually keeping their families safe. And a lot them don't think they're being given enough information about what's happening to allow them to make choices for their families," said Jennifer Jennings, a Princeton University researcher focused partly focused on the intersection of education and health care policy. Ms. Kaiser, a teacher from the Earth school, holds a sign in solidarity with other teachers who are speaking out on issues related to lack of COVID testing for students on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. Credit: AP Photo/Brittainy Newman Most schools across the country are keeping classrooms open, despite the new threat from omicron, but some school districts have moved to limit in-person instruction as a precaution. On Friday, one of the largest school districts on the East Coast, the Prince George's County district in Maryland, just outside Washington, said it would cancel in-person instruction in favor of virtual classes because of rising COVID-19 cases at its campuses. Schools in Mount Vernon, New York, and elsewhere also reverted back to virtual instruction. "There is great concern because we had been doing so well," said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators. "Just about a month ago, we had about 98 percent of the students in this country attending school in person, and omicron has brought about just a huge reversal in that process. And all of a sudden we're seeing infection rates skyrocket," he said, "It's affecting children much more than previous variants, so children are getting sick. Staff is getting sick, and it's just a spread that's alarming." Jia Lee, right, a 4th and 5th grade teacher, leads a meeting for teachers from the Earth school to speak out on issues related to lack of COVID testing on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. Credit: AP Photo/Brittainy Newman Boston school officials have not announced whether children will have to return to virtual classesan unwelcome prospect for Alejandra Hung and his Boston family. "We're going through this feeling of deja vu, but in reality things are better this time out," said Hung, who has two children in elementary school. "Remote learning took such a toll." The availability of vaccines for children raised hopes that disruptions at school would be minimized. Public health officials now hope that concern about omicron will convince more parents to vaccinate their children. That's been the case for Yahaira Lopez, who lives in a Boston suburb. She resisted vaccinating her twin 12-year-old sons, both of whom suffer from severe asthma. Even if she herself has been fully vaccinated and received a booster shot, she had doubts about the vaccines' safety for her children. Students wearing masks board a school bus outside New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math (NEST+m) school on the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. Credit: AP Photo/Brittainy Newman "But the numbers are increasing, and this virus is impacting a lot of students now, so I just want to be preventative and make sure nothing happens to them," Lopez said. Her sons have appointments to get their first shots this week. As of Thursday, nearly 7.4 million children in the United States have been infected since the start of the pandemic, representing 17.3% of all cases, according to data gathered by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association. Of those cases, almost 170,000 cases were reported over the last seven days of the tally. The CDC has said that the extent to which children suffer long-term consequences of COVID-19 is still unknown. But it noted in a report last week that a disproportionate number of Black and Hispanic children suffer much more severe symptoms, including hospitalization that leads to admission to intensive care. Students wearing masks leave the New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math (NEST+m) school in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. Credit: AP Photo/Brittainy Newman Pedestrians cross Houston Street as students wearing masks leave the New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math (NEST+m) school in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. Credit: AP Photo/Brittainy Newman Parents pick up their children while wearing masks outside of P.S. 64 in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. Credit: AP Photo/Brittainy Newman Pedestrians cross Houston Street as students wearing masks leave the New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math (NEST+m) school in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. Credit: AP Photo/Brittainy Newman Students wear face masks while leaving school near Houston street on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. Credit: AP Photo/Brittainy Newman Parents pick up their children while wearing masks outside of P.S. 64 in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. Credit: AP Photo/Brittainy Newman A sign encouraging people to wear masks when picking up their children is posted outside M363 The Neighborhood school in the East Village of Manhattan, on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. Credit: AP Photo/Brittainy Newman Back in New York, Liz Rosenberg decided to keep her two children, 17 and 11, home from the final days of school before the holidays. It was still unclear if they would return to the classroom when in-person instruction reconvenes in the new year. "The messaging that we're basically getting from lots of places right now is that getting COVID is inevitable," Rosenberg said. "And I just can't participate in that. Why would I send my kids to school knowing that that in their own buildings, cases have risen quite a bit?" New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has vowed to keep schools open. She said the state would provide 2 million test kits to schools, which would then distribute the tests to children to take home. "We believe that it's critically important that our children not end up in that same situation they were for so many months, when they were so displaced from their normal environment," Hochul said Monday. 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The high generalization ability of the new neurofeedback (NF) aptitude prediction model developed by scientists from NAIST Japan offers a quick, simple and non-invasive method to screen candidates in clinical settings for whom fMRI-NF training would be most beneficial. Credit: Nara Institute of Science and Technology Advancements in medical science have allowed the treatment of psychiatric disorders like major depressive disorder (MDD) with functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback (fMRI-NF) training. fMRI-NF training is a type of treatment that provides a non-invasive way to control and reinforce brain functions in patients with mental disorders through the use of real-time fMRI monitoring. However, the effectiveness of the treatment is not universalit is influenced by a parameter called neurofeedback (NF) aptitude. NF aptitude refers to an individual's capacity to respond to NF training by displaying changes in brain activity. But NF aptitude varies from individual to individual. Thus, predicting a patient's NF aptitude becomes important not only for the success of fMRI-NF training, but also to reduce the physical and economic burden on the patient and healthcare system. Thus far, NF aptitude prediction models have focused on specific target regions in the brain, where the NF training was focused. Now, in a new study published in NeuroImage, a group of Japanese scientists, led by Junichiro Yoshimoto from Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Japan, have successfully developed a mathematical model for the prediction of NF aptitude with a high generalization ability. Speaking about their research, Yoshimoto says, "We applied machine learning, which is an offshoot of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, on data obtained from heathy individuals and patients with major depressive disorder to successfully develop a mathematical model that can predict individual fMRI-NF training aptitude, based on their pre-recorded brain activity at the resting state." To arrive at the model, the scientists first studied fMRI images of healthy patients and patients with MDD before fMRI-NF training. They then used these images to calculate the resting state functional connectivity (FC), which describes the correlated or anti-correlated activities in different areas of the brain. They then applied a technique called 'partial least squares regression' (PLS) to transform the FC patterns into participants' NF aptitude. Furthermore, they determined which FCs were most effective for predicting NF aptitude. They found that the PLS model could be generalized to the independent dataset from other institutes, i.e., it could successfully predict the NF aptitude of individuals based solely on resting-state fMRI scanning. They also found that a part of the brain called the posterior cingulate cortex was the functional hub among the brain regions, suggesting that it plays a major role in NF aptitude. "We believe that our research will help fMRI-NF training become more popular as a non-invasive treatment with minimal side effects for patients with mental health disorders," concludes Yoshimoto. Even though the study focused on MDD, the generalizability of the model developed in this study ensures that it can be applied to different neuropsychological disorders, providing hope to patients suffering from mental illnesses and neurological disorders. Explore further Multiple concussions can disrupt brain connectivity in teens More information: Takashi Nakano et al, Resting-state brain activity can predict target-independent aptitude in fMRI-neurofeedback training, NeuroImage (2021). Journal information: NeuroImage Takashi Nakano et al, Resting-state brain activity can predict target-independent aptitude in fMRI-neurofeedback training,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118733 Provided by Nara Institute of Science and Technology Spencer Savitz gets tested for COVID-19 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. U.S. health officials are calling on Americans to get tested for COVID-19 before they travel and gather for the holidays. But what should you do if you test positive? Credit: AP Photo/Brittainy Newman You've tested positive for COVID-19. Now what? The short answer for those in the U.S.: Stay home and avoid others. Tell the people you've been in close contact with that you tested positive. And if you have trouble breathing or develop other serious symptoms, see a doctor immediately. COVID-19 diagnoses have been soaring since the recent arrival of the omicron variant. That means Americans should prepare for the possibility that they or someone they plan to see will suddenly be diagnosed with an infection. ISOLATION The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people who test positive stay home or isolate for 10 days. If you live with other people, that means staying in a separate room and using a separate bathroom, if possible. You should also wear a mask if you come into contact with others. It's important to plan for this possibility and be ready to delay holiday gatherings, "so you don't make it up on the fly and don't cause a lot of confusion and unhappiness," advised Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases specialist at Vanderbilt University. MONITOR SYMPTOMS You should get care if you develop worrisome symptoms. But there are many people with certain conditionsincluding heart diseases, diabetes and weakened immune systemswho should seek care even if they have mild illness, because of their elevated risk for developing serious complications. TELL OTHERS You should tell your doctor about your test, who may prescribe medications depending on your situation and health. If you get tested at a clinic or doctor's office, the staff is supposed to notify health authorities about your positive result. Some health departments conduct contact-tracing investigations to identify the people an infected person has been in contact with. You should also tell your close contacts that you tested positive and that they may have been exposed to the coronavirus. Remember, an infected person can begin spreading the virus as many as two days before developing symptoms or testing positive. Explore further Contact tracing slows the spread of infectious diseases 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: CC0 Public Domain When health expert Thomas Russo spoke to USA TODAY in early October, the end of the pandemic seemed within reach. "I look very much forward to the day, and I don't think we're far off. I think it'll be very early 2022 where most of this is behind us," Russo, chief of the University of Buffalo's division of infectious diseases, said at the time. Since then, a new variant of concern has emerged and quickly taken over as the dominant coronavirus variant within the U.S. Cases are rising, countries across the globe are announcing new entry requirements and tourist hotspots are shutting down once again. After nearly two years into the pandemic, it almost feels like we're back to square one. So does that mean you should cancel your upcoming trip for the holidays? While some should consider pushing back their plans, health experts say there are ways to travel safely this holidays season. "I'm not recommending everyone cancel their trip," said Keri Althoff, associate professor of the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's epidemiology department. "(But) everyone must recognize that the risk has increased due to the new variant of SARS-CoV-2. That's what we need to be mindful of and walk through our decision-making process again." Should I travel for Christmas? Unlike last year, the federal government has not issued a warning against holiday travel. While officials warn that breakthrough cases are possible with omicron, vaccinations and masks can help protect travelers against infection and severe illness. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious diseases expert, said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that holiday travel is possible if people are "prudent," even if it does carry an increased chance of infection. President Joe Biden said Tuesday that Americans can safely celebrate the holidays with family and friends "if you and those you celebrate with are vaccinated, particularly if you've gotten your booster shot." Health experts tend to agree that getting together with family and friends for the holidays is OK, and even good for mental wellbeing, if done right. Just know that gatherings may require extra precautions this year, such as testing, mask-wearing, vaccinations and booster shots. "We understand that the mental health toll as we come into what would be the third year of this pandemic is very significant," Chris Beyrer, a professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told USA TODAY. "People need to get together with their loved ones. They just need to try and do that safely." Althoff suggests travelers think through the risks before committing to their trip. Risks will drop for people who are vaccinated with booster shots and who gather with people who wear a mask properly in public. "Your risk when you booked this trip is different now, so it's important to keep that in mind. Particularly if you're someone or you're traveling with somebody who has any risk factor that could lead to more severe illness," Althoff said. "It's just really important we add a few layers of protection right now." Beyrer said travelers should take a coronavirus test before visiting others. While free at-home tests from the federal government won't be available until January, rapid antigen tests are as low as $14 for a pack of two at some retailers and can take less than 15 minutes to give results. This can be an especially useful safeguard when visiting with someone who is immunocompromised or not yet eligible for boosters. Beyrer and other experts also say it's best to keep any indoor gatherings small. "This, I think, is going to be a part of how we're all going to manage the holidays," Beyrer said. And while it may not be an easy decision, health experts say it might be wise for some to delay their trip. "If people absolutely need to travel, they can still do so with all of the precautions," said Lee Riley, chair of the infectious diseases and vaccinology division at the University of California, Berkely's school of public health. "For air travel, unless you really have to have a family get-together or there's some sort of business trip, I probably would not. I would wait a bit until we learn more about the omicron." Althoff agreed that pushing back the trip might be the best call in some circumstances. "(There are travelers) getting together with family members they hadn't seen in two years who may be much older and thinking through how many more holidays they will have together," Althoff said. "(Others) have said, you know what, we're gonna stick closer to home and try for a spring trip." What the holidays look like for health experts Beyrer still plans to get together with family for the holidays this year, but only with people who are fully vaccinated with booster shots. "We're having a boosted Christmas," he said. "(Then) we're having a small dinner party for New Year's Eve that I'm hosting, and everybody's boosted and we're keeping the numbers to 12. And we're not going dancing, which we used to do." Riley canceled his usual year-end lab party with his students because of the omicron surge but plans to get together with less than a dozen people for Christmas. "My wife is pregnant, so we have more of a concern and are being more careful," he said. Althoff, who kept to outdoor vacation activities like beaches and hikes with her family when her children weren't yet eligible for the vaccine, said she had a small gathering with her family over Thanksgiving. She will not be getting together with family members again this year. "We felt comfortable (getting together over Thanksgiving) given the fact that everybody else was vaccinated and boosted," she said Tuesday, noting that her kids had received their second dose shortly after the holiday. "But omicron has changed all that." Russo, whose biggest trip in 2021 was a Hawaiian vacation that was focused on outdoor activities like patio dining, is also keeping the festivities low key. He has two children flying in from the West Coast, and while both are boosted, Russo acknowledged that there is a chance of breakthrough infection. "Once we get to our house, we're going to probably not do much," he said. "We're not going to go out to indoor restaurants, obviously, with masks down indoors. ...We may consider going to a movie theater. But if we do, no popcorn, no drinks, masks up the whole time." Is it safe to fly right now? For those who are traveling for the holidays, Russo says traveling in a personal vehicle is safest. Airlines would be the next best option over other forms of public transportation like busses or trains, which don't have the same quality of air filtration. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most newer-model airplanes filter recycled air through HEPA filters, which capture 99.9% of particles, including larger viruses or virus clumps. The federal mask mandate, which requires masks on planes in airports and on airplanes and other forms of public transportation through March 18, also helps reduce the risk of transmission. But there are risks, even on a planeespecially with a number of passengers strongly opposed to masking up. Russo said there are ways travelers can take extra precautions. If the plane hands out drinks or food to passengers, Russo suggests waiting at least 10 minutes to unmask and eat. This gives the other passengers more time to finish their food and mask up before your own mask comes off. He also suggests eating and drinking strategically to minimize the amount of time the mask is off. "If it's a short flight, I recommend just keeping your mask on the whole time," he said. "If it's a longer flight if you feel you have to go ahead and do that, what you can do is you can take that sip or bite and then sort of pop that mask back on while you're chewing." Riley suggests looking at a destination's COVID transmission rates before flying there. The CDC's list of countries with "very high" COVID risk includes 88 countries as of Monday, including popular destinations like the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and France, and there are destinations within the U.S. like New York that are experiencing their own COVID surge. Domestic U.S. flights don't ask for a negative coronavirus testonly international flights into the country require a negative viral test no more than one day before travel. Riley said it may be a good idea to get tested regardless to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. "You have to be more careful," he said. "You also have to be vigilant about where you're going to, especially if your destination has people who may not have been fully vaccinated or who are immunosuppressed." Explore further Can you safely enjoy the holidays? Experts offer COVID tips 2021 USA Today Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: Slava Dumchev/Shutterstock I taught teenagers economics for almost 40 years until my retirement a few years ago. When I started teaching in the 1970s, I used to refer to the last period on a Friday afternoon as the "graveyard slot." It was hard to get any work out of the students, who just wanted to go home for the weekend. By the time I retired, things had changed. There were now five "graveyard slots" on the weekly timetable. They occurred daily, and all were the period before the mid-morning break. By this time, many pupils were hungryand challenging to teach. After my teaching career, I began a Ph.D. I conducted a study of the breakfast habits of secondary school pupils in Northern Ireland. I found that a significant proportion of pupils were not eating an adequate breakfastand that there was a link between a lack of sleep and skipping breakfast. Going without breakfast My research was carried out during the summer term in 2021 and included almost 2,500 pupils from 18 secondary schools in Northern Ireland. The pupils varied in age from 11 to 16 years. I found that one in three pupils had nothing to eat or drink (other than water) before leaving home for school. But because some pupils have breakfast during their journey to school, and others eat breakfast on arrival at school, it would be unreasonable to define any pupil who left home without eating breakfast as a "breakfast skipper." With this in mind, I defined a breakfast skipper as any pupil who did not consume at least 400 calories within four hours of getting up. This even allowed food at the mid-morning break to be counted as a late breakfast. The NHS recommends that teenagers consume between 2,000 and around 3,000 calories a day (depending on age and gender), with about 400 calories for breakfast. There can be little doubt that fewer than 400 calories within four hours of waking is insufficient. I found that 54% of pupils in my sample were having less than 400 calories within four hours of waking. In the case of girls in years nine to 11 (ages 13 to 16), the figure rose to 65%. Breakfast helps to stave off hunger and reduces snacking on less healthy foods later in the day. Breakfast helps get the day off to a good start by providing some of the energy and nutrients the body needs for good healthsuch as starchy carbohydrates, fiber, B vitamins, calcium and iron. The benefits of breakfast are not just limited to health. A recent study showed that habitual school-day breakfast consumption among adolescents is linked with better GCSE results, including in English and maths. Not getting enough sleep In addition to their breakfast habits, the students in my survey gave information about their usual bedtime and time of rising the following morning. The average time between going to bed and getting up the following day was 8 hours 35 minutes, with only 30 minutes difference between the average for year seven and eight pupils (11 to 13 year olds) and year nine to 11 pupils (13 to 16 year olds). Just 10% of the pupils who spent fewer than eight hours in bed had consumed at least 400 calories at home before leaving for school, and only one-third had consumed at least 400 calories within four hours of rising. When pupils spent more than nine hours a night in bed, these numbers rose. I found that 17% had at least 400 calories before heading off to school and 64% by four hours after getting up. This suggests a link between sleep and breakfast habits. Of course, the best solution would be to persuade teenagers to go to bed earlier, spend more time in bed, and eat a hearty breakfast before leaving for school. However, a second bestand more realisticsolution is to accept that little can be done about bedtime, and serve the children a nutritious "grab-and-go" breakfast on arrival at school. The Food and Research Action Center in Washington DC has conducted a lot of research on this topic. Their research shows that breakfast in the classroom results in increased standardized test scores, concentration, and fosters a sense of community. Explore further Study examines which schoolchildren are most likely to skip breakfast This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The UK government announced Wednesday it is buying millions of doses of new COVID treatment pills as the Omicron variant takes hold, while cutting the isolation period for positive cases. The government said it has signed deals to buy 4.25 million courses of two new antiviral drugs: Pfizer's ritonavir and US rival Merck/MSD's molnupiravir, which will be available early next year. This comes on top of government announcements in October of the procurement of several hundreds of thousands of doses, and was hailed as a "mammoth deal" by Health Secretary Sajid Javid. Molnupiravir, sold as Lagevrio, is being used in a national trial run by the University of Oxford that people can join if they have virus symptoms. The government said it is also being made available to those who are at high risk of severe illness, such as people with cancer. The UK was the first country in the world to approve the pill in November this year. Pfizer's pill, marketed as Paxlovid, has yet to be authorised anywhere in the world. Pfizer said Tuesday that clinical trials showed it reduced hospital admissions and deaths among at-risk people by almost 90 percent, when taken a few days after symptoms began. The government said it will be rolled out in the same way as molnupiravir "as quickly as possible" if the UK regulator approves it. The UK has seen a surge in infections since Omicron became the dominant variant, with 90,629 cases reported Tuesday. The country is one of the hardest hit in Europe, with a death toll of 147,433. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has resisted calls to impose stricter virus restrictions over Christmas in England, unlike the devolved governments in other UK nations. From Wednesday, those who have caught the virus but feel well can come out of self-isolation after seven days instead of 10, potentially allowing more to join family celebrations. This rule only applies to people who have taken two negative lateral flow tests, NHS England said. At the same time, UK leaders were expected to announce fresh virus measures for the post-Christmas period. Large New Year's Eve events have already been cancelled in London and Edinburgh. Explore further Pfizer says COVID pill drastically reduces severe disease 2021 AFP Credit: CC0 Public Domain Mannitol, a natural sweetener, may help treat Parkinson's disease, yet was not being tested in clinical trials. The story of mannitol is one of many examples of "undone science": research questions unfunded or ignored for economic, political, or other reasons. How can public pressure utilizing crowdsourcing, citizen science, and entrepreneurial activism help transform undone into "done" science? A new article in the journal BioSocieties, published by Drs. Shlomo Guzmen-Carmeli and David A. Rier, of Bar-Ilan University's Department of Sociology and Anthropology, chronicles the story of CliniCrowd, an Israeli company established to test the effectiveness of mannitol. A common and fairly inexpensive sweetener used by the food industry, and in hospitals to reduce intracranial pressure, mannitol was demonstrated a few years ago by a group of Tel Aviv University lab researchers as potentially effective in improving the condition of Parkinson's patients. Mannitol, however, was not being evaluated in clinical trials on humans. As a natural substance found in many plants and algae, mannitol and its products cannot be patented. Moreover, the global market for existing Parkinson's drugs (most of which are symptomatic drugs with significant side effects) is already worth billions, with annual growth rates projected to rise sharply over the coming years. Therefore, pharmaceutical companies declined to test mannitol's value for treating Parkinson's. As such, mannitol was effectively an "orphan drug", one not tested or produced due to presumed unprofitability (due to the rarity of the associated disease, inability to patent, etc.). The founder of CliniCrowd, an Israeli high-tech start-up entrepreneur and former senior security-services officer, didn't let this stop him. After being diagnosed with Parkinson's, he embarked on a mission to get undone science done by stimulating public discourse and pushing for mannitol to be placed on the research agenda. He recruited several additional key figures with similar backgrounds in high-tech entrepreneurship and elite military units. Their shared mentality dictated out-of-the-box thinking and nimble operations, and therefore, even though they expected little financial profit from their work, they operated CliniCrowd as a corporation, rather than a non-profit. Despite their mainly pragmatic motivations (unlike many citizen-scientists), they initially positioned CliniCrowd as resistance to cynical, greedy Big Pharma's disinterest in testing such potentially valuable (but non-lucrative) orphan drugs. Initially, they failed to gain much traction with physicians. However, a subsequent tactical decision to re-position mannitol as a nutritional supplement made it seem less threatening to entrenched actors, and physicians soon more easily embraced it. CliniCrowd's efforts involved several stages. Most important was the launch of a crowd-sourced study of Parkinson's patients who agreed to take mannitol regularly for an extended period and report their results. This research produced preliminary data sufficient to generate public pressure and influence with which to attract scientists to conduct further clinical researchcurrently ongoingon mannitol for treating Parkinson's. CliniCrowd's model features a pragmatic mind-set emphasizing speed, efficiency, and creativity. It is well-suited to address a particular kind of undone science, involving potential orphan drugs that, occurring naturally, cannot be patented. Numerous diseases, such as Alzheimer's, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and cancers, might benefit from their approach. "There exist countless botanicals and other natural compounds that are effectively orphan drugs, hence appropriate candidates for this entrepreneurial, crowd-sourced approach to treatment activism," write the researchers. CliniCrowd has demonstrated that positioning itself as supplementing (not opposing) Big Pharma, via exploring nutritional supplements, can be an effective tactic, facilitating its core strategy of identifying potential compounds, and using crowd-source preliminary research to catalyze subsequent, more formal clinical trials. CliniCrowd thus shows the possibilities for change through creating knowledge, generating public pressure, and constructing alternative channels for medical clinical research. Explore further Test used to diagnose asthma may not be accurate More information: Shlomo Guzmen-Carmeli et al, Entrepreneurial treatment activism for undone science: mannitol and Parkinson's disease, BioSocieties (2021). Shlomo Guzmen-Carmeli et al, Entrepreneurial treatment activism for undone science: mannitol and Parkinson's disease,(2021). DOI: 10.1057/s41292-021-00258-0 Consultations between Foreign Ministries of Belarus and China On December 22, 2021, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Mikalai Barysevich held inter-ministerial consultations with First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China Le Yucheng. The sides noted with satisfaction the special strategic nature of bilateral relations, the significant intensification of trade, economic, investment and interregional ties. They also discussed topical issues on the Belarusian-Chinese agenda, further steps to intensify relations, as well as holding a number of upcoming events at high and highest levels. print version POLICE ARE still facing a blank wall on the fatal attack of a Basilan town mayor and the wounding of another in Zamboanga City. NEW ORLEANS (AP) New Orleans is shortening parade routes for the upcoming Mardi Gras season because there are fewer police officers, medics and other first responders to handle the crowds, officials said Tuesday. The city canceled Mardi Gras parades this past February because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 2020 parade crowds are considered a big reason that New Orleans was an early pandemic hot spot. The big news and the best news is that Mardi Gras is returning to the city of New Orleans and to the world in 2022, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said. As city officials announced their Carnival plans, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Tuesday that he's again extended Louisiana's public health emergency, which was first enacted by the Democratic governor in March 2020. He's modified it several times since then, and the latest version contains few restrictions for businesses and no statewide mask mandate. But Edwards announced that agencies led by his cabinet secretaries will again start requiring employees and visitors to wear masks inside their offices, including at Office of Motor Vehicle locations around the state. While vaccines and booster doses are the strongest tools we have in the fight against COVID, public health experts also agree that masks are an important way to slow the spread of the omicron variant now. This means you should be masking indoors around people who arent in your household, Edwards said in a statement. The face covering recommendation comes as infectious disease experts say Louisiana appears to be entering its fifth surge of the coronavirus outbreak, driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant of the virus. The number of new cases of COVID-19 has doubled over the past week, and hospitalizations of patients with the coronavirus illness are starting to grow again. That hasn't derailed Mardi Gras plans in New Orleans, however. Weeks of Carnival season parades lead up to Fat Tuesday, which will be on March 1. Members of each parade krewe pay for that group's parade. Some krewes have not decided whether to roll, but none has given pandemic guidelines, mandates or restrictions as the reason for their uncertainty, Cantrell said. Clearly it's about the bottom line and the impacts COVID has had on our community and on our economy and particularly on their krewe members. ... They pay the price for us to enjoy our Mardi Gras, the mayor said. She said krewes will have to follow city pandemic restrictions. Cantrell noted that if things go wrong in our city she might have to change its plans for Carnival and Mardi Gras plans. But she said she is confident the city can make it through the omicron variant, flu season and the holiday season. With 80% of its residents fully vaccinated, New Orleans is a national leader, she said. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. WEDNESDAY, Dec. 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- They may have other proven health benefits, but new research shows that fish oil supplements don't prevent depression or improve mood. Some experts recommend omega-3 fish oil supplements to help prevent depression in high-risk patients, but studies have yielded mixed results and there are no guidelines on using fish oil for that purpose in the general population. To learn more, researchers studied over 18,000 depression-free adults, 50 and older, who took vitamin D and/or omega-3 supplements or placebos for between 5 and 7 years, on average. The investigators found no evidence that omega-3 supplements warded off depression or boosted mood, according to the report published Dec. 21 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "There are still health reasons for some people, under the guidance of their health care providers, to take omega-3 fish oil supplements," said senior author Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, in Boston. Manson noted that these supplements have increasingly been found to have benefits for heart health and treatment of inflammatory conditions, in addition to being used to manage existing depressive disorders in high-risk patients. "However," she added, "our findings indicate there is no reason for adults without depression in the general population to take fish oil supplements solely for the purpose of preventing depression or for maintaining a positive mood." The study was the largest clinical trial of its kind and represents a "significant step," according to lead author Dr. Olivia Okereke. She is director of geriatric psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "It requires many thousands of people to conduct this type of study of preventing depression in adults something we call universal prevention and the participants were taking randomized study pills for between 5 to 7 years on average," Okereke pointed out in an MGH news release. "So, it is rare to see a long-term randomized trial of this kind." More information The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more on depression. SOURCE: Massachusetts General Hospital, news release, Dec. 21, 2021 You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 This article originally ran on consumer.healthday.com. Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WEDNESDAY, Dec. 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Fresh Express packaged salads have been linked to a listeria infection outbreak in eight U.S. states, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. The outbreak has caused 10 illnesses, one hospitalization and one death. It is under investigation by the FDA, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health agencies. The illnesses started on dates ranging from July 26, 2016 to Oct. 19, 2021 and have been reported in Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. "To date, a positive sample of Fresh Express Sweet Hearts salad mix has been reported to match the outbreak strain. Fresh Express has voluntarily recalled products and consumers are advised not to eat, sell or serve any recalled products. Our investigation is ongoing, and we will continue to communicate should additional products be implicated," Frank Yiannas, FDA deputy commissioner for food policy and response, said in an agency news release. The Fresh Express recall includes all Use-By Dates of packaged salads with product codes Z324 through Z350. Consumers, restaurants and retailers should not eat, sell or serve them, the FDA said. A full list of recalled products is available on the agency's website. Listeria can survive in refrigerated temperatures and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces, so anyone who had the recalled salad products should be extremely thorough in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with the greens to reduce the risk of cross-contamination, according to the FDA. Consumers who have symptoms of listeria infection (listeriosis) should contact their health care provider, the agency advised. Most people with listeriosis develop a fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. But symptoms of more severe listeriosis may include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Listeriosis can be fatal in the very young, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on listeria. SOURCE: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, news release, Dec. 21, 2021 You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 This article originally ran on consumer.healthday.com. Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) Amid a surge in coronavirus hospitalizations in Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan announced $100 million in emergency funding Tuesday to ramp up hospital and nursing home staffing and make more testing, treatments and vaccines available. As I have been warning for the past few weeks, we are entering another pivotal moment in the fight against COVID-19, Hogan said. We will continue to constantly monitor this surge and take additional actions as needed. Hogan said he's also mobilizing the Maryland National Guard to provide support personnel to expand testing sites and hours. The emergency funding includes $50 million to stabilize hospital staffing and another $50 million to expand the availability of COVID-19 testing, treatment and vaccines at hospitals and nursing homes, Hogan said. The state also will provide $30 million for schools to purchase testing resources, he said. Hogan, who is working from home after testing positive for the coronavirus himself on Monday, made the announcement via video. He said he was only experiencing cold-like symptoms, something he attributes to getting vaccinated. He urged others to do the same. While 91% of adults in the state are vaccinated, staff will continue to work to reach those who still aren't, he said. Right now that remaining 9% is responsible for more than 75% of our COVID-19 hospitalizations, pushing our hospital systems and our health care heroes to the brink," he said. Were pleading with those people. Please do not wait until its too late or until you get too sick. Go out now and get vaccinated. Maryland reported 6,218 new cases on Tuesday, the highest number of cases reported on one day during the pandemic. The seven-day average testing positivity rate grew to 11.6%, a 1.4% change from a day earlier. The National Guard will provide support personnel to expand testing sites and hours. Annapolis and Prince Georges County testing sites will expand operations sites to six days a week, officials said. Testing at the State Center site in Baltimore will also expand, with at-home rapid test kits available on site. Meanwhile, hospitalizations grew to 1,392, an increase of more than 180% in the last month. Hogan said projections show that the hospitalizations could surpass 2,000 with a peak in mid-to-late January, which is typically the peak of flu season. The number of coronavirus deaths has not been updated since Maryland officials took state health department servers offline amid an apparent cyberattack earlier this month. The state reported 11,022 deaths on Dec. 4. Health officials began reporting case numbers and positivity rate data again Monday after a more than two week interruption. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. SAN DIEGO (AP) A judge has ruled against the San Diego public school systems COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students, saying the requirement set to begin Jan. 24 conflicts with state law. San Diego Superior Court Judge John Meyer ruled Monday that the San Diego Unified School District does not have the authority to establish its own vaccine mandate, KNSD-TV reported. The Board of Education unanimously voted Tuesday to appeal the ruling. Vaccines remain the best way to protect the health and safety of our students, and we are 100-percent determined to maintain the vaccination mandate," the school district said in a message to staff and families. The judge's tentative ruling sided with the parent group Let Them Choose, which filed the lawsuit in October. The group argued the decision to mandate vaccines must be made at the state level and also needs to include a personal belief exemption unless the state Legislature acts to eliminate the exemption. All California public schools will eventually come under a state mandate requiring the COVID-19 vaccine for in-person school attendance, but a deadline has not been set yet because the state requirement is tied to full approval of the vaccine by the Food and Drug Administration. Gov. Gavin Newsom has encouraged local districts in the meantime to impose their own student mandates for the COVID-19 vaccine. San Diego Unified announced in September it would require all students 16 and older to get the COVID-19 vaccine to attend in-person classes starting Jan. 24. Unvaccinated students, unless they have a medical exemption, would have to transfer into the districts remote learning program, according to the mandate, which does not include religious or personal belief exemptions. In his ruling, Meyer said that San Diego Unified will be required to allow students to attend in-person as long as they have received the 10 vaccines mandated by the state, which does not include the COVID-19 shot. The judge also said that state law requires independent study programs to be voluntary and a forced transfer into such a program violates state law. Meyer has five days to sign Mondays ruling during which the ruling cant be enforced. Mark R. Bresee, an attorney for San Diego Unified, expressed disappointment with the ruling. The judge concluded only the state can act regarding vaccinations, even though the law specifically allows and encourages local vaccination programs, Bresee said in a statement. Even Judge Meyer acknowledged in his ruling that the vaccine mandate appears to be necessary and rational, and the districts desire to protect its students from COVID-19 is commendable. San Diego Unified is one of several large school districts in California to announce such mandates. Other districts with similar mandates include Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento and West Contra Costa Unified school districts. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. NEW YORK (AP) Kathryn Malara, a Brooklyn teacher, lingered on a street Tuesday, filled with dread about going to her job. I'm sitting in my car terrified to walk into school, she wrote on Twitter just before taking a deep breath and heading to her classroom. Cases exploding. People I really care about are sick & frightened. The quick spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus has stirred another angst-ridden reckoning about whether in-person schooling is worth the risk. Malara and other teachers worry about endangering their health by entering crowded schools. Frustrated parents wonder how to keep their children safe and whether campuses could become superspreader sites. Its creeping back up again, and I dont like this. Im worried. Lives are at stake here not just my sons life, said Starita Ansari, a public school parent in Manhattan who is keeping her 10th grader home after being rattled by the latest COVID-19 infections at his school. Scientists say omicron spreads more easily than other coronavirus strains, including delta, though many details about it remain unknown, including whether it causes more or less severe illness. But even if it is milder, the new variant could still upend schooling and overwhelm health systems because of the sheer number of infections. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said schools can remain safe when proper protocols are followed, including observing safe distancing, wearing masks and getting vaccinated. Detection of cases in schools does not necessarily mean that transmission occurred in schools, the CDC said. On Monday, a fifth of New York Citys public school students skipped in-person classes, an indication of the anxiety spawned by the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in New York state, which in recent days has broken infection records. Parents are voting with their feet, and many of them dont feel that the current protocols are actually keeping their families safe. And a lot them don't think they're being given enough information about whats happening to allow them to make choices for their families, said Jennifer Jennings, a Princeton University researcher focused partly focused on the intersection of education and health care policy. Most schools across the country are keeping classrooms open, despite the new threat from omicron, but some school districts have moved to limit in-person instruction as a precaution. On Friday, one of the largest school districts on the East Coast, the Prince Georges County district in Maryland, just outside Washington, said it would cancel in-person instruction in favor of virtual classes because of rising COVID-19 cases at its campuses. Schools in Mount Vernon, New York, and elsewhere also reverted back to virtual instruction. There is great concern because we had been doing so well, said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators. Just about a month ago, we had about 98 percent of the students in this country attending school in person, and omicron has brought about just a huge reversal in that process. And all of a sudden were seeing infection rates skyrocket, he said, Its affecting children much more than previous variants, so children are getting sick. Staff is getting sick, and its just a spread thats alarming. Boston school officials have not announced whether children will have to return to virtual classes an unwelcome prospect for Alejandra Hung and his Boston family. Were going through this feeling of deja vu, but in reality things are better this time out, said Hung, who has two children in elementary school. Remote learning took such a toll. The availability of vaccines for children raised hopes that disruptions at school would be minimized. Public health officials now hope that concern about omicron will convince more parents to vaccinate their children. That's been the case for Yahaira Lopez, who lives in a Boston suburb. She resisted vaccinating her twin 12-year-old sons, both of whom suffer from severe asthma. Even if she herself has been fully vaccinated and received a booster shot, she had doubts about the vaccines' safety for her children. But the numbers are increasing, and this virus is impacting a lot of students now, so I just want to be preventative and make sure nothing happens to them, Lopez said. Her sons have appointments to get their first shots this week. As of Thursday, nearly 7.4 million children in the United States have been infected since the start of the pandemic, representing 17.3% of all cases, according to data gathered by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Childrens Hospital Association. Of those cases, almost 170,000 cases were reported over the last seven days of the tally. The CDC has said that the extent to which children suffer long-term consequences of COVID-19 is still unknown. But it noted in a report last week that a disproportionate number of Black and Hispanic children suffer much more severe symptoms, including hospitalization that leads to admission to intensive care. Back in New York, Liz Rosenberg decided to keep her two children, 17 and 11, home from the final days of school before the holidays. It was still unclear if they would return to the classroom when in-person instruction reconvenes in the new year. The messaging that were basically getting from lots of places right now is that getting COVID is inevitable," Rosenberg said. "And I just cant participate in that. Why would I send my kids to school knowing that that in their own buildings, cases have risen quite a bit? New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has vowed to keep schools open. She said the state would provide 2 million test kits to schools, which would then distribute the tests to children to take home. We believe that its critically important that our children not end up in that same situation they were for so many months, when they were so displaced from their normal environment, Hochul said Monday. Associated Press Writer Philip Marcelo in Boston contributed to this report. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. WEDNESDAY, Dec. 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Determining whether a young person with autism is ready to drive can be tricky for their health care providers. That's the upshot of a new survey that included 78 pediatric physicians, psychologists and other providers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Half of the respondents said they routinely talk to teen patients about their transportation needs with an eye to encouraging mobility and independence, but only 1 in 5 had had such discussions with patients with autism. While 33% said they believed they could assess if patients without autism were ready to drive, only 8% believed they could do so for those with autism. It was also surprising to learn that only 1 in 4 providers refer their patients, autistic or not, to other providers for driving-related issues, said study lead author Emma Sartin, a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Our next steps will be to start developing resources and tools so that families, and the professionals who support them, are not left largely on their own to make or guide important decisions about driving, Sartin added in a hospital news release. Previous research from CHOP found that two-thirds of 15- to 18-year-olds with autism but not an intellectual disability either drive or plan to drive. One-third get licensed by age 21. Other recent research showed that newly licensed drivers with autism have similar to lower crash rates than those without autism. That suggests those with autism who get a license are generally safe drivers. Also, young drivers with autism are much less likely to receive a traffic violation or license suspension, other CHOP research found. Co-author Benjamin Yerys, a clinical psychologist at the CHOP Center for Autism Research, suggested providers begin talking to teens with autism and their parents about driving and transportation before they reach high school. We know this seems early, but it provides more time for them to benefit from supports, including those services that come from outside of health care, including tailored instruction from a driving rehabilitation specialist, he said in the release. The findings were recently published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. More information For more on autism and driving, see the Autism Society. SOURCE: Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, news release, Dec. 16, 2021 You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 This article originally ran on consumer.healthday.com. Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Lisa Sheppard will be Missoula Aging Service's new chief executive officer, the organization said in a news release Tuesday. Sheppard will replace longtime CEO Susan Kohler, who served for over three decades. Kohler joined Missoula Aging Services in 1983 and took over as chief executive in 1989. Sheppard will step into the position on March 1, 2022. The CEO succession committee, comprised of representatives of the Missoula community, the MAS governing board members and staff, have dedicated the past six to nine months to find a new CEO. It is exciting to see the experience, knowledge and education that Lisa will bring to our agency, said Roberta Smith, chairperson of the governing board. We are thrilled with Lisas acceptance and look forward to her leadership in guiding our agency, as well as serving our older adults and people with disabilities, well into the future, Smith added. Missoula Aging Services is a nonprofit that provides a large range of services and programs for older adults. Sheppard most recently was the director of Flathead County Agency on Aging, a position she had held since 2012. Prior to Sheppard's time in Kalispell, she served as director of operations for EveryChild Inc., a nonprofit located in Austin, Texas. She holds master's degrees in public affairs and social work, both from the University of Texas. Sheppard has over 20 years of experience advocating for and creating programs to benefit older adults and people with disabilities, according to the release. "I am truly honored to have been chosen as the new chief executive officer, Sheppard said. Missoula Aging Services has long set the standard for providing high-quality, innovative services to older adults so they can live full lives and age well with dignity. "Im excited to work together with the board, the staff and the community to build on the organizations considerable achievements and move boldly toward creating a more inclusive, age-friendly future. I cant wait to get to know, and serve, the people of Missoula and Ravalli counties!" An open house will be held early next year for the public to meet with Sheppard. Details on when and where have yet to be determined. I couldnt be happier with the committees decision, Kohler said. "I am confident in her abilities to not only carry out the duties necessary as CEO, but to make sure we remain innovators in the industry. I have known and worked with Lisa for years, and I know her vision and dedication will align seamlessly with the agencys. Jordan Hansen covers news and local government for the Missoulian. Shout at him on Twitter @jordyhansen or send him an email at Jordan.Hansen@Missoulian.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A new housing project is being proposed along Bow Street between West Kent Avenue and Central Avenue in Missoula. Dubbed the 406 Commons, it could create 84 units of housing, which would be at an "attainable price point," a news release announcing the project said. The property owner is SPEL Corporation, a Missoula-based company. The president is Patrick J. Lawer, a Missoula resident. The lot is on sale for $6.7 million. No estimates of how much a unit would cost are included on the project's website. An eight-month feasibility study has already been finished. Like many cities located in desirable places, Missoula is experiencing some radical changes due to the pandemic these past two years, Lawler said in the release. Our team would like to contribute as best we can to creating community-first solutions to the problem and find creative and innovative ways to give more Missoulians an opportunity for home ownership. The location of the project would put it across the street from Southside Lions Park, near All Nations Health Center. It is also directly south of Holiday Village Shopping Center and close to Washington Middle School. Project plans included the closure of two business locations The Women's Club Health and Fitness Center and the Red Willow Healing Center. At the time of closure, The Women's Club employed more than 60 people, KPAX reported in April. "In April of this year, Lawler made the difficult decision to close the TWC doors due to business issues exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. Meanwhile, the practitioners formerly located at Red Willow Healing Center continue to practice, but now in other locations," the release said. Development would also be mixed-use, the release said. The feasibility study suggested retail such as coffee shops or taprooms and community gathering spaces on rooftops. Midtown recently received local and state development money for projects in the area. In November, the Missoula Redevelopment Agency approved $370,000 for the Midtown Master Plan. The MRA also received a $874,000 federal grant for a study of the Brooks Street corridor, which may one day include a bus lane. Midtown is poised to become the heartbeat of Missoula, Lawler said. We operated community-forward businesses in Midtown for nearly four decades on this same site. Now, Im excited to find the right person or people to take the same heart we put into these businesses and place it into this community vision. The developers and owners of the site are looking for a "value-based 'heart partner'" to get involved with the project, Lawler said. Jordan Hansen covers news and local government for the Missoulian. Shout at him on Twitter @jordyhansen or send him an email at Jordan.Hansen@Missoulian.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 4 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday that its investigation into Connecticut's Manson Youth Institution found the state's Correction Department has been violating the civil rights of incarcerated children. The investigation stemmed from a 2019 report by the state Office of the Child Advocate and a subsequent follow-up in 2020, which found that among other things, the state was illegally locking up 15- to 17-year-olds who were classified as security risks for up to 23 hours a day with no treatment plans and limited visitation. The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said its investigation concluded that the isolation practices and lack of mental health services at the prison seriously harm children and place them at substantial risk of serious harm. The investigation also found that the state Correction Department has failed to provide adequate special education services to children with disabilities. When children misbehave, Manson frequently subjects them to harmful periods of isolation, despite evidence that children are uniquely vulnerable to the traumatic and lasting damage isolation causes, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division said. Our investigation uncovered systemic evidence that children are deprived of the mental health and special education services they need to become productive, successful adults." Connecticut Child Advocate Sarah Eagan said the Correction Department has been making incremental progress in response to her reports, within the restraints of its budgets and departmental policies. But, she said the federal findings should result in a faster and more comprehensive action. I think the import and significance of the DOJ's findings is that reform must be swift; it must be sweeping and it must be meaningful, she said. Messages were left seeking comment from the state Department of Correction and the governor's office. As of December 1, there were 305 people incarcerated at Manson, including 181 who were classified as Black and 88 who were classified as Hispanic. Just 42 inmates were under 18 years old, according to the Department of Correction. The rest were between 18 and 21 years old. The Justice Department said it will now enter into talks with the state in an attempt to come to a resolution of the issues, but noted that if an agreement isn't reached in 49 days, a lawsuit could follow. Eagan said she hopes the report cause lawmakers and others to look closely at how the state deals with youth, especially Black youth, in the criminal-justice system, and whether this type of prison is an appropriate setting for young people. Legal findings are one thing, she said. From a public policy standpoint, If the state is housing children in its custody for the purpose of rehabilitating them and keeping the public safe, then that work needs to actually occur. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Prosecutors in Albuquerque say they tracked down a suspect in a decades-old rape case by using open-source genealogy data. Second Judicial District Attorney Raul Torrez announced an arrest Tuesday in the case from 1997 in which a man is suspected of forcing his way into a woman's home, holding her at knifepoint and sexually assaulting her. It's the second time the office has filed charges using forensic genealogy, the Albuquerque Journal reported. In the first case, a man pleaded guilty in 2020 to raping a woman who had been running along the Rio Grande on Christmas Eve five years earlier. Authorities connected him through a second cousin, twice removed, who uploaded his DNA to an online site, the Journal reported. In the latest case, a contractor working for Torrez's office matched DNA, collected from a fork that the suspect discarded, to open-source genealogy data. Torrez said the suspect's DNA has been linked to several other rapes. One of the most notable uses of online genetic profiles was in Northern California, when authorities connected a former police officer to one of the state's most prolific serial killers and rapists. Joseph James DeAngelo pleaded guilty to 13 counts of murder and dozens of rapes that were too old to prosecute. He is serving life in prison. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) A former newspaper publisher who spent five years on the North Dakota Public Service Commission has been appointed to take over as tax commissioner, Gov. Doug Burgum announced Tuesday. Brian Kroshus, who was appointed by Burgum to the PSC in 2017, will replace Ryan Rauschenberger, who is resigning to focus on recovering from alcohol problems. Rauschenberger has been tax commissioner for seven years. He had one year remaining on his four-year term. Burgum said a combination of private and public sector experience made Kroshus the top prospect for the job. Kroshus was picked by Burgum for the PSC in February 2017 after Brian Kalk stepped down early. Kroshus was elected by voters in 2018 and reelected in 2020. Kroshus, who will take over on Jan. 4, said he will treat taxpayers with fairness, transparency and efficiency. Well also continue to work across state government and with our tribal and private sector partners to create and maintain a stable tax and regulatory environment that will support economic growth and prosperity for all, he said. Rauschenberger has been involved in several alcohol-related incidents during his time in office. He resigned from the post the day after police placed him in detox for allegedly passing out drunk in a hotel room that wasnt his. The state Tax Office has a two-year budget of $64.4 million and is authorized for 118 full-time employees. The tax commissioners annual salary is $121,814. A Fargo native and North Dakota State University graduate, Kroshus was publisher of The Bismarck Tribune from 2005 to 2015. He also was a division leader and executive team member for Lee Enterprises, including a stint as group publisher for a network of agricultural newspapers across a 15-state region. Kroshus stepped down as head of The Bismarck Tribune in 2015 to run for state auditor, but did not receive the Republican endorsement. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Fifteen wolves have been hunted in two wolf management units directly north of Yellowstone National Park so far this winter, and wolf trapping hasnt begun there yet. The numbers from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks have some worrying about how the states wolf trapping season will impact populations in Yellowstone. Several packs are concentrated at the northern end of the park, and the animals often wander over the border into Montana. In past years, annual quotas prevented hunters and trappers in Montana from taking more than two wolves in wolf management units 313 and 316, which border Yellowstone to its north. The quotas were lifted this August at a Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting. Wolf hunting and trapping regulations were eased by the commission in accordance with new laws that passed the state legislative session and were signed by Gov. Greg Gianforte this spring. Wolf hunters and trappers can now bait and snare wolves, hunt them at night on private land and bag up to 20 wolves, with no more than 10 via hunting and no more than 10 via trapping. A total of 124 wolves have been killed in the state since wolf hunting seasons opened in September, including 56 in southwest Montanas Region 3, as of Saturday. In total, just under 300 wolves were killed by hunters and trappers in the state in 2019 and 2018, according to FWPs annual harvest reports. If 82 wolves are taken in Region 3 this season, the commission can review the numbers and may consider rapid in-season adjustments. It can also review the numbers if 450 wolves are killed statewide. Kim Bean, vice president of the nonprofit group Wolves of the Rockies, said shes heard at least 19 Yellowstone National Park wolves have been killed due to hunting and trapping in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, though she declined to disclose her source. The Junction Butte and Phantom Lake packs two with ranges near the northern end of the park have lost several members due to Montana hunts this fall and winter, she said. Yellowstone National Park confirmed in a news release in late September that three wolves from the Junction Butte pack the most-viewed wolf pack in the world had been killed in Montana. Park staff declined to disclose whether more of the parks wolves have been killed since late September. Greg Lemon, a spokesperson for Montana FWP, said the department does not distinguish between Yellowstone and Montana wolves when collecting harvesting data, so it cannot confirm the numbers. We just simply, through the harvest data, dont track Yellowstone wolves at all, Lemon said. In our minds, if wolves are in a national park, they are under the management of the national park. If they are in the state, they are under our management. Marc Cooke, president of Wolves of the Rockies, said on Dec. 9 that at least 13 wolves from Yellowstones packs had been killed in outside states at the time, including 11 in Montana, according to the groups sources. With trapping, weve been pretty fortunate in a sense, he said earlier this month. There hasnt been a lot of snow, and when snow is on the group, we will see an acceleration in those that are trapped and shot . (Trappers) can track footprints in the snow. Though Montanas wolf trapping season had a default opening date on Nov. 29, trapping had been closed in wolf management units 313 and 316. On Tuesday, however, FWP announced trappping would open immediately (on Dec 21) in WMUs 313, 316 and 390. As officials determined that grizzly bears are denned for the winter, they also opened the wolf trapping season in WMUs 100, 101, 110, 130, 150 and 400. Trappers were warned to avoid any area where bear sign is observed. When were talking about Yellowstone National Park wolves, we have so much studying going on, and that scientific data inside that park is so essential for what we know today, Bean said. The education that comes out of that park is global, and the more that Montana continues to attack the science that comes out of the park, we as a society are being attacked. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 ALEXEY NIKOLSKY/Getty MOSCOWAfter months of bubbling tensions and threats of all-out war, Ukraine has made the shock decision to grant one of President Vladimir Putins greatest wishes. As far as overtures go, this was a grand gesture indeed. Ukraine has charged former President Petro Poroshenkowho is described in Moscow as Washingtons puppetwith state treason and financing terrorism. The longtime enemy of Putin faces as much as 15 years in prison if convicted. Even more delicious for Moscow, Poroshenko was charged over the same scandal that has already ensnared Putins ally Viktor Medvedchuk, which involved funneling public money to the Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine through illegal coal purchases. Pro-Kremlin politicians have repeatedly insisted that it was Washington who gave President Vladimir Zelensky orders to arrest Putins ally Medvedchuk in May. Washington wants to see Russians and Ukrainians kill each other. The pro-Moscow politician Medvedchuk is under house arrest in Kyiv, just as Washington told Zelensky to do, Sergei Markov, co-chairman of the National Strategic Council of Russia, said in an interview for The Daily Beast. Now Zelensky goes after the Wests beloved Poroshenko to show Washington he can make his own decisions. Russian Citizens Are Now Being Prepped for Nuclear War It was Poroshenko who brought American paratroopers to Ukraine in 2015 to train local soldiers, which included former Soviet officers. To Moscow, it sounded like the ultimate betrayal. Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said at the time: It provokes future escalation. Moscow sees the move against Poroshenko by Ukraines current leadership as a beneficial move. Markov was one of those pro-Kremlin experts who was pleased to hear about the investigation into Poroshenko, who he described as the leader of the junta. Poroshenko, a wealthy businessman as well as a politician, was not at home when prosecutors showed up on his doorstep on Monday afternoon to formally charge him. The post-revolutionary leader was more than 600 miles away, taking part in an international conference in Warsaw. Story continues The speculation about his fate in pro-Kremlin circles is intense, as people ask where the ex-president will land when the dust settles. Will Poroshenko return to Ukraine? Will he end up in jail? In response, Poroshenko posted a video addressing Ukrainians on Facebook, promising to return home in January. That would mean he is going to miss his first appearance on the treason case, which is scheduled for Dec. 23. It makes the Kremlin happy to see any failures of democracy in Ukraine, especially political repressions or unjust persecutions of an ex-president, said Stanislav Belkovsky, a Moscow-based expert on Ukraine affairs. This scandal adds to Moscows argument: Look, things fall apart in Ukraine. Lets annex territories in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions now. The idea of Russia moving on to recognize the independence or even annex the breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine is gaining traction in both Kyiv and Moscowas a solution to the military escalation on the border between the neighboring countries. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin on Tuesday that U.S. mercenaries had intended to poison water in the Donetsk region. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, there are 120 American military contractors serving in Ukraine. Moscow uses this serious accusation to prepare the ground for moving on and recognizing sovereignty or annexing the self-proclaimed republics in Ukraine, Belkovsky told The Daily Beast. This is a story in the fashion of Stalins repression of Jewish doctors who the KGB [falsely] claimed were poisoning patients. Ever since the pro-Moscow President Victor Yanukovych was ousted from Ukraine, Moscows politicians, experts and propagandists have been constantly telling Russian television viewers about Ukraines fragile economy and political scandals. Poroshenko is described as the leader of the party of war. His party is popular among nationalistic patriots, but many experts in Ukraine remember his rule as utterly corrupt. Poroshenko is a real crook, this is clear to everybodyhe was making money on his chocolate factories in Russia and Crimea, while Ukrainian soldiers were dying on the frontlines, said Yevgeny Kiselev, one of Russias most prominent broadcasters who moved to Ukraine after the Kremlins crackdown on independent journalism. Throughout the seven-year military conflict between Kyiv and Moscow-backed militias in eastern Ukrainewhich has cost around 13,000 livesRussian and Ukrainian oligarchs and politicians have continued to make money from shadowy business deals. Ukrainian authorities now accuse Poroshenko of being involved in one of these illegal schemes. They say he used public funds to buy coal from Russian-backed separatists despite a ban on any such transactions that would effectively fund the separatists. He is also accused of doing business with Russian public officials. Poroshenko claimed there was a shortage of coal and organized supplies from occupied territories, which would help the self-proclaimed republics earn money, Yulia Mendel, ex-press secretary of the current Ukrainian president, told The Daily Beast. The payment was done in cash, which was brought to the occupied territories by the security services of Ukraine. Russians Have Suddenly Stopped Buying Putins Anti-American Propaganda Ukraine had already charged Medvedchuk, another oligarch, who is known for his close ties to Putin. Medvedchuk was placed under home arrest in May on charges of high treason, aiding terrorist organizations and trading coal with occupied territories controlled by Moscow-backed rebels. Now prosecutors charge Poroshenko with the same crimes, accusing him of giving Medvedchuk authority and therefore financing terrorists. Poroshenkos defense lawyer Ilya Novikov insists the case is purely political, that his client is innocent and will surely return to Ukraine. When Zelensky was coming to power, he promised he would go after Poroshenko, his main political opponent. Since then Ukraine opened more than 100 criminal cases against Poroshenko but failed to prove his guilt in any of them, Novikov told The Daily Beast in an interview Tuesday. The threat of a destructive war is still hanging over Russia and Ukraine as tens of thousands of troops continue to mass on both sides of the border. Last week, Putin demanded NATO accept the obligation to exclude further expansion of NATO to Ukraine and to withdraw all NATO military bases and infrastructure from Eastern Europe built after 1997. Markov suggested the noisy complaints are all part of Putins plan to seize more land in Ukraine. Its possible that Putin will increase the tensions until the West will feel relieved to hear we recognize the sovereignty of Luhansk and Donetsk Peoples Republics or make them a part of Russia, like we did with Crimea, he said. After the charges were leveled at Poroshenko, Olexandr Martynenko, director general of Interfax Ukraine, said Kyiv was trying to keep its options open. There is not much hope left of a peace deal with Russia, but Kyiv is not burning bridges with Moscow either. Martynenko said there was a real chance that Putin would annex sections of Ukraine in 2022. It is quite possible that Russia will annex the separatist territories in Donbas and Luhansk next year in the same way they had done it with South Ossetia and Abkhazia, that is a natural solution for Russia in the current situation, he said. Ukraine will definitely protest against the annexation but both countries will eventually live on with the new political watershed. Once it happens, Russia will most probably bring in its peacekeepers, so all the fighting is going to stop. At least 50 percent of Ukrainians would feel relieved about the idea of no more war, relieved to see the end of at least this phase of tensions. Ukrainian officials fear that, ultimately, the West wont do enough to stop Russian aggression. Putin knows there is weaknesses in the unity in Europe and in the United Stateswe already hear cynical voices on the West calling to give Putin what he wants, Svitlana Zalishchuk, foreign affairs adviser for Ukraines state energy firm Naftogaz, told The Daily Beast. Ukraine knows it may have to look after itself, whoever that means sacrificing. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Scammers frequently capitalize on high demand during the holidays by posting pictures of pets in Christmas hats and other gear. When a would-be pet parent pursues the listing, the scammer refuses to let the consumer meet the pet before buying often claiming this is because of COVID-19 considerations. The scammer claims they must use a pet delivery agency of some kind, often an airline. BBB Scam Tracker has received many reports of fake web pages impersonating real businesses for this purpose. The scammer also may demand fees for vaccinations or other last-minute needs. Ultimately, the pet does not exist, and the consumer has lost money and emotional investment. The largest group of victims by age are those 25-35, followed by those 35-44. The average financial loss reported to Scam Tracker was $1,088. While 82% of pet scam reports involved dogs, other reports included cats, birds and iguanas. The tactics used in pet scams continue to evolve. Scammers increasingly ask for payment through untraceable cash apps such as Zelle, Google Pay, Cash App, Venmo and Apple Pay. A review of Scam Tracker data finds that the vast majority of reports listed Zelle as the payment method involving the purchase of online pets. Mike Vincent said the Veterans Treatment Court in Butte benefits not only the veterans it serves but also the larger community. Were helping people get off the street and get sober, he said. Vincent, a veteran of the Marine Corps and the Vietnam War, coordinates mentors for the Veterans Treatment Court in Butte. The court works to help military veterans who have committed crimes turn their lives around. Vincent and Mick Ringsak and other veterans who have helped with the court said they were grateful that a recently announced federal grant of $565,110 includes $160,350 to help fund the Veterans Treatment Court for the near future. An additional $331,520 was earmarked by the grant from the Department of Justices Office of Justice Programs to support the Butte-Silver Bow Driving Under the Influence Court. The remainder of the grant reflects the value of the city-countys in-kind match. Vincent said veterans can seek admission into the Veterans Treatment Court after sentencing. He said veterans are vetted to make sure they are a good fit for the program and wont put mentors at risk. The program currently has 10 mentors and four more who are entering training. All are veterans, Vincent said. Its veteran helping veteran, encouraging them and empowering them, he said. Butte City Court Judge Jerome McCarthy handles misdemeanor cases involving veterans and District Judge Robert Whelan oversees felony cases. Vincent said the grant money goes for veterans counseling and treatment. Not one penny goes to mentors. Were all volunteers, he said. Anytime we can get money to extend this program, its a good thing. Ringsak, also a Vietnam veteran, shared a similar observation. I just think its a really good program and gives people a chance to get their lives back on track, he said. Mike Clague, a veteran of the Navy, is deputy county attorney in Butte-Silver Bow. He has been involved for years in getting the veterans court up and running. He said the first participant entered the program on June 8. In the six months weve had the veterans court, I would say it is definitely changing participants lives for the better, Clague said. Justice for Vets, a national non-profit, said veterans treatment courts can help veterans suffering from PTSD, substance use disorders and mental health disorders. Justice for Vets said the courts can act as a one-stop shop that links veterans to programs, benefits and services they have earned. Clague said he is grateful to U.S. Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester for their support of the Veterans Treatment Court in Butte. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 MUSCATINE On Wednesday and Thursday, over 100 single people and 85 families will receive a hand up as for the second year the Geneva Country Club will distribute Christmas dinner to families and people in need. While the pickup date for the ham dinner with all the trimmings and cookies for dessert is Thursday, several Geneva members delivered a meal to the homebound on Wednesday. On Wednesday nine members volunteered to make and deliver the meals while 13 members volunteered to help distribute the meals on Thursday. Any time we can help the community in a time of need it is something we want to do, Steve Hutton, PGA general manager at Geneva said. Hutton said the goal had been to help 202 families as Geneva had done during its inaugural year, but fewer than 200 had signed up. The program started in 2020 when one of the members drove past a line of cars waiting at one of the local churches that was distributing holiday meals. The member spoke with Hutton and the clubs food and beverage director about starting that kind of program for the holidays. The membership came up with the idea for the meal distribution and raised money to pay for the food. Books written for children and young adults are facing opposition across the country. Some school librarians are pushing back. Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, a registered nurse, administers a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to her granddaughter, Paloma Cook, Tuesday afternoon at the University of Guam Field House. Santa must have come early, because theres a big circular package under my tree that looks (and smells!) suspiciously like a pair of new tires for my Schwinn. To Santa and to all the rest of you whose generosity makes Christmas so special, thank you. *** One bit of sad news before I stay positive for the rest of the column: Bookmark Napa Valley has been postponed from Jan. 30 to May 1 in light of the unpredictability surrounding the omicron variant of COVID-19. The library depends on the nonprofit Friends & Foundation, St. Helena Public Library to fund part-time staff and programs, so if you had tickets for Jan. 30 and cant make it on the new date, please consider making your ticket purchase a donation instead of canceling. *** Huzzahs to Allen Silva and Eric Kenny of St. Helena Public Works for planting three Claremont Western Redbud trees at Lyman Park last Thursday in honor of Arbor Day. Theyre right next to the gazebo and theyre going to look lovely there. *** Congratulations to Trustee Lisa Pelosi on being named school board president. And to answer the question shes continually asked, no, shes not related to Nancy. *** A round of applause to the winners of the Chambers Celebrate St. Helena awards: Citizen of the Year Ed Smith of the St. Helena Farmers Market, Nonprofit of the Year the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Helena and Calistoga, Business of the Year Smiths Pharmacy, and Employees of the Year the staff of the St. Helena Public Library. Gems one and all! *** Thanks also to the Chamber itself for organizing the wonderful wine barrel Christmas tree at Main and Hunt. I may be one to gush, but Im not one to exaggerate, so believe me when I say Ive hardly passed by the tree without seeing at least one person or family posing for a picture in front of it. *** Thanks to Kathryn and Tom Kenney, proprietors of That Pizza Place, for feeding us affordable pizza by the slice for 14 years. They sold the business, but locals will remember it fondly for years to come. *** Best wishes to Noel Bito (Noeys Barbershop in Napa), whos planning to open a barbershop at 1080 Main St., that little commercial space next to the Sulphur Creek Bridge where Tiffanys Closet used to be. Look for details in an upcoming edition of the Star. *** Thanks to the St. Helena Seventh-day Adventist Church for organizing last Fridays fun and moving Nativity scene. Apologies if Im about to sound childish, but I got to pet a donkey! *** The tree is twinkling, the gifts are waiting, the eggnog is beckoning, and the Tallis Scholars wondrous rendition of Allegris Miserere is playing on the stereo. It must be Christmas. May your holiday be full of love, peace and joy. At the heart of Rianda House is the greeter the volunteer who welcomes you to the converted house that serves as the Upvalleys only senior center, shakes your hand, gives you a warm smile, and establishes a connection with you. The pandemic might have closed the building, put a stop to handshakes and covered the smiles with a mask, but the staff spent the last year and a half mustering all of its energy and resourcefulness to fulfill Riandas core mission of connecting with seniors. March 18, 2021 was the day Rianda House went virtual. Operations manager Toni Abdalla remembers Rianda House being inundated with calls in those early days of the pandemic. People were looking for information, resources and reassurance. Most of all, they wanted the center to reopen, which was still impossible given the statewide lockdown. Instead, the Rianda House staff worked the phones, checking in with local seniors, asking how they were doing essentially doing what greeters had done pre-pandemic. There are so many little connections, so many good friends Ive made over the years that dont go away just because theres a pandemic, Abdalla said. I felt a responsibility to check in and keep everybody updated. A team of six volunteers made 300 to 400 care calls per week just to keep them connected, said Elizabeth Cobb-Bruno, program manager. Going virtual As it became clear that COVID-19 wasnt going away in a matter of days or weeks, Rianda House adapted, issuing email blasts, expanded its events calendar into a full-blown newsletter, and embraced Zoom. This team didnt give up, said Peter Working, Rianda House board president. They could have said OK, forget it, well reopen next year. But that didnt happen here. Its a tribute to the spirit of the house and its staff. Executive Director Julie Spencer said the challenges of the pandemic brought the Rianda House team together. We became closer as a team even when we were far apart, she said. Were more intentional about coming together as a team because our work is more important than ever. Lisa Hinz is a psychologist and art therapist who has taught two virtual classes at Rianda House during the pandemic. In one, seniors created collages and then wrote poems to accompany them. A core group of six seniors who bonded during the class kept meeting virtually twice a month. It wasnt until a couple of Fridays ago that we met in person for the first time, after 16 months online, Hinz said. Another class focused on current events helps participants share their values, core beliefs and emotions. They met in person for the first time just before Thanksgiving. Hinz said expressing emotions reduces stress, especially amid the social isolation and anxiety of a prolonged pandemic. I was surprised at how quickly and deeply people shared really important issues and feelings with one another, she said. It showed me what a need there was for this kind of outlet. A seniors perspective St. Helena resident Anne Gridley participated in the current events class. I literally dont think I would be here if it werent for Rianda House, Gridley said. This has been my life. She said Rianda was my lifesaver when her late husband was experiencing dementia. Rianda House offers a caregiver support group in partnership with Collabria Care and the Alzheimers Association. That taught me how to take care of him and what to say to him, Gridley said. Shes taken part in everything from Balance & Stretch classes to music appreciation to the Rianda House book club. She even volunteers to help produce The Wrinkle, the monthly newsletter thats mailed to about 550 people. During the pandemic, Riandas virtual offerings were a lifeline for seniors when we were stuck in our homes and couldnt go anywhere, Gridley said, adding that she felt overwhelmed when the pandemic started. Having someone to talk to and classes to enlighten you has been so wonderful, she said. COVID-19 vaccines When vaccines became available, the St. Helena Hospital Foundation asked for Rianda Houses house help contacting local seniors. The Rianda House staff called seniors, told them how to get vaccinated, and coordinated with the foundation on three clinics that vaccinated approximately 500 people ages 65 and up. In some cases, the foundations mobile unit vaccinated homebound seniors in their own homes. Rianda House staff also attended the vaccine clinics. After months without in-person interaction, the sight of a familiar face even under a mask was enough to bring some of the senior centers longtime patrons to tears. We became their safe zone, Cobb-Bruno said. They knew who we were, so they felt safe. Aside from their vaccination efforts, the staff distributed about 900 masks manufactured by Beth Lincolns Maisie the Mask Makers group. They also organized a few drive-through events, starting with last years take-home Thanksgiving luncheon, which the staff remembers fondly even though it was pouring rain. That luncheon gave everyone a sense of human-to-human contact, Cobb-Bruno said. Everybody got the sense that Theres Toni! Theres Priscilla! Theres Julie! Theyre still there. Hearts were opened Priscilla Upton, a boardmember who runs the boards finance development committee, said donations went up during the pandemic. People appreciate the work that Julie and the staff are doing to reach out to our members and making sure theyre not isolated and alone, Upton said. They feel this is an important part of our community. With seniors being at the greatest risk of serious illness from COVID-19, the pandemic has focused our community on senior well-being in a way Ive never seen before, Spencer added. Hearts were opened. You can reach Jesse Duarte at 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The St. Helena City Council has approved a settlement agreement requiring the city to provide water to the old Hall mobile home park property and pay $950,000 to the property owners who sued the city over water rights. The council approved the settlement in a 3-1 vote Monday, with Mayor Geoff Ellsworth voting no and Councilmember Anna Chouteau recusing herself because her husband works for Hall Wines. Councilmember Lester Hardy, who served on the councils negotiating team along with Vice Mayor Paul Dohring, said the settlement is in the citys best interest. Ellsworth, who cast the only dissenting vote, said that thanks to the citys negotiating team, were in as good a position as we can be. I am, however, concerned, Ellsworth said. I think that there remain some conflict-of-interest issues, some endorsement issues, some things that have, for me, clouded the water a bit. Ellsworth didnt elaborate on what he referred to as extraneous issues. The owners of the former Vineland Vista Mobile Home Park property, Hall Vineland LLC and Hall Vista LLC, sued the city in 2019 for rescinding a previous will-serve letter pledging to continue offering water service to the former park, which had been demolished and was awaiting renovation. City officials rescinded the letter after city councilmembers expressed concerns that the Halls proposed renovations to the property amounted to a new hotel, not a continuation of the old mobile home park. The Halls lawsuit claimed more than $7 million in damages later increased to $9 million and stated that the park owners were merely looking to renovate the park. The citys efforts to get the case dismissed failed, setting the stage for a trial in March 2022. The settlement will avert a trial and prevent the chance of a judge or jury finding the city liable for more than the $950,000 contained in the settlement. The agreement also caps water use at the old mobile home park at 2,135,250 gallons per year, based on prior consumption, and limits the adjacent Hall winery property to 8 million gallons per year instead of 12 million. The actual water use at both properties is confidential. The council considered the settlement at its Dec. 14 meeting but postponed action until Monday so that staff could reply to questions raised by the public, including how the settlement affects a future project on the site. Whether the County will determine that Halls project is a residential or lodging project, whether it satisfies County and State regulations, and whether to approve it will be issues for the County to resolve, Mondays staff report states. In the meantime, Hall must first complete the Countys development application process, which includes Hall demonstrating to the County that the project will have a water supply. The report also said the city has paid for its legal costs from the Water Enterprise Fund, which is separate from the General Fund. Revenue from Phase II water penalties will cover the settlements first installment of $450,000. The council hasnt decided whether the remaining $500,000, payable over six years, will come out of water penalties, the Water Enterprise Fund, or the General Fund. You can reach Jesse Duarte at 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Napa educators recognize arts students Twelve Napa County students have been recognized as Visual and Performing Arts Student of the Month for November in a program organized by the Arts Council Napa Valley Education Alliance. The initiative seeks nominees monthly, culminating in a scholarship ceremony at the end of the school year. They are now accepting nominations for December and January from college, high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools from visual and performing arts teachers throughout the county. Go to the Arts Council Napa Valley website for more information and to access the nomination form. Nominations are due by the 25th of every month. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: Subscribe for $4.99 for yo Here are Novembers winners: High School Studio Arts: Alicia Fletcher, Napa High School senior Alicia Fletcher shines in Kristi Crickmore's art room. With a natural eye for design and color combinations, her work is graphic and bold. Crickmore says that Alicia is "hard-working, creative, and continually trying new ideas." Her Unique illustrations stand out, and her hard work is worthy of praise. Performance Arts: Leah Gottfried, Oxbow School junior Teacher Jennifer Jordan says Leah Gottfried's work illuminates that we as humans "are not alone in our feelings." Gottfried dug deep to create a performance piece reflecting her understanding of the "masks" women wear in this society. Jordan explains that this highly personal work "depicts the transition from being a child to a woman." Every last detail in the work is symbolic of the emotional and systemic push, pull, and erasure of the "masks that are imposed by society." Leah is a true artist and a keen observer of the human condition. Digital Media (TIE): Alisa Karesh, Napa High School senior Alisa Karesh is a digital artist who is "not afraid to pave her own path," says teacher Kristi Crickmore. Recognized as a hard worker," Alisa is known to work non-stop until her creative goals are met. She also helps others in her classes. Crickmore that Alisa is "an amazingly talented and inventive artist with a passion for pushing herself and for being there, wherever needed." Digital Media (TIE): Trinity Nystrom, New Tech High School junior Trinity Nystrom is known for her wildly inventive artistic style when painting and drawing. This year, however, her well-developed skills have translated beautifully to graphic design and digital painting. Her work is playful and clever yet always "pushes her own craft and abilities," says her teacher Lisa Gottfried who added, you can't miss her kind heart and a generosity of spirit, which shines through in her artwork. Examples at: https://trinitynystrom.weebly.com/my-artwork.html Theater Arts (TIE): Giovanny Perez Solorio, Napa High School senior Giovanny Perez Solorio is a hard-working thespian on all fronts: He is as dedicated to his craft as he is to helping stagehands "paint, load-in, build, strike and stow the set pieces," says drama teacher Patty Profitt. For his immeasurable efforts, he was promoted to advanced drama for his senior year. Giovanny worked on the costume design team for the Drama 2 production of "Dreamlandia." (Dec. 2-4) as well as understudying the roles of Pepin and Celestino. Theater Arts (TIE): Natalya Farris, American Canyon High School senior Natalya Farris's natural theater skills, paired with her endless enthusiasm, placed her in advanced drama as a 9th-grade student. Natalya is consistently cast in critical roles in multiple productions and recently became teacher Summer Heartt's assistant director for the fall play, "Clue On Stage." Heart writes that Natalya's "vision, voice, and communication skills were exemplified in this leadership position." Because of these skills, those who were fortunate enough to see the play "felt a sense of theatre magic that night." Music/Choir: Markus Tecson, American Canyon High senior Teacher Jamie Butler describes Markus Tecson as "one of the best leaders I have taught in my 21-year career!" His peers, who look up to him for his singing talents and work ethic, refer to him as "Father Markus." This truly impressive Senior at ACHS is also currently the President of the Associated Students of Napa Valley College, and "all this while carrying a 4.4 GPA," says Butler. Markus's future is a bright one! Middle & Elementary Level Winners Studio Arts (TIE): Lizeth Cuevas Valle, Silverado Middle School, eighth grade Lizeth Cuevas Valle is the kind of student every teacher dreams about: a true artist who acts as a second teacher within the classroom. "Her raw talent is something that you cannot teach, only hope to nurture," explains her teacher Julia Zmed. Even small and straightforward warm-ups will become nightlong projects that get returned to class as a fantastic surprise. Lizeth takes all work as a challenge to be attacked with focus, stunning detail and skill. Studio Arts (TIE): Amanda Piszczek, American Canyon Middle School, eighth grade Amanda Piszczek's eye for natural design is on display in every work of art she creates. She has a broad skillset and a willingness to learn and attempt just about any artistic medium there is. She knits, paints and draws, all the while consistently improving. Her teacher Jenifer Leahy says Amanda is a "pure joy to watch!" Photo/Film: Andy Gonzalez-Hernandez, River Middle School, eighth grade Andy Gonzalez-Hernandez excels in many classes, but none more than art. While he doesn't practice the medium of photography in school, Andy's teacher Hollie Hardwick explains that "when a student spends time outside of school and class creatively engaged, [it's important to] recognize their natural talent." This incredibly kind and sociable young man is exceptionally skilled at capturing nature. Hardwick adds that she believes Andy's "talent and genuine friendliness" are a recipe for success in a career in photography and videography. His website is www.gnzlzphotography.com/ Band/Orchestra: Janelley Cruz, American Canyon Middle School, eighth grade Janelley Cruz switched from violin to string bass (her current instrument) in sixth grade. Janelley's teacher Deborah Walden said she was delighted how much Janelley had accomplished on her instrument, with minimal instruction and a year of online learning, upon her return to school this year. Not only is Janelley lead bass, but she is kind and respectful to both her teachers and peers, all while remaining focused on her craft. Walden sings her praises, saying, "It is students like Janelley who make my responsibilities as a music teacher fun and rewarding." Studio Art: Damian Alejandre, Philips Academy, fifth grade Teacher Jennifer Veveiros recognizes Damian Alejandre as an exceptionally observant artist whose detailed paintings and drawings show that he genuinely thinks "outside the box," working to differentiate his artworks from his peers. During a quilt project called "Visible Threads" Damian cut and glued fabric pieces to create his picture, rather than simply paint it. The completed work stands apart, earning him this special recognition. A proposed, 66-unit apartment complex along Highway 29 in American Canyon has raised the conundrum of how to create affordable housing without exacerbating traffic woes. Napa Cove is to be on a 3.5-acre lot in the heart of the city. In a county where Zillow says the typical house is worth $861,000, affordable housing is increasingly mentioned as a priority. The American Canyon Planning Commission on Dec. 16 approved the Napa Cove design permit by a 4-0 vote. Such project features as three buildings with a modern industrial look easily passed muster. We all want affordable housing, Commissioner Tammy Wong said. But traffic is also a major issue, both on the citys main drag of Highway 29 and adjoining streets. Highway 29 is a major regional road with rush-hour congestion that can make leaving Napa County for the Bay Area an ordeal. Napa Cove dropped its original idea of having access to and from Highway 29. The Napa Valley Transportation Authority (NVTA) said vehicles using such a driveway could hinder highway traffic flow and affect safety on a planned bike/pedestrian path. Whenever possible, NVTA suggests the city minimize additional driveway/roadway access to the highway, such as what is proposed in the Napa Cove project, agency Executive Director Kate Miller wrote to the city. Instead, Napa Cove will have a driveway from Melvin Road. That raised a different set of concerns, given the street runs parallel to this stretch of Highway 29 and through a residential neighborhood. Melvin Road resident Beth Marcus stressed she didnt oppose the project but had questions about traffic. We are the frontage road to the highway, Marcus said. And it is packed every morning, every evening. Cars in motion werent the only concern. Napa Cove is to have 119 parking spaces for its 66 units and commissioners wondered if spillover parking would occur on Melvin Road. Commissioner Eric Altman suggested that Napa Cove have a parking structure. Having to build a parking structure, unfortunately, would literally render this project financially unfeasible, said local developer Rick Hess on behalf of the applicants. The Planning Commission couldnt solve all of these potential problems in one night and didnt want to continue the matter into next year. The applicants said they face deadlines related to state financing for affordable housing. I feel theres some momentum to this and I would feel very sad if the Planning Commission was holding up that momentum, Commission Chairperson Tyrone Navarro said. Some people say American Canyon should stop approving anything until traffic issues are solved, including on Highway 29, Community Development Director Brent Cooper said. Thats not feasible, he said. Theres a critical need for housing. The city has an obligation to come up with a capital improvement plan for Melvin Road and has time, given the apartments probably wont open until summer 2023, Cooper said. Commissioner Andrew Goff agreed that the concerns about Melvin Road are valid. But I also agree with the statements its not the applicants problem, its really the citys responsibility, Goff said. The city needs to take that on. Another aspect of Napa Cove is that it is among the first projects under the citys new Broadway District Specific Plan. Broadway is another name for the American Canyon stretch of Highway 29 and the plan will help mold the future look of this south Napa County gateway. This is really going to set the tone for other projects that come in under the Broadway District plan, Hess said. Goff voiced an objection to the project the name. The Cove at American Canyon sounds much better to me than Napa Cove, he said. Thats a possibility. The one potential obstacle described by the applicant is that Napa Cove is the name on the state financing application. Napa Cove is being developed at 3805 Broadway by CRP Affordable Housing & Community Development. The location is south of Canyon Cafe and across the street from the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott. You can reach Barry Eberling at 256-2253 or beberling@napanews.com. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. With the search for Crystal Lea McCarthy now in its second week, friends of the 37-year-old Napa woman missing since Dec. 13, along with volunteers, carried out another search on Wednesday. About 20 searchers allied with the Facebook group Find Crystal Lea McCarthy met at 11:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Century Napa Valley movie theater at 195 Gasser Drive. The searchers split up into small groups to canvass the area and give out missing-person handbills to local businesses. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: Subscribe for $4.99 for yo McCarthy was reported missing on the morning of Dec. 14. The handbills state she was last seen at about 9 p.m. Dec. 13 on the Napa River Trail between Lincoln Avenue and Trancas Street, at the tail end of a heavy two-day rainstorm that dumped about 4 inches and more on much of the Napa Valley. The group of searchers targeted the South Napa area near the Imola bridge because the Facebook group had received tips of possible sightings in the area, said Deanna Reister, a friend and former coworker of McCarthy. Search efforts since her disappearance have included walks of the Napa River banks by detectives, a California Highway Patrol search on Dec. 16, and a Napa County Sheriffs Office boat search on Sunday from Kennedy Park north to downtown. Police reported earlier that McCarthys boyfriend Drew Wright told officers he had last seen and talked to her the night of Dec. 13 and that he worked that evening and learned she was not home on his return just after midnight. A roommate of McCarthy and Wright was home that night and spoke with McCarthy just before 9 p.m., when she asked about an umbrella, Napa Police said on Saturday. At 10:30 p.m., the roommate received a food order placed by McCarthy, but assumed she was in her bedroom. Wright, who was among the group searching for McCarthy on Wednesday, said he searched the area the next morning and found McCarthys umbrella and boots on the western bank of the Napa River, near their home. Detectives have reported no activity on her bank accounts since her disappearance, and McCarthys cellphone was left at her house. Wright said it was not abnormal for McCarthy to leave without her phone. Also on Tuesday, Napa Police released new details about McCarthys possible whereabouts on Dec. 13 before her disappearance, under the Lincoln Avenue bridge near their home, the department said. According to Sgt. Pete Piersig, McCarthy was observed at about 10:34 p.m. on a security video at a nearby 7-Eleven store, with a homeless man who had recently been released from jail. She was seen in the video purchasing alcohol, a detail Piersig said was consistent with what her boyfriend Wright believed she was doing, Piersig said in an email about the encounter. Police initially were informed that McCarthy had befriended a homeless woman and had brought food and beverages to her and others in the past, but follow-up conversations revealed she also was a friend of the homeless man, who Piersig said is not suspected of any criminal activities. The nearest 7-Eleven at the corner of the Silverado Trail and Lincoln is east of the home shared by McCarthy, Wright and their flatmate. On Wednesday police released the last known photo of McCarthy at the 7-11, taken at about 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 13. We suspect she went in the rushing river based on the proximity of her personal belongings, but it is entirely possible she walked away or was taken away, wrote Piersig. Since we cant rule out that she met foul play, we will continue to investigate. Wright said the homeless man told him he met McCarthy while walking on the bridge to the 7-11 that night and they started up a conversation. According to Wright, the man said that he and McCarthy picked up alcohol at the store and then drank it underneath the bridge. He told Wright he went to get more alcohol and when he came back McCarthy was gone. Wright said he thinks the Napa police department detectives are doing the best they can with little evidence. Napa police detective Brandt Keown said the department isnt considering foul play at this point, given the information they have, and that the homeless man has been cooperative and forthcoming in interviews with police. Wright and several of McCarthys friends said McCarthy is a very friendly person who could strike up a conversation with anyone. Wright added McCarthy is an amazing social butterfly and one of the bubbliest people I know, and that they have a great relationship. Shed talk to anybody; she didnt really have much of a filter for dangerous people, potentially at least, Wright said. McCarthy is described as 5 feet and 4 or 5 inches, weighing 155 pounds with red-orange hair and green-hazel eyes. She was described as wearing a blue hooded jacket and black pants, and does not have a vehicle. The Facebook group Find Crystal Lea McCarthy can be viewed at facebook.com/FindCrystalLea, and information can be sent to FindCrystalLea@gmail.com. Anyone with information is asked to contact Napa Police Detective Brandt Keown at 707-257-9592 or bkeown@cityofnapa.org, or Drew Wright at 707-225-4193. You can reach Howard Yune at 530-763-2266 or hyune@napanews.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Howard Yune Public Safety Reporter Howard Yune covers public safety for the Napa Valley Register. He has been a reporter and photographer for the Register since 2011, and previously wrote for the Marysville Appeal-Democrat, Anaheim Bulletin and Coos Bay (Oregon) World. Follow Howard Yune 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 Aeroflot cancels all flights to and from Kazakhstan on January 6 and 7 Armenian Embassy in Kazakhstan recommends not to leave place of stay Kazakhstan MFA denies information on suspension of foreign citizens entry into country EU takes note of Kazakhstan's appeal for help to CSTO Shooting in Kazakhstan's Alma-Ata CSTO Secretary General discuss Kazakhstan situation with Armenian PM Yerevan-Aktau flight scheduled for today is canceled Kazakhstan suspended entry of foreign nationals into the country Lavrov supports efforts to normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia President of Artsakh attends Christmas Holy Liturgy Yerevan-Aktau flight scheduled for today is canceled Saakashvili welcomed protests in Kazakhstan Gibka-S missile systems to be delivered to Russian forces in 2022 Lavrov and Cavusoglu discuss the situation in the Caucasus First plane with Russian CSTO contingent arrives in Almaty Georgia PM: I congratulate our Armenian compatriots, brotherly Armenian 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Zhoghovurd newspaper of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: Today, the Yerevan Council of Elders will discuss the no-confidence motion against Mayor Hayk Marutyan. The initiator is the [ruling majority] "My Step" Faction of the Council of Elders. The authorities want to replace Marutyan with Deputy Mayor Hrachya Sargsyan, as Marutyan met with RA second President Robert Kocharyan and "fell into a bad circle." In parallel with the process of no-confidence motion against Hayk Marutyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had recently met with the My Step Faction of the Council of Elders at the head office of the [countrys ruling] Civil Contract Party. Zhoghovurd daily learned that the closed-door meeting was quite heated. According to the information we received, the first matter was what mechanisms are needed to "say goodbye" to Marutyan smoothly, without a shock. Then the matter of finding a replacement for Marutyan was discussed. Pashinyan tended to entrust the mayor's seat to Council of Elders member Armen Kotolyan; the other Council of Elders members, however, spoke out against his candidacy. Not wanting to insult and offend him [i.e., Pashinyan], they nonetheless noted that Kotolyan is young, whereas someone more experienced is needed for that position. In the end, Pashinyan made a concession, and the My Step [faction members] nominated Sargsyan. The most heated discussion took place on the matter that all those who dare to oppose the demand for ousting Marutyan should resign from their mandate and not leave the faction. The members of the ruling wing of the Council of Elders unanimously agreed that Prime Minister Pashinyan should know from now on first hand what is happening in the city hall; in other words, everyone should be accountable to Pashinyan, report about everything to him. They agreed so, and today is a decisive day. The political repressions against the mayor of Yerevan will have a concrete manifestation today. The members of the Council of Elders hall vote against Mayor Hayk Marutyan in a closed-secret format. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has sent a condolence telegram on the occasion of the death of Rima Demirtchyan, wife of National Hero of Armenia, statesman and political figure Karen Demirtchyan. The telegram reads as follows: I was deeply saddened by the news about the death of Rima Demirtchyan, wife of National Hero of Armenia, statesman and political figure Karen Demirtchyan and the director of the Karen Demirtchyan Benevolent Foundation. Mrs. Demirtchyan was an exemplary woman, a caring mother who enjoyed the love and respect of the public. She was also a professor with a prolific career and had educated wide circles of the young generation. After the tragic death of Karen Demirtchyan, Mrs. Demirtchyan kept the memory of her husband alive with her activities, and with this, she helped make the image of Karen Demirtchyan the state, national and political figure complete. At this moment of dire loss, I express my deep condolences to the family and relatives of Rima Demirtchyan, wishing them patience and courage. First of all, I would like to thank Hayk Marutyan for the services he has provided to Yerevan during these three years. Of course, many results have been registered during these years. Armen Galjyan, a member of the ruling majority "My Step" Faction, stated this at Wednesdays special sitting of the Yerevan Council of Eldersand presenting the matter of expressing no confidence in Mayor Hayk Marutyan. "It is a difficult situation, we [i.e. the aforesaid faction] came to this decision with difficulty, but I believe this was a necessity in the current situation because there a real crisis had arisen between the institutions of the Council of Elders and the mayor. I really want us not to have personalized speeches today because there is no dislike for the person of Hayk Marutyan. Although the press notes that Hayk Marutyan's departure from the My Step was the reason for this process, I want to say that it became just an occasion for this crisis. We have been working for a year and that work is difficult. The most important thing here is that the current situation will not enable to work and serve Yerevan effectively for the next two years. Now the issue of effective management of the city is being resolved. I am confident that we, under the mayorship of [serving Deputy Mayor] Hrachya Sargsyan, will continue the reforms that you have started, Mr. Marutyan," he said. Galjyan added that they are often asked why they do not go to snap elections in this regard. There are two ways to go to snap elections. The first is that the mayor resigns and the Council of Elders does not elect a new mayor. The second is that the Council of Elders does not convene a session for three months and [as a result,] the Council of Elders is dissolved. This option will be to the detriment of the city," he said. The Yerevan municipal council has convened a special session Wednesdayand with only one matter on the agenda: the draft decision of the Yerevan Council of Elders on expressing no confidence in Mayor Hayk Marutyan. Also, this draft proposes to elect Deputy Mayor Hrachya Sargsyan as the Mayor of Yerevan. The session is being chaired by Hayk Marutyan. As reported earlier, the ruling majority "My Step" Faction of the Yerevan Council of Elders had collected signatures to express no confidence in Marutyan. This initiative is supported also by the members of the opposition Prosperous Armenia Faction and Ani Khachatryan from the opposition Luys Faction. But several members of the "My Step" Faction have opposed this initiative and resigned from the Yerevan city council. For the first time in its history, Armenia is entering the process of normalizing relations with Turkey, meeting Turkey's main preconditions. International Studies expert Suren Sargsyan wrote about this on Facebook. He added as follows in particular: 1. Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] is handed over to Azerbaijan, 2. International recognition of the [Armenian] Genocide is de facto removed from our foreign policy agenda, 3. The most recent preconditionthe opening of the [Zangezur] corridorwill be met in the near future. By the way, in 1992, Turkey posited a precondition for Armenia to remove the following paragraph from the Declaration of Independence: 11. The Republic of Armenia [(RA)] supports the work of the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide in 1915 in Ottoman Turkey and Western Armenia. The removal of the image of Mount Ararat from the coat of arms of Armenia was also a precondition, as it was viewed as a territorial claim against Turkey. Now, in all likelihood, Armenia and Turkey will sign documents on the establishment of diplomatic relations, state that Armenia recognizes Turkey's territorial integrity and inseparability, and give a vague wordingin the style of [Turkish President] Erdogan's "joint tragedyon the Genocide. Turkey will have zero constraints on the Armenian side in the forthcoming talks, but will have some constraints from the mediating states. At the moment they are two: the USA (see the Bloomberg leak), and Russia (see the RA authorities' request for mediation). Let them not tell tales. The My Step has put the petty group interest above the interest of an entire community. Mayor Hayk Marutyan noted this in his remarks at Wednesdays special session of the Yerevan Council of Eldersand with respect to the matter of the no-confidence motion against him. "Today a process is taking place that has never taken place in the history of Yerevan. This is the first case of expressing no confidence in the mayor of Yerevan. It seems that in order to do such a thing, the initiators had to have very weighty arguments against the mayor. (). [But] the reason presented is completely different. As the initiating party says, since I have left the [ruling] CC [Civil Contract] party, I must leave this position as well." Marutyan added. He recalled that the first snap elections after the revolution in Armenia in April 2018 were held in the capital Yerevan, and the revolutionary team ran in this election in a bloc. Marutyan noted that out of the first 57 people elected via the "My Step" bloc to the Council of Elders, only 27 were members of the CC at that time. Marutyan reminded that as a result of this election, 82% of the voters had cast their ballots for that team. "I repeat: the people did not vote for any party; they voted for the bloc, the revolution, the revolutionary team, the leader of the revolution [serving PM] Nikol Pashinyan, Hayk Marutyan, the respected and well-known people included in the team, () who for years had dedicated themselves to the victory of the revolution," Marutyan said. The mayor of Yerevan noted that today the process of expressing no confidence in him is based on his leaving the CC and the "My Step" bloc. He emphasized that he left the CC, but not the "My Step" bloc. "Mentioning the name of the Civil Contract party in their arguments, these people are trying to privatize the revolution, they are trying to make the CC the only bearer and heir of revolutionary values. This is unacceptable for me and for thousands of non-partisan people like me, who carried out the revolution to have a better Armenia," Marutyan added. As reported earlier, the Yerevan municipal council has convened a special session Wednesdayand with only one matter on the agenda: the draft decision of the Yerevan Council of Elders on expressing no confidence in Mayor Hayk Marutyan. Also, this draft proposes to elect Deputy Mayor Hrachya Sargsyan as the Mayor of Yerevan. The session is being chaired by Hayk Marutyan. The ruling majority "My Step" Faction of the Yerevan Council of Elders had collected signatures to express no confidence in Marutyan. This initiative is supported also by the members of the opposition Prosperous Armenia Faction and Ani Khachatryan from the opposition Luys Faction. But several members of the "My Step" Faction have opposed this initiative and resigned from the Yerevan city council. Spokesperson of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov has labeled as painful for the residents of Chechnya the Turkish governments decision on naming one of the parks after a terrorist who tried to seize the region of Russia, and so, he understands the emotional reaction of Chechnya leader Ramzan Kadirov, RIA Novosti reports. This is a rather emotional, yet explicable reaction of the leader of the Russian region who has been through several wars that were provoked and unleashed by terrorists who were trying to take over that region of Russia. One of the terrorists who did that was Dudayev. Unfortunately, one of the parks in a region of Turkey was named after that terrorist. Of course, this is a rather painful decision for all Chechens and the Republic of Chechnya, and so, such emotional reaction is understandable, Peskov said, adding that Russia has already informed, through diplomatic channels, the Turkish counterparts that Russia doesnt approve of the decision, to say the least. Spokesperson of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov says Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden might hold a talk via video call by the end of this year, even though there is no specific agreement, TASS reports. It might take place and it might not take place. It is quickly agreed upon, if necessary. There is still no specific agreement, Peskov said. Commenting on US Secretary of State Antony Blinkens statement that Washington doesnt have any plans to hold a new meeting of Putin and Biden, Peskov stated that he [Blinken] talked about meetings. Earlier, Putin, starting the Dec. 7 talks with Biden via a video call, said he would really like to see him in person. The General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Committee of Armenia continues preliminary investigation of the criminal case launched in regard to the case of provision of false information on the part of leader of the opposition National Security Party Garnik Isagulyan, the Investigative Committee reports. By combining the sufficient evidence that was obtained, Isagulyan is charged with false crime reporting. The body implementing proceedings yesterday filed a motion with the court to select arrest as a pre-trial measure against him, and the court granted the motion. The preliminary investigation continues. Measures are being taken to clarify all the circumstances of the case and ensure objective and comprehensive investigation. Accordingly, evidence has been obtained that during a press conference on September 20, Isagulyan, knowing that the information he was providing was false, reported a crime that had not been committed. In particular, during the interview, Isagulyan said that the Armenian ambassador to Ukraine was allegedly studied and recruited by the Turkish and Azerbaijani special services, and that this diplomat is collaborating with the aforementioned services and the representatives of those nations since 2008, about which Isagulyan himself has no doubts. According to his statement, the Armenian ambassador to Ukraine held talks with the Azerbaijani ambassador to Ukraine, and as a result, it was decided that the Armenian prime minister shall meetin Batumi, Georgiawith the representatives of the Turkish president to ask for money from the latter, as the money in the state budget of Armenia has run out and they cannot pay pensions; thus, unjustly accusing the Armenian diplomat of committing a serious crime. Garnik Isagulyan is already accusedin the criminal case under consideration by the Yerevan courtof making false statements about the prime minister of Armenia, a number of former and current officials and public figures, the current chairman of the Investigative Committee, the former secretary of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Security Council, as well as of making public calls for using violence against the Prime Minister of Armenia. Upon his arrival in Baku Wed., the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that Iran welcomes further economic and trade cooperation with Azerbaijan, Mehr reports. "Today, we will have high-level meetings with the officials of the Republic of Azerbaijan and we are glad that the relations between the two countries are growing, developing, and strengthening", the Iranian Foreign Minister stated. Amir-Abdollahian added that he has a variety of ideas for expanding bilateral cooperation which he will be discussed in a meeting with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. He also mentioned that the Iranian and Azeri Foreign Ministers have been in touch during the past three months and have held meetings in New York, Ashgabat, and Islamabad in which the frameworks of expanding the cooperations were discussed, according to Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia today hosted the first session of the inter-agency task force set up upon the decision of the Prime Minister to carry out activities with regard to the establishment of an integrated call management center, the introduction and operation of one common phone number for sounding alarms and widely raising public awareness about them. The session was chaired by head of the task force, First Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations Armen Pambukhchyan and attended by representatives of the Rescue Service, the Police and the Public Services Regulatory Commission. The members of the task force exchanged views on having one unified 911 alarm center. After the session, the guests toured the National Center for Crisis Management and learned about the operation of the 911 service. Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Russia and Armenia Sergey Lavrov and Ararat Mirzoyan agreed to take additional steps to launch practical activities for demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. As reported the press service of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the phone talks, the ministers discussed the current issues on the bilateral and regional agendas and shared their assessments on implementation of the agreements reached by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia in Sochi on November 26, 2021. The parties reached an agreement to take additional steps to launch practical activities for demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, with delimitation in the future. They expressed mutual interest in the speedy implementation of actions for unblocking transport and economic ties in the South Caucasus, the press release reads. The agenda of bilateral cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan is extensive, and I am certain that this cooperation will lead to good results. This is what President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said during his meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Baku, Mehr reports. The friendship and brotherhood of Iran and Azerbaijan were affirmed, and the need to take future steps to develop relations in all political, economic, trade and cultural sectors was emphasized during the meeting held with the President of Iran in Ashgabad, he said. In his turn, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian conveyed the greetings of President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi. The Iranian foreign minister reminded about the Iranian presidents invitation to Tehran, labeling the meeting of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Iran in the capital of Turkmenistan and the negotiations as a turning point and a serious development in the relations of the two friendly and fraternal countries. The Russian contingent deployed in Syria is the guarantor of peace in Syria, and the personnel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is the guarantor of peace in Nagorno-Karabakh, Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoygu said, TASS reports. Russian peacekeepers have been ensuring conditions for establishment of peaceful life in Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions and contributing to the restoration of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia for over a year now. At this moment, no serious incident has taken place. The Russian contingent also continues to act as the guarantor of peace in Syria, the minister said during the plenary session of the Public Council under the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Dear fellow citizens of Yerevan, I inform that I am dropping my mandate of a member of the Council of Elders of Yerevan. This is what member of the My Step faction Lilit Pipoyan wrote on her Facebook page, adding the reasons for her decision. 1. I didnt want to be a part of the process of expressing no confidence in the mayor. 2. I have complaints about and disagreement with the institution of the Council of Elders itself; it definitely needs to undergo fundamental reforms in order to truly become a municipal authority, which it isnt now. It needs to become a professional legislature for the city of Yerevan. Unfortunately, my proposal to set up a Council for Monumental Art at Yerevan Municipality remained on paper, and it had taken me quite a long time to draft the proposal during the past months, but I will submit the complete proposal to the deputy mayor for cultural affairs with the hope that it will be implemented, wrote Pipoyan. With 44 votes in favor and 10 votes against, the Council of Elders of Yerevan expressed no confidence Mayor Hayk Marutyan today, and Hrachya Sargsyan, who used to hold the position of First Deputy Mayor prior to that, was elected the new mayor. Baku has responded to the statement that Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan made today in regard to preparation for the opening of railway connection to Iran through Nakhchivan. According to haqqin.az, citing diplomatic sources, in regard to the unblocking and restoration of communication routes between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the stance of the Azerbaijani government is that there cant be any talk about the restoration of communication between Armenia and Iran through Nakhchivan, as well as restoration of communications in other directions until the new Aghbend-Meghri-Nakhchivan railway is not exploited. The Government of Azerbaijan presented its stance to M. Grigoryan during the talks held in the format of consultations of the Deputy Prime Ministers of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia in Moscow, writes the source. Irans Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian believes the 3+3 format may contribute to the strengthening of peace and stability in the region. During a meeting with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in Baku, the Iranian minister talked about Irans participation in the 3+3 format and stated that the cooperation will favor the strengthening of peace and stability in the region. He emphasized that foreign powers beyond the region have no right to interfere in the affairs of the region and claimed that the countries of the region can resolve their issues on their own, Mehr reports. In his turn, Aliyev said the countries of the region need to solve the problems of the region on their own. We are against the involvement of countries beyond the region in regional affairs. We believe the ties in the region are helpful for all countries of the region, he added. A U.S. diplomat serving at the U.S. Consulate in Lebanon was arrested after being suspected of selling a fake passport to a Syrian for $10,000 in Turkey. According to Anadolu, the diplomat and the Syrian citizen were arrested after the latter had allegedly tried to travel to Germany with the passport given by the diplomat. The footage of the surveillance camera shows that the two had met at the airport and exchanged clothes. Police report that they have videotaped evidence showing that the diplomat submitted the diplomatic passport, which passport control declared as suspicious, Reuters reports. Anadolu reported that police officers found $10,000 in the envelope containing the passport with the name of the diplomat during a search. After the incident, the diplomat was arrested and is still in custody. The agency reports that the Syrian is in liberty until the trial over the falsification of documents begins. In an interview aired on Armenian Public Television, Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan declared that the document that the Ministers of Defense of the Russian Federation and Armenia signed in December 2020 didnt concern the decisions on the pullout of the troops of Armenia a few kilometers back in Syunik Province. During a press conference held in parliament on Dec. 20, deputies of the opposition Armenia Faction of the National Assembly Gegham Manukyan and Anna Grigoryan informed that they had received contradicting responses to their inquiries addressed to various government agencies in regard to the command to pull out Armenian troops and the fact about the command. Whereas in response to Manukyans inquiry addressed to already former Minister of Defense Arshak Karapetyan the minister had informed that the issue is not within the domain of competence of the Ministry of Defense, in response to a similar inquiry addressed to Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Artak Davtyan, the latter said the pullout of troops had taken place in December 2020. MP Manukyan stated that he couldnt fully disclose the document due to the prescribed confidentiality regime. Later, in response to another similar inquiry, current Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan had informed the MP that there is a document signed between the Ministries of Defense of Armenia and the Russian Federation, but, due to the confidentiality regime, he cant disclose it. Touching upon the opposition MPs statements and the presented factual data, Grigoryan claims that there is nothing new and that the authorities havent concealed anything. We have publicly talked about almost all the processes that have taken place after November 9. The Prime Minister said why it was decided to pull out the troops. The document is about something totally different. Im surprised that the opposition revealed this a year later. The document stated that Armenia will continue to use that road until it has an alternative road. Construction of the alternative road ended in Armenia in November, and Azerbaijan declared that it will set up customs points on the Goris-Kapan motorway. We have talked about this, and I am surprised that the opposition is revealing the well-known facts, Grigoryan added. When Ankara made an announcement about the normalization of relations with Armenia and sent positive signals, Armenia responded to those positive signals; overall, there is still no agenda, its mainly about sitting at the table, understanding the stances of the sides and understanding how to normalize the relations. This is what Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan said in an interview aired on Armenian Public Television, touching upon the upcoming Armenian-Turkish negotiations. We see that there are such opportunities in the region, for instance, the possible opening of the Kars-Gyumri railway which will create big opportunities for Armenia and Turkey and will help make Armenia and Turkey economically dependent, Grigoryan stated. Asked why is it that the Turkish side constantly says what has to happen and Armenia does whatever the Turkish side says, Grigoryan noted the following: The Turkish side isnt saying what has to happen. It makes public statements, and we respond to almost all of them. Currently, we believe the important thing is to sit at the table and discuss the issues. We have yet to sit at the table and understand what Turkey is referring to and what Armenia is referring to. A few days ago, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu declared that Armenia and Turkey will appoint special envoys to discuss the steps aimed at normalizing their relations. Turkey will be represented by Serdar Kilic, who served as Turkeys Ambassador to the United States for 7 years and served as Secretary General of the National Security Council of Turkey before that. Armenias special envoy will be Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ruben Rubinyan, who held the position of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for a few months after shift of power and then chaired the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations in the seventh convocation of the National Assembly. In 2017, Rubinyan was in Turkey for a few months and, as he declared from the podium in parliament on August 3, conducted research. Ruben Rubinyan was the head of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly, specializes in this sector, and there is another factor that makes him an effective negotiator he has ties with the Prime Minister and his team. This is what Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan said in an interview aired on Armenian Public Television, touching upon the question why it was decided to send Rubinyan as Armenias special representative to represent Armenia during the upcoming negotiations with Turkey. Asked if it wouldnt be right to place emphasis on rich experience in diplomacy and not the political ties of the envoy and the ties with the team, Grigoryan noted the following: We believe that the factors I mentioned are more important since any kind of issue can be set forth during the negotiations, and there will be a need to verify a particular issue with the Prime Minister. We took all this into consideration, and we considered Mr. Rubinyans appointment more effective. Modern diplomacy is undergoing several changes, and we shouldnt think about the modern processes with old patterns, he stated. A few days ago, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu declared that Armenia and Turkey will appoint special envoys to discuss the steps aimed at normalizing their relations. Turkey will be represented by Serdar Kilic, who served as Turkeys Ambassador to the United States for 7 years and served as Secretary General of the National Security Council of Turkey before that. Armenias special envoy will be Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ruben Rubinyan, who held the position of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for a few months after shift of power and then chaired the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations in the seventh convocation of the National Assembly. In 2017, Rubinyan was in Turkey for a few months and, as he declared from the podium in parliament on August 3, conducted research. Prosecutors want life sentences for downing MH17 Rob and Silene Fredriksz, who lost their son when Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was downed arrive at the high security court at Schiphol airport. File photo: AP Dutch prosecutors on Wednesday called for life in prison for four suspects on trial in absentia accused of downing Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine with a surface-to-air missile, killing 298 people. The ill-fated flight heading for Kuala Lumpur took off from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport in July 2014, and prosecutors this week launched closing arguments in the closely watched trial. A verdict is not expected until late 2022 at the earliest. The four suspects on trial are Russian nationals Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky and Oleg Pulatov, and Ukrainian citizen Leonid Kharchenko, accused of launching the BUK missile that hit the plane over war-torn eastern Ukraine. "We are asking that the suspects Girkin, Dubinsky, Pulatov and Kharchenko, each for their responsibility of crashing a plane leading to the death and murder of 298 people, be sentenced to life in prison," prosecutor Manon Ridderbeks told the court Wednesday. All four have refused to appear in court in the Netherlands and are being tried in absentia. Prosecutors have argued this week that the four suspects played pivotal roles in securing the BUK system, which was most likely intended to strike a Ukrainian warplane. International investigators say the missile was originally brought from a Russian military base, ostensibly to be used in the fight against Ukrainian forces. "Our evidence is convincing and abundant. We have many sources where the evidence comes from and they support each other," chief prosecutor Digna van Boetzelaer told AFP. Prosecutors said the missile's deployment was planned and organised, and that it did not matter whether the suspects made a mistake in targeting a passenger plane. "If we consider how much time the defendants put into planning and organising the deployment of the BUK, it is all the more poignant how little attention they appear to have given to the risk of inadvertently shooting down a passenger aircraft," prosecutors argued, according to trial documents Wednesday. "In legal terms, the defendants were civilians and were therefore not allowed to shoot at any aircraft, whether civilian or military." Anton Kotte, who lost his son, daughter-in-law and grandson in the crash, welcomed Wednesday's proceedings. "There were children from one year old on that plane. They had their whole life... there's no life. It's awful," he told reporters outside the court. Piet Ploeg, who lost three relatives in the crash, said the sentence request was called for. "There's only one sentence that's appropriate for this crime, and that's life imprisonment," he said. The hearings come as fresh tensions soar over Ukraine, with the West accusing Moscow of planning an invasion. (AFP) In a new effort, the Kabul municipality has taken steps to remove the photos of women on storefronts in the capital city, Tolo News reported. The spokesman of Kabul municipality, Nematullah Barakzai, said the government has ordered the municipality's officials to remove all photos of women from signboards at shops and business centres in Kabul. "Based on the decision of the government, the photos that are against Islamic regulations will be collected or removed from billboards," said Barakzai, the report said. Meanwhile, the owners of beauty salons in Kabul criticised the decision of the Islamic Emirate, and asked the government to not impose restrictions on their business. Shayesta Saifi, a make-up artiste, has worked in a beauty salon for seven years. Shayesta said she is financially assisting her 10-member family. "This is imposing a restriction on women's work, there is a fear that they will lock our shop in the coming days," she said. "How does it benefit the government if photos of women are removed," asked Parwana, a women's rights activist, as per the report. This comes as international organisations have repeatedly called on the Taliban to not ignore the rights of women and to not marginalise women from the society. But the Islamic Emirate claims that it already respects women based on Islamic principles. --IANS san/arm ( 237 Words) 2021-12-21-23:10:04 (IANS) The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), however, has not yet confirmed any cases of the strain in the district. Balochistan Coronavirus Operation Cell in-charge Dr Naqeebullah Niazi told Geo News that the suspected cases surfaced in the last two days. He said that the samples taken from the suspected patients are being sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad for confirmation. The Balochistan health department has written a letter to the Kalat district health officer, directing him to identify the suspected patients and put them in isolation, the health official said. Moreover, doctors have also been told to be careful, the report said. Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo expressed concerns over the suspected presence of the Omicron variant in Kalat and sought a report from the health department. Pakistan has so far reported one confirmed and another suspected case of Omicron, apart from the latest suspected cases from Kalat. The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), on December 13, had confirmed it had detected Pakistan's first-ever case of the Omicron variant of coronavirus in a patient who had no travel history through gene-sequencing. A second case of the Omicron variant of coronavirus had been reported from Karachi, sources within the Sindh Health Department had said later in the week. --IANS san/skp/ ( 253 Words) 2021-12-22-12:08:03 (IANS) The Reliance General Insurance Company said on Tuesday that it will soon come out with nine sandbox products to meet evolving consumer needs. The company has already received approval for the same from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). This announcement is in line with the company's long-term goal of re-innovating and redefining the insurance sector to cater to the fast-transforming customer expectations in the digital age. "Three out of the nine products are from the telematics segment, while the rest of the offerings are from the company's innovative product line designed to address customers' current and future policy requirements. Being one of the most tech-driven insurance companies, RGICL aims to introduce these pioneering product offerings to provide holistic insurance cover from a futuristic perspective," the company said in a statement. According to Rakesh Jain, CEO, Reliance General Insurance Company: "The pandemic has transformed the insurance landscape and elevated customer expectations. The approved nine sandbox products are designed to meet customer expectations through personalised offerings." "They are also modelled to address customers' current and futuristic requirements. We intend to take the customer experiences to the next level with these new-age offerings," Jain said. Reliance General Insurance, a part of Reliance Capital, is one of the leading general insurance companies in India. It offers motor insurance, health insurance, travel insurance, and home insurance, among other customised solutions. --IANS ad-rv/arm ( 245 Words) 2021-12-21-23:04:04 (IANS) Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 22 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Licious, India's first D2C unicorn, was honoured with the Thought Leadership Award for its ambitious ESG goals at the recently concluded ESG Summit & Awards 2021. The prestigious recognition acknowledges and applauds Licious' pledge to be compliant with the global ESG framework. This marks a key milestone for India's largest tech-first, full-stacked, D2C animal protein brand, renowned for leveraging technology to set new benchmarks in quality, sustainability, and transparency in the largely unorganized meat and seafood sector. The brand is not just synonymous with delivering high-quality and superior animal protein products to consumers, but also revolutionizing the category itself. This is in alignment with the ESG Summit & Awards' purpose to recognize and inspire companies to ensure ESG percolates through every aspect of the business - vision, strategy, value creation, and human engagement - to discover sustainable growth for everyone, including business, planet and people. The Award, which places Licious in the league of inspiring companies such as Genpact, ITC, and Vedanta in terms of its ESG commitment, has further embolden the company to take on mightier ESG goals. Commenting on the latest recognition, Rajesh Kumaramenon, Chief Quality & Sustainability Officer, Licious, said, "We are delighted and humbled at receiving the Thought Leadership Award at the prestigious ESG Summit & Awards 2021. While every recognition is special, this one is truly close to our hearts as ESG has defined our purpose and operations since our inception in 2015. Responsibility towards the environment, the poultry farmers, fishermen and the communities we work with has been an integral part of our growth. Despite the traditional obstacles prevalent in the industry, we set out to build a highly controlled value chain - from farm to fork. We believe that an ESG-focused approach is the only way forward for businesses looking at a resilient future. And this award has only strengthened our resolve to set new benchmarks in terms of our ESG goals in the years to come." Earlier this year, Ernst & Young conducted an ESG compliance assessment for Licious to help the company arrive at a roadmap to becoming an ESG-compliant company. The company then launched an ESG & Sustainability division post the assessment to help achieve its global ESG compliance goals. Licious' commitment to ESG is the core driver for its growth vision. It has seen the company experience high affinity among diverse stakeholders, including vendor communities, customers and investors. The first meat and seafood brand from India to be certified with FSSC22000 - one of the highest food safety certifications in the world - Licious got a billion-dollar valuation, earlier this year, making it the first D2C unicorn in the country. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) New Delhi [India], December 22 (ANI/NewsVoir): Apollo Medskills and IIM Lucknow today have decided to join hands and announce the beginning of a relationship between the two institutions with a unique perspective to benefit the healthcare fraternity. The first of many, under this initiative they have launched an Executive Programme in Healthcare Management. Speaking on the occasion, from IIM Lucknow were the Chairperson MDP (Management Development Programmes) Prof. Ajay K Garg and the Programme Directors Professor S. Venkataramanaiah and Professor Madhumita Chakraborty who shared their insights on conceptualising this program. COVID-19 pandemic has exposed all sectors of economy including healthcare across the world. This has led to the rethinking and restructuring of the healthcare industry as well. In the context of India, care delivery has become a big challenge due to serious shortage of qualified medical, nursing, diagnostic and managerial workforce of the healthcare sector apart from ill equipped health infrastructure. Implementation of National health protection system (NHPS) like Ayushman Bharat has started resulting in better healthcare particularly for the bottom of the pyramid (BoP) segment and economic development. India is on top of the list in terms of out-of-pocket expenses which is around 87%. Proposed public spending on healthcare is also attracting the private sector to focus on secondary and tertiary healthcare. All these are generating significant amount of employment in healthcare and allied areas. At this juncture, the proposed collaborative programme Executive Programme in Healthcare Management (EPHM) by IIM Lucknow and Apollo Medskills is expected to contribute by developing appropriate managerial capacity for the fast-growing health sector in India. The programme is designed by taking the necessary inputs from both public and private health sector of India and similar economies in the region. We strongly believe that this programme will add value and capacity building in Indian healthcare sector. "The uniqueness of this programme is the Experiential learning that every participant receives by way of attending the Immersion programme. All participants will have the opportunity to experience the concepts they have been acquainted within the classroom in a real time campus immersion at IIM Lucknow and a field visit at Apollo hospitals. This enhances the students' understanding of the value chain while being present in the relevant environment." Speaking on the occasion of the launch of EPHM programme in collaboration with IIM Lucknow, Dr Srinivasa Rao Pulijala, CEO, Apollo MedSkills Limited, The EPHM Programme Director, said, "The on-going developments in India's healthcare industry is paving way for creating millions of jobs in the sector. The Executive Programme in Healthcare Management offered by the IIM Lucknow, India's top ranking management institute and Apollo MedSkills Limited, one of the large healthcare skilling institution, will definitely nurture and shape the career of hundreds of youth who aspire to take the leadership roles in the health industry. Students will benefit with learning from the industry experts from both management and healthcare sectors. During the pandemic COVID-19 period, we are witnessing a sharp rise in number of hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres, rehabilitation centres across urban, semi-urban and in some pockets of rural India. These health facilities are on the look-out for those talented people who are capable of running them effectively and efficiently. This unique industry is in urgent need of highly skilled people." Apollo Group has addressed healthcare holistically with a commitment to improve the quality and standards of the workforce. Apollo MedSkills, a demonstrated leader in the area of education and skill acquisition specific to Healthcare Sector. Established in 2012 with a vision to address A. Rising domestic and global demand for skilled and adept Health care professionals B. Build top class professionals in Healthcare sector through upskilling and management orientation as per industry standards and needs. C. Channel skilled talent from other sectors who aspire to position a career in Healthcare Sector. D. Enhance entrepreneurship opportunities through startups in diagnostics and other domains. AMSL currently stands out as go-to partner to source talent in the Healthcare industry, particularly healthcare management. Student centred learning, patient oriented education and assured acquisition of necessary functional skills positions Apollo Medskills as the Connoisseur in Industry oriented and market relevant education. From world class simulation labs to rural micro hubs for skill acquisition, AMSL holds a footprint of having 21 active centers, trained over 2.3 Lakhs Healthcare workforce and offers specialised omega courses in Hospital Management, Health Economics and Health Analytics. Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIML) is one of the premier business schools in India. From the sprawling about 185 acres campus, the Institute offers a world-class education in major areas of management and provides an ambiance for genuine intellectual pursuit, excitement, and professional growth. The Institute's carefully designed and high impact Management Development Programmes train business leaders, senior executives, and practicing managers from various sectors of the economy in all disciplines of management education and thought. The Institute provides cooperation and support to Industry and the Government through its large number of prestigious Consulting Assignments and Research Projects. The Institute has an internationally acclaimed Postgraduate Programme in Management, Agri-business Management, & Fellow Programme in Management known for its quality, rigor, and global orientation, PGPWE for Working Managers, International Programme in Management for Executives (IPMX). In addition to these, the Institute has launched distance learning programmes (e-MDPs), besides many other short duration programmes. The Institute has well equipped air-conditioned Lecture Rooms, Library, Computer Centre, and comfortable on campus air-conditioned board and lodging arrangements on a single occupancy basis for the Management Development Programme participants at both the campuses. The Lucknow campus is located about 19 KMs away from the Railway Station and 33 KMs from the Airport, on the Lucknow-Sitapur highway and Hardoi-Sitapur bypass. The Noida campus is located at Plot No. B-1, Sector 62, Noida near the Delhi-Ghaziabad highway (NH-24) about 25 KMs away from New Delhi Railway Station and about 40 KMs from the Domestic Airport. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) Pune (Maharashtra) [India], December 22 (ANI/SRV): Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies (SIMS), Pune, a constituent of Symbiosis International (Deemed University) Pune, is conducting its 12th Annual International Research Conference - SIMSARC from 20th to 22nd December 2021. "I want the young minds to research on how to convert WASTE TO WEALTH by using appropriate technology. Join me in this mission to build the nation for the betterment of its citizens for a better India. " - Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister, Road Transport & Highways. The theme for SIMSARC'21 is "New Normal, New Ways: Implication for Business, Environment, and Society". The conference provides a platform for researchers to share their research ideas with academia, various institutions, and industry across the globe. The review process of SIMSARC is a blind peer review which is one of the best practices of SIMSARC. The conference has a rich pool of reviewers from institutions and industries in India and abroad. SIMSARC has separate tracks for academicians/ faculty, doctoral students which allows the researchers to present their research to eminent reviewers and industry experts. The inaugural ceremony of SIMSARC'21 was conducted on December 21, 2021, in the esteemed presence of Chief Guest, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister, Road Transport & Highways, Government of India; Guest of Honour, Vibhor Talreja, Managing Director, Everstone Capital Advisors Pvt. Ltd. Dr S.B. Mujumdar, Chancellor, Symbiosis International (Deemed University); Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar, Pro-Chancellor, Symbiosis International (Deemed University); Dr. Rajani R. Gupte, Vice-Chancellor, Symbiosis International (Deemed University) were also present for the inaugural ceremony of SIMSARC 21. The welcome address was given by Brig Dr Rajiv Divekar, Director, Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies, Pune. He commended the Chief Guest for the ceremony Shri Nitin Gadkari for his foresight to build the nation. The chief guest was also welcomed by Dr S. B Mujumdar, Chancellor, Symbiosis International (Deemed University). He highlighted that the pandemic has taught us various lessons which includes the importance of health and immunity, family relations, and spirituality. It has also taught us the importance of cooperation. He said, "You alone are not safe unless everyone around you is". Hon'ble Union Minister, Shri Nitin Gadkari said, "We strongly believe that society must focus on ethics." He also emphasised on how road transport and the new road developmental projects have changed the face of India along with giving a boost to the business sectors. SIMS in-house research journal, JIDNYASA Vol 13, issue 2, was released in the presence of Chief Guest, Shri Nitin Gadkari. The Guest of Honour for the inaugural session of SIMSARC'21, Vibhor Talreja, said "We are on the forefront of living in the new normal. We are entering a new normal every three years. The industries are seeing a massive change in the business cycle due to Covid-19. UPI and adoption of mobile payment is exceptionally high in Asia and the pace of the new normal is moulding us to adapt to new changes a lot faster." The compendium, which consists of abstracts of the papers for SIMSARC'21, was released by the hands of the Guest of Honour, Vibhor Talreja. The conference also had a special session conducted by Dr A Parasuraman, a renowned scholar and academician known for his SERVQUAL model. In addition to that, there were three sessions of Editors' Conclave where eight editors from the USA, Australia, and Europe spoke on issues that pertained to the academic and corporate industries. These editors were from highly reputed, Scopus indexed journals rated as "A" or "A*". Four plenary sessions are being conducted as part of SIMSARC'21 on the sub-themes "Business and Management: Adaptation to New Normal"," Education and Technology: Post Covid-19"," Global Outlook: Life After Pandemic" and "Socio-Economic transformation: World of Opportunity". Brig (Dr.) Rajiv Divekar, Director, Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies (SIMS) is the Conference Chairperson, Dr Arti Chandani is the Conference Convener, and Dr Komal Chopra is the Conference Co-Convener of SIMSARC'21. For details visit: | https://www.sims.edu 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 22 (ANI/PNN): HEAL Foundation, an Indian non-profit organization, held Quality, Accessibility, and Data Integration- Keys to Anemia Eradication eSummit- the Episode-23 of the HEAL-Thy Samvaad series. The eSummit - supported by HemoCue - discussed the challenges and solutions for anemia eradication. Dr P Sivakumar, Advisor ESI MedTek Solutions, and moderator of eSummit said, "Anemia Mukt Bharat, an initiative of MoHFW and UNICEF was launched in 2018 to reduce the overall burden of anemia in India. The scheme is part of the intensified national iron plus program. The program focuses on 6 target beneficiary groups through 6 interventions and 6 institutional mechanisms to achieve the envisaged target under POSHAN Abhiyaan. This eSummit is an effort to understand where we stand and way forward." Anemia is a major healthcare challenge in India with almost every second child and woman of reproductive age is suffering from it. Over the years several initiatives were taken by governments to curb the menace. However, despite these continuous efforts, the graph for anemia keeps on rising steadily. Speaking during HEAL-Thy Samvaad supported by HemoCueon the most recent initiative of government Anemia Mukt Bharat, Dr Kapil Yadav, Additional Professor & Nodal Person, National Centre of Excellence and Advanced Research on Anemia Control (NCEAR-A), Centre for Community Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi, said, "it's been only 3 years since the launch in 2018. We have been very successful in some areas like provision of diagnosis across states and Iron Folic acid supplementation coverage, which has improved. Most states have launched AMB successfully. However, there were a few challenges too.We still have a long way to go if we have to achieve the milestone laid down in AMB. The challenge is humongous asalmost 50% of or population suffers from Anemia and the remaining 50% who do not have anemia still require intervention related t anemia as they might have nutrition deficiencies. I personally happy with our achievements in first 3 years." India has a huge population of 1.3 billion and for any program to be successful, government must get all the support it can get. Expressing his views on Public-Private Partnership for Anemia eradication during HEAL-Thy Samvaad supported by HemoCue, Dr.Harshwardhan Dere, Director Programs, Americares India Foundation said, "The government has a very robust policy for public-private partnership (PPP) for NCD however, the same is missing for Anemia. This is where the first step can be taken. The private sector can provide direct support to the govt for the implementation of activities such as IFS reach and hands-on support for point of care testing, digital testing, which are important parameters in AMB. The private sector has immense experience in the supply chain, which is another area where PPP models can be worked out." Speaking on Digital tools for AMB, Dr. Virender Ahlawat, Deputy Director NHM, Nodal Officer AMB State Immunization Officer, Haryana said, "We have learned a lot in the past 1 and half years and pretty much everyone using digital portals to implement the programs. However, we still need to simplify our portals up to the Asha workers level who are the end-users. We have provided Mobile-Tablets of Asha workers in 12 districts through which they maintain the record of immunization and we are trying to triangulate this with anemia and maternal health. Taking the digitalization to root level of Anganwadi, ANM, and Asha workersin the future." Dr Archana Mishra, Dy. Director, Maternal Health, National Health Mission (NHM), Madhya Pradesh, said, "We are using digital hemoglobinometer at PHC level. We have devised a mechanism where pregnant women undergoat least 1 check-up at PHC level where their hemoglobin is measured. We are implementing the mechanism throughout the state. The launch of Lakshya programs has ensured that a point of care device is available in the labor room when women come in an emergency. We have provided digital hemoglobinometers high load centers." Dr J L Meena, Division Head of "Service Provider Engagement" (Provider Operation, Empanelment & IC/TPA/ISA), National Health Authority (NHA), GoI, said, "In the PM-JAY program we have empanelled private hospital and have seen that 50% of facilities are availed by females, which is an excellent example of PPP. Presently we have cumulative packages for diagnosis and treatment. We are thinking in lines of separating diagnosis from treatment through e-vouchers. When implemented beneficiaries would be able to go for tests including anemia testing through e-voucher received directly on their mobile." Dr Hema Divakar, Past President, FOGSI, said, "Persistent is the key to success. Digital technology needs to be exploited much more than it is today. The reason is somehow both the consumer and provider have been slow in adapting the digital technologies in the healthcare space. People use digital for every day to day activities but when it comes to healthcare, they are a bit hesitant. The buzz around COVID was such that people even in remote villages were checking their oxygen saturation through pulse oximeters and asking questions on chat. Similar deep percolation has not happened for anemia or hemoglobin level as an important healthcare parameter. With Point of Care devices, we have taken a big leap at the laboratory level where 1 drop can give hemoglobin level. However, advocacy needs to be there for people's contribution that their health is in their hands. Improved awareness among people is essential for success." This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 22 (ANI/SRV): While SIBM Bengaluru never stopped its quest for knowledge and learning even amid the pandemic, the institution did have to vacate the premises of its sprawling campus in Electronic City, Bengaluru. As the whole country experienced the onset of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic and galloped towards a total shutdown, SIBM Bengaluru was no different. In March 2020, all physical teaching and other activities on the campus were restrained, and the entire premises was vacated. In the subsequent months, as the world distanced itself, working remotely became the new normal. Offices, educational institutes, and all other institutions had to adapt to this new method of work, and SIBM Bengaluru was an early entrant in the bandwagon. Classes were conducted in an online mode, with students and teachers safely homebound. Assignments and evaluations shifted from paper to the computer screen. The diligence and dedication of its faculty, combined with the promptness of the students made this transition a smooth one. During this phase, the college successfully organized its admission process and onboarded two consecutive batches, completely in an online mode. Moreover, despite the effects of the pandemic on the economy, SIBM Bengaluru had a fruitful placement season, for both Final as well as Summer Placements. By the month of August 2021, the effects of the deadly second wave of the pandemic waned, and people could see the light at the end of the tunnel. The world started to slowly but steadily open up, and people could be seen back in shopping malls, theatres, and eateries. Even then, opening up a residential campus was tricky, and huge steps needed to be taken to ensure the safety of students. Along with providing ample residential space, there were the risks of contamination through food and the lack of social distancing among students. It required a strong and aware management, as well as discipline amongst students. In the first half of September, SIBM Bengaluru opened up its gates for students. Students were welcomed, but only in phases, in limited numbers. The ones who were willing to join entered, and all necessary safety precautions were strictly followed. No student was allowed to enter the gates without a negative RT-PCR report. Every student on campus was mandated to go through a quarantine period of 14 days, during which they practiced strict isolation, and their movement was restricted. SIBM-B's on-campus health facilities would promptly check on the quarantined students every day, and made sure that their well-being was not compromised in any way. At the end of their quarantine period, all the students went through another mandatory RT-PCR test. Upon getting a negative result, they were declared officially out of quarantine, and could access the various resources on campus. However, all the students were expected to follow basic safety protocols, like wearing a mask and sanitizing frequently. Classes continued in an online mode, to ensure utmost safety of students, faculty and staff on campus. Through the months of September and October, SIBM Bengaluru welcomed four phases of students to campus. Every phase went through the same rigour as mentioned above, in a bid to safeguard their health. Students were themselves fairly eager to get to the campus and experience the various facets of life at SIBM-B. The campus boasts of amenities such as a world-class library, smart classrooms, Bloomberg terminals, a world-class gym, badminton courts, an amphitheater, and so on. All of these facilities were available to students once they were out of quarantine. With the students back, the institute also saw many events conducted on campus. Some of these were Utthaan, Navratri, Exceleration and most recently, Diwali. All of these events were conducted following all safety protocols, and with appropriate social distancing being practiced at all times. Some classes were even conducted in hybrid mode, combining offline as well as online students. SIBM Bengaluru has successfully started this transition back to offline teaching, ensuring a safe and healthy learning environment on its campus. In the coming months, the institute hopes to have more of its students join in, and experience the joy and excitement of #LifeAtSIBMB. To know more visit: SIBM Bengaluru 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 22 (ANI/NewsVoir): India Book of Records has reasons to celebrate the year-end with-it applicants pouring in fresh entries each day. Hundreds of applications processed day in and day out result in getting the records created and published in our annual book. These record holders inspire and provide fresh insights to us at India Book of Records into what all human potential is actually capable of. Team IBR has an illustrious team of Chief Editors from record books of seven nations Vietnam, Malaysia, USA, Nepal, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Thailand as its board members. This lends reason enough for our applicants to come back with even greater zeal and better performance. This month, the following talents proved their mettle with the support of India Book of Records. Little toddler finds joy in identification Aaradhya Ashish Agarwal (born on December 6, 2019) of Pune, Maharashtra, is appreciated for identifying 12 shapes, 15 countries flag, 3 seasons, 20 parts of the body, English alphabet, 7 wonders of the world, 15 sports, 23 professionals, 15 colors, 10 freedom fighters, pictures of 12 opposite and 22 action words, 12 school items and 17 festivals at the age of 1 year and 10 months, as confirmed on October 21, 2021. Toddler wins hearts by identifying innumerable collectibles Kushmitha Veeranna N. (born on November 25, 2018) of Hassan, Karnataka, is appreciated for identifying 10 shapes, 12 fruits, 7 tools, 17 vegetables, 7 colors, flags of 12 countries, 12 community helpers, parts of a computer, 36 animals, 10 parts of the body, 10 Tirthankaras; matching questions; reciting 16 national symbols, capitals of 28 Indian states, 8 planets, 7 continents, 6 rhymes, numbers from 1-20, days of the week and months in a year in English and Kannada at the age of 2 years and 10 months, as confirmed on October 23, 2021. Maximum flags of countries identified by a kid in one minute The record for identifying the maximum number of flags of countries in one minute was set by Sadhana Panaghanti (born on February 28, 2018) of Koppal, Karnataka. She identified 55 flags of countries at the age of 3 years, 7 months and 25 days, as confirmed on October 23, 2021. New and Old Testament Book Names Recited by a Child Adwita Amit Kamle (born on January 31, 2012) of Sangli, Maharashtra, is appreciated for reciting the names of books of the Holy Bible. She recited the names of 66 books (39 from the Old Testament and 27 from the New Testament) in 40 seconds and 14 milliseconds at the age of 9 years and 9 months, as confirmed on November 15, 2021. Happy toddler pleased to recite a challenging list Jane Catherina (born on December 7, 2018) of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, is appreciated for reciting days of the week, months in a year, Uyireluthukkal in Tamil, 8 planets, 5 oceans, numbers from 1-20, 12 national symbols, capitals of all Indian states; identifying the English alphabet with words, 21 birds, 24 flowers, 32 musical instruments, 24 colours, 22 objects, 32 fruits and 15 insects at the age of 2 years and 10 months, as confirmed on November 6, 2021. Human Calculator The record for being a Human Calculator was set by Amit Sawlani (born on June 21, 1998) of Indore, Madhya Pradesh. He did multiple onerous and abstruse calculations accurately in the least time. He calculated the table of any 2-digit number in the least time of 3.16 seconds, table of any 3-digit number in 3.78 seconds and simultaneous tables of 25 different 2-digit numbers in 2 minutes, 54 seconds and 15 milliseconds, faster than a calculator, at the Indian Institute of Management, Amritsar, Punjab on November 13, 2021. Fastest to perform all Bharatanatyam hasta mudras in reverse order The record for being the fastest to perform all Bharatanatyam hasta mudras in reverse order was set by Nithya Prakasam (born on April 29, 1981) of Bengaluru, Karnataka. She performed all 62 mudras namely Dasavatharahasta, Asamyuktha hasta and Samyuktha hasta in reverse order (mirror image way) in just 36 seconds and 27 milliseconds, as confirmed on October 27, 2021. Longest Handshake A Sree Dharshini (born on July 8, 2004) and A Padmavathi (born on April 3, 1979) of Tamil Nadu, India, set a record for performing the longest handshake. They started the handshake at 11.02 am on September 22, 2021, performed for 72 hours and 4 minutes, and ended it at 11.10 am on September 25, 2021, at Nagarathar Sangam, Karur, Tamil Nadu. Poetry book on love & bereavement Ankit Maniar (born on December 13, 1994) of Rajkot, Gujarat, is appreciated for writing a book titled 'Vicharo Na Virah Ma' (ISBN: 978-93-82019-83-1), published by Creative Prakashan Publications. The book consists of six poems and is written in Gujarati, as confirmed on November 17, 2021. Maximum knuckle push-ups with weight on back in 30 seconds The record for performing the maximum number of knuckle push-ups (with weight on the back) in 30 seconds was set by Sunil Kumar (born on January 28, 1979) of Malappuram, Kerala. He performed 21 knuckle push-ups while carrying a bag weighing 39.95 kg on his back in 30 seconds, as confirmed on October 25, 2021. Stay tuned for more inspiration...! 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 22 (ANI/PNN): In an attempt to overcome logistics troubles and offer a seamless delivery experience to all its clients and customers, CommerceUp an end-to-end Saas e-commerce company is now associated with India's largest eCommerce shipping solution company, Shiprocket. With this partnership, merchants and enterprises using CommerceUp services will have access to fast and reliable shipping solutions anywhere in the country. Advanced logistics solutions of Shiprocket integrated with progressive eCommerce solutions of CommerceUp will offer the ultimate launchpad for any business entering the world of digital operations. By integrating Shiprocket as an eCommerce fulfillment and warehousing solution in its dashboard, CommerceUp clients can instantly dispatch the order after it has been requested. In addition to this, they will also have access to the entire spectrum of shipping features like domestic and international shipping, lower return costs, insurance coverage for lost shipments, etc. Moreover, enterprises, merchants using CommerceUp for their business as well as their customers will be able to check real-time shipment status. This will be possible with the help of a unique tracking ID associated exclusively with their order number. Additionally, customers will also be able to avail COD option on their orders, therefore, allowing merchants to reach a larger number of markets. With this partnership businesses can now: Fulfill a large number of orders in a short period, Provide next day delivery, Gain a larger share in domestic markets, Launch their online store in a matter of days, Offer tailor-made D2C solutions. Commenting on the collaboration, Piyush Pathak, Founder of CommerceUp said "E-commerce brands need quick delivery solutions to dispatch a large number of orders in ashort amount of time. Shiprocket integration will help CommerceUp users achieve lightning fast delivery globally while having greater control over supply chain management. Without worrying about logistics, brands will have more time on their hands to improve products and market them to the target audience". We are delighted to shake hands with CommerceUp to enable enterprises and sellers to provide superior quality services to their customers and scale up their business. We at Shiprocket have identified an upward trend of customer expectations, and we are committed to providing for the same. For us, ensuring customer delight is central to all decisions we make said Saahil Goel, CEO and Co-founder of Shiprocket. CommerceUp offers cutting-edge solutions for both small-scale and large-scale businesses. We help them build progressive web and mobile applications that come with payment gateway, ERP integration, and now Shiprocket shipment integration. Powered by AWS (Amazon web services), CommerceUp clients can easily sell on multiple social media platforms thereby accessing a larger marketplace. We also offer dedicated account managers and channel partners to build and sustain scalable businesses. CommerceUp is currently expanding in the middle east market where it is helping D2C brands gain a larger market share in a cost-efficient manner. Platform's integrated tools and Arabic language support are enabling clients to manage their online store seamlessly. CommerceUp is an end-to-end Saas e-commerce platform that helps businesses, as well as merchants, create dynamic response e-commerce websites and mobile applications. Through its cloud-based eCommerce platform it has focused on empowering e-commerce 2.0 for D2C brands by transforming business digitally and helping them to scale up at a rapid pace. The development of the CommerceUp platform was started in 2019. In Dubai, it went live with its first client live in august 2020. Since then, the company has grown progressively to servicing 40-plus brands across Dubai & India. These brands have seen enormous growth in sales by shifting to CommerceUp and generating sales of around 6 million USD in the past year. Shiprocket is India's largest eCommerce shipping and enablement platform for SMBs. The technology powers shipping and fulfillment for SMEs, D2C retailers, and social commerce sellers in India. With 17 courier partners on board, the brand enables pan India as well as international shipping deliveries. Its shipping solutions are available across 29,000-plus pin codes within India and the Middle East region. Launched in 2017, Shiprocket is on a mission to create a seamless logistics data platform that connects retailers, carriers, and consumers across national and international locations. In addition to offering Shipping Services, Shiprocket also provides a technology stack to help retailers integrate their shopping websites on Shopify, Magento, Woocommerce, Zoho, and others for workflow, inventory, and order management. Aside from being a shipping solutions provider, Shiprocket also serves as a Cash on Delivery payment gateway. With a multi-carrier API that allows sellers to manage orders, print shipping labels, and avail tracking information from multiple providers, Shiprocket also offers state-of-the-art fulfillment solutions. The brand also provides a robust post-purchase experience to consumers, resulting in higher engagement and lower RTO (failed deliveries). The company recently ventured into the fin-tech space with their lending product 'Early COD.' Today, Shiprocket is the force behind the country's 1 lakh plus sellers who generate a GMV of more than $1B annually on the platform. The brand delivers packets to nearly 25M consumers annually and is growing 3X year on year. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) New Delhi [India], December 22 (ANI/Oswaal Books): GATE Exam is scheduled by IIT Kharagpur this year. The GATE Exam 2022 is an extensive exam for candidates who wish to take admissions in renowned colleges and universities of India for PG program. IIT Kharagpur has released the examination schedule and timetable for the candidates on its official website. The candidates can note down the dates with times for the particular exam in the given schedule on the official website of The GATE 2022 Exam. Candidates can also visit the official website for more information: https://gate.iitkgp.ac.in/ GATE Exam 2022, official notice mentions that from February 5, 2022, the examination would begin, and it ends on February 13, 2022. On February 4, 2022, the schedule mentioned miscellaneous activities from 2 pm to 5 pm. Candidates can also be allowed to visit their allotted exam centres. Candidates can also check their complete exam schedule below to check the date and time for the particular exam IIT Kharagpur had released. GATE 2022 Examination Schedule: Admit Card Updates: According to the official website of the GATE 2022 Exam, admit cards would release on Monday, January 3, 2022. At this crucial time, candidates are advised to check the official site regularly to check the updates. Until now, IIT Kharagpur had announced the date of Admit card would be January 3, 2022. In this last month of preparation, students should go with very selective study material to ace their preparation. Students can also start doing their preparation with Gate 2022 Exam with Oswaal previous year-solved question papers for GATE 2022 Exams. Students will get different learning aspects there like: * 12 Years Solved Papers 2010-2021 (Year-wise) with detailed explanations * 2 Sample Question Papers - Smart Answer key with detailed explanations. * Blended Learning (Print and online support) * Tips & Tricks to Crack the Exam in the first attempt * GATE Qualifying Cut-offs and Highest Marks of 2021 and 2020- Steam-wise * GATE General Aptitude 2021 to 2017 - Trend Analysis * GATE Score Calculation * Mind Maps and concept learnings Here is the recommended link for previous year solved question papers for GATE examination 2022 click here https://bit.ly/3Jas92k This story is provided by Oswaal Books. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Oswaal Books) Pune (Maharashtra) [India], December 22 (ANI/NewsVoir): In a bid to assist customers in purchasing the ideal furniture pieces for their homes, the Bajaj Finserv EMI Store is extending lucrative deals, discounts and offers on furniture provided by Danube Home. Whether it be sofas, recliners, cabinets, chairs, tables or specific room-oriented furniture for bedroom, living and dining areas, Danube Home has a wide selection of products to suit the preference and budget of all shoppers. Customers can find furniture pieces from Danube Home on the lowest EMIs at the Bajaj Finserv EMI Store. Additionally, the No Cost EMI option allows buyers to pay for the furniture in interest-free monthly instalments, while they also stand to receive 25% cashback upto Rs. 3,000 on all purchases. Danube Home is a leading international brand with a strong presence in the Indian market. From premium sofas and beds to chic wardrobes and dining sets, the brand extends a vast selection of furniture pieces. Shoppers can conveniently purchase Danube Home furniture on EMIs, with flexible repayment tenors rendering such purchases affordable and convenient. The following are some of the popular models offered by the brand on the EMI Store. Danube Home Ronin 1 Seater Motion Leather Recliner (Black PU) with No Cost EMI starting from Rs. 2,304, zero down payment and a flat discount of Rs. 5,860 Danube Home Ertiga Leatherette Corner Sofa (Brown) with No Cost EMI starting from Rs. 6,738, zero down payment and a flat discount of Rs. 24,151 Danube Home Maxiin 1 Seater Classic Sofa (Beige) with No Cost EMI starting from Rs. 3,025, zero down payment and a flat discount of Rs. 23,700 Danube Home Aisha Table With Mirror And Stool (White) with No Cost EMI starting from Rs. 2,347, zero down payment and a flat discount of Rs. 23,030 Danube Home Vanessa 1 Seater Sofa (Rust and Beige) with No Cost EMI starting from Rs. 2,014 per month, zero down payment and a flat discount of Rs. 12,440 Benefits of purchasing Danube Home Furniture from Bajaj Finserv EMI Store Shopping on the Bajaj Finserv EMI Store is not only easy and convenient, but it also comes with deals, discounts and other lucrative offers. Customers can purchase a variety of Danube Home furniture on EMIs with flexible repayment tenors. Furthermore, by using the Bajaj Finserv EMI Network Card, shoppers can access No Cost EMI plans. This incurs no additional charge in the form of interest. And courtesy of the zero down payment facility on select models, they will not be required to pay any amount at the outset. How to shop for Danube Home Furniture on the EMI Store Log onto the Bajaj Finserv EMI Store using the registered mobile number Choose the desired furniture type or model, add it to the cart, select the repayment tenor and proceed to checkout Enter the required information, including name and delivery address Click on the "Generate OTP" option and enter the OTP sent to the registered mobile number in the field to complete the purchase Confirmation SMS will be sent to the registered mobile number with the date and time of delivery *Terms and Conditions apply Finserv MARKETS is an online digital marketplace by Bajaj Finserv Direct Limited, a subsidiary of Bajaj Finserv. Finserv MARKETS is a one-stop digital marketplace, that assists consumers to compare and choose from a wide range of financial products. Its core proposition is driven by a strong intent to deliver tailor made financial products to the consumers. It offers customers abundance in choices in offering the required financial products to achieve all their financial and personal goals. Finserv MARKETS has partnered with leading financial providers in the Lending, Insurance, Investments and Payments space to provide 500+ financial and lifestyle products, all in one place. For further information, please visit www.bajajfinservmarkets.in or download Finserv MARKETS App on Google Play Store or App Store. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) The theme of 'Rising A' is inspired by an element of the sky as the aircraft livery colour looks like the colour of the rising sun. "Unveiling 'The Rising A' of Akasa Air. Inspired by elements of the sky, The Rising A symbolises the warmth of the sun, the effortless flight of a bird, and the dependability of an aircraft wing," they tweeted. Recently, Akasa Air placed an order for Boeing 737 Max series of aircraft for their operations. Earlier in November, Salil Gupte, President of Boeing India in his exclusive interview with ANI informed about Akasa air and its aircraft border. "Also very happy to have Akasa to join us as 737 Max customer in India," Salil Gupte told ANI. Further, Boeing confirmed that Akasa has ordered 72 max Boeing aircraft. "Akasa has just recently ordered 72 Max aircraft," President, Boeing India said. As per the aircraft manufacturing company, Boeing Akasa informed that the airline is going to start operations in the second calendar quarter of next year. (ANI) New Delhi [India], December 22 (ANI/GIPR): Between December 14 and 20, 2021, the prestigious Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai hosted "Maya", an exhibition of artist Kanan Khant depicting the historic Kalamkari folk art to express the feminine energy driving the universe. The exhibition was well-received among the visitors who also appreciated the beautiful depiction of stories of Radha and Krishna in a section of the paintings. Kanan has dedicated her artworks to the forgotten Indian artisans, especially women. Kanan explained her thought process behind the celebrated "Maya" series as this, "I am combining the feminine elements in spirituality and mythology. I have also adapted the beautiful Kalamkari art form in my work. Most don't know years ago, the artists who travelled from village to village, used Kalamkari to tell their stories. I too am telling a story through my art." At the inauguration of the exhibition, Kanan expressed happiness at being displayed at the prestigious art gallery and admitted that "I am constantly learning, experimenting as a student of life." Those who visited this seven-day exhibition include the genius scientist - the president of the Indian Planetary Society Dr J J Raval, renowned artist Prithvi Soni, famous theatre & film actors Manoj Joshi, National Award-winning writer Varsha Adalja, Santoor maestro and Founder President of the Indo-US Culturel Council Snehal Mazumdar, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma-fame producers Aasitkumar Modi and Neela Modi, film writer-creative producer Aashu Patel, celebrated author Geeta Manek, Sexologist and art-lover Padmshri Dr Prakash Kothari, TV artists Neha Mehta, Tanmay Vekariya, Sujata Mehta, Hrishikesh Pandey, Minal Patel and Arvind Vekariya. Describing his experience, Tanmay said, "The work is fantastic, each painting shows how meticulously she has worked to create what she has. To exhibit at Jehangir is a massive achievement in itself." Dr Kothari was also effusive in his praise for Kanan as he said, "Kanan's paintings emote, they come alive. You can see how she has taken care of everything in detail -- even the framing is so unique!" Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's producer Aasit Modi who visited the exhibition said, "The artworks are talking to me. They are speaking a million words." Actress Neha Mehta called the artworks 'vibrant' and amazing while actor Manoj Joshi, actress Sujata Mehta and well-known scientist Dr. J.J. Raval also appreciated the artwork. Kanan, who has also exhibited her works at the India Art Fair and Nehru Centre, Worli, has studied commercial art from the famous Nirmal Niketan College, Mumbai. She is a full-time artist since 2015 and in March 2022, she will also have an exhibition on display at the World Art, Dubai. This story is provided by GIPR. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/GIPR) However, rising Omicron cases as well as continuous outflows of foreign funds capped gains. Globally, Asian stock markets followed Wall Street to rise higher on Wednesday after the US called for vaccinations and testing, but no travel curbs in response to the omicron coronavirus variant. Nevertheless, European stock markets opened mixed on Wednesday as traders continued to weigh up coronavirus restrictions, infection rates and the effects on the economy. At 2.30 p.m., the S&P BSE Sensex traded at 56,727.83 points, up 0.73 per cent. Besides, the broader 50-scrip Nifty at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) rose to 16,896 points, up 125.15 per cent from its previous close. "Indian equity benchmarks maintained their upward momentum in the noon session. Sentiments were getting support from the Asian markets coupled with the US President's statement to reach a deal of $2 trillion with Senator Joe Manchin," said Gaurav Garg, Head of Research, CapitalVia Global Research. "Additional support came in the market as the government said that profitability of public sector banks has improved on a consolidated basis after amalgamation." According to Deepak Jasani, Head of Retail Research, HDFC Securities: "Nifty opened with another upgap on December 22 and kept rising gradually. Post one intra day correction, it has recovered well." "Among sectors, Realty, Metals, Capital Goods, Auto, Telecom and Healthcare indices have risen the most." --IANS rv/dpb ( 255 Words) 2021-12-22-14:48:02 (IANS) "Happy birthday, Daddy! We know that you're right here protecting us like our Guardian Angel... always shielding and bringing us victorious out of tough situations," she wrote on Instagram. Shilpa added, "Tunki needs you around now, Daddy... and I know you're already there with her. Love you... praying for you always." Alongside the emotional note, she posted a picture of her father standing next to her and her sister Shamita Shetty, who is currently inside the 'Bigg Boss 15' house. Shilpa and Shamita's father passed away in October 2016 after suffering a cardiac arrest. (ANI) A new trailer of the upcoming Hollywood movie 'Death on the Nile' dropped on Tuesday, featuring glimpses of disgraced actor Armie Hammer in the wake of his rape allegations and cannibalism scandal. The trailer was shared on the film's official Instagram page with a caption that read, "ICYMI: check out the new trailer for #DeathOnTheNile, coming to theaters February 11." The long-delayed star-studded whodunit is directed by Kenneth Branagh and features an ensemble cast of Hammer, Gal Gadot, Ali Fazal, Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Letitia Wright, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders, Rose Leslie, Tom Bateman, Dawn French and Emma Mackey. Hammer plays a newlywed, Simon Doyle, alongside Gadot's Linnet Ridgeway Doyle, in the film. Branagh's detective Hercule Poirot is tasked with finding the murderer of a young heiress aboard a cruise ship on the Nile River. Throughout the 2-minute trailer, Hammer can be seen in glimpses with only one speaking line shown in the recently-released trailer. As per People magazine, Hammer is currently facing rape allegations for a 2017 incident with his former partner, who came forward in March accusing the actor of sexual assault. He has denied all the accusations levelled against him. The woman, identified only by her first name Effie, said Hammer "violently raped" her for four hours in Los Angeles. In a statement shared with People magazine, Hammer's lawyer denied the rape allegations, stating that the encounter between Hammer and Effie was "completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory." His lawyer added, "Effie's own correspondence with Mr Hammer undermines and refutes her outrageous allegations. As recently as July 18, 2020, [Effie] sent graphic texts to Mr Hammer telling him what she wanted him to do to her. Mr Hammer responded making it clear that he did not want to maintain that type of relationship with her." After Effie's March press conference, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed Hammer was under investigation for sexual assault in a case that was opened in February. Before Effie came forward with her side of the story, multiple women also spoke up to accuse Hammer of alleged abusive behaviour and violent fantasies. He was dropped by his talent agency William Morris Endeavor in February and also lost his agent. In the months following rape and abuse accusations, Hammer has been ousted from Hollywood. He has exited Jennifer Lopez's 'Shotgun Wedding', the thriller 'Billion Dollar Spy', the Paramount Plus series 'The Offer' and the Broadway play, 'The Minutes'. In June, the actor, who shares a daughter and son with ex Elizabeth Chambers, checked into a Florida program for drug, alcohol and sex issues a month prior. Earlier this month, Hammer's lawyer told People magazine in a statement, "I can confirm that Mr Hammer has left the treatment facility and is doing great." A source told the outlet that Hammer "will continue with out-patient treatments" and that he "takes it very seriously." Hammer will be next seen in 'Death on the Nile', a follow-up to 2017's 'Murder on the Orient Express', which is set to hit theatres on February 11, after experiencing several postponements amid the pandemic. It was originally slated for an October 2020 release. The film was made in late 2019. (ANI) The 'Sex and the City' actor Chris Noth's marriage with his wife Tara Wilson is 'hanging by a thread' as the latter has removed her wedding ring, after the recent string of sexual assault allegations against her husband. A source close to the couple told Page Six that Tara Wilson is currently residing in Los Angeles, while her husband-actor Chris Noth who has been accused of sexual assault by three women -- is believed to be in New York City. "Tara is upset and things are hanging by a thread. She just wants to protect the kids [Orion, 13, and Keats, 18 months]. That is her number one priority," an insider told Page Six. As per the viral photos obtained by the outlet on Tuesday, Wilson was seen without her wedding band and large diamond engagement ring that she wore just two weeks ago as she joined her husband, for a date night. The couple also attended the premiere of HBO's 'Sex and the City' revival series, 'And Just Like That...,' in NYC. Sources told Page Six that Wilson has been staying at their home on the West Coast and taking care of their children, as Noth attempts to fight the stream of accusations. Noth and Wilson met in 2001 and married in a small ceremony in Maui, Hawaii in 2012. The source said there should not be a rush to judgment, even though Noth has already been dropped by his theatrical agency. A3 Artists Agency dropped Noth on Friday night, Deadline reported. Noth was recently fired from the CBS hit 'The Equalizer' also, amid the accusations. Peloton also axed his ad, which was a play on his final scenes as Mr. Big. (ANI) The 48-year-old actor who is extremely close to her parents shared a throwback picture of them on her Instagram handle. Sharing the picture, the former Miss World wrote, "Happy Anniversary dearest, darling MommyDoddaaa-DaddyAjjaaa LOVE YOU and THANK YOU so much for All your unconditional Love and Blessings... always," adding a string of heart-emoticons to it. In November, Aishwarya also posted a photo of her late dad remembering him on his birth anniversary. Sharing his picture, she wrote, "Happy Birthday My Dearest Darling Daddyyy- Ajjaaa LOVE YOUUU ETERNALLY." The 'Devdas' actor lost her father Krishnaraj Rai in 2017. For the unversed, Aishwarya's latest post also marks her first social media activity after the Enforcement Directorate probe in the Panama Papers leak case. On December 20, the actor appeared before Enforcement Directorate in Delhi in connection with the Panama Papers leak case. She was questioned by the ED officials for nearly five hours. She deposed before the investigators following the summons issued by the federal agency against her to join the probe. The ED recorded the statement of the 48-year-old actor in the case over allegations of stashing wealth abroad under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999. She had earlier submitted records on the foreign payments under investigation. The ED had issued notices to the Bachchan family asking them to explain their foreign remittances since 2004 under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) of the Reserve Bank of India. Sources in the agency informed that Aishwarya was summoned earlier too but she could not appear and sought next dates at least two times. (ANI) Australian researchers have developed a test which can provide highly accurate readings for Covid-19 from a finger prick of blood within 20 minutes. The point-of-care (POC) test, created by scientists from the Burnet Institute and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, is the first of its kind in the world, according to the research unveiled on Wednesday. While many POC tests can measure the overall level of antibody to SARS-CoV-2 and use this to estimate neutralising antibodies (NAb), the researchers say their test is the only one to measure NAb activity, which correlates with immune protection for Covid, Xinhua news agency reported. Writing about their breakthrough in the journal EBioMedicine, the scientists note the versatile test can be adapted to provide information about whether a person has protective antibodies against a particular disease variant, such as Omicron. The rise of the Omicron variant, which early studies suggest may be up to 40 times less sensitive to patient NAb than Delta, means that some people will suddenly go from having adequate protective NAb, to not having enough. Burnet Institute deputy director Associate Professor David Anderson said the POC test could therefore be useful to quickly indicate when a vaccine booster was required. "One of the key elements of the test is that it can work with finger-prick whole blood, which is essential if it is really going to be used at point-of-care," Anderson said. "Another advantage is we have demonstrated that we can readily substitute different variants into the test. While we have not yet tested Omicron, this will be simple enough to incorporate in our test in place of the original strain or variants we have tested." It would also provide a standardised test to assist in the safe reopening of national and international borders in the context of different vaccines and the variable responses among various populations. The scientists expect that the test will become a new option for immunity screening to support vaccination and control programmes, particularly in time-critical situations and among impoverished or isolated communities where laboratory-based testing is difficult to access. Now in its prototype phase, the scientists are seeking commercial partners to develop the manufacturing process and take the test to an international market. Burnet Diagnostics Initiative (BDI) director Jennifer Barnes said the collaborative efforts of the two institutions had led to an outcome in "record time." "The BDI aims to enhance the translation of new technologies to practical health solutions through significant partnerships with academic collaborators and industry," Barnes said. "The NAb test is a great example of this as we look for a global partner to bring the test to market." --IANS int/sks/shb/ ( 451 Words) 2021-12-22-11:22:03 (IANS) Lalo Devi's husband Ram Udgar Thakur said: "My wife died due to illness in village Kharmauli under Veerpur block on September 19. The Planning and Development Department of Bihar has also issued death certificate on the same date. Now, we have received Corona vaccination certificate from health department, two months after her death," Thakur said. On November 25, primary health centre of Veerpur had organised a corona vaccination camp in Kisan Bhawan. After the camp, the health officials issued the vaccination certificate in the name of Lalo Devi. The vaccination certificate issued to a dead person was uploaded on social media and is a talking point in Begusarai district. Many people are saying that it is a "ploy" to "increase" the data of corona vaccination in Bihar. --IANS ajk/svn/skp/ ( 176 Words) 2021-12-22-14:00:02 (IANS) Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to suspend the sale of flight and bus tickets for the vaccinated travel lane (VTL) after a cluster of possible cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 was detected in Singapore, Malaysia's Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Wednesday. The suspension will run from December 23 to January 20 next year, Khairy said in a statement following Singapore's announcement of the same measure, Xinhua news agency reported. Khairy said the cluster in Singapore involved three Covid infections. "All three cases did not have any travel history to foreign countries," he said. The VTL kicked off on November 29 and involved travel via the bridge connecting Malaysia to Singapore as well as an air corridor. The bridge link, or causeway, was one of the busiest crossing points in the world with a daily flow of hundreds of thousands of people in both directions before the pandemic. Some restrictions were eased as part of the VTL including quarantine requirements being waived for fully vaccinated individuals. --IANS int/sks ( 183 Words) 2021-12-22-16:48:02 (IANS) The state health department has sent the samples of the three foreign returnees to Delhi for genome sequencing to ascertain if they were infected with the Omicron variant of the virus. "We have initiated the process of contact tracing. All the 11 persons have been put under home isolation," said an official from the Patna civil surgeon's office. The two persons who came from England are residents of Zafar Colony, while the one returned from an African nation is a resident of IAS Colony, both in Patna. The official said that a total of 12 foreign returnees have tested Covid positive in Patna since the global outbreak of the Omicron variant. The state presently has over 100 active Covid cases. --IANS ajk/arm ( 170 Words) 2021-12-22-21:20:01 (IANS) After Trinamool Congress registered a landslide victory in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Election result, Mayor Firhad Hakim said that the people of Kolkata have given a befitting reply to the BJP. He also informed that the TMC has called a meeting on December 23 where the name for the next Mayor will be decided. Addressing the reporters today, Hakim, who is also a TMC leader, said, "This is a victory for the people of Kolkata because they established their belief in us. With huge victory comes more and, more responsibility. The party has called a meeting on December 23 where the next Mayor will be decided." "People have given a befitting reply to the BJP. They believe in the politics of division. The BJP used to give me names like mini Pakistan. Just because I am a Muslim, they do not have the authority to insult me, thankfully people have replied to the communal party," Firhad Hakim said. Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday hit out at State Election Commissioner Sourav Das for allegedly allowing an "atmosphere of fear," which helped the ruling party secure 134 out of 144 wards. In a series of tweets, Adhikari, said, "Congratulations to @CEOWestBengal Sourav Das for making the Royal Nephew of Bengal's prediction come true. Important Steps were taken by you such as EVM without VVPAT, CCTV without connection and last but not the least; allowing an atmosphere of fear to prevail with @KolkataPolice's help." Further hitting out at Das, Adhikari said, "TMC - 134, BJP - 3, Left - 2, Congress - 2 and others - 3. Also congratulations in advance for the 'Banga Bibhushan' award that you would receive for all the hard work." (ANI) With the non-existence of the Opposition, it was obvious that the Trinamool Congress will win the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) election but the party made a stunning record of mobilising more than 72 per cent of the vote share in this election. The data available with the West Bengal election commission shows that the ruling Trinamool Congress has a vote share of 72.1 per cent while the opposition but the Left Front could not reach the double figures even. While BJP struggled with 9.2 per cent, Congress was reduced to politically insignificant managing only 4.1 per cent of the vote share. Interestingly enough, the Left Front came up to the second spot with 11.9 per cent of the vote share. However, considering the sharing of seats BJP still managed to retain the second spot with 3 seats while both Congress and CPI-M got 2 seats each. The Independent candidates who mainly broke away from Trinamool Congress got three seats. Indications are strong that all these three independent candidates might walk back to their old party again. Trinamool Congress alone bagged 133 seats of the 144 Kolkata Municipal Corporation. In 2015 the ruling Trinamool Congress had won 113 seats -- the highest margin then while BJP had 7 seats and Congress and Left Front had 5 and 15 seats, respectively. Three seats were won by the independent candidates. Interestingly enough, the BJP went back to its performance of 2010 when it had bagged three seats each. BJP had the best performance in 2019 Lok Sabha when considering the ward wise results, they had led in 22 wards. Even in the 2021 assembly polls, the saffron brigade had a lead in 10 wards of KMC. It is perhaps the worst performance of the party in recent times. On the other hand, the Left Front has been witnessing a gradual surge in their vote share since the Assembly by-polls. The Left has been traditionally strong in the rural areas of the state and the hinterland of Kolkata. But its vote shares did not slip to single digit in the March-April Assembly elections. From Jadavpur (27.57 per cent), Kasba (17.56 per cent), Tollygunge (20.57 per cent), Behala Paschim (20.49 per cent), Behala Purba (13.60 per cent), Shyampukur (10.52 per cent), Maniktala (10.16 per cent) to Kashipur-Belgachia (10.94 per cent), the Left had maintained its double-digit vote share in KMC areas. Interestingly enough, the Left Front had contested from 128 wards and had won two seats but they are in second place in 65 wards. On the other hand, the BJP had contested in all 144 wards (two candidates later withdrew), Though they have won in three seats - one more than the Left Front but they are in second position in 54 wards, much less than the Left. --IANS sbg/pgh ( 477 Words) 2021-12-21-20:40:02 (IANS) "Compensation would be paid to the owners of 7,600 such houses too," the Chief Minister said in the Assembly in his reply during the debate on flood havoc. Belagavi had suffered heavily during the 2019 floods. Deadline was extended thrice to upload the details on houses destroyed or damaged. Details of damage to over 7,700 houses were not uploaded on the app. However, after studying the ground reality, compensation has been released for 7,600 eligible families, Bommai said. No such hitch, however, was reported in 2020-21. For the year 2021-22, Deputy Commissioners have been vested with powers to grant compensation based on reports of Tehsildars, Bommai said. Of the 36,698 houses completely destroyed, construction of 18,589 houses have been completed, while 7,000 houses almost completed. Construction of 3,130 houses is yet to be taken up due to legal and administrative hurdles, the Chief Minister said. --IANS mka/pgh ( 195 Words) 2021-12-21-22:38:04 (IANS) Hit severely by the first and second wave of the pandemic, the plight of Delhi's booksellers and distributors continues to go unnoticed as their sales hit a low due to Covid-19, online competition, piracy and absence of any aid from the government. Since the outbreak of pandemic in India, followed by the subsequent lockdown for 21 days that was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24, the Delhi State Booksellers and Publishers' Association (DSBPA) has written several letters to the authorities, including Union State Minister of Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and former finance secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey to bring their attention to the core problems of the industry. "Besides, we also wrote to the home minister and chief minister. Post those letters, bookstores in Delhi were allowed to open up. That step was a big help for the trade," DSPBA vice president Himanshu Chawla told IANS. In April, the association sought financial assistance for booksellers and publishers having an annual turnover of Rs 50 lakh or less for the period of second lockdown along with some kind of grant for books to be purchased in government schools and universities. "The latter demand would help booksellers and distributors a great deal. However, nothing major is being done on a large scale for its implementation," he added. "Books do not come under essential commodities and at a time like this when people are cutting their expenses, where do they even stand. Obviously, the sales have fallen drastically. Moreover, we are not hugely profitable business in the first place," Mithilesh Singh who worked at Khan Market's Bahrisons Bookseller said, adding that there was a sudden decline of more than 60-70 per cent sales during the first lockdown. Among those badly affected by the pandemic-induced lockdown, independent booksellers and small scale book distributors that are not owned by big corporations and usually survive on very finite resources are suffering the most, those from the industry told IANS. The distributors, as the name suggests, act as intermediaries among the publishers, retailers and customers. Most of their business comes from libraries, especially, school libraries and when all the schools were closed abruptly due to coronavirus scare earlier this year, they were left in a state of confusion and uncertainty for what would future hold for them. Sharing the plight of small-scale book distributors, Founder of Aakar Books -- a publishing house and book distribution business, Anand Saxena said: "There is a cut-throat competition among the distributors for even a small order and while publishers still have a chance to sail through these difficult times, many distributors will not be able to make it." However, Vaishalik Jain who owns Jain Book Agency in Connaught Place opines that it is unfair to blame pandemic for the deteriorating state of the bookstores across India: "We have suffered a lot since the advent of e-commerce websites that sell books at or more than 50 per cent discount which is just not possible for us as we do not receive more than 40-45 per cent discount on our orders." "This is the reason why bookstores are dying in India... 80 to 100 years old bookstores have shut down in the capital. The only benefit book trade has received till now is that books are exempted from Goods and Services Tax (GST), but we get no rebate," he says, adding that they are planning to continue JBA for another 25 years so as to complete a centenary. After 2010, prominent bookstores like Galgotias, Bookworm and New Book Depot have shut down in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR). Although books are exempted from GST, it is applicable on different kinds of paper, paper pulp, carton boxes, glue and other products that are directly used for the production of books. Ultimately increasing the price of book by 12 to 18 per cent. Sanjeev, who owns Royal Book House -- a book distribution business in Paharganj since 2000, said: "Online businesses have grown since the first and second lockdown as more and more traders have now registered themselves on e-commerce websites like Amazon and Flipkart. Big Billion and Diwali sales affects the small-scale businesses like us the most. Due to this, the offline sales have declined by almost 40 per cent," adding, "Nowadays even books are demanded and shown to customers via WhatsApp." "It is unfortunate that none of the government schemes directly benefits small and middle-level businesses like ours. The government can help us by putting a curb on online sales via controlling the discount structures and unwanted schemes as it disturbs the balance of the business. Such a check will also put a stop to piracy -- one of our biggest headaches. Many people do not know but 'n' number of books sold online are pirated." "Earlier, the import duty on foreign books was not costly. Now it is. When we think of local, we should also be thinking about our bookstores," he added. --IANS rdk/pgh ( 849 Words) 2021-12-21-23:26:01 (IANS) President Ram Nath Kovind will visit the Southern Naval Command in Kerala's Kochi on Wednesday. President Kovind is on a four-day visit to the state. "On December 22, the President will witness the operational demonstration by the Southern Naval Command in Kochi," a release issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Earlier on Tuesday, Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammed Khan received President Ram Nath Kovind on his arrival at Kannur. Ram Nath Kovind said, "Education, as Sri Narayan Guru reminded us, could uplift the quality of the student's life and thus also of society." He also addressed the fifth convocation of the Central University of Kerala in Kasargod on the first day of his visit to Kerala. The President said that the great sage and social reformer used to inspire people with his lines like "Vidyakondu Prabuddha Ravuka" which signifies, "Get enlightened through education". He said that the lives of great men and women, especially the leaders of our freedom movement, highlight the simple truth that schools and colleges are the most important sites of personal and social transformation. These are the workshops where the destiny of a nation is shaped. The President said that the liveliness and energy that he experiences in educational places like the beautiful campus of the Central University of Kerala comes from the possibilities of social empowerment. Here is a place where ideas are nurtured, taught and learnt. In this process, the atmosphere gets energised with the vitality of thoughts to give birth to new ideas. This unbroken cycle of knowledge is essential to empower the society and the nation, he said. Speaking about the National Education Policy, 2020, the President said that in the promotion of education, the task of the government is to help create the right environment in which the young minds will be fired with creativity. T President Kovind is on a visit to Kerala from December 21 to 24. (ANI) Pursuant to the Bombay High Court, Actor Kangana Ranaut was supposed to appear before the Mumbai police at Khar police station on Wednesday in connection with the investigation of FIR filed against her for her Instagram post with alleged derogatory remarks made against Sikhs. However, she will not be appearing at the Khar police station on Wednesday. She has cited the reason that she is not going to be in Mumbai on Wednesday, informed her lawyer Advocate Rizwan Siddiquee. Ranaut was supposed to appear at Khar police station on Wednesday to record her statement. Earlier on December 13, Bombay High Court asked actor Kangana Ranaut to appear before Mumbai Police on December 22 for investigation of an FIR registered against her for her Instagram post with alleged derogatory remarks made against Sikhs. Maharashtra government had agreed not to take any coercive action against her till January 25, the next date of hearing. Recently, a petition had also been filed in the Supreme court against Ranaut seeking censoring of all her social media posts in future in order to maintain law and order in the country. None of her posts on social media should be allowed without amendment, deletion, modification or censoring in order to maintain law and order in the country, stated advocate Charanjeet Singh Chanderpal in the plea. The plea filed by Chanderpal also sought direction to transfer all the FIRs filed across India, against the actor for her remarks on farmers' protest, to Khar police station, Mumbai, and charge sheet be filed in a period of six months along with expeditious trial within a period of two years. (ANI) The police had recovered 15 illegal pistols and 30 live cartridges, added the police. One car used in transporting the firearms was also seized by the police, as per the police. Both accused persons had allegedly supplied more than 400 pistols in Delhi during the last two years, according to the police. A case had been registered under the Arms Act. (ANI) Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said that the government has increased the compensation given to farmers whose crops were damaged during recent rainfall and floods, in his reply in the Legislative Assembly. "The state government has taken this decision despite the economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are a pro-farmer government," Bommai said. "An amount of Rs 13,500 has been fixed as compensation per hectare of crop loss for irrigated lands. But the state government has decided to pay an additional Rs 11,500, in effect offering a total compensation of Rs 25,000 per hectare". he further said. "According to NDRF norms, Rs 6,800 is the amount fixed for crop loss per hectare in dryland farming. This compensation is less. We intend to raise it. So, the state government has decided to pay an additional Rs6800 from its own exchequer," he added. "In effect, Rs 13,600 is being paid as compensation for crop loss per hectare of dryland farming. Similarly, Rs 13,500 has been fixed as compensation per hectare of crop loss for irrigated lands. But the state government has decided to pay an additional Rs11500, in effect offering a total compensation of Rs 25,000 per hectare," he stated. "This will benefit farmers with a total crop area of 12.69 lakh hectares. For horticultural crops, Rs 18,000 is being paid per acre. The state government has decided to pay an additional Rs 10,000 per hectare, making it a total of Rs 28,000," he further stated. "The additional amount being paid would cost Rs 12,000 crore for the exchequer," he stated. The rains have caused extensive damage to Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Tumakuru, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Ramanagar, Hassan districts. (ANI) "State government is providing power connection to houses of the poor and farmers' pump sets. It is providing 24X7 single phase power and 7 hours of three phase power in the state. The government has decided to convert the Rs 1900 crore debt burden of Hubballi Electric Supply Company into government' share capital and would utilise Rs 1500 crore central grant for rejuvenation of the company," he said. The Chief Minister reiterated his government's commitment for comprehensive development of northern Karnataka. State cabinet has decided to install statues of Kitturu Rani Chennamma and Sangolli Rayanna in Suvarna Soudha premises, Bommai said. The cabinet has also approved Dharawad-Belagavi via Kitturu railway line project at a cost of Rs 898 crore. It would give a big boost for infrastructure development in the region, he said. --IANS mka/shs ( 180 Words) 2021-12-22-01:10:04 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said that the victims of the 2019-20 Belagavi floods, data of whom were not uploaded initially, would be paid compensation amount for their damage. The Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said this in his reply in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. As many as 7600 such houses have been identified by the state government. "The state government has initiated measures to provide compensation for houses damaged, but details of which were not uploaded in the compensation software application, during the floods of 2019-20. Compensation would be paid for owners of 7600 such houses too," the Chief Minister's Office said in a release. Bommai, during the debate, said, "Belagavi had suffered heavily during the 2019 floods. Deadline was extended thrice to upload the details on houses destroyed or damaged. Details of damage to over 7700 houses were not uploaded in the application. However, after studying the ground reality compensation has been released for 7600 eligible families." Further, he added that no such hitch was reported in 2020-21. "For the year 2021-22 Deputy Commissioners have been vested with powers to grant compensation based on reports of Tahsildars," Bommai said. The Chief Minister also informed the House that out of the 36,698 houses which were completely destroyed during the floods, construction of 18,589 houses have been completed, and that of 7,000 houses is almost complete. Construction of 3,130 houses is yet to be taken up due to legal and administrative hurdles, the Chief Minister said. (ANI) A total of 3117 minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan were granted Indian citizenship in the last four years, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in Rajya Sabha said on Wednesday. Member of Parliament Dr. K Keshava Rao had asked question regarding the total citizenship applications received from Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Christian minorities groups from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan during the years 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 and how many of them were granted Indian citizenship. In his reply, Rai mentioned that the number of citizenship applications received from Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Christian minorities groups from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan during the year 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 was 8244. The government has granted Indian citizenship to 3117 applicants during the period. On being asked about the total number of requests received by Government from Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Christian minorities groups from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who sought refuge in the Indian territory during 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. He said that all foreign nationals including refuge seekers are governed by the provisions contained in The Foreigners Act, 1946, The Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, The Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 and The Citizenship Act, 1955. (ANI) In a major crackdown on Chinese mobile companies, the Income Tax department is conducting searches on leading Chinese mobile companies across the country. Mobile companies including Oppo, Xiaomi and One Plus are being covered in this search, sources told ANI on Wednesday. More than two dozen premises are covered in the search which started on Tuesday."Raids are ongoing in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Greater Noida, Kolkata, Guwahati, Indore and some other places," sources told ANI. Sources told ANI that some fintech companies are also covered in this search. Chief Executive Officers of these companies are covered in this search and currently, they are being interrogated by the Income Tax sleuths. Further, sources informed that the search was conducted on the intelligence inputs of huge tax evasion by these Chinese mobile firms. They were under the radar for a long time and when the income tax department got concrete intelligence of tax evasion then raids were conducted on these companies. According to sources, it is early to reveal details about the ongoing search as the sleuths are on job but a substantial amount of digital data evidencing evasion of tax has been found and seized. Earlier in August, a Chinese government-controlled telecom vendor, ZTE was searched. Searches were conducted at a total of five premises of ZTE, including the corporate office, the residence of the foreign director, the residence of the company secretary, the account person and the cash handler of the company. During the search on ZTE, the examination of import bills vis-a-vis sale bills shows that there was a gross profit of approximately 30 per cent on the trading of the equipment, though the company had been booking "huge" losses over the years. Investigation revealed that the losses are being booked by the company through bogus expenses in respect of services provided by it. A few such recipients have been identified in whose case substantial expenses have been booked over the years. These entities have been found to be non-existent at their addresses, sources added. (ANI) The Centre on Wednesday launched an attack on the Opposition for disrupting proceedings of Parliament during the Winter Session that culminated today, a day ahead of its scheduled time. Speaking on behalf of the Centre, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi slammed the Opposition for their actions to continue disrupting the proceedings of both the Houses of Parliament-- the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha-- during the entire session that provided 18 sittings spread over a period of 24 days. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader also took a dig at Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien who threw Rajya Sabha rule book on reporters' tables during a discussion on the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021. Joshi's remarks came while briefing a press conference, saying it seems the Opposition is "unable to digest" the mandate given by the people of the country to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Minister was speaking to media soon after the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned sine die, bringing an end to the session that witnessed the Opposition members protesting on various issues that included suspension of 12 MPs, price rise and the Lakhimpur Kheri incident that occurred in the first week of October involving Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni's son Ashish Mishra as one of the accused. The Minister also mentioned, "it is unfortunate that despite our efforts and reaching out to the Opposition, they created ruckus in the House". "It seems that Congress and other Opposition parties are unable to digest the mandate of 2019 given by the people," Joshi said. The Minister also informed that the government has referred six bills to parliamentary committees for greater scrutiny, including the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill that seeks to override personal laws of different religions. Rejecting the Opposition's allegation that adequate time was not allotted to them for studying the Bills introduced in both the Houses, particularly the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021, the Minister said it is "baseless". "The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was circulated among members a day advance to prepare for the debate," Joshi said. Clarifying the allegation, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal said "both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were allowed to speak in Zero Hour without any prior notice, so it is just a baseless allegation that Opposition leaders are not allowed to speak". Adding on it, Pralhad Joshi said, "it is also important to be on the designated seat allotted to any member when he wants to speak but the Opposition remained in the Well of the House and disrupted the proceedings." Joshi also informed that the productivity of Lok Sabha was approximately 82 per cent and that of Rajya Sabha was approximately 48 per cent. The Minister said the Winter Session, 2021 of Parliament which commenced on November 29 and was scheduled to adjourn on December 23 has been adjourned Sine Die today (Wednesday). He said the session was curtailed one day earlier than scheduled on completion of essential government business. The session provided 18 sittings spread over a period of 24 days, said Joshi, adding 13 Bills (12 Bills in Lok Sabha and one Bill in Rajya Sabha) were introduced during the session and 11 Bills were passed by both the Houses of Parliament. "The passed Bills include the Appropriation Bill relating to the Supplementary Demands for Grants for the year 2021-22 which was passed by Lok Sabha, transmitted to Rajya Sabha and will be deemed to have been passed by both Houses after the expiry of 14 days under Article 109(5)", the Minister said. Three Bills replacing the Ordinances, namely, the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 (9 of 2021), the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 (10 of 2021) and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Ordinance 2021(8 of 2021) which were promulgated by the President before Winter Session, 2021 were considered and passed by the Houses. One Bill namely the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was referred to theJoint Committee of both Houses of Parliament. Some of the other important Bills including three ordinances replacing Bills passed by Houses of Parliament are the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021; the Dam Safety Bill, 2021; the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulations) Bill, 2021; the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2021; the National Institute of Phar Bill, 2021; the High Court and Supreme Court Amendment Bill, 2021; the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021; and the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021. Two Short Duration discussions under Rule 193 were also held in Lok Sabha on the COVID-19 pandemic and various aspects related to it, and Climate Change. In Rajya Sabha, the Minister said one discussion on the situation arising out of cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 virus in the country was held. Joshi stressed that the Opposition did not participate in any of the Short Duration discussions despite they themselves having demanded it in an all-party meeting and the first priority was given to the price rise discussion. (ANI) Haryana's Gurugam has fully vaccinated 100 per cent of its adult population against COVID-19 and has become the first district in the state to achieve this landmark achievement, informed the Deputy Commissioner's Office on Wednesday. It further said that 128 per cent of citizens across the district have received their first jab while 100 per cent got their second dose of vaccine. "Gurugram vaccinated both doses to its 100 per cent citizens against coronavirus, Gurugram is the first district of Haryana to achieve this remarkable achievement. 128 per cent of citizens got the first jab while 100 per cent got the second dose as well. Thanks to Gurugram citizens for their support," Deputy Commissioner's Office said in a tweet. Last week, Andaman and Nicobar Islands achieved 100 per cent double-dose COVID-19 vaccination coverage, becoming the first State/UT to achieve the milestone using only Covisheild. With the administration of 57,05,039 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 138.96 Cr (1,38,95,90,670) as per provisional reports till 7 am today. This has been achieved through 1,47,11,227sessions. (ANI) With over 200 cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 in India, the health experts treating the patients infected with the virus say that so far cases are mild and the recovery rate is high but it is high time to be cautious otherwise India will be in trouble. The country has reported 213 cases of Omicron so far, with two states-- Maharashtra and Delhi-- and topping the number of cases. While speaking to ANI, Dr Vivek Nangia, Principal Director and Head of Pulmonology, Max Hospital, Saket Complex said, "As of now we have got patients who are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and no significant symptoms or complications have developed so far. Patients admitted do not even require oxygen or any other IV medication." He said that most omicron patients have recorded travel history either from at-risk countries or other countries. As per the government norms for omicron patients, an institutional quarantine of these patients has to be followed due to its high transmissibility rate. "All the patients admitted here have been asked to get institutional quarantine by the govt. These are the travellers who were returning from other countries like the UK and were tested positive at the airport and asked for an institutional quarantine. So far they all got very mild to no symptoms at all," said Dr Nangia. He further said that the mild symptoms of omicron are fever, body ache, sore throat, cough and cold which is similar to the delta variant that India had which became the dominant strain worldwide. The health expert also believes that with the festive season coming in, the numbers are going to increase. "The way things are going we are already seeing a surge in a number of cases. Initially, we saw 20 to 30 cases being reported now we are seeing cases in hundreds. The number of cases will keep increasing, especially due to the upcoming festive season. Moreover, with people moving around, I am sure we are in trouble," he added. "It's high time we all should be cautious and follow all the COVID protocol behaviour otherwise we will be in trouble again similar to the beginning of this year," said Dr Nangia. Despite high vaccination rate and exposure to Delta variant, internationally the high transmissibility rate of omicron has been reported with surges going up to 80,000 cases in a single day in the UK. Other countries with high omicron cases are South Africa, Norway, Canada. With the surge in cases each day, the Centre has urged people to take double doses of vaccines, avoid mass gatherings and non-essential travel along with emphasising on COVID protocol behaviours. India reported 6,317 new COVID-19 cases and 318 deaths in 24 hours. India's current active caseload, at 78,190 is the lowest in 575 days. In the omicron segment among 213 cases, 90 patients recovered. The new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. WHO has classified Omicron as a variant of concern. India reported the first case of Omicron on December 2. (ANI) The real estate sector has welcomed the inauguration of a skill development centre in Goa by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hoped that the move will change the dynamics in the area, especially for the real estate segment. It is being seen as a big plus for the commercial and residential real estate market in Goa and drives fresh interest and investment in Goa. During his recent visit to Goa, the Prime Minister inaugurated the aviation skill development centre at MOPA Airport. The new aviation skill development centre will help in imparting requisite training to students and ensuring that they are industry-ready. It is expected to open a new stream of opportunities for the area and also give a major fillip to the tourism sector. During his visit, PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for a gas-insulated substation at Dabolim-Navelim in Margao and inaugurated a super speciality block at Goa Medical College, New South Goa District Hospital. Welcoming this move, Aditya Kushwaha, CEO and Director, Axis Ecorp said that "it is a step in the right direction and will help in unlocking the potential of the area". He added that Goa attracts a lot of tourists from the world over and the opening of an aviation skill centre at the MOPA airport will enable the youth to explore newer opportunities and make them job-ready. "Infrastructure development in the area will also provide a massive boost to the local economy and increase the per capita income of the citizens. We have earmarked a budget of Rs 100 crore and will be utilizing it to develop world-class hotel apartments and villas in Sindhudurg, which is close to the upcoming airport." Echoing a similar sentiment Kapil Kapur, Director, Bullmen Realty said the establishment of skill development centre at MOPA airport is indeed a positive move. "Goa has already seen immense investment which would result in economic growth. These new announcements will bring in further investment in the region. Once the MOPA airport is operational, corporate travel and leisure opportunities will also get a boost. We believe Goa and its surrounding areas will continue to get continued interest from investors and end-users alike." MOPA airport is being seen as a big game-changer for this region and it is expected to spell boom for Goa and its peripheral areas, which includes Dodamarg. Almost 50 per cent of the work for the MOPA airport is already done and the project is expected to be ready by 2022. In Goa every year, thousands of tourists from India and abroad visit the sandy beaches of this region. It is believed that the inflow of tourists will increase multiple folds once the state gets its own international airport. Not only Goa but the neighbouring Sindhudurg district which is known for its majestic falls, virgin beaches and historical forts too is expected to gain significantly once this airport is operational. It is also expected to open a window of opportunity for local producers and small businesses in the area. All the development will not only attract more real estate players but also result in a 20-30 per cent escalation in the land prices. Tourism has taken a major hit in the last couple of years due to the breakout of the pandemic. The opening of international airports such as MOPA will help revive the sector and infuse positivity. On the occasion of Goa Liberation Day celebrations, the Prime Minister inaugurated multiple development projects at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Panaji. While addressing the gathering, PM Modi had said, "The natural beauty of Goa has always been its hallmark. But now, the government here is empowering another identity of Goa. The new identity of the state is that it 'tops' in every field of work. Elsewhere, when the work starts or the work progresses, Goa finishes it." "The land of Goa, the air of Goa, the sea of Goa, have been blessed with a wonderful gift of nature. And today, this enthusiasm of the people of Goa is adding to the pride of liberation," he added. (ANI) "President Kovind witnessed the operational demonstration by the Southern Naval Command in Kochi. The event displayed the combat capability of ships and aircraft of the navy and showcased naval prowess and operations," Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a tweet. President Kovind visited the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier ''Vikrant'' under construction at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi and lauded the development of indigenous naval shipbuilding capabilities. "President Kovind visited the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier ''Vikrant'' under construction at Cochin Shipyard Ltd., Kochi. The President lauded the development of indigenous naval shipbuilding capabilities as a shining example of the nation''s quest for ''Atma Nirbhar Bharat'', Kovind further tweeted. (ANI) The deceased S. Saravanan(44) was attached with the Vilkkathoon police station under Madurai district police. Another police constable, Kannan who was on night patrol duty with the deceased Saravanan is admitted to Madurai Government medical college with multiple fractures. The duo was doing night patrol at East Velli street and was standing near a pesticide shop when the balcony of a dilapidated building above the shop crumbled and fell on them. Saravanan was crushed under the debris while Kannan was left injured. Both were rushed to the Medical college hospital but Saravanan was declared dead on arrival. Kannan is recovering at the Medical college hospital. Madurai city police commissioner Prem Anand Sinha and other senior officers paid their respects to the deceased police head constable at the GRH Medical college hospital. --IANS aal/shb/ ( 170 Words) 2021-12-22-12:16:06 (IANS) Rajya Sabha on Wednesday was adjourned sine due, a day ahead of its schedule. The house was adjourned just after proceedings commenced on Wednesday. At the start of the session, leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge tried to raise the issue of alleged land scam in Ayodhya but the Chair did not allow. Chairman M. Venkiah Naidu said that the house could not function properly and everyone should cooperate and then adjourned the house sine die. During the winter session, the opposition and the government had been at loggerheads on suspension of 12 MPs which could not be resolved and on Tuesday another MP of of the Trinamool Congress Derek O'Brien was suspended. The opposition alleged that the government wanted to push bills in the house, so it suspended the MPs. On Tuesday, Leader of the house, Piyush Goyal said Derek O'Brien threw the rule book and said he should not have done it. Goyal also sought apology from the 12 suspended MPs and later Derek was suspended. The incident occurred during passing of bill on electoral reforms. The government on Tuesday faced stiff resistance from opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha and the BJP alleged that Trinamool Congress member Derek O'Brien threw the rule book on Secretary General. Leader of the house, Piyush Goyal said, "we thought that the opposition will learn some lessons but the same thing has been repeated." After being suspended from the Rajya Sabha, O'Brien said in a tweet, "The last time I got suspended from RS was when govt was BULLDOZING #FarmLaws. We all know what happened after that. Today, I was suspended while protesting against BJP making a mockery of #Parliament and BULLDOZING #ElectionLawsBill2021. Hope this Bill too will be repealed soon." The Government on the issue of suspension of MPs called a meeting, but the four invited parties boycotted it and demanded that all party meeting should have been called to resolve the issue. Kharge had said: "The Government is conspiring to divide the Opposition but the parties are united on the issue. It should call an all-party meeting." Joshi had called the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, Communist Party of India-Marxist to end stalemate in the House which has been continuing since day one of the session. Though government managed to pass the bills and withdrew contentious farm bills but the opposition raked issues related to Lakhimpur Kheri, suspension of MPs and farmers Compensation issue. --IANS miz/skp/ ( 418 Words) 2021-12-22-12:30:03 (IANS) The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday demanded that the Maha Vikas Aghadi should replace Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray since he is indisposed and the state administration is allegedly at a standstill, but the ruling coalition of Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress dismissed the suggestion. Ahead of the start of the Winter Session of Maharashtra Legislature here, state BJP President Chandrakant Patil and other leaders raised the issue of "the CM's long absence" and urged that he should be replaced by either his wife Rashmi or son and Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray in the post. "The people of the state have not seen the CM for a long... It's understandable that he is unwell. As per tradition, the charge should have been handed over to someone else. It is possible that he has no faith in the two allies (NCP-Congress), and if he has no faith even in his own partymen (Sena), he can at least give charge to Aditya Thackeray," Patil said. The Sena-NCP hit back with ministers Aditya Thackeray and Jayant Patil assuring that the CM's health is fine and he is likely to attend the House. Rejecting the opposition's contentions, they also said the CM, the cabinet and the government are performing very well and there should be no cause for anyone to worry. Sena MP Sanjay Raut took a swipe at Patil by saying that "he should concentrate on the Opposition" instead of doling out advice to the MVA government. CM Thackeray, who underwent a cervical spine surgery on November 12, has been recuperating at his official residence 'Varsha' since the past over a month. However, he has been regularly conducting important meetings related to the Covid-19 and Omicron health crises, the cabinet meetings and other major meets online. --IANS qn/dpb ( 306 Words) 2021-12-22-13:00:02 (IANS) "Banerjee's Z-category security cover in Bengal and Y+ security cover across India has been withdrawn by the ministry," stated the official. Notably, Banerjee, along with a few other disgruntled MLAs, had joined BJP after quitting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) before the West Bengal Assembly elections held earlier this year. Recently, he rejoined TMC and asked the Centre to withdraw his security cover. (ANI) The Interim President also asked MPs to take the national issues to the people in their respective constituencies. Earlier today, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been adjourned sine die ahead of schedule. Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier today met with top members of his cabinet in the Parliament to discuss various issues and the government's strategy. Since the beginning of the winter session on November 29, both the Houses of Parliament witnessed continuous disruptions by the Opposition's ruckus over several issues including the suspension of 12 MPs, the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, and others. The winter session is scheduled to culminate on December 23. (ANI) Observing that "dishonest litigants cannot be allowed to abuse the process of the Court", the Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea with a cost of Rs 50,000 against the petitioner. "Dishonest litigants cannot be allowed to abuse the process of the Court. The conduct of the petitioner itself would disentitle the petitioner of any relief in the present petition," Justice Amit Bansal said. "In view of the discussion above, the present petition is dismissed with cost of Rs 50,000," the court said and rejected the plea of the company challenging the order dated November 18, 2021, passed by the Additional Rent Controller (ARC), Central District, Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi, whereby the Executing Court has issued warrants of execution in respect of the order/decree dated July 12, 2010. Vide judgment dated July 12, 2010, the ARC allowed the eviction petition filed by the landlord as the tenant failed to file the leave to defend. However, in terms of settlement arrived at between the tenant and landlord, 10 years' time was granted to the tenant to vacate the tenanted premises. Upon expiry of 10 years, the landlord filed the execution petition from which the present petition arises. Vide impugned order dated November 18, 2021, passed by the Executing Court, request of the tenant to file a reply to the execution petition was rejected and warrants of execution of the order/decree dated July 12, 2010, were issued after noting that no appeal/revision has been preferred by the tenant against the order/decree dated July 12, 2010. The court was dealing with a petition filed by the tenant against his landlord seeking his eviction from tenanted premises in Ajmeri Gate. The petitioner has challenged an order dated November 18, 2021, passed by the Additional Rent Controller in Tis Hazari Courts, whereby the Executing Court has issued warrants of execution in respect of the order/decree dated July 12, 2010. "The position that emerges is that the tenant voluntarily entered into a compromise and pursuant thereto, enjoyed the benefit of staying in the tenanted premises for a period of 10 years. Now, at the stage of execution, the tenant cannot raise objections with regard to the jurisdiction of the ARC that recorded the consent order/decree. The case of the tenant herein was based on concealment of facts and the conduct of the tenant has been dishonest and unscrupulous," the court said. As per the compromise entered into between the parties, the tenant should have handed over possession of the tenanted premises in July 2020, that is, after the passing of 10 years of the order/decree dated July 12, 2010, passed by the ARC, the court noted. "Despite signing statements to this effect before the ARC under Order XXIII Rules 1 and 2 of the CPC, as recorded in the order/decree passed by the ARC on July 12, 2010, the tenant held on to the tenanted premises. Copies of the statements recorded by the parties before the ARC have also deliberately not been filed along with the present petition," the court said. The respondent landlord was represented by advocates Prabhav Ralli and Shivaz Berry. (ANI) A group of terrorists on Wednesday fired upon a policeman at Bijbehara area in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. Further details of the incident are awaited. In another incident, terrorists also shot at a person in the Eidgah area of Srinagar city. More details are awaited. (ANI) A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking SIT probe into the alleged involvement of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Minister of State (MoS) Ajay Mishra Teni in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. The plea filed by former Border Security Force (BSF) Jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav sought direction to the SIT formed by the top court to implicate MoS Mishra and Deputy Chief Minister Maurya as accused in the case. The plea filed through advocates Pradeep Kumar Yadav and Sanjeev Malhotra sought the implication of the MoS for Home Ajay Mishra as accused in the case by saying that he had threatened the victims (a few days before the incident). Mishra was found involved in killing farmers and journalists in the violence in a pre-planned manner, therefore, SIT should implicate Mishra in the case, said the plea. It stated, "MoS Teni had sent his son for the execution of his plan in which he succeeded, therefore, he should also be held for the same offence under which his son and other accused persons are in judicial custody." The plea said that the agitating farmer and affected persons in the incident had demanded the resignation of Ajay Mishra and Keshav Prasad Maurya. It said Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and MoS (Home) Ajay Mishra Teni were to visit Lakhimpur Kheri to lay the foundation stone of the government scheme when the incident happened. The Special Investigation Team of the Uttar Pradesh police that is probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence incident had said before the Lakhimpur local court that there was a planned conspiracy to kill the people present during the incident. The Supreme Court last month had appointed Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain, former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, to monitor the investigation in the Lakhimpur Kheri case. (ANI) "Injured ASI Mohd Ashraf succumbed to his injuries and attained martyrdom. We stand by his family at this critical juncture," Kashmir Zone Police said in a tweet. The cop was admitted to a hospital in Srinagar for treatment. "Terrorists fired indiscriminately and critically injured a police personnel ASI Mohd Ashraf of Police Station Bijbehara, Anantnag. He has been shifted to Srinagar based hospital for treatment. Area cordoned off. Further details shall follow," Kashmir Zone Police had informed in a tweet. Earlier in the day, a civilian was shot dead by terrorists in the Eidgah area of Srinagar city. (ANI) In a bid to provide benefit to the coconut farmers, the Union Cabinet has approved the hike in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Copra (dried coconut) for the year 2022, Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday informed. "The cabinet meeting was held under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. Cabinet fixed MSP for copra for 2022. In 2022, Rs 10,590 per quintal has been fixed as the MSP for 'Fair Average Quality' of milling copra and Rs 11,000 per quintal as MSP for ball copra," Thakur told reporters here. The Union Minister informed that this MSP is more than around 52 per cent of the cost price of milling copra and more than around 58 per cent of the cost price of ball copra. "On this basis, the MSP of ripe dehusked coconut will be fixed by the department." Earlier in January 2021, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had approved the MSP of copra at Rs 10,335 per quintal which is an increase of Rs 375 over 2020 rates for the 2021 season. The central government had made it clear that the procurement work will be done by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd.(NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation (NCCF). (ANI) The employees are required to upload the vaccination certificates on the Punjab government's job portal to get their salaries. Amid rising cases of coronavirus variant Omicron across the country, the Punjab government has resorted to stricter measures to encourage people to get vaccinated. Meanwhile, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said that the people who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will not be allowed at public places in the state after January 1. India has so far reported over 200 cases of the new variant, which was first detected in South Africa. According to the Union Health Ministry, 213 cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been reported in the country so far. Out of this, Delhi topped the list with 57 confirmed cases followed by Maharashtra (54 cases) and Telangana (24 cases). (ANI) Income Tax Department has detected Benami properties worth Rs 3.5 crore from an aide of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, sources told ANI on Wednesday. The search action which was started on December 18 covered more than 30 premises spread over various locations including Lucknow, Mainpuri, Mau, Kolkata, Bengaluru and NCR. Sources told ANI that unexplained investment of Rs 11 crore in a shell company and investments in Benami properties worth Rs 3.5 crore have been identified from Jainendra Yadav, who is a close aide of Akhilesh Yadav. Income tax sleuths are trying to figure out the real beneficiary of Benami properties of Jainendra Yadav. As per the sources, the IT department has found undisclosed income of over Rs 86 crore from Manoj Yadav, who is Director of RCL company. Manoj Yadav has admitted a sum of Rs 68 crore as his undisclosed income and offered to pay tax thereon. During the investigation, IT department has found that Rajeev Rai who is also Secretary of Samajwadi Party run a Nursing College in Bangalore. It further said that Rajeev Rai has an investment in Dubai. He used to route his funds to Dubai through Kerala-based entities including Markazu Saquafathi Ssunniyya Trust and Markaz Knowledge City Trust, connected with Dubai, for the personal benefit of the trustees. Investigation reveals that Bengaluru-based Trust and its related entities transferred Rs 80 lakh in the guise of donation, for non-trust purposes which is the violation of relevant provisions relating to registration of trusts under the Income-tax Act, 1961 for a claim of exemption, as well as, FEMA provisions. "Rajeev Rai was collecting Rs 3.5 crore per year for the last three years as capitation fees. More than Rs 10 crore in cash was collected as capitation fees in the last three years. Expenses to the tune of over Rs 4.8 crore incurred from the account of the Trust, for the trustees' personal benefit over the last 3 years, have also been gathered, said sources. A Kolkata-based entry operator has also been covered in the search operation. Another source who was involved in the search told that Rahul Bhasin was using Kolkata-based entry operator to make his black money into white. Rahul Bhasin used the conduit of shell companies to route its unexplained income and investments. Such unexplained investment to the tune of Rs 12 crore has been identified. (ANI) Women CRPF personnel to be deployed for protection of Sonia, Priyanka Gandhi during UP polls The official said that the training of CRPF women personnel has been completed and they will be deployed in the security of VVIP protectees from January second week onwards. "The women CRPF personnel will be deployed in the house for the protection of 'Z and Z plus protectees teams' during their movement in Uttar Pradesh and other states elections," the senior officer said. "Women personnel have completed a total of ten weeks rigorous training before being deployed in the protection of VVIPs," he added. The officer further added that they have five protectees under the Z plus ASL (Advanced Security Liason) category that includes Home Minister, Priyanka Vadra Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and former PM Manmohan Singh and his wife. The team will basically assist women protectees during their movement in the state during elections to contain the female crowd. At present, CRPF provides protection to 12 VIPs under the Z plus category and 22 VIPs under the Z category. Uttar Pradesh is slated to go to Assembly 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 Samaj Party (BSP) won 19 and Congress could manage to win only seven seats. The rest of the seats were bagged by other candidates. (ANI) Yogi Adityanath's biographer Shantanu Gupta, having made waves with his bestselling 'The Monk Who Became Chief Minister', returns with a new title 'The Monk Who Transformed Uttar Pradesh' published by Garuda Prakashan. The book meticulously details how Yogi Adityanath transformed Uttar Pradesh as Chief Minister, in various aspects like law and order, air and road connectivity, education, health infrastructure, electricity, industrial growth, agriculture and other important aspects. The book carries a foreword by T.V. Mohandas Pai, ex-director of Infosys and chairman of Aarin Capital. Pai writes: "When Yogi Adityanath took over as CM, Lutyens Delhi -- the name by which the power structure and supporters of the ancient regime are known -- exploded in anger and derision. They questioned his capability to be CM, abused him roundly, and predicted the total failure of his regime. They forget that he was a 5-time MP, a person of great accomplishment as an MP going by his track record in Parliament, had toured most districts of UP and knew the living conditions of the people of UP more than any of his critics." The author, Shantanu Gupta, goes on to explain that governance under the SP and BSP governments institutionalized three things in UP's politics -- goonda raj, widespread corruption and a high degree of nepotism. "Corruption became part of the basic grammar of UP. All development indices of UP remained abysmally low during those years, apart from the crime numbers, which always soared. Only industry, which was getting benefited from Uttar Pradesh in those years, was Bollywood which drew inspiration for many of its criminal thriller sequences from UP, where Mulayam Singh Yadav had in-famously defended heinous rapists, saying -- "Ladke Hain, Galti Ho Jati Hai" (Boys, do commit some small mistakes sometimes)," he writes. The arguments in the book are backed by hard facts -- the massive administrative changes that Yogi brought in UP's work culture, how he overhauled policing in UP, how he electrified a dark Uttar Pradesh with the motto 'Sabko Bijli, Paryapt Bijli aur Nirbadh Bijli', how UP became an expressway state under Yogi's regime and how industries, prosperity and jobs are returning to UP under Yogi. Having chronicled how Yogi changed the perception of Uttar Pradesh as an un-developed, uneducated, corrupt, lawless and 'Bimaru' state to a transformed and progressive Uttar Pradesh, the author also showcases Yogi's merit-based education system versus Akhilesh Yadav's cheating-based system, the story of Yogi's One-District-One-Medical-College mission to his Covid management, how Yogi's massive pro-farmer steps rendered so-called farmer protests irrelevant, the cultural renaissance of UP under Yogi government and finally, how the duo of Modi-Yogi brought welfare for the poor in UP. "Uttar Pradesh was disparaged as 'bimaru' and known for governance based on identity politics rather than all-around development, Sabka Vikas. Shantanu Gupta's book is an important contribution to how an effective leader, rooted in India's ancient ethos while looking for apt solutions for contemporary times, can bring real change," says Sankrant Sanu, founder and CEO of Garuda Prakashan. Many prominent scholars and journalists have applauded the book on social media platforms Sr Advisor to I&B Ministry Kanchan Gupta, Author and CIC Uday Mahurkar, Author Harsh Madhusudan, USA Congressional candidate Ritesh Tondon, to name a few. In Book discussion organized by Overseas friends of BJP for the diaspora in 13 cities of Europe - Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, BJP's Foreign cell head Vijay Chauthaiwale and Author Shantanu shared their thoughts. Sudhanshu Trivedi applauded his college junior Shantanu's work and added that Uttar Pradesh has seen a sea of positive change in Yogi Adityanath's tenure. "Today the same UP has become second in Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) ranking leaving many industrialized states behind. Under Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh has become the second largest state of India in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), surging ahead of even the industrialized states like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Uttar Pradesh has doubled the per capita income of its citizens -- from Rs 43,000 per year in 2015-16, when the SP was in power, to Rs 95,000 a year in 2021. Institutions like the World Health Organization (WHO), IIT Kanpur, Niti Aayog and the Mumbai High Court praised Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath over his Covid-19 management and the way the Yogi government handled the state in the first and second wave. In fact, Australian MP Craig Kelly was so impressed with Yogi Adityanath's handling of Covid that he publicly requested for Yogi Adityanath to be loaned to Australia for some time to manage Covid in his country," adds the author. --IANS san/skp/ ( 769 Words) 2021-12-22-14:28:04 (IANS) Punjab government will provide free sanitary pads to needy women every month at all 27,314 Anganwadi centres across the state under the 'Udaan Scheme'. The scheme was formally launched by Social Security and Women and Child Development Minister Razia Sultana at Malerkotla recently. Disclosing this here today, Minister Razia Sultana said that a myriad of initiatives have been taken by the government to empower the women in Punjab. Now, nine sanitary pads per month will be provided free of cost to the needy females at all the Anganwadi Centers in the state. In the first phase, about 50 females are being covered at each Anganwadi Centre and sanitary pads would be given to 13.65 lakh beneficiaries each month. A total of 1.23 crore pads will be distributed under this scheme. On the occasion, the minister also directed to commence uploading of Sanitary Pad record Proforma on the M-Seva application. Apart from this, a women's shop has been set up in Malerkotla district, where females can sell indigenous and homemade goods, in a bid to empower the women. Razia Sultana said that the state government was also taking sincere efforts to increase the girl's sex ratio in Punjab. Under the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' campaign, the parents of the girls are being honoured while the essential goods kits have also been provided to the newborn girls. Minister Sultana herself distributed such kits to 100 newborn girls during a special function at Malerkotla. Director of Social Security and Women and Child Development DPS Kharbanda said that a jingle has been made by the social security department to spread awareness among the people to increase the sex ratio of girls. He said that this informative jingle would be played on various platforms across the state. (ANI) While reacting to Congress leader Harish Rawat's tweets taking pot shots at the party leadership and organization, Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat took a dig at him by saying that "that he won't skip elections because that is his priority, but he should take some rest now." "Harish Rawat is not going to take any rest. I think he is doing this to ensure his clout in the party. He will not turn his back on elections because elections are a priority for him," said Tirath Singh Rawat. "Considering the way he is expressing his pain, I feel he should take some rest," he added. Dismissing the comment made by Congress leader that "it's time to rest," the BJP leader said, "He is known for doing pressure politics. No one knows what he says and does. People are aware of his past." "He is a senior leader of Congress. I think what he said today shows his pain towards the party. I hope he will live up to the feelings he expressed today," said BJP leader. Tirath Singh Rawat slammed Harish Rawat, who was also Punjab Congress in-charge, over the infighting in that state leading to Congress stalwart Captain (retired) Amarinder Singh leaving the party. "Recently he was in Punjab. What happened there we know. Congress got split into pieces and captain left the party. I think he might have learned something from that situation only," said Tirath Singh Rawat. Further, slamming Congress party over infighting in Uttarakhand unit of the party, Tirath Singh Rawat said it will be easy for BJP to go to elections in this situation. "Congress has always been scattered. Those who have so many splits in their family, so much infighting among themselves, how will they go outside and fight the elections. I don't think it will be easy for Congress to fight the elections like this. Certainly it would benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party," said Tirath Singh Rawat. "Even today, the general public gives more attention to development, but when Congress itself is not one, how will they perform outside. Recent comment of Harish Rawat tells us there is certainly something going on inside that party. Everyone is pulling each other legs," he said. In signs of trouble for Congress ahead of assembly polls in Uttarakhand, former Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Wednesday made a veiled attack on the Congress leadership. He also expressed anguish at factionalism in the state unit saying there was "non-cooperation" from the party organisation in the state at most places and that a thought has been crossing his mind that "it is time to rest". "Isn't it strange, one has to swim in the sea in the form of forthcoming electoral battle, instead of cooperation, the organisation has turned away its face or is playing a negative role," Rawat said. "There are many crocodiles of the ruling dispensation. On whose directions one has to swim, their nominees are tying my hands and feet," he said. "And then quietly in a corner of mind, a voice is erupting, 'na danyam, na palaynam'. Perhaps the new year will show the way. I have faith that Lord Kedarnath will provide me guidance in this situation," he added. Uttarakhand Assembly elections are scheduled for next year. In the 2017 Uttarakhand Assembly elections, BJP won 57 seats, Congress won 11 seats and two seats were won by others. (ANI) The inmate who saw Sheena Bora is willing to record her statement before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Sheena Bora murder case, informed Sana R Khan, Lawyer of Indrani Mukherjea on Wednesday. Speaking to ANI, Khan said, "I have been informed by my client Indrani Mukherjea (mother and prime accused in this murder case) that a lady officer (inmate) has informed her that she met Sheena Bora on June 24 near Dal Lake." "This officer is ready to record her statement before the CBI. We will file an application to direct the CBI to conduct a fair probe," the lawyer further said. Earlier on December 16, the prime accused Indrani Mukherjea had also written to the CBI and said that she will move to CBI court to record a statement of a jail inmate who claimed to have met Sheena in Kashmir. Indrani Mukherjea, the mother of Sheena Bora in her letter to the investigating agency stated that an inmate in Byculla prison at present had told her that she had spotted Sheena in Kashmir some time ago. In her letter, Indrani has requested the CBI to look into the possibility of Sheena being alive. Indrani has always maintained that Sheena has not been murdered and is alive and had gone abroad for her education in 2012, although Indrani could never prove her claims in any way. Indrani Mukherjea, who is currently lodged in Byculla jail of Mumbai had also sent a letter from the jail to CBI stating that Sheena Bora is alive. A source close to Indrani confirmed that the letter was written based on input given by another jail inmate. Indrani's lawyer Sana Raees Khan refused to confirm anything about the contents of the letter but said that she will file an application before Bombay High court on December 28 and only after filing that application, she will share the details of the letter written by Indrani to CBI. The CBI has been investigating the Sheena Bora case since 2015, after taking over the case from Mumbai Police. According to the case registered by Mumbai Police, Sheena Bora was kidnapped and murdered by strangulation in April 2012. This case first came to light after the arrest of Indrani's driver, Shyamvar Rai in another case in August 2015. During the investigation, he confessed to having murdered Sheena Bora in April 2012 and said that he dumped her body in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. He also told Mumbai Police that Sheena's mother, Indrani Mukerjea and Sanjeev Khanna (Ex-husband of Indrani) were also involved in this murder. According to CBI's case before the court, Indrani Mukerjea killed Sheena Bora because she was furious over the relationship between Sheena Bora, whom she introduced as her sister to everyone, and Rahul Mukerjea, son of Peter Mukerjea (third husband of Indrani Mukerjea) from his first marriage. According to the CBI, Indrani killed Sheena Bora as Sheena was threatening to expose her in public over the fact that she was not her sister, but her daughter, CBI said. Driver Shyamvar Rai turned approver in this case. Peter Mukerjea was given bail by a special CBI court in March 2020. During the trial of the case, Indrani and Peter decided to end their relationship too. They were given divorce by a family court in Mumbai in October 2019. (ANI) As many as nine more Omicron cases were reported in Kerala, taking the total infections of this variant to 24, informed state Health Minister Veena George on Wednesday. Of the nine cases, two people are returnees from the United Kingdom, two are returnees from Tanzania, one from Ghana, one from Ireland and three from Nigeria. "Nine more Omicron cases reported in Kerala. Six persons who reached Ernakulam and three who reached Thiruvananthapuram were found infected with the variant. The total number of omicron cases in the state stands at 24," Veena said. "In Ernakulam, two people reached from the UK, a woman and a boy had reached from Tanzania, another woman had reached from Ghana and one more woman reached from Ireland and had tested positive for the variant. In Trivandrum, a husband, wife and another woman reached from Nigeria," she added. According to Veena, there is no one in the contact list of those positive in Ernakulam as they were shifted to the hospital from the airport after testing positive for COVID-19 on December 18 and 19. "The couple, who returned from Nigeria, tested positive for COVID-19 on December 17. Their two children are in the contact list," informed the minister. Meanwhile, India has reported over 200 cases of Omicron, which was first detected in South Africa. (ANI) "Voters should be informed about the credentials of the candidate. Parties must inform through newspaper, TVs and publish on the website that their candidate has a criminal record, give reasons to choose that candidate instead of a clean candidate," said Chandra. Further, sharing details about the security and other measures being taken by the Election Commission of India to ensure free and fair elections, Chandra said, "All the entry points, state and coast boundaries will be kept under watch." "Banks have been instructed to give information about any suspicious cash transaction that takes place," he added. A high-level team of the Election Commission of India led by CEC Sushil Chandra is on a three-day visit to Goa from December 20 to take stock of the poll preparedness ahead of the upcoming state Assembly polls. Goa is slated to go to Assembly elections early next year. (ANI) "A person who came from Canada was reported Omicron positive in Faridabad," the minister told ANI. He further informed that the state government has announced financial aid of Rs 50,000 to families of those who died due to COVID-19, Rs 2 lakh to Below Poverty Line (BPL) holders, Rs 20 lakh to COVID warriors and Rs 50 lakh to healthcare workers. "We will give Rs 50,000 to (the families) of those who have died due to Covid, Rs 2 lakh to BPL holders, Rs 20 lakh to Covid warriors, and Rs 50 lakh to health workers," Vij said. Meanwhile, in order to tackle the transmission of the infection, the state government has barred people, who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, from public places in the state after January 1. India has so far reported over 200 cases of the new variant, which was first detected in South Africa. According to the Union Health Ministry's COVID bulletin issued earlier in the day, 213 cases of Omicron have been reported in the country so far. Out of this, Delhi topped the list with 57 confirmed cases followed by Maharashtra (54 cases) and Telangana (24 cases). (ANI) In an official release, DDMA has issued guidelines in view of rising COVID19 cases in the national capital. As per the DDMA order, "All DMs and District DCPs shall ensure that no cultural event, gatherings, and congregations are taking place for celebrating Christmas or New Year in National Capital Territory of Delhi." The statement advised the residents to follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour. Meanwhile, Delhi reported 125 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, the biggest single-day spike in the last six months. On June 22 this year, 134 Covid cases were reported in Delhi.As per Delhi's health bulletin on Wednesday, the positivity rate remained 0.20 per cent for the third consecutive day. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday had informed that Delhi has 34 cases of new Omicron variant of coronavirus in Delhi's Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital. Of these 17 patients have been discharged and the rest are admitted to other hospitals. (ANI) The Bombay High Court on Wednesday dismissed applications seeking quashing of the proceedings in the 2008 Panaji Police Station attack case and directed that the trial be expedited. Goa's Panaji MLA Babush Monserrate and Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate are the main accused in the case which has been pending in the Bombay High Court for the last seven years. Justice Manish Pitale today also rejected the request made on behalf of Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate to continue the stay of trial for four weeks and to enable her to move the Supreme Court. Justice Pitale while rejecting the request observed that the Supreme Court had directed that the criminal trials against MPs and MLAs have to be expedited. In a petition to the Administrative Judge of the High Court on November 9, it was pointed out by Advocate Aires Rodrigues that the SC being concerned about the criminalization of politics had directed that the criminal cases against politicians should be fast-tracked. However, it had not happened in Goa, at least in the Panaji Police Station attack case in which Babush Monserrate and his wife Jennifer stand charge-sheeted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for attacking and damaging the Panaji Police Station on February 19, 2008. Advocate Rodrigues also stated that the very questionable stay of the criminal trial granted by the High Court on December 4, 2014, that has continued for seven long years was contrary to a Supreme Court order that any stay granted by the High Court expires in six months and that unless an extension is granted, the trial must go ahead. Rodrigues had also sent a copy of his petition to the Chief Justice of India and the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. Meanwhile, Advocate Aires Rodrigues has on Wednesday stated that he would move an application before the Additional Sessions Judge Mapusa Sherin Paul seeking to assist the prosecution to ensure that the trial is free and fair without any manipulation in view of the fact that the main accused Babush and Jennifer Monserrate are politically influential and very well connected. Recalling when Minister Dayanand Narvekar was charge-sheeted, the BJP had sought to sack him from the cabinet, Rodrigues stated that the BJP should now "Walk its Talk" and drop Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate and also remove Babush Monserrate as Chairman of Greater Panaji and Development Authority and as Director of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited. (ANI) The Haryana government on Wednesday made the second dose of COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for people to enter malls, restaurants, banks, offices, and other public places starting January 1. Haryana additional chief secretary (health) Rajeev Arora, in a notification, said that only 60 per cent of the state's population have been administered both doses of COVID-19 vaccine. "As the dose of COVID vaccination has reached 93 per cent whereas the second dose is still lagging behind at 60 per cent (till December 22, 2021). Large numbers of beneficiaries are due and overdue since long for the second dose of COVID vaccination," he said in the order. "Further, new variants of COVID are emerging frequently and recently Omicron cases are showing an increasing trend in our country. Looking into the current scenario steps need to be taken for increasing coverage of vaccination to mitigate the spread of coronavirus," he added. He further said that emerging situation entails proactive monitoring and focused implementation or vaccination drive besides other measures. According to the new guidelines, entry at places like sabzi mandi, bars, restaurants, hotels, grain markets, departmental stores, liquor, and wine shops, malls, shopping complexes, cinema halls, local markets, and other places of public gathering should be allowed only to fully vaccinated. It further said that only fully vaccinated persons will be allowed to travel from bus stands, railway stations. "Other places of gathering like religious places, petrol and CNG stations. LPG gas cylinder collection centers, sugar mills, milk booths, ration shops also to allow only fully vaccinated persons," the new guidelines read. As per the guidelines, both private and government sector banks will only allow fully vaccinated persons. Instruction to these banks may be given accordingly. "No individual including government servants to be allowed to visit government offices without being fully vaccinated," it added. The COVID-19 vaccination will be also mandatory for eligible students more than 18 years of college or polytechnic. Meanwhile, parks, yogshalas, gym, and fitness centers will only allow those who have received second dose of COVID vaccination. India has reported over 213 cases of Omicron infections so far. During the winter session of the state assembly, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij said that after January 1, 2022, the people who have not taken both doses will not be allowed to enter public places. "From January 1, 2022, the people who have not taken both doses will not be allowed to enter marriage halls, hotels, restaurants, offices, banks, or any other public places. This is to protect ourselves from Omicron and the third wave of Covid," he said, He said that 28 people of the health department have lost their lives due to COVID and compensation has been given to 27 while in one case the documents are yet to be completed. (ANI) Women belonging to an Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliate organisaiton have welcomed the bill to raise the legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years. Several people ANI spoke to in different parts of the country welcomed the Centre's move while some expressed their opposition. Union Cabinet Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani on Tuesday introduced the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in Lok Sabha amid protests by the opposition. The government has decided to send the bill to standing committee. "We are very happy with the decision. We welcome and thank the government for this. By the age of 17, girls only pass class 12 and 18 years is a very early age to get married and take responsibilities. Girls themselves are not mature enough mentally and physically to take such big responsibilities," Sahnaz Afzal, national convener of Muslim Rashtriya Manch, an affiliate of RSS, told ANI. Shalini Ali, another national convener of the organization, expressed happiness over the move and said it will benefit girls to take the right decisions in life as it will give them time to mentally mature apart from investing in their higher education and making them self-reliant. "This will help girls to get education. Soon after graduation, girls are exposed to the world and face real challenges in life. With the passing of this bill, they will have time to acquire life skills, empowering them to make the right decisions," she said. Yasmin Khalid, a graduate from Aligarh Muslim University, said 18 is an early age for girls to get married."I have two daughters and I know that they are not ready to take the responsibilities. I am happy with the move. It will also bring change in the society and empower women," she said. Indresh Kumar, a senior RSS functionary, said women here are happy with the decision. "They believe this will help them to get proper education so that they are ready and mature to take their decisions. Also if they are educated, they can take care of their children properly," he said. Professor Mery Tahid, Head of Deparment, Geography, Jamia Milia Islamia, said that the decision will help women in tapping their potential. People ANI spoke to in Bathinda had mixed reactions over the Centre's move. Gurpreet Singh, a local resident, hailed the move and said once this law is in place, it will protect women from getting pregnant at an early age. Devender Kaur, another local resident, however, said that marriage is a "personal choice" which should not be governed by the government. Sonu Maheshwari, also a resident of the city, said that he is "shocked" at the move as people are eligible to drive and vote when they turn 18. "These decisions are taken by parents. It is not something that can be ruled by the government. When people can drive and vote at the age of 18, then why can't they get married? There are other things that the government can focus on," he said. Samsuddin, a villager in Nuh, did not directly speak on the bill. "There is no hurry in entering matrimony here," he said. Women in Patna ANI spoke to supported the government's move. "Girls don't get the opportunity to move forward. At 21 years, they will be capable of taking decisions and will be able to sustain their own life," said Shipra, a local from Patna. Basanti Devi, another women resident of the city, also supported the legislation. The opinion was also shared by women in Siliguri whom ANI spoke with. "Marrying at an early age without completing education devoids girls an opportunity of being able to stand on their own feet," said Papri Roy, a resident of Phansidewa. If the bill is passed it would bring the legal age of marriage for women at par with men. (ANI) Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday dismissed the idea of opening trade with Pakistan until and unless "it did not stop terror funding and killing our soldiers along the borders". In an informal interaction with media persons in Chandigarh, the former chief minister said that there was no point in starting business and trade with Pakistan as terror and trade cannot go together. Captain Amarinder presented a grim security scenario in Punjab with a perennial threat to peace from Pakistan, saying sleeper cells of various terror groups were active and using the help and support of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to foment trouble in Punjab. The former Chief Minister gave elaborate details about the huge cache of arms and ammunition that Pakistan has managed to infiltrate into this part of the border. "This is just a part that came to the notice of our security forces and imagine what must have skipped their notice", he pointed out, while wondering as to why the Punjab government was in continuous denial mode on the security issue. Over the issue of the recent sacrilege attempt in Golden Temple in Amritsar, Captain Amarinder said that "these have a potential to polarize people along religious lines, which can lead to unrest and trouble in the state." "The foreign agencies like the ISI in coordination with the sleeper cells of various secessionist and terrorist groups were active and were desperately waiting for an opportunity to exploit such situation and strike," he said. Calling Pakistan and China as "one Country", Singh said "India will need to be more alert and vigilant. Given the geographical position of Punjab, the state faces more security challenges now." "China had invested USD 29 billion in Pakistan. It had built huge infrastructure by making highways and tunnels that will take Chinese goods directly to Gwadar port, which provides Chinese access to Central Asia. With Afghanistan in dire need of financial help and China ready to give it, India will have another problem from the hostile Taliban, who can be used by the Chinese to infiltrate into India," he added. He further said that India needs to build up a more sophisticated missile system to shoot down the drones. "The efficiency of drones, both in terms of covering the distance and carrying the load, was being enhanced which is a potential threat for the country as it provides more options for Pakistan to smuggle in drugs and weapons into the country," he said. Singh's remarks come at a time when Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has betted for opening trade with neighbouring Pakistan. "In a bid to boost the State's economy, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi announces that he would soon write to the Government of India besides seeking an appointment from the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to flag the issue for opening trade with the neighbouring country of Pakistan," CMO Punjab tweeted earlier this month. (ANI) The DDMA has also issued orders to enforce the 'No Mask, No Entry' rule at shops and workplaces. The statement advised the residents to follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour. Meanwhile, Delhi reported 125 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, the biggest single-day spike in the last six months. On June 22 this year, 134 Covid cases were reported in Delhi. As per Delhi's health bulletin on Wednesday, the positivity rate remained 0.20 per cent for the third consecutive day. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday had informed that 52 Omicron cases have been reported in the metropolis so far. Of these 17 patients have been discharged and the rest are admitted to other hospitals, he added. (ANI) As part of the exercise, troops of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force were mobilised for amphibious landing, in close coordination with the para drop of airborne troops. The rapid response capability of Shatrujeet Brigade has been validated wherein the paratroopers who had moved from mainland executed airborne drop in an island territory of Andamans in a realistic tactical setting under the overall command and control of Andaman and Nicobar Command, the only joint services operational command of the defence forces of India. Lt Gen Ajai Singh, Commander-in-Chief Andaman Nicobar Command witnessed the Airborne Exercise and complimented the paratroopers for their battle readiness. (ANI) Bahuguna further said that the woman, who is a resident of Kanwli Road, Dehradun, reached India from Scotland on December 8 at Indira Gandhi Airport, whose sample was tested at the airport and the RTPCR report was negative. On the same evening, she reached Dehradun with her parents by car, said Director-General of Health. The Director-General further informed that on December 11, a sample was taken from her for testing. According to the report, the woman's sample has been found positive on December 12, after which she was isolated at home. She has been asked by the District IDSP Unit to stay in home isolation for 14 days and follow the strict instructions of home isolation. India has so far reported over 200 cases of the new variant, which was first detected in South Africa. According to the Union Health Ministry's COVID bulletin issued earlier in the day, 213 cases of Omicron have been reported in the country so far. Out of this, Delhi topped the list with 57 confirmed cases followed by Maharashtra (54 cases) and Telangana (24 cases). (ANI) A delegation of Odisha MPs met Union Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi on Wednesday regarding the problems faced by farmers in paddy procurement. The meeting was held under the leadership of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Vasant Kumar, Pratap Sarangi, Sangeeta Kumari, Nitish Gangdev and Aparajita Sarangi also participated in this meeting. After the meeting, BJP leader Vasant Kumar said, "There are a lot of problems regarding the purchase of paddy. Farmers are not able to sell their paddy produce on time. They said that they are not receiving payments on time. They are trapped in the clutches of miller." "They said the state government is a namesake government. RMC and other corporations charge taxes but do not invest in development," Kumar said. Demanding justice for the farmers, he said, "Farmers need to go to Delhi for a token (for purchase of paddy) which should be given in their districts only. The State Government has not taken any action on the report submitted by the Manjhi Committee regarding the arrangement for farmers in the State." "We demand that the report should be considered and farmers should be given justice," he added. Meanwhile, Former Union Minister Pratap Sarangi also said, "We had raised this issue of farmers last year too, for which Manjhi Committee had visited Odisha to investigate the issue. The committee has given its report, but no action has been taken by the state government." Sarangi slammed the Odisha government for not resolving the issue and said that "the state government itself does not want it to get resolved". "The state government wants to deteriorate the system as the token is not distributed properly. Even earlier, this token used to get distributed from districts, but now, it takes place from the national capital. According to this system, if farmers do not sell their paddy production on time, then it will be cancelled," Sarangi said. He said, "In Odisha, farmers sell paddy at a lower price because they are facing problems with the system. The state government takes out Rs 400-500 crores for its election expenses." Sudhanshu Pandey, Secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution informed that the paddy procurement has been done in many states rather it is still going on in some states. "Farmers are being paid money through Direct Bank Transfer (DBT). There are about 3,000 procurement centres in Odisha. The Manjhi Committee has given some suggestions during its visit to the states which will benefit farmers. The state government is continuously working on implementing those suggestions," Pandey said. (ANI) The Delhi High Court has called for a meeting between the Administrator, and the baridaars in respect of the development and creation of temporary structures for shops and kiosks among other interim measures for the purpose of Kalkaji Temple premises. Justice Pratibha M Singh has issued various directions as interim measures for the re-development of the temple premises. The court has called for a meeting between the Administrator - Justice (retired) JR Midha and the baridaars of Kalkaji Temple. The court directed that the detailed presentation which has been shown to it may also be submitted to the Administrator for his perusal. The Administrator would then hold consultations with the Baridaars and the shopkeepers. On January 3, 2022, all baridaars may approach the Administrator and hold a meeting with him, in respect of the development and creation of temporary structures for shops and kiosks. "The said meeting shall be at 2 pm at the office of the Administrator in Kalkaji Mandir," the court said."On January 5, 2022, an interaction may be held by the Administrator with all shopkeepers. The shopkeepers may also be assisted by their counsels in the said meeting, albeit in small numbers. The said meeting shall also be at 2 pm at the office of the Administrator in Kalkaji Mandir," the court said. On the basis of the plan and budget prepared by the Architect, the Administrator may also hold a meeting, on January 7, 2022, with the officials of the SDMC, DDA, Delhi Jal Board and Delhi Fire Services to ensure that the plans for the creation of temporary structures to enable the entire Kalkaji Mandir premises to be reorganized and redeveloped temporarily are in compliance with the applicable regulations which are followed by these civic agencies, the court said. The said meeting shall also be at 2 pm at the office of the Administrator in Kalkaji Mandir, the court added.The court made it clear that bids may be submitted by various shopkeepers or other allottees who are interested in obtaining either the temporary shops or temporary kiosks, as per the public notice released by the Administrator. On the basis of the bids received, the Administrator may prepare a list of all such persons who are willing to take allotment of these shops or kiosks. In addition, the baridaars at the mandir would also be required to contribute to the creation of these temporary structures. The exact ratio of the contributions etc. shall be finalised by the Administrator, the court suggested. The court said that on the basis of the bids received and discussions with baridaars, the shopkeepers, the civic agencies and the architect, the Administrator shall place on record a final report for the creation of temporary structures (shops and kiosks) at the Kalkaji Mandir, for eth court's consideration and approval. For receiving the report of the Administrator in respect of the said meetings and for the perusal of the report for the creation of temporary shops or kiosks, as well as ascertaining the status of the unauthorised construction, the court listed these matters on January 14, 2022.The court was hearing matters pertaining to the Kalkaji Mandir, in which, it had issued various directions earlier for the administration of the temple to ensure smooth functioning. (ANI) An exclusive radio system for prisoners named 'Radio Ujala Punjab' was inaugurated at the Central Jail in Ludhiana by Praveen Kumar Sinha, IPS, ADGP Prisons, Punjab. This initiative will be replicated in six more prisons in the coming days. Balkar Singh, Superintendent, Central Jail, Ludhiana was also present on the occasion. Radio systems in the prison are being set up in association with the India Vision Foundation, which is a pioneer in conducting various reformatory projects in prisons. As a source of motivation, meditation and reformation, prison radio is set to change the lives of many who have, by chance or fate, landed in the prisons. Pertinently, the radio will be an internal system of the jail which will be run by prison inmates only. Inmates of all seven prisons who will work as radio jockeys underwent training of three days organized by the India Vision Foundation. "The prime objective is to rehabilitate and correct the anti-social elements. Prisoners face alienation and isolation from society. We hope that providing them with a conducive atmosphere and enough welfare opportunities inside the jail will help to keep these prisoners away from the society of crime", ADGP Prisons said. (ANI) Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that he does not have any objection to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's absence in the state assembly if the latter is facing health issues. "If Chief Minister's (Uddhav Thackeray) health is not fine and he can't come to the State Assembly, we don't have any objection. But if he is fine, then he should come. The work should not stop, or else it should be divided," Fadnavis said while addressing media persons here today. The BJP leader further condemned mimicking of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Shiv Sena leader Bhaskar Jadhav. "The way Bhaskar Jadhav imitated PM Modi is condemnable. He extended an apology after we pressurized," he said. Shiv Sena leader Bhaskar Jadhav, on the first day of the winter session of the Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday, mimicked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over bringing back black money stashed outside the country. Meanwhile, the winter session of the Maharashtra Assembly is scheduled to be held from December 22 to December 28 in Mumbai. (ANI) A meeting of the Punjab Congress campaign committee was held at the party's "war room" to discuss strategy for taking achievements of the state government to the people in the run up to the assembly polls early next year. Sources said Punjab Congress will take achievements of the government during the poll campaign and "discussion was held on how they are going to present work done in last five years". "We made a strategy on how the campaign will go ahead, how to distribute tickets and what will be our slogan in the election. The five year achievements of our government, how we will take this further in the campaign, we discussed that," Congress MP from Ludhiana Ravneet Singh Bittu said told ANI. Bittu further added that Rahul Gandhi will visit Punjab between December 25 to 30 for the party's poll campaign. Every issue has been discussed and Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs gave their opinion, he said."All the MPs gave their suggestions on different methods of campaigning and discussed the responsibilities," the Ludhiana MP said. "In the coming days, Rahul Gandhi will be coming to Punjab for the campaigning," he added. Punjab Congress campaign committee chairman Sunil Jakhar said that the party will start the campaign with Rahul Gandhi's visit and new methods of campaigning will be tried this time. Speaking to ANI, Punjab Congrees leader Pargat Singh said the meeting took place on campaign issues for upcoming Punjab polls. Besides Jakhar and Bittu, Punjab Congress incharge Harish Chaudhary, party leaders Chaudhary Santokh Singh, Jasbir Singh Gill, Amar Singh, Shamsher Singh Dullo, Gurjit Singh Aujla, Raminder Amla, Manish Tiwari, Pargat Singh and Gurkirat Singh Kotli were present in the meeting. Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh's wife and Congress MP Preneet Kaur was not present in the meeting. Amarinder Singh has floated his own party Punjab Lok Congress ahead of the polls which has decided to form an alliance with BJP. (ANI) The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) in its meeting of the board of trustees this week is likely to discuss the rights of Hindu societies over temples and religious conversions, said sources. The meeting of the board of trustees will be held between December 24 to December 26 in Junagadh, Gujarat. Nearly 350 officials and saints from across the country will attend this meeting. "In this meeting, they will chalk out the strategy to intensify the movement of getting the right of temples back to Hindu society and religious conversions will be also discussed. Another topic will be that the state governments hand over Hindu temples and other religious institutions back to the Hindu society. VHP is planning to continue campaigning to free the temples from the control of various state governments," sources told ANI. "VHP has a clear view that the temples should be returned to the Hindu society and the responsibility of maintaining them should be done in a transparent manner with the participation of all sections of the Hindu society. Also, the donations received to the temple or the money and property related to the temples should be used only in respect of Hindus," sources said. According to sources, the VHP is demanding the central government to enact a law to keep a complete ban on illegal religious conversion. "They are also saying that even after the conversion the SC/ST people are getting benefits of SC/ST quota. A resolution may come to stop religious conversion," they said. VHP began its 11-day campaign against illegal conversion on December 20. (ANI) After the Maharashtra Chief Minister remained absent from the State Assembly on its first day of winter session today due to health issues, state's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Chandrakant Patil said that Uddhav Thackeray should hand over his charge to someone else till he gets well and termed his absence from the winter session of the state legislature as "inappropriate." "If the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is unable to attend the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature then he should designate someone to carry out the business. It is inappropriate that the Chief Minister remains absent from the legislature proceedings. We will not accept the complete absence of the Chief Minister from the session," Patil said while speaking to reporters outside the Vidhan Bhawan ahead of the commencement of the session today. Taking a dig at the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the state, Patil said that Uddhav Thackeray does not trust anyone in his government adding that the Chief Minister should give charge to his son and state minister Aaditya Thackeray and if he does not, then he does not trust him as well. "He (Uddhav Thackeray) doesn't trust the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). His son Aaditya Thackeray can be given the charge. But if he is not doing that it means he does not trust him," Patil remarked. The BJP MLA further said that if Uddhav Thackeray is unwell, he should rest. Meanwhile, former Maharashtra chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that he does not have any objection to Uddhav Thackeray's absence in the state assembly if the latter is facing health issues. Uddhav Thackeray is recuperating from cervical spine surgery for which he was hospitalised for some weeks. The winter session of the Maharashtra Assembly is scheduled to be held from December 22 to December 28 in Mumbai. (ANI) The accused, residents of West Champaran, were caught in Gopalganj district on June 7 this year. The accused were bringing a huge consignment of liquor in a car from Uttar Pradesh. When they reached near Gandak canal under Gopalpur police station, they were nabbed during checking of vehicles. The excise court conducted a speedy trial in this case. The prosecution presented a charge-sheet and evidence including video footage during vehicle checking at the time of the arrest. The guilt of the two smugglers was proved in court as their lawyer failed to defend them. --IANS ajk/bg ( 122 Words) 2021-12-22-19:24:02 (IANS) The 34th edition of the National Annual Book Fair, a platform to showcase the works of writers, witnessed the participation of booksellers, authors from across the country. The fair commenced on Saturday and will culminate on December 28 at NTR stadium in Hyderabad. Telangana minister Srinivas Goud inaugurated the Fair. Other ministers of the Telangana government, IAS officers and Principal Secretary too visited the fair. Speaking to ANI, Koya Chandra Mohan, Secretary, Annual Book Fair said that the fair is visited by lakhs of people including the publishers, authors and booksellers and added that there are stalls of the books in various languages. "Nearly one crore population is in Hyderabad. Lakhs of people visit here including Publishers, authors, booksellers from different states. Stalls of different languages including Hindi, Urdu, English, Sanskrit and other regional languages have been installed," he said. Mohan further termed the event successful as people from the Indian as well as the International publications took part in the fair. "Publications like Emesco, Telugu Publication and International Publications also took part in the book fair. We have taken all the precautions of COVID-19 guidelines. People come from different parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and also border regions of Maharashtra and Karnataka. The fair is a very successful event," he said. "A total of 270 stalls have been installed here. The Stalls of press and other publications, government stalls, different cultures and languages stalls have been installed. Booksellers from across 9 states in India have participated here in the event: Delhi, Gujarat, Odisha, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana. There are 'n' numbers of writers in Telangana and this is a good platform for them to showcase their work," Mohan added. Ram Gopal a customer at the book fair who is an Engineer by profession said that "I have come for my grandson who is interested in special books such as comics. He is a citizen of the United States. So he is interested to know about India." Another customer, Harini said, "I come here every year and buy books that interest me. I read a lot of fiction, and in fiction, there are a lot of genres that I read like fantasy, historic fiction and classics. Pretty much looking for classic books." Vikram Kumar Shah a shopkeeper at the book fair said that he is been participating in the Book Fair for the past 20 years and he has a manufacturing unit in Telangana. "We have boards, Globes, teaching aids and other school items. The sale is good, the crowd is coming. The crowd is enthused to buy the products," he said. (ANI) A Special Income Tax Court on Wednesday suspended a look out circular (LOC) issued by the Income Tax Department against Indian Business Tycoon Samir Modi and patriarch of the USD 1.2 billion Modi Group who has been alleged to be avoiding huge tax liability and further has been alleged to be involved in offences under Black Money Act for holding undisclosed foreign assets. Special Judge after considering the fact that there is no FIR against Samir Modi, further there is no likelihood of Samir Modi from fleeing from justice and further the fact that he has time and again joined the investigation, the lookout circular issued was set aside. Last month, Samir Modi while travelling to Dubai for an official CACCI (The Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry) meeting was apprehended at Delhi airport based on a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued by Income Tax Department. On being informed at the airport about the said look out circular, Modi through his advocates, Vijay Aggarwal, Rhythm Aggarwal and Hardik Sharma challenged the said look out circular issued by the Income Tax Department before Special Income Tax Court, Tis Hazari District Courts. Advocate Vijay Aggarwal appearing for Modi argued before the Special Court that the issuance of the lookout circular against his client is arbitrary and in complete violation of the principle of Audi Alteram Partem, i.e. the right of the party to get a fair hearing. He further argued that his client is an esteemed citizen of this nation, and is further the current president of CACCI and executive member of FICCI. Thus, by the issuance of the present LOC, reputation has been tarnished by the unjust and arbitrary act of the agency. He further submitted that issuance of LOCs is like non-bailable warrants which directly affects the constitutional rights to move freely and travelling abroad as enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The Special Public Prosecutor appearing for the Income Tax Department argued that there is a huge tax liability pending against Modi and has evaded summons issued by the department. The prosecutor appearing for the agency further argued that Modi and his family are holding shares in foreign companies and further is applying for citizenship in Malta and thus there is a grave apprehension that Modi will flee from justice. Moreover, it was argued by the agency that Modi is also liable to be prosecuted under Black Money Act as he has not disclosed his foreign assets. During the course of arguments, Advocate Vijay Aggarwal pointed out that the arbitrariness of issuance of LOC by the department can be seen from the fact that they are not in a position to disclose the reasons for opening of LOC against his client. Samir Modi was recently named as one of the individuals on the list of various other famous people in the infamous Panama Paper Leak. (ANI) A new book chronicles how Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath transformed the state in various aspects in law and order, connectivity, education, health infrastructure, and overall growth. The author Shantanu Gupta has previously written "The Monk Who Became Chief Minister: The definitive biography of Yogi Adityanath". Gupta in the book explains that governance under the SP and BSP governments institutionalized three things in UP's politics--goonda raj, widespread corruption and a high degree of nepotism. "Corruption became part of the basic grammar of UP. All development indices of UP remained abysmally low during those years, apart from the crime numbers, which always soared. Only industry, which was getting benefitted from Uttar Pradesh in those years, was Bollywood--which drew inspiration for many of its criminal thriller sequences from UP, where Mulayam Singh Yadav had in-famously defended heinous rapists, saying - "Ladke Hain, Galti Ho Jati Hai" (Boys, do commit some small mistakes sometimes)," he writes. The book states how Yogi changed the perception of Uttar Pradesh as an undeveloped, uneducated, corrupt, lawless and 'Bimaru' state to a transformed and progressive Uttar Pradesh, the author also showcases Yogi's merit-based education system versus Akhilesh Yadav's cheating-based system, the story of Yogi's One-District-One-Medical-College mission to his COVID management, how Yogi's massive pro-farmer steps rendered so-called farmer protests irrelevant, the cultural renaissance of UP under Yogi government and finally, how the duo of Modi-Yogi brought welfare for the poor in UP. "Today the same UP has become second in Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) ranking leaving many industrialized states behind. Under Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh has become the second-largest state of India in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), surging ahead of even the industrialized states like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Uttar Pradesh has doubled the per capita income of its citizens--from Rs 43,000 per year in 2015-16, when the SP was in power, to Rs 95,000 a year in 2021. Institutions like the World Health Organization (WHO), IIT Kanpur, Niti Ayog and the Mumbai High Court praised Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath over his COVID-19 management and the way the Yogi government handled the state in the first and second COVID wave. In fact, Australian MP Craig Kelly was so impressed with Yogi Adityanath's handling of COVID that he publicly requested for Yogi Adityanath to be loaned to Australia for some time to manage COVID in his country," the author said. (ANI) With COVID-19 cases again surging in the US because of the omicron variant, President Joe Biden unveiled new plans to increase support for hospitals, improving access to COVID-19 testing through hundreds of millions of rapid at-home tests and expanding the availability of vaccines that can reduce the risks from the Omicron variant. The president also appealed to the people to get vaccinated to protect themselves from the virus. In an address at the White House, Biden said he was laying out how the federal government was "preparing for the rising number of cases experts tell us we can expect in the weeks ahead." Most notably, the government plans to buy a half-billion at-home COVID test kits and mail them to people who want them, with deliveries beginning in January, Biden announced from the White House. It's a major step to tackling problems that Americans face in easily accessing free at-home COVID tests throughout the pandemic. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Tuesday the Biden administration is still working out details of its at-home test plan, such as how many tests people will be able to request from the federal government, how the tests will be distributed to people and if certain groups will be prioritized for tests. Biden said, "Americans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and also got booster shots have a high degree of protection against severe illness." Biden also made it clear that it will not be unusual for vaccinated people to get COVID-19 because of the new variant Omicron and that they will likely experience no symptoms or mild symptoms. With omicron now the dominant variant in the U.S., President Joe Biden said in a public address Tuesday, "If you're not fully vaccinated, you have good reason to be concerned." "The unvaccinated have a significantly higher risk of ending up in a hospital -- or even dying," he said. In a speech, the president said that the administration will aim to provide more aid to overwhelmed hospitals and set up federal testing sites, with the first one to launch before Christmas in New York City this week as cases are surging. New Yorkers hit the streets over the weekend trying to get tested but encountered long lines in the cold. The wait at a city-run testing and vaccination center in Times Square on Saturday afternoon was reportedly about three hours. As part of this multipronged effort, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is deploying planning officials to assess needs across the country and preposition supplies like masks, gloves and ventilators. The president announced that FEMA will set up mobile vaccination clinics across the country. There are plans so far for a new mobile unit in Washington, D.C., and four new mobile units across New Mexico. FEMA will help set up additional sites in areas of high demand over the coming weeks. Biden will also continue using the Defense Production Act and other powers to make sure the U.S. is producing as many tests as quickly as possible. (ANI) "Secretary Blinken and Prime Minister Simonyte reaffirmed the importance of our robust defense and economic relations for the security and prosperity of the Transatlantic region and the world," US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement. "The Secretary underscored ironclad U.S. solidarity with our NATO Ally and EU partner Lithuania as it faces geopolitical challenges to regional stability, security, and economic prosperity," read the statement. Blinken noted troubling public reports that People's Republic of China (PRC) customs authorities are not clearing Lithuanian shipments or shipments with Lithuanian components, and that they are rejecting import applications from Lithuania, the statement said. Blinken underscored that such measures would raise serious concerns, including under international trade principles, and appear to constitute a form of economic coercion. Blinken highlighted U.S. support for Lithuania in the face of these actions and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to work with like-minded countries to push back against the PRC's coercive diplomatic and economic behavior, the statement added. (ANI) Ambassador of India to the UN TS Tirumurti on Tuesday (local time) said that the aspirations of the Palestinian people for Statehood and Israel's security concerns can be fulfilled through an open and direct dialogue based on the internationally agreed framework. Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on Palestine, Tirunurti said, "Both the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for Statehood and Israel's legitimate security concerns can be fulfilled through an open and direct dialogue between Israel and Palestine based on the internationally agreed framework. We reiterate that there is no alternative to direct peace negotiations between the parties." Ambassador of India to the UN highlighted that thirty years ago, the international community helped open a channel for direct talks between Israel and Palestine through the Madrid peace conference. A similar effort is required now to overcome the present impasse. India stands ready to support all efforts aimed at resumption of direct negotiations and facilitating the peace process to achieve a two-State solution, he stressed. Talking on the implementation of resolution 2334, Tirunurti said, "Resolution 2334 was adopted by this Council to reaffirm the international community's firm commitment towards preventing the erosion of the two-State solution. It calls upon parties to prevent all acts of violence against civilians, stresses that all settlement activities must cease, and underscores the need to exert collective efforts to launch credible negotiations on all final status issues." Tirunurti further stated that the recent developments on the ground, as revealed in the Secretary-General's report, indicate that resolution 2334 is yet to be implemented in its letter and spirit. "Violent attacks against Palestinian and Israeli civilians have continued during the reporting period. So have the acts of destruction, provocation and incitement. We condemn all such acts. Prospects of possible eviction of the Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah remain high. Tension continues to prevail at the holy sites of Jerusalem. Settlement activity has resumed after a brief hiatus," he added. Tirumurti further said, "We call upon the parties to immediately make concrete efforts to reverse these negative trends. Unilateral actions that unduly alter the status quo on the ground pose serious challenges and undercut the viability of the two-state solution. These must be avoided in the interest of peace and stability. Instead, parties must engage in constructive steps that create conducive conditions for the resumption of peace talks." "We acknowledge that some steps have recently been initiated in this regard. The Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority have opened a channel of communication. Steps have been taken to stabilise the fiscal situation of the Palestinian Authority and improve the socio-economic conditions of Palestinians, including through progressive easing of restrictions in the Gaza Strip for commodities and construction materials and increasing work permits for Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza. Successful conclusion of the prisoner exchange talks would help the process further. We encourage everyone to build on such measures and create more avenues of co-operation, which can help overcome the trust deficit," Tirumurti said.India's support for a peaceful resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict is consistent and well known. We believe that durable and long-lasting peace can be achieved between the people of Israel and Palestine only through a two-state solution which entails the establishment of a sovereign, viable and independent State of Palestine, within recognized and mutually agreed borders, living side by side with Israel in peace and security, Tirumurti added. (ANI) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has blamed the United States for creating a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan that is affecting millions of people and allowing it to worsen. "A man-made crisis is being created despite knowing that it can be averted if (Afghanistan's) accounts (in the US) are unfrozen and liquidity is put into their banking system," the Prime Minister said, Dawn newspaper reported. The Prime Minister made these remarks at a ceremony held at Foreign Office to celebrate the successful holding of the extraordinary session of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers on Tuesday. On the other hand, amid the deteriorating economic situation in Afghanistan, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday (local time) said that Washington is looking intensely at ways to put more liquidity into the Afghan economy so as to provide money to the people of the cash-strapped nation. "We are looking intensely at ways to put more liquidity into the Afghan economy to get more money into people's pockets. And doing that, with international institutions, with other countries and partners, trying to put in place the right mechanisms to do that in a way that doesn't directly benefit the Taliban but does go directly to the people," Blinken said during a press briefing. He further stated that Afghanistan is facing a difficult humanitarian situation. "We're very conscious of the fact that there is an incredibly difficult humanitarian situation right now, all it could get worse as winter sets in, and so that's an area of intense focus for us, working closely with allies and partners," Blinken said. US Secretary of State said, "I am focused right now on the situation in Afghanistan, including the humanitarian situation, we continue to be the largest single providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan." The Taliban took over control of Kabul on August 15 and following this the country has been battered by deepening economic, humanitarian and security crises. A combination of a suspension of foreign aid, the freezing of Afghan government assets, and international sanctions on the Taliban have plunged a country, already suffering from high poverty levels, into a full-blown economic crisis. The international community, from governments to non-governmental organizations, has been providing various assistance to the Afghan people. Despite a general amnesty by the Taliban, announced in August, mutiple reports say that more than 100 killings of former Afghan national security forces and others associated with the former Government have taken place. At least 72 killings were attributed to the Taliban, and in several cases, the bodies were publicly displayed, UN News reported. According to the UN, women and girls face great uncertainty when it comes to respecting their rights to education, livelihoods and participation. Some 4.2 million young Afghans are already out of school, the majority of them are girls. (ANI) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the detoriating situation in Afghanistan can be averted if the US releases Kabul's assets and liquidity is put into their banking system. Over nine billion US dollars in Afghan assets is lying frozen in foreign banks, mainly in the US, following the collapse of the Afghan former government. "A man-made crisis is being created despite knowing that it can be averted if (Afghanistan's) accounts (in the US) are unfrozen and liquidity is put into their banking system," the Prime Minister said, Dawn newspaper reported. The Prime Minister made these remarks at a ceremony held at the Foreign Office to celebrate the successful holding of the extraordinary session of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers on Tuesday. Afghanistan is facing severe economic and financial problems, and the hold on its assets--and sanctions on the Islamic Emirate--have contributed to the problems, Tolo News reported. US lawmakers have urged the Biden administration to unfreeze Afghanistan's central bank reserves in the amount of 9.4 billion dollars. In a letter to US President Joe Biden and Treasury Department, Democratic US House members said that they stand with American allies and humanitarian experts in urging the United States to avoid harsh economic measures that will directly harm Afghan families and children, Sputnik reported. "(We) stand with American allies and humanitarian experts in urging the United States to avoid harsh economic measures that will directly harm Afghan families and children," the lawmakers had said in the letter. "This means conscientiously but urgently modifying current US policy regarding the freeze of Afghanistan's foreign reserves and ongoing sanctions." Later, US States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday (local time) said that Washington is looking intensely at ways to put more liquidity into the Afghan economy so as to provide money to the people of the cash-strapped nation. "We are looking intensely at ways to put more liquidity into the Afghan economy to get more money into people's pockets. And doing that, with international institutions, with other countries and partners, trying to put in place the right mechanisms to do that in a way that doesn't directly benefit the Taliban but does go directly to the people," Blinken said during a press briefing. He further stated that Afghanistan is facing a difficult humanitarian situation. "We're very conscious of the fact that there is an incredibly difficult humanitarian situation right now, all it could get worse as winter sets in, and so that's an area of intense focus for us, working closely with allies and partners," Blinken said. The Taliban took over control of Kabul on August 15 and following this the country has been battered by deepening economic, humanitarian and security crises. (ANI) Late on Tuesday, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price tweeted that "Russia and its proxies are responsible for escalating tensions" in Ukraine, not Kiev or Washington, contrary to Moscow's statements on the matter. "We call on @StateDept not to distort the reality. For the sake of de-escalation, the United States should not create anti-Russian military sites near our borders," the embassy tweeted. "In particular, #Washington shall undertake to prevent further eastward expansion of @NATO, deny accession to the Alliance to the States of the former #USSR, not use their infrastructure for any military activities, and not develop bilateral military cooperation with them," another tweet in the thread read. The embassy expressed confidence that these steps would allow to "defuse dangerous tensions" in Europe and conclude agreements on guarantees of equal and indivisible security. (ANI/Sputnik) Iran has blamed Saudi Arabia for foot-dragging in allowing Iran to bring home its envoy to Yemen, who later died of the Covid-19 infection. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said on the sidelines of Hassan Irloo's funeral that the Iranian Foreign Ministry had tried to obtain quick permission from Riyadh to evacuate Irloo by a plane after he was infected with the coronavirus, but "the Saudi side was unfortunately very late in making a decision in this regard and some executive bodies of Saudi Arabia dragged their feet", Xinhua news agency reported. The airspace of Yemen, including the Sanaa airport, as well as its land and sea borders have been under the control of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, which has intervened in the Yemeni war since 2015 after the Houthis took over the capital Sanaa and much of Yemen's northern part. "We will formally lodge a protest in accordance with international conventions, and at the same time, we hope that Yemen will be able to get out of this war and severe humanitarian siege as soon as possible through a political solution," Abdollahian was quoted by Iran's Press TV as saying. Earlier in the day, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh announced the death of Irloo, "who contracted the coronavirus at his place of mission" in Sanaa. "Unfortunately, he returned to the country in an unfavorable condition, and despite using all the treatment steps to improve his condition, he was martyred this morning," Khatibzadeh said on Tuesday. Irloo was transferred to the Iranian capital of Tehran by an Iraqi plane on Sunday, after Iraq mediated between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the two rivals in the region. Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi militants seized control of much of the country's north and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of Sanaa. --IANS int/shs ( 329 Words) 2021-12-22-08:22:03 (IANS) One Bangladeshi smuggler was killed when Border Security Forces (BSF) jawan fired in a bid to foil a smuggling bid in Malda Sector of West Bengal, the BSF said on Wednesday. The incident occurred around 1:40 am inside the Indian territory near the border post-Nawada in the Malda district of the state. A BSF jawan noticed the movement of 15-20 suspected smugglers on the Indian side of the India-Bangladesh border, the BSF said, adding the equal number of Bangladesh smugglers also came close to the border fence with arms and sticks violating the sanctity of International Boundary. "On seeing the movement of the smugglers, the BSF jawan on duty gave strict orders asking them to stop. However, Bangladeshi smugglers attacked the soldier with stones and stick. The jawan first tried to stop and drive away the smugglers with a non-lethal stun grenade in self-defence but it had no effect on him," the statement read. "Our Jawan tried to disperse them and fired stun grenades but miscreants continued with their aggressive gesture act. He fired two rounds in self-defence to save his life. One bullet hit a miscreant who was immediately taken to hospital for treatment where he was declared dead," the statement added. During the first aid, the injured smuggler revealed his name as Ibrahim. The 24-year old is from Dhulipara in Chapainwabganj, Bangladesh. During the search of the area, 197 bottles of Phensedyl, mobile, and two iron rods were recovered from the spot. The BSF has protested to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) asking them to stop the smugglers from their area from entering the Indian border and take the strictest legal action against them. (ANI) Terrorist organizations consider the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan as a victory of radicalism, and Al-Qaeda aims to benefit from the situation, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov said on Wednesday. "The rise of the Taliban movement to power is viewed by other terrorist organizations as an undeniable victory for radicalism, in particular Al-Qaeda, which plans to benefit from this situation," Syromolotov told an international conference on the fight against terrorism, Sputnik reported. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov also said: "Unfortunately, the actions of the United States and its partners only undermine the situation. Instead of admitting mistakes and refusing to dictate, they took the financial leverage to push their demands on the Taliban movement." The Taliban took over control of Kabul on August 15 and following this the country has been battered by deepening economic, humanitarian and security crises. Post-Taliban takeover, the vast and rugged terrain on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border is again emerging as the world's number one terror hub. Iraklis Voridis writing in Greek City Times had said that the problem has worsened manifolds by a recalcitrant Pakistan that is vigorously supporting the Taliban, by pressuring the world community to accept it, as it is, citing a humanitarian crisis and misery of the Afghan people. Violence is already on the upswing targeting ethnic and religious minorities and could reach nightmarish proportions, without the domineering, yet ineffective, presence of American and the NATO forces. (ANI) Among the latest confirmed cases, 125 were imported from abroad, and most of them are peacekeepers who have recently returned home from South Sudan, the ministry said. Meanwhile, three more COVID-19 patients died in the past day, pushing the national death toll to 1,977. So far, around 66 percent of Mongolia's population of 3.4 million have received two COVID-19 vaccine doses, while 870,175 people have had a booster. (ANI/Xinhua) The spokesman of Kabul municipality, Nematullah Barakzai, said the government has ordered the municipality's officials to remove all photos of women on the signboards of shops and business centres in Kabul, reported Tolo News. "Based on the decision of the government, the photos that are against Islamic regulations will be collected or removed from billboards," said Barakzai. The owners of beauty salons in Kabul criticized the decision of the Islamic Emirate, and asked the government not to impose restrictions on their business, reported Tolo News. Shayesta Saifi, a makeup artist, has worked in a beauty salon for seven years. Shayesta said she is financially assisting her 10-member family. "This is imposing a restriction on women's work. There is a fear that they will lock our shop in the next few days," she told Tolo News. "What does it benefit the government to remove photos of women?" said Parwana, a women's rights activist. This comes as international organizations have repeatedly called on the Taliban not to ignore the rights of women and not to marginalize women from society. (ANI) Pakistan's continuous attempts to appease China is taking it far away from the US as reports claim that Islamabad's refusal to participate in the US President Joe Biden's 'Summit for Democracy' is the latest indication, a media report said. Pakistan's Foreign Office earlier this month had turned down the US invitation that urged the country to attend the 'Summit for Democracy', which experts say was an attempt by US President Joe Biden to sideline China as Beijing was not part of it. The US invited 110 countries including Pakistan but Islamabad's rejection to participate made a general observation that Imran Khan government stood with China. Currently, Pakistan has fears that it might be caught in the firing relations of the US and China. Meanwhile, the country is also managing to cooperate with the impact of deepening relations of Washington and New Delhi and the looming crisis in Afghanistan, reported The Nation. The US had the limited importance of South Asia until the end of the Cold War. But the developing scenarios have turned South Asia far more volatile in geopolitical, security and financial issues. Therefore, Islamabad has more chances of deepening its relations with the US but perhaps Pakistan's proximity with China could be strong a barrier to this. With regard to the rejection of the US invitation to the Democracy Summit, diplomatic sources in Islamabad said that Pakistan was trying to placate the US amid the deteriorating ties. "All is not lost. Pakistan and the US need each other and will sit down together. We (Pakistan and the US) are already cooperating on a number of issues, including Afghanistan," The Nation quoted a senior diplomat as saying. (ANI) 2021 has been the worst year for the Afghan women as the Taliban after assuming control of Afghanistan have rolled back access to their rights, according to Human Rights Watch. The Human Rights Watch termed 2021 as an unfortunate year for women "mostly because of Afghanistan", reported Tolo News. The Associate Director of the women's rights division at Human Rights Watch, Heather Barr on Tuesday said that the "Taliban" rolled back Afghan women's access to their rights. Barr also referred to the international community and said that it "didn't do much" to protect Afghan women, reported Tolo News. "So, it is the end of the year, and we are looking back on what kind of the year 2021 has been for women's rights around the world, and unfortunately, it hasn't been a good year, I mean that is mostly because of Afghanistan," she told Tolo News. "I think that what we saw after August fifteenth, is that as the Taliban rolled backed the right to education, the right to employment, the right to access health care, freedom of movement, freedom of speech, freedom of association and the right to live free from violence for women and girls across Afghanistan," she added. A prominent Afghan women rights activist, Mahbouba Seraj, voiced concerns over the current status of Afghan women. "When the right of education is taken from girls and women, and they are incapable of doing their activities, and all kind of access is restricted for women, this is the worst situation for women in the country," she said. According to her, the main reason for the current crisis in the country is due to women's isolation from society, including governmental affairs. "I remained here (Afghanistan) to be the voice of women and to warn that no government can survive," Seraj said. "The silence of the international community is one of the reasons that women are faced with the worst situations," said Madina Darwazi, a women rights activist. The Islamic Emirate has been facing criticism inside and outside Afghanistan for imposing restrictions on women. (ANI) Tripoli [Libya], December 22 (ANI/Sputnik): The Libyan High National Election Commission on Wednesday proposed to postpone the presidential election, initially scheduled for Friday, to January 24. "In accordance with the law on presidential elections ... the commission must announce the postponement of the voting day, and the parliament sets a new date within 30 days. The commission proposes, after consultations with the parliament, to postpone the first round of elections until January 24, 2022," the commission said in a statement, obtained by Sputnik. (ANI/Sputnik) Former Afghan military officer Adam Khan Matin's family members have expressed angst over his arbitral detention. Matin's relatives mentioned that the military officer was taken to an unknown location. according to Tolo News. Earlier Adam Khan Matin served as a deputy commander of the 2017 Pamir Corps in northern Kunduz province under the previous government. According to his relatives, Taliban forces broke into Matin's home on Friday in PD 12 of Kabul. "They came here and said, 'we have information that you have vehicles and weapons with you.' After they received the (weapons and vehicle), they gave us a letter. They came again and took us to the police district and said that the letter was not stamped" said Omid Matin, the son of the former military officer. Earlier, the family alleged that it was not in sync with the general amnesty terms announced by the Taliban. "Since they announced the general amnesty they should not detain people and they should let the people live a calm life," said Ziba, Matin's wife. "It is in against the pledge of a general amnesty. Why do they arrest people without any reason?" asked Ghulam Dastagir, a relative of Matin. Further, Matin's arrest comes amid other allegations that the Taliban are detaining former military officials who were serving in earlier Afghan governments, according to Tolo News. Earlier, the US, European Union and 20 other countries in a joint statement on Saturday expressed their concerns over the "summary killings and enforced disappearance" in Afghanistan as reported by the Human Rights Watch (HRW). Further, the joint statement said that the countries are worried by the findings of the HRW report about the alleged killings and disappearances of former members who served in the Afghan security forces. (ANI) In India's water-stressed villages, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide clean tap water to every household. Mujib Mashal, The New York Times Bureau Chief for South Asia and Hari Kumar, a reporter in the New Delhi bureau, writing in the New York Times said that the mission is halfway through an ambitious drive to provide clean tap water by 2024 to all the roughly 192 million households across its 600,000 villages. About 18,000 government engineers are overseeing the USD 50 billion undertaking, which includes hundreds of thousands of contractors and labourers who are laying more than 2.5 million miles of pipe. The ambitious project to meet a dire need shows PM Modi's strengths and helps explain his popularity despite a weakened economy, said Mashal and Kumar. The mission to deliver water to every household combines two of PM Modi's political strengths - his grasp of the day-to-day problems of hundreds of millions of India's poor and his penchant for ambitious solutions. About one-sixth of India's households had a clean water tap when the program, called Jal Jeevan Mission, began in 2019. Now, almost half have one, reported The New York Times. "You rarely have this drive from the government, the head of state, and it is well funded. Behind the concept, there is budget," said Nicolas Osbert, who leads the UNICEF water and sanitation unit in India. "All social sectors were impacted by COVID. Not this one. This one was preserved." The country's water problem speaks to the mismatch between its global economic ambitions and the dire conditions of much of its 1.4 billion population, two-thirds of whom still live in rural areas. Nearly 40 million Indians are affected by waterborne diseases every year, leading to about USD 600 million annually in medical costs and labour loss. About 100,000 children under 5 years old die of diarrhoea every year. The growth of millions more is stunted, said Mashal and Kumar. "The paucity of water should not become a limiting factor in our quest for socio-economic development, the quest for high economic growth," said Bharat Lal, the top official PM Modi has named to lead the mission. From his office in New Delhi, Lal checks the progress on a detailed computerized dashboard. About 100,000 connections are added every day, according to official figures. Moreover, in areas where groundwater is overexploited, the program pipes and pumps treated water over tens of miles from sources like dams. Villagers are trained to test the quality of water and upload the data to the dashboard. They are also taught how to recycle and reuse waste water. Pilot projects are underway to install automated pressure and quality sensors, reported The New York Times. (ANI) Asif Ali Zardari should name the person who had contacted him on behalf of the Pakistan establishment and sought his help for a future setup, a senior Pakistan defence source said, The News reported. The source lamented that every now and then statements are made and hints are given about "deals" (with Pak establishment) which is both unfortunate and irresponsible. If Zardari is truthful, he should name the person who had contacted him and sought his help, the source said. The source, holding an important position, said that the defence officials do not want to get engaged in any unnecessary debate with such politicians, who are issuing weird statements without any solid basis, the report said. The source said there is a general trend of blaming the military establishment for every matter. Often people talk about "deals" with the establishment but never name those who are approaching them or with whom they are making the "deals". PPP Co-Chairman and former Pak president Asif Ali Zardari said Monday that he had to think of the future, as those who had formulas were asking for help. He did not name the military establishment, but it was clear from his indirect reference given in his speech. Without naming anyone, the former president said he had told certain quarters no talks possible till the government was sent packing, the report said. --IANS san/dpb ( 245 Words) 2021-12-22-13:28:07 (IANS) Retired Uyghur civil servant Niyaz Nasir is confirmed to have died in China's Xinjiang internment camp, according to a report. The retired Uyghur civil servant Niyaz Nasir, who was abducted by police and taken to an internment camp more than three years ago, died at the end of last year, according to Radio Free Asia. China has held up to 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in a network of detention camps since 2017. Beijing has said the camps are vocational training centres and has denied widespread and documented allegations that it has mistreated and tortured incarcerated Muslims. Earlier, Niyaz Nasir, 78, had worked at a government food bureau in Toqquzaq county (in Chinese, Shufu Xian) in the Kashgar (Kashi Diqu) prefecture of north-western China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. No explanation was given for his death, and the reasons for his detention are still unclear, according to Radio Free Asia. Also, Niyaz's three children, members of the Chinese Communist Party and also civil servants, had asked that their father be released on bail from the camp in Toqquzaq's Opal township after seeing him weak and fragile in a virtual meeting on screen in late 2018, a month before his death. Earlier, increased international awareness of the camp system and other abuses, including forced labour and forced sterilisation of women, has prompted parliaments in Canada, the Netherlands, the UK and Lithuania, as well as US State Department, to brand China's actions in the region as genocide. Further, on December 10, Human Rights Day, the United States imposed a visa ban on the current and previous chairmen of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Erken Tuniyaz and Shorat Zakir over presiding a surveillance program that resulted in mass detentions. Earlier, on December 8, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that his government would join a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics along with the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Lithuania, over human rights abuses in Xinjiang. (ANI) Phnom Penh [Cambodia], December 22 (ANI/VOVWORLD): On Tuesday, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc led a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to Phnom Penh, starting a state visit to Cambodia at the invitation of King Norodom Sihamoni. At the meeting between President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and King Norodom Sihamoni, both sides praised each other's close cooperation and support in the fight against the pandemic, which is clear proof of the tradition of mutual assistance between the two peoples in difficult times. Both sides pledged to do their utmost to strengthen bilateral relations and agreed to coordinate efforts to successfully host events in honour of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2022. (ANI/VOVWORLD) Thailand is concerned about the China-Laos railway network will open a floodgate of Chinese goods into the country. The Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) recently raised concerns that the China-Laos railway will hurt Thailand's agricultural economy and the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), according to the Star. The TCC fears the Nong Khai checkpoint will become a gateway for Chinese fruits and vegetables. Earlier, pointing out that the checkpoint is not officially open for trade yet; national strategy and defence specialist Dr Chaiyasit Tantayakul said the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry is in talks with relevant Chinese authorities to find solutions. "The aim of the talks is to solve problems hampering Sino-Thai trade, like difficult customs clearance problems for fruit from Thailand," he said. "The ministry is also working on maintaining a balance of imports and exports between the two countries. For instance, if 100 containers arrive from China, then the same number of containers should head to China," he added. Earlier, the two sides are currently concentrating on the export of orchids and rubber to China via the new railway, while the export of fruit will be discussed early next year ahead of the fruit season, according to the Star. Further, Thai fruit and vegetable traders realize that China is fast becoming a key export market, and for them to meet demands. In the first nine months of 2021, Thai SMEs' exports to China were worth 184.49 billion baht, while their imports from China came in at 454.89 billion. Thailand's total import from China in the first nine months stood at 1.7 trillion baht, according to the Star. (ANI) Sofia [Bulgaria], December 22 (ANI/Novinite): I thank our colleagues from "There Is Such a People" and the Minister of Foreign Affairs for taking swift measures and people with files of a past in 'State Security' that have been announced in the media will not be appointed or will be released if they have already been appointed. This was stated today by Prime Minister Kiril Petkov in response to a journalist's question about the possible appointments of people in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who turn out to be connected with State Security structures. According to the coalition agreement, each minister has the right to propose his team, but then in a coalition format we discuss and decide together whether our requirements for these people coincide with these proposals, Petkov commented and stressed that in this case there are no people to be appointed. According to the Prime Minister, the appointments are made on the basis of some type of expertise, then additional information is obtained and the final decision is made. There will be no compromise in this case, the prime minister stressed. Petkov also disagreed with the statement of his former chief of staff and current Minister of Defense Stefan Yanev, who said yesterday that it is not necessary to deploy additional NATO troops in our country. "This topic has not been discussed at the Council of Ministers, nor has it been discussed with any of our partners. The reports on this topic were the personal opinion of the Minister, but this is by no means a formal position of our government," he said. He recalled that he had already declared that "we are and will be an active member of the EU and NATO". "This type of decision will be coordinated with our active role. At the same time, I would like to emphasize that we truly believe that the best way to continue EU and NATO policy on our eastern border is to maximize the use of diplomacy and peace funds ", pointed out Kiril Petkov. "I hope there will be expert analysis, to see the pros and cons, to talk to our partners. The less the focus is on military potential and the more on diplomatic potential, the better for Bulgaria," he added. (ANI/Novinite) Like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan too needs to change its hardline attitude to become progressive and to make its economy and society better. As per Pakistan vernacular media, the measures and steps being taken by Saudi Arabia have come like a thunderbolt in Saudi society. These reforms are opening up a suppressed society. People have accepted these reforms. It is because of these changes that Saudi is able to host Arab Expo 2030. Countries like ours (Pakistan) and people in them too will have to change to make our economy and society better, added the vernacular media. A few days ago, such changes were visible in Saudi Arabia that has left cultural and other related sections surprised. Last week, the Saudi Government's Religious Ministry issued orders directing masjids to apprise people through Friday addresses about the wrong preaching by Tablighi Jamaat. Saudi Arabia banned the Tablighi Jamaat, terming it a "danger to society" and "one of the gates of terrorism". Tablighi Jamaat is a transnational Sunni Islamic missionary movement that exhorts Muslims and encourages fellow members to follow the pure form of Sunni Islam. Moreover, musical concerts in Saudi have also become a matter of big debate across the world. All the artists from across the world were invited to this musical concert, but none was invited from Pakistan, reported Pakistan vernacular media. It further advises understanding the entire scenario of this change in Saudi Arabian perspectives. By now, history has entered a new phase. Though adversaries to each other, Saudi Arabia and Israel have come closer during 2021. Though half of the Muslim world is a big supporter of the UAE for its anti-Israel statements but yet Naftali Bennett is the first Israeli Prime Minister to have paid a visit to UAE. Compared to growing tensions with Iran, Israel is getting closer to UAE and other Gulf countries. Iran's atomic program is a major reason for both countries, Israel and UAE, coming closer now. In Saudi Arabia, there is one dynasty rule. The Saudi rulers have perhaps realized now that some external forces are busy trying to disintegrate Saudi Arabia. Saudi rulers fear some conspiracies are being hatched to divide and break the unity of the Saudi people. Tablighi Jamaat (Ahbab) is also on the hit-list of the Saudi government. Saudi rulers have realized that their good lies in crushing the Jamaat, reported the local media. The sub-continent is the hub of this Jammat. Saudis connected with this Jammat including ones in jails are now being called terrorists. A big announcement has been made during Friday discourse by the Saudi government at Jama Masjid against groups like Tablighi Jamaat and others of its like Darul-Uloom Deoband. Saudi Arabia has a major influence on cultural activities in the sub-continent. How will such fast changes in Saudi affect religious groups in the sub-continent? This too is a major and important question for us, said the vernacular media. If we take a look, our religious groups joined hands against the Soviet Union in the past. Now that Saudi has joined hands with Israel and also put a ban on Tablighi Jamaat, should we see it as a defeat of any particular sect? No, this need not be read or taken as the defeat of any particular sect. This is in fact the defeat of those who want to keep the world under their thumb and dominate with help of philosophy, mindset or principles or as part of their agenda, added the local media. Saudi Governments never gave any rights to women because of religion or because of Sharia. But, now they seem to have realized that it is difficult to go ahead and survive with such rigid ways. The measures/steps being taken by Saudi Arabia have come like a thunderbolt in Saudi society. These reforms are opening up a suppressed society. Is the time of rigid system /restrictions over in Saudi now? Or, is there no longer any need for such a rigid system because of changing political needs? People have accepted these reforms. Countries like Pakistan and its people too will have to change to make our economy and society better, said the Pakistan vernacular media. (ANI) Expressing shock over the rising crimes against Hindus in Pakistan, BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa shared a video on social media and said that a Hindu woman was abducted in daylight outside the session court in Pakistan as abductors are not afraid of police or any action in the neighbouring country. "Stunned to silence! Look how a Hindu woman is abducted in daylight, outside session courts Umarkot, Sindh-Pakistan," Sirsa said in a tweet on Tuesday. Sirsa also said that woman was screaming for help but they (abductors) were not afraid of any police or action. "They dragged her from hair and put her in the car," he added. This is not a stand-alone incident in Pakistan. Multiple human rights organisations and reports had been accusing the Pakistan government of not taking necessary actions over the rising crimes against Hindus and other minorities in the country. Last month, human rights activists claimed that every year 1000 Christian and Hindu girls are forced to convert to Islam. Emphasising that there is a dire need for dedicated law to protect minorities in the country, human rights activist Ashiknaz Khokhar said in November that Pakistan's parliament recently refused to pass the bill on forced conversion, according to Greek City Times. Khokhar also said that kidnapping of minor girls from religious minorities is commonplace in Pakistan. (ANI) While COVID-19 cases continue to spread across China, several haemorrhagic fever cases and even deaths have been reported in the country's northwestern Shaanxi province. Lucy Crawford, writing in VISION TIMES, said that Chinese officials are keeping it quiet but people suspect that the disease is directly related to a rampant rodent infestation. Xi'an News reported that hospitals in China's north-western city of Xi'an have reported numerous cases of haemorrhagic fever since the beginning of winter this year. News about haemorrhagic fever broke out, one after another, in many social media groups on WeChat and QQ in China, reported Crawford. "Be on the lookout. An outbreak of haemorrhagic fever has been circulating online in Xi'an, with videos showing a neighbourhood being welded shut. Deaths are said to have occurred," the tweet said. "In Xi'an, Shaanxi province, the outbreak was controlled on a large scale, with many areas closed and people lining up in the middle of the night for nucleic acid tests. Meanwhile. Suspected haemorrhagic fever outbreak in Chang'an County, Xi'an, Shaanxi," the tweet read. On December 18, Shaanxi officials said at a press conference that there were 10 new confirmed local cases and three asymptomatic cases in Xi'an. The situation in Xi'an is serious and complex, and nucleic acid testing has been initiated for the entire population. Though the Chinese government refused to acknowledge the severity of the situation, the reality has been brutal as different kinds of plagues continue to break out and spread through China, said Crawford. According to an online chat, a local health care worker revealed that his hospital's infectious disease unit is full of patients and that all hospitals designated for haemorrhagic fever in Xi'an are full, and some have even been forced to close. As of 2:00 am on December 20, the topic of "multiple cases of haemorrhagic fever in Xi'an" on Weibo has attracted 280 million people and 4,483 discussions, reported VISION TIMES. According to the then self-proclaimed staff of the Xuanwu Hospital in China, "ordinary (poor and powerless) plague patients were sent to the hospital by the Chinese Communist Party only for isolation without any recovery treatment, and the dead were shipped away for direct incineration." This method is similar to the treatment of SARS in 2002. "The government only did strict quarantine and didn't do any treatment. The people had to cope with it," added the staff, reported VISION TIMES. Experts pointed out that haemorrhagic fever is a common infectious disease in China's north, which typically starts to peak in October every year. It's a disease that is mainly transmitted by rodents, the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius), and the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus). Those who are bitten or come into contact with the blood or excrement of rodents carrying the virus may be infected, and serious cases may lead to death. (ANI) China's permanent representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun told UN Security Council, "We once again call for the unfreezing of Afghanistan's overseas assets as soon as possible," reported Sputnik. "These assets should be returned to their real owners and they cannot be used as a bargaining chip for threats or coercion," added Zhang. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a US resolution allowing humanitarian aid payments to Afghanistan despite the current sanctions, reported Sputnik. "The result of the following is as follows: the draft resolution received 15 votes in favour, the draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2615 of 2021," the UNSC President said. (ANI) "We even wrote 10 steps on how to get it done very quickly. It is a complex document. It is 10 steps involving the Normandy format and the USA," he said during a meeting with Ukrainian diplomats in the western Ivano-Frankivsk region, reported Xinhua, citing Interfax-Ukraine news agency. Zelensky said that Kiev has already submitted the 10-step plan on implementing the Minsk agreements to the US, France, Germany and Russia. At the same time, he expressed his readiness to negotiate with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to resolve the conflict in Donbas. The Minsk agreements, reached in September 2014 and February 2015 respectively, outline the steps needed to end the conflict between government troops and armed groups in Donbas, which has left some 14,000 dead since April 2014. The documents envisage a ceasefire, a withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the demarcation line, a prisoner exchange and local elections, among other measures. --IANS int/sks ( 191 Words) 2021-12-22-16:30:02 (IANS) This is the first time in 20 years that no US troops are spending the holidays in Afghanistan, and we are not sending a third generation of American soldiers to fight and die there, said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. "President Biden pledged to end America's longest war. This summer, we made good on that promise, bringing Operation Resolute Support to a close and leading an international coalition to evacuate more than 1,20,000 people from Afghanistan," said Blinken on Tuesday (local time) while interacting with media. "We knew this would be challenging. It was. And there are lessons from the evacuation and relocation that we are learning for the future," he added. "But this is also the first time in 20 years that no US troops are spending the holidays in Afghanistan," said Blinken emphasising, "We are not sending a third generation of American soldiers to fight and die there." Underlining that the US is the largest aid provider to Afghanistan, Blinken said that Washington will keep working to address the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan through its aid and diplomacy. Noting that the US made good on its promises, including Washington's pledge to help every American citizen who wanted to flee Afghanistan, Blinken said that Since September 1, we've helped nearly 500 Americans depart Afghanistan. Ending its 20 years of war in Afghanistan, the last US troops left the Asian nation on August 31 this year under a deal with the Taliban agreed in Doha in February 2020. The governments in the US have been criticised domestically for engaging their troops in the long wars in foreign countries and not bringing them back home for years. (ANI) "Foreign Secretary @harshvshringla handed over 1 million doses of 'Made in India' vaccines to the representatives of the Myanmar Red Cross Society," Indian Embassy in Yangoon said in a tweet on Wednesday. These vaccines will support the people of Myanmar, including those along the India-Myanmar border, in their fight against COVID-19, the embassy added. Shringla is on a two-day visit to Myanmar which began on Wednesday. He is scheduled to hold discussions with the State Administration Council, political parties and members of civil society. Issues relating to humanitarian support to Myanmar, security and India-Myanmar border concerns, and the political situation in Myanmar will be discussed, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release on Tuesday. (ANI) Pakistan government had finalised a new film policy through which it aims to incentivise the industry, Geo News quoted Chaudhry as saying during a press conference here on Wednesday. The government had proposed the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) charge higher tax, said Chaudhry, adding that if a channel is airing foreign dramas so that they should not be cheaper than local ones. Stressing that Pakistani television channels have made it a norm of importing foreign drama, he said that due to this exercise, the local dramas have suffered a huge blow. The minister also underlined that channels air foreign dramas as those are cheaper than local ones. Referring to the advertisements, Chaudhry said that foreign actors are being hired for advertisements. He also emphasised that foreign actors are being hired and Pakistani actors remain unemployed without any reason. With regard to such advertisements, the Minister said that the government would also impose heavy taxes on such ads -- to help Pakistani artists. (ANI) "India voted in favour of #UNSC resolution to grant exemption from sanctions for humanitarian assistance to #Afghanistan," tweeted India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations. Further, India's Permanent Representative to United Nations Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti mentioned in his speech that aid and assistance should be provided to the most vulnerable section of the Afghanistan society focussing on women and children. "Aid should be allowed irrespective of the ethnicity and religion," he said. "India has been providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan for the last two decades," he added. Further, Ambassador T.S.Tirumurti also welcomed UNSC resolution to review the assistance program after one year. India is also ready to work with other nations in the region in providing assistance to Afghanistan. Ambassador also highlighted that the resolution has noted the Taliban's commitment that it will not allow its soil to be used for terrorism designated under UNSC resolution 2593. (ANI) Israel and Kashmir were brought up for discussion at the 17th extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC), convened by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad to discuss Afghanistan and its humanitarian crisis. Sergio Restelli, an Italian political advisor, author and geopolitical expert, writing in a blog of The Times of Israel said that there is no obvious connection between the crisis in Afghanistan and Israel, for obvious reasons Israel seemed to be the only important and clear part of the so-called "Islamabad Declaration" that was adopted by the OIC summit. The "Islamabad Declaration" was very short on specifics when it came to aid for Afghanistan. What is clear is that the Islamic development bank (based in Jeddah) will open a trust fund by Q1/2022 to channel development funds from OIC countries for humanitarian aid to Kabul. No commitments were made or any specifics declared. The OIC did not provide formal recognition to the attending Taliban minister Amir Khan Muttaqi who was excluded from the formal photo. The Islamabad Declaration was very specific however condemning the illegal colonial measures practised by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories, declaring that "the Israeli measures are illegal and void and that the OIC does not recognize any changes affecting the pre-1967 parallel, especially in Al-Quds", reported The Times of Israel. The meeting called on the international community, including the UN Security Council, to hold the Israeli occupation accountable for its violations, and to take all necessary measures, including imposing sanctions on Israel to stop these violations. One could definitely say, at least in thought and action of the host, Prime Minister Khan, Israel was definitely present at this OIC meeting, added Restelli. The final statement also condemned "the repeated attacks by the Israeli authorities on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the continuous attempts to change the historical and legal status quo under false religious pretexts," said Restelli. Not only did Khan raise the issue of Israel, but as usual, he put up the issue of Kashmir too, which was totally uncalled for as the conference was on the humanitarian crisis of Afghanistan and moreover, it's the internal issue of India. Speaking at the conference, rather than focus on the agenda and crisis at hand, Imran Khan chose to invoke Palestine and Kashmir, bringing both to the same plane. He called upon the OIC member states to make a unified plan to help the oppressed people of Palestine and Kashmir, reported The Times of Israel. As reported by News International, while appreciating the OIC's steadfast support for Kashmiris, Khan requested the OIC Secretary-General for continued advocacy for the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions. However, he was curiously silent on the oppression of the Uyghur Muslims in neighbouring Xinjiang. (ANI) Indian companies are looking towards the Nepali market to expand their business as the post-COVID scenario continues to improve the economic conditions and increase developmental activities in the Himalayan Nation. The Enterprize India Exhibition which is being held at Bhrikutimandap Exhibition Hall, Kathmandu from December 21 has mainly focused on expanding the market and improving the bilateral relations between the two nations. "The pandemic effect now seems to be settled in Nepal. I feel that business here is going as usual in comparison to post and pre-pandemic scenarios. Before the pandemic, the same kind of event was held in December 2019. Now I feel there is not much effect of pandemic," Zakir Ahmad Khan, Managing Director at Start exhibitions looking after the managerial aspects of the exhibition told ANI. Indian Charges d'Affaires Namgya C. Khampa inaugurated the Exhibition and interacted with Indian and Nepali companies participating in it. She also encouraged the organizers to explore B2B partnerships with Nepali entrepreneurs in order to strengthen commercial linkages between the two countries. Enterprise India 2022 is being organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) with the support of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. The exhibition is aimed at promoting Brand India and enhancing bilateral trade and investment by creating awareness of business opportunities available on both sides. "Nepali market is always very good, very prominent time, very promising market and for Indian product this market is wonderful. There are challenges after pandemic but people across the globe are coming out learning from it, so Nepali market is quite well," Bipin Tripathi, one of the exhibitors told ANI. The ongoing Exhibition therefore particularly aims at facilitating joint ventures, technology transfer, marketing arrangements as well as people-to-people contacts between the two countries. More than 50 Indian companies representing multiple sectors and coming from various parts of India are exhibiting their products and services at Enterprise India Exhibition, which is also witnessing enthusiastic participation from Nepali businesses and traders. (ANI) Washington [US], December 23 (ANI/Sputnik): US President Joe Biden signed legislation on Wednesday that will allow the US Capitol Police to request assistance without prior approval during emergencies, the White House said. "On Wednesday, December 22, 2021, the President signed into law: S. 3377, the - the 'Capitol Police Emergency Assistance Act of 2021,' which authorizes the Chief of the Capitol Police to request the assistance of Federal agencies in emergencies," the White House said in a press release. The bill passed the House of Representatives and the Senate unanimously last week. The legislation was crafted in response to what legislators claimed was the Trump administration's delay to approve a request from Capitol Police to deploy the National Guard during the January 6 Capitol riot. On January 6, a group of Trump supporters entered the US Capitol to protest lawmakers certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election from several US states that former President Donald Trump claimed were fraudulent. Trump claimed the election results 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. (ANI/Sputnik) Hailee Steinfeld plays Kate Bishop in the "Hawkeye" series alongside Jeremy Renner. Marvel Studios Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Hawkeye," "Black Widow," and "Spider-Man: No Way Home" The first season of "Hawkeye," starring Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld has been concluded. Insider compiled all the questions we had after the explosive finale. Who told the public all the Avengers' secrets for the creation of 'Rogers The Musical?' Hawkeye attends "Rogers: The Musical" with his kids and leaves on the "Hawkeye" pilot. Marvel Studios The post-credit scene for the "Hawkeye" finale was an extended look at the "Rogers The Musical" performance we see in episode one. "Save the City" may be catchy but it highlights a big information breach if it wasn't the Avengers themselves that created it. From an audience point of you, the lyrics make sense but how do civilians know that Captain America's catchphrase is "I can do this all day" or that Iron Man recommended shawarma at the Avengers battle. The biggest question of all is: Why is Ant-Man there? Of course, after "Avengers: Endgame," we know that Scott went back in time to the Battle of New York but it is clear that the general public does not know about the time heist because Yelena still believes that Hawkeye killed Black Widow. Did Echo kill Kingpin in the "Hawkeye" finale? Maya (Alaqua Cox) pointing a gun at Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio) Disney / Marvel Studios There was an intense moment in episode six where Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) finally confronts Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio) in order to avenge her father's death. We hear a gunshot at the end of this confrontation but never see who was hit by the bullet. The scene points to Kingpin being killed by Maya out of revenge, but there is a possibility the iconic villain may return. Is this the same Kingpin from Netflix's "Daredevil?" Vincent D'Onofrio as Kingpin in "Daredevil." ABC Signature / Netflix Whilst "Hawkeye" used the same actor for Kingpin as Netflix's "Daredevil," there are no clear signs that this is the same Kingpin as we saw in "Daredevil" or whether the Netflix show is canon. The only clue is that D'Onofrio's costume in episode five and the beginning of episode six resembles what he wore in multiple episodes of "Daredevil." Story continues Charlie Cox who also starred in the Netflix Marvel series reprised his role as the blind vigilante in "Spider-Man: No Way Home," which means we could get a confirmation in the future. Why was Laura Barton's watch stolen? Laura Barton's watch had a SHIELD logo and "19" on the back. Disney / Marvel Studios The finale reveals that the Avengers Compound watch, which is stolen from the auction in episode one, belongs to Laura Barton. However, this still raises questions about why it was stolen in the first place and whether the watch indicates something in Laura's past. For starters, did Maya know that the watch was owned by the wife of Ronin, the man she was hunting because he killed her father? In episode four, Hawkeye explains to Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) that the watch "belongs to someone I used to work with." Does this mean Laura used to be a SHIELD agent as the watch had a SHIELD logo at the back? Was that how Hawkeye met Laura? In "Hawkeye" Laura does show she's more than just a housewife by helping Hawkeye track down the owner of the Sloan company. Finally, in the same episode, Kate also reveals that Maya now knows Hawkeye's family names because of the watch but never explains how their identity is attached to the watch. Whilst the watch added further reason for Hawkeye to stop Kingpin and his goons, it left too many loose threads. Hopefully, these threads will be explained if "Hawkeye" gets a second season. We still don't know who owns Avengers Tower. Stark Tower, which is later called Avengers Tower, in "Hawkeye." Disney / Marvel Studios Hawkeye mentions that the tower has been bought by someone, however, Marvel Studios is yet to reveal who the buyer was. Some theorized that the buyer could be Kingpin after his big reveal in episode five of "Hawkeye," but there was no reference to this in the finale. Another theory is that it could have been bought by The Fantastic Four, are confirmed to be coming to the MCU. How did Kate Bishop's dad get involved with the mob? Brian d'Arcy James as Kate Bishop's father Derek in "Hawkeye" episode one. Disney / Marvel Studios The series never delves into Kate's father (Brian d'Arcy James) or his misdeeds that led him to be involved with Kingpin. All we know is that Kate's mother has to pay off his death after he dies. If the series gets renewed, this could be a storyline they go into. They may even reveal that Kate's father never really died, similar to what happened with Kate's mother in the comics. We never do see his dead body. What does the new and improved Statue of Liberty look like? Captain America's shield seen in the second trailer for "Spider-Man: No Way Home." Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures In "Hawkeye" episode five, Yelena mentions that she wants to see the "new and improved" Statue of Liberty but we never get to see it during the show. This leaves a question as to what "new and improved" means. Although we can see Captain America's shield being added to the historic monument in the second trailer for "Spider-Man: No Way Home," in the film we see that the Statue of Liberty is the set piece for the final fight, which means it gets pretty trashed. Is the "new and improved" just re-adding the shield or have more changes been made? Why did we not see a friendly neighborhood hero appear during the final battle? Tom Holland as Spider-Man in "Spider-Man: No Way Home." Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures It is always a question with solo stories why other Marvel characters do not pop up but Spider-Man (Tom Holland) had more reason than ever to show up in the "Hawkeye" finale. Not only is the final battle in New York, where Spider-Man resides, the final scene of the latest Marvel movie "Spider-Man: No Way Home" heavily teased that Spider-Man may make an appearance in "Hawkeye." It is not clear whether the possible cameo was canceled or if the final scene of "No Way Home" was just to show the passing of time. Will Hawkeye pass the baton to Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop? Hailee Steinfeld and Jeremy Renner as Kate Bishop and Hawkeye. Disney Hawkeye has been trying to retire from being a superhero since "Captain America: Civil War." With his Ronin storyline complete and Kate around to become a superhero in his place, there is an opportunity now more than ever for Hawkeye to retire from his duty and become a mentor figure for her. If "Hawkeye" is renewed for a second season, this may be the direction they are heading especially after retiring or killing off several of the original Avengers in "Avengers Endgame." What will happen to Yelena next? Yelena Belova eating macaroni from a pot in "Hawkeye." Marvel Studios/Disney+ The post-credit scene of "Black Widow" set up Yelena (Florence Pugh) on the path of revenge to kill Hawkeye after being told that the archer hero had killed her sister, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). Yelena does not take the shot after discovering the truth about what happened, but what will Yelena do next? "Hawkeye" episode five shows that Yelena is now a warrior without a mission. Will she use this opportunity to become a force for good after her discussions with Kate Bishop in the show, or will this push her further towards becoming a killer for hire? There is also the question of whether Yelena will go after Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus), AKA Val, for misleading her about Black Widow's death. "Hawkeye" shows that Val is willing to work for criminals but still doesn't explain her endgame Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine AKA Val. Marvel Unlimited/Disney The mysterious Val was noticeably absent from "Hawkeye." We are still uncertain what her end goal is after two appearances or even who she really is. The only information we gain from "Hawkeye" is that she works for criminals, considering that Yelena was hired through Val by Eleanor, potentially under the guidance of Kingpin. Will Eleanor Bishop stay in prison? Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio) and Eleanor Bishop (Vera Farmiga). Disney / Marvel Studios At the end of the "Hawkeye" finale, Kate ensures that her mother is arrested for her crimes. However, when it comes to prison, the rich and powerful often do not stay locked up for very long especially if they can afford a good lawyer. Will Eleanor become a larger threat for Kate down the road after being betrayed by her daughter or will she learn the error of her ways and become a better mother? Read the original article on Insider Police say theyve arrested Keegan McGivern, 13, over the shooting death of his 5-year-old brother (Getty Images) A 13-year-old boy has been charged with homicide after police say he fatally shot his own 5-year-old brother. On 22 November, police in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania received a call about a shooting incident at a house on Prescott Drive. When they got to the scene, they found four unsupervised children, one of them bleeding from a gunshot wound. The boy was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Then police began investigating, which finally led them to the victims older brother. It was later discovered, through the investigative process, that the 13-year-old pointed the firearm at his 5-year-old sibling and pulled the trigger while believing that the safety was on, the Allegheny County Police Department said. Based on the sequence of events, statements from individuals involved, and consultation with the district attorneys office, the 13-year-old juvenile will be charged with a general count of homicide. Keegan McGivern, 13, was arrested on 14 December, after his grandmother brought him to Allegheny County Police headquarters, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported. He has been charged with criminal homicide and possession of a firearm by a minor. According to the criminal complaint, Keegan told police that on the day of the shooting, he was angry at his siblings for jumping on a bed and not stopping when he told them to cut it out. Wanting to scare them, he picked up his fathers Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, which had been left loose in the room, and pointed it at Connor. He stated he pulled the trigger out of anger but couldnt recall exactly what he was angry about at the moment, the charging document says. Keegan is being charged as an adult, the Allegheny County District Attorneys Office has said, because in Pennsylvania, a homicide charge cannot be brought in juvenile court. What happened in Penn Hills was an intentional act that resulted in the tragic death of a 5-year-old, the DAs office said in a statement. Story continues Police have also said the childrens parents are partly to blame, and may face charges as well. Detectives determined that four children (ages 13, 6, 5, and 3) were left unsupervised while a loaded and unsecured handgun was left within the reach of each child, the Allegheny police pointed out in their statement. Detectives are also conferring with prosecutors to determine the level of parental culpability, for which criminal charges are anticipated. Police encourage anyone with information on the shooting to call the Allegheny County Police Tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS (1-833-255-8477) or send in a tip via the departments social media. Alan Bennett (DAVID LEVENSON/GETTY) Alan Bennetts annual chronicling of his life for the London Review of Books this year sees the author and playwright criticise Boris Johnson. In the diary, published today (22 December) in the LRB, Bennett dedicates Rudyard Kiplings poem, A Dead Statesman, to the prime minister. The poem reads as follows: I could not dig: I dared not rob: / Therefore I lied to please the mob. / Now all my lies are proved untrue / And I must face the men I slew. / What tale shall serve me here among / Mine angry and defrauded young? In his March entry, the History Boys writer also criticised how with his customary foresight and good judgment, one of the first acts of the current prime minister was to hasten to the side of President Trump, and how the former speaker of the house, John Bercow, was the one who ruled out Trump addressing parliament in 2017. His reward was to be refused the customary peerage on retirement by the prime minister, who happily doled out peerages to umpteen millionaires, all of them donors to the Tory party, wrote Bennett. And so we go on. Boris Johnson (Getty Images) In September, Bennett compared Rory Stewart, who was in the Tory leadership contest in 2019, to Johnson. Bennett said he had read Stewarts account of his time in Iraq, Occupational Hazards. He wrote: It is hard to imagine this man, however briefly, as MP for Penrith and a contender with Boris Johnson, but on this evidence alone he would have been a sounder dealer with our intractabilities and a more honest one. In his diary, Bennett also discussed his struggle to get a haircut in February and his reading habits. A man has been accused of breaking into an apartment, then raping a woman. The Alexandria Police Department arrested Jahiem Lasaha Robinson, 18, on charges of aggravated burglary, first-degree rape and perpetration of certain crimes of violence against a victim 65 or older. Police had been called to an Enterprise Road apartment complex around 3:51 a.m. in response to a burglary and possible rape. The victim told them that, around 2 a.m., a man "came into her apartment, sexually assaulted her and robbed her," reads a release. More: Pineville sex offender now facing rape charge More: 6 women sue LSU, alleging 'deliberate indifference' involving man accused in Rapides rape case A man has been accused of breaking into an apartment, then raping a woman. No other information was released. Jail records show Robinson was booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center #1 at 6:39 p.m. Tuesday. No bail has been set. Anyone with information is asked to call the department's Detective Division at 318-441-6416. This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Alexandria man accused in Enterprise Road burglary, rape The dysfunction of the U.S. health care system is continuing to place a major burden on U.S. households, especially those from vulnerable communities, as Americans face financial hardship due to medical debt and rising health care costs. Data from July showed that 18% of Americans hold medical debt that has been sent to collection agencies. And according to a new West Health-Gallup 2021 Healthcare in America Report, 30% of Americans reported deferring medical care in the prior three months due to cost, a figure that has tripled since March 2021. This can have serious consequences: The same Gallup report found that 21% of adults said they or a household member experienced a health problem after deferring care due to cost. The velocity of change in the number of Americans who cannot afford health care is alarming, Tim Lash, president of non-profit health care organization West Health, told Yahoo Finance. In a short time, weve witnessed health care affordability become an issue for even the nations highest-income households. This goes to show the problem is growing larger and deeper. Ambulances are parked at the U.S. Capitol after police warned that a militia group might try to attack the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., March 4, 2021. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts We are witnessing a compounding problem The Gallup survey noted negative public sentiment regarding the future of health care, which Lash said did not form overnight or begin with COVID-19. The report's key findings included 30% of adults reporting that they wouldnt be able to access affordable health care if they needed it today and 42% reporting concerns that theyd be unable to pay for care within the next year. Additionally, 29% of Americans didnt fill a prescription while 31% deferred procedures, tests, or care due to high costs within the past year. The number of people struggling to afford and access health care has increased over the past year. (Chart: West Health/Gallup) Moreover, a majority of respondents said they are pessimistic about policies actually being enacted to address this persistent issue. Two in 3 adults indicated that voters have little to no power in reducing health care costs, while 90% said that American businesses, corporations, and Congress do. Story continues This has been decades in the making after failed promises by elected officials to do something to help Americans suffering at the hand of high prices for health care and prescription drugs and a fee-for-service payment model that rewards the volume of services rather than their value to the patient, Lash said. Our hope is that policymakers will not be deaf to this public outcry and will finally respond with meaningful legislation that takes the greed out of health care and puts patients over profits instead of special interests. The coronavirus pandemic seemed to have only intensified these views: 48% of Americans said their perception of the U.S. health care system has worsened because of COVID while 15% or roughly 38 million Americans are now experiencing greater difficulties in paying for health care. At a time when Americans are already price sensitive to rising costs in all areas of life, any existing medical debt is likely to make Americans think twice about engaging with the system, Lash said. We are witnessing a compounding problem. The group of people who are already burdened by health care costs is expanding, and at the same time, the survey reveals that there are newcomers like those in higher-income brackets that are now strained by rising costs. Racial health care inequities In the Gallup report, 3 in 5 Americans indicated that the coronavirus pandemic has made them more concerned about unequal access to quality health care services. These numbers rise to nearly 3 in 4 for Black Americans and 2 in 3 for Latinos. There are great inequities in our health care system, and there have been for a very long time, Lash said. While this is a multifaceted issue, when it comes to skipping care, the consequences have proven to be worse for Black and Brown communities. Often the inequities materialize over decades. As a result, communities of color are more likely to experience higher rates of chronic conditions. Black households are more likely to have medical debt. (Chart: Brookings Institution) Among Black Americans, 8% know a friend or a family member who died within the past year after not getting medical treatment due to cost, which is double the number reported by white Americans. Andre Perry, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, explained how these disparities are built on a system of structural inequities, which he said the pandemic only exacerbated. Were more likely to be in jobs that are considered essential, and many of those jobs not only dont come with the kind of benefits like health care benefits that non-essential jobs have they are also low pay, Perry told Yahoo Finance. So when an economic shock hits, Black people are much more likely to have to take on debt as a result. As costs keep rising, it leaves those individuals forced to choose between adding to their debt or deferring medical care. According to Perry's research for the Brookings Institution, 27% of Black households hold medical debt compared to 16.8% of non-Black households. I cant say how much dental work Ive had over the last five years, Perry said. If I didnt have discretionary income to pay for additional work, I either wasnt going to get my teeth fixed or I would have to go into some type of debt to get it done. The point is that certainly health coverage matters, but when you are low wealth, when you are a person with a low to negative net worth, it is simply insufficient because so many costs can pile on in spite of having health insurance. A new level of crisis Its not just communities of color that are disproportionately impacted by medical debt and increasing health care costs. Low-income households of all backgrounds are also finding themselves vulnerable. An analysis by the Brookings Institution found that 27.9% of uninsured households hold medical debt compared to 17.4% of insured households. And the households without insurance owe an average of $31,947.87 compared to $18,827.25 for insured households. Additionally, according to the Brookings research, "nearly 80% of medical debt is held by households with zero or negative net worth." When you have less wealth, you have less cushion, less buffer, additional cost, Perry said. Its also a reflection of the power you have. So its more likely that youll be in a job without certain benefits. Its more likely youll be in riskier jobs in which youll get injured." A worker gestures to others as construction to make Black Lives Matter Plaza a permanent installation continues in Washington, U.S., July 22, 2021. REUTERS/Gabrielle Crockett That was really the case during the pandemic grocery workers, drivers, and people we deemed essential were putting themselves at risk, he continued. But its not like they had a choice. In some cases, they had to work to keep food on the table to feed their families, and society needed them to work. Oftentimes people were hospitalized for COVID and other reasons and oftentimes the care they received was not covered. However, while lower-income households are more likely to struggle from health care costs, that doesnt necessarily mean higher-income Americans are immune from this issue either. The Gallup report found that 20% of those who earn more than $120,000 annually had skipped medical care in the prior three months due to cost. This was a notable increase from 3% in March 2021 and 5% in June. If higher-income households are now having troubles, imagine what its like for everyday Americans, Lash said. We have reached a new level of crisis and one that demands action. Adriana Belmonte is a reporter and editor covering politics and health care policy for Yahoo Finance. You can follow her on Twitter @adrianambells and reach her at adriana@yahoofinance.com. Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Flipboard, and LinkedIn Amir Khan and Kell Brook are facing heavy fines if they miss weight (Getty Images) Promoter Ben Shalom has confirmed Amir Khan and Kell Brook will face six-figure fines if they dont make weight for their upcoming fight. Shalom said there will be hefty fines for every pound over the agreed 149lbs figure for their long-awaited clash on 19 February. The weight was finally agreed after the fighters had bickered about what class to fight in. They are both taking the weight seriously, Shalom told Sky Sports. There shouldnt be problems with the weight because they are so motivated. Despite the huge financial penalties, we expect both fighters to come prepared. Despite both fighters ramping up the trash talk in the lead up to the bout, Khan has said he has respect for his opponent. He said: The resect is there, I respect him as a fighter. Ive never run from Kell, I never needed to. What Ive achieved in this sport speaks for itself. There were times in the past when I didnt think he deserved the fight but now I want to put him in his place. Inside, youve lost the fight already, honestly, I can see inside you and youve lost the fight. I can see right through you, and you are empty inside, youre scared, honestly, you are, and thats why youre talking so much. And Bell added the fight has been a long time coming and he didnt hold back at the press conference, saying: This has been going on for 17 years. The negotiations have been incredibly hard work. We have finally got it over the line and Im ecstatic that the fans are going to see this fight. February 19 is the date Amir Khan will hit the deck for the final time. Im going to retire you. Im going to knock you spark out! (This Dec. 23 story corrects paragraph 23 to show Citadel Securities does not run hedge funds) By Svea Herbst-Bayliss and Krystal Hu (Reuters) - Jose Castillo pulled his $60,000 worth of GameStop Corp shares from his brokerage last summer, even though he had no intention of selling them. The 26-year-old information technology worker, who lives in the greater Minneapolis area, is among a growing number of investors in "meme" stocks -- shares such as GameStop popular with day traders -- who are withdrawing them from brokerages out of concern the shares will be lent to hedge funds engaging in short-selling. Castillo pulled the shares out of Fidelity Investments and transferred them to his name using Computershare Ltd, an Australian stock transfer company. Brokerages have been trying to reassure investors that they only lend shares of customers who are trading on borrowed funds. If they use their own cash, the shares are not loaned. Castillo traded GameStop shares without using borrowed funds, but he still feared his shares would be lent. He said he read about the "direct registration" of shares on Reddit, the social media platform that day traders turned to this year after the meme stock trading frenzy took off. There, more and more investors have announced they have taken their shares out of brokerages through companies such as Computershare, arguing this will help shield them from short-selling. "There is so much going on with a stock being shorted, people started to think how can I make sure that I own it and that somebody else isn't doing anything that I don't want with it," Castillo said in an interview. A Fidelity spokesperson declined to comment. Paul Conn, president of Computershare's global capital markets group, said he saw a wave of direct registration business starting in September that was driven by meme stock investors. "Retail investors have asked their broker or bank to remove their investments from the 'street name' system and into their own name, directly onto the company's share register," Conn said. Story continues Hedge funds short shares by borrowing and selling them, hoping they will drop in value so they can buy them back for less and pocket the difference. Financial market experts said the push towards direct registration was unlikely to curtail this practice, because most hedge funds' collateral comes from prime brokers rather than retail brokerages. "The shares used to stock-loan from margined retail accounts are minimal compared to the stock-loan inventory from prime brokers and long lenders such as mutual funds and pension funds," said research firm S3 Partners managing director Ihor Dusaniwsky. Monthly average trading volumes of GameStop shares have dropped since July to their lowest levels for more than a year, according to Refinitiv data. That was about the time that Reddit users began to advocate for the direct registration of shares. The more shares are transferred out of brokerages into direct registration providers such as Computershare, the fewer of them are available to trade. Joshua Mitts, a securities law professor at Columbia Law School, said removing shares from the market makes them more susceptible to wild price swings, which could end up hurting the retail investors. "From a psychological point of view, I can see how that resonates. But from an economic point of view it does not make much sense, because with fewer shares available the trading is simply going to become more volatile," Mitts said. A GameStop spokesperson declined to comment. Popular trading apps such as Robinhood Markets Inc and SoFi Technologies Inc, as well traditional brokerages such as Charles Schwab Corp and Fidelity, would lose out if the direct registration trend intensified. They benefited from this year's surge in trading of meme stocks. Robinhood and Charles Schwab representatives reiterated that only shares of customers who have borrowed from the brokerages to invest are loaned to hedge funds. "We have seen an uptick in recent months of clients requesting to hold certain securities outside of Charles Schwab as a means to prevent them from being lent out," the brokerage's managing director of trading and education, Jeff Chiappetta, said in a statement. Many requests were made by clients who bought shares without borrowing from Charles Schwab and would not have had their shares lent, Chiappetta added. A SoFi spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. TRADING CURBS Retail investors started to mistrust brokerages when Robinhood and its peers placed trading restrictions in late January on GameStop's shares. Thousands of investors claimed on social media that the trading curbs were introduced to protect hedge funds that had lost billions of dollars shorting the stock without anticipating a Reddit-fueled rally. Commission-free brokerages such as Robinhood rely on payment for order flow, under which they receive fees from market makers for routing trades to them. This business model has also made retail investors suspicious, especially since Citadel Securities, one of Robinhood's market makers, shares common ownership with hedge fund manager Citadel, which engages in short-selling. Robinhood and Citadel have insisted that the trading restrictions were not put in place to protect hedge funds, but were needed because Robinhood did not have enough collateral to execute customers' trades. A U.S. judge sided with Robinhood on the matter last month, dismissing an investor lawsuit accusing the trading app and other brokerages of wrongly preventing retail investors from buying fast-rising "meme stocks" and triggering a sell-off. (Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss in Boston and Krystal Hu in New York; Additional reporting by John McCrank in New York; Editing by David Gregorio and Greg Roumeliotis) Winter break is here for college students across the Hudson Valley. To come back for the spring, some of them, as well as some staff, will have to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster. Many others will need to undergo testing for the potentially deadly illness before they can step back on campus. As the omicron strain continues to spread at a rate not seen in any other variant, it's possible schools may update guidance before in-person classes begin for the spring in late January. Vassar College earlier this month announced it is requiring students to receive a booster. Marist College joined them in that measure Wednesday. Bard College says it has already administered hundreds of boosters to students, and other schools are giving students the choice of receiving a booster or undergoing COVID testing. SUNY New Paltz field hockey teammates Natasia Plunkett, left, and Morgan Wooley, right, haul freshamn belongings to the dorm at Esopus Hall during move-in day at SUNY New Paltz in New Paltz, NY on Thursday, August 19, 2021. Colleges in the region individually reported vaccination rates above 95 amongst students and above 80% for staff. But with COVID cases on the rise, and with studies showing the omicron strain may infect those who have not received a booster far more easily than previous variants, many say the booster or COVID testing is necessary. Vaccines in schools: School staff COVID vaccinations: See where your district stood through early fall Mental health: Surgeon General's warning of youth mental health crisis rings true in Hudson Valley Help wanted: Dutchess schools are struggling to fill jobs; how it's impacting students Most area schools saw a jump in cases in the final weeks of the fall semester. Vassar, which said more than 99% of students were vaccinated, had a high of 64 active cases on campus between students and staff on Dec. 14. That's despite recording 164 cases for the entire semester. As of Monday, SUNY New Paltz reported 37 active cases among students and staff and 327 for the semester; Marist had 27 and 167 for the semester. Bard and Mount Saint Mary got through the semester relatively unscathed, with Bard recording 63 total cases and Mount Saint Mary 47. Story continues Students walk on campus at Dutchess Community College in the Town of Poughkeepsie on October 19 2021. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended booster doses for anyone over the age of 18 six months after completing a two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccine series, or two months after receiving the one-dose Johnson & Johnson recipe. Booster requirements In a letter to the Vassar community, President Elizabeth Bradley said requiring boosters is necessary to provide a safe learning environment. Vassar students and staff are required to receive their booster by Jan. 17. Those who are ineligible to receive the booster by then will have 30 days after becoming eligible to fulfill the requirement. "The health and safety of everyone on campus is paramount, and we understand health to include not only the physical health, but also mental health and social well-being," Bradley said. "Additionally, we will apply all the learning we have had through the last four semesters of the pandemic to provide the best and safest on-campus experience possible." Marist officials, in their own letter, announced all students and staff would need a booster by Jan. 31 13 days after the official start of the spring semester. Anyone not eligible by that date will need a booster within 30 days of becoming eligible. The school is also requiring a flu vaccine by Jan. 14. Marist students with medical or religious exemptions will need to be tested upon return to campus on either Jan. 16 or 17, and they will need to continue mandatory surveillance testing they were required to in the fall. Bard also issued a letter, stating it administered 900 vaccine boosters to the college community and plans to issue more to those who choose to do so. It was noted some students will not be eligible for the booster until after the beginning of the semester. "One of the hallmarks of the colleges success in managing COVID has been our flexible planning, which enables us to be both prepared for and responsive to the evolving situation," the college wrote. "Please rest assured that the colleges COVID-19 Response Team is constantly reviewing our protocols and considering what if any changes must be made to help our community stay safe." SUNY New Paltz is requiring all students and staff to either receive a booster by Jan. 8, or return to campus with proof that they either a negative PCR test between Jan. 12-19; a negative antigen test between Jan. 20-22; or a positive COVID-19 diagnosis on or after Oct. 25. Members of the SUNY New Paltz field hockey team haul freshman belongings into Esopus Hall during move-in day at SUNY New Paltz in New Paltz, NY on Thursday, August 19, 2021. New Paltz Spokesperson Chrissie Williams said the college's requirements for reentry could be subject to change before campus reopens. "We will watch the COVID-19 variant and make final determinations after the holidays and before students return, in consultation with State Deptartment of Health, local public health officials, and SUNY," she said. "All policies are subject to change; we will provide confirmation and additional details in January." New Paltz noted its spring testing policy will be the same as in the fall, with any unvaccinated student or employee required to test every week while on campus, and 20% of the vaccinated population will be tested each week. 'A stressful time for all' Mount Saint Mary College is not yet requiring booster shots for students and employees. Spokesperson Matthew Frey noted vaccinations are required to attend classes in-person, with medical and religious exemptions, and the college "may decide" to also mandate boosters "in the future if it is deemed to be in the best interest of our community's health and safety." At Vassar, Bradley said the booster requirement is needed due to the presence of variants. "I understand that this is a stressful time for us all. Getting your booster shot is crucial to the safety of our community and your well-being," Bradley said. "After enjoying a successful fall semester, this is an important step in helping ensure we have a healthy and safe campus for the spring semester." Most area schools have also said they will adhere to CDC suggestions for other safety measures, such as mask use. While New York residents are under a state mandate to wear masks while in any indoor public space, spring semesters are scheduled to begin after the planned end to the mandate on Jan. 15. Still, most schools for months have said masks were required while indoors on campus after the CDC updated its guidance suggesting residents do so. Complete information regarding each college's requirements will be posted on college websites before the start of the spring semester, representatives say. Katelyn Cordero is the education reporter for the Poughkeepsie Journal: kcordero@poughkeepsiejournal.com; Twitter: @KatelynCordero. This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: COVID boosters: Vassar, Marist, Hudson Valley schools mull safety Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem in Being the Ricardos' (Glen Wilson/Amazon) Long before anyone had seen a minute of Aaron Sorkins new film Being The Ricardos, knives were already being sharpened for its star Nicole Kidman. Back in April, tabloid photos of Kidman on set sparked an immediate backlash. Fans on social media didnt believe she could convincingly pull off playing Lucille Ball, the Queen of Fifties television who did as much as anyone to shape the modern idea of a sitcom with her ground-breaking hit show I Love Lucy. Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball looks literally just like Nicole Kidman ran one typical tweet. Very sceptical of this casting decision. To which the only reasonable response seems to be: well, yes, Nicole Kidman still looks like Nicole Kidman, but perhaps its best to reserve judgement on her performance until shes actually given it? Nevertheless, the negative response was so severe that Kidman considered chucking it all in. When the reality of playing her hit me, I went, What I have said yes to? the actor said during a recent appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan. I then went, Oh no, Im not right. Everyone thinks Im not right, so Im going to try to sidestep this. It was left to writer-director Sorkin and the films producer Todd Black to talk her down. As Sorkin put it to The Hollywood Reporter, he took pains to reassure Kidman and her co-star Javier Bardem that he was not looking for a physical or vocal impersonation of these people. Bardems casting as Balls on-and-off-screen husband Desi Arnaz drew just as much ire, with the added question of whether its acceptable in 2021 for a Spaniard to play a Cuban. Bardem, who had already played the Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas to great acclaim in 2000s Before Night Falls, has pushed back against this criticism and questioned why this particular question seems to be disproportionately levelled at actors for whom English is a second language. Im an actor, and thats what I do for a living: try to be people that Im not, Bardem told The Hollywood Reporter. What do we do with Marlon Brando playing Vito Corleone? What do we do with Margaret Thatcher played by Meryl Streep? Daniel Day-Lewis playing Lincoln? Why does this conversation happen with people with accents? What I mean is, if we want to open the can of worms, lets open it for everyone. Following the interview, Bardem evidently reflected further on the question of representation, later adding in an email: I do recognise that there are many underrepresented voices and stories that need to be told, and we should collectively do better to provide access and opportunities for more American Latino stories and storytellers. Story continues Bardem, it has to be said, looks very little like Desi Arnaz. His distinctively craggy features and deep, sonorous voice arent a natural fit for the boyishly handsome Arnaz, but his compelling and entertaining performance in Being The Ricardos doesnt suffer for that. In fact, he succeeds in capturing an essence of the character in a way a lookalike may have struggled to, as a reviewer from Uproxx noted: Bardems expressive face is oddly suited for externalising Desis feelings Bardem shows what stories about Desi would otherwise probably have to tell: that he was this incredibly charismatic masculine sex symbol. Capturing this essence is exactly what an actors job is supposed to be, regardless of whether youd be able to pick them out of a line up of impersonators. Take, for example, one of the years best and boldest casting decisions: Jodie Turner-Smith playing the titular doomed Queen in Anne Boleyn. During an appearance on The Daily Show this month, Turner-Smith discussed the backlash she had received as a Black actor taking on the role. Its intense, but the hope is that there are some people who it makes uncomfortable who will watch it anyway, and watch it for the human story that we were trying to tell, and see what resonates differently for them, she explained, adding that viewers of the series are looking at it out of the frame of reference of race, and more just about, like, this is a human woman. We all share these experiences in life. As human beings, there is no divide between emotion. Weve all experienced hurt and fear and loss and pain and ambition and desire and love. Its really just trying to tell a story about that. Turner-Smiths point should remind us why the high watermark of drama is not mimicry or impersonation. Great acting isnt just doing an impression of another person, but revealing through performance the shared humanity that binds every single one of us. A similar view has been expressed by Sarah Paulson, who earlier this year was criticised for playing former White House employee Linda Tripp in Impeachment: American Crime Story while wearing prosthetics and padding thats widely been referred to as a fat suit. Many commenters online argued the role should have been played by an actor who more closely physically resembled Tripp, which seems cavalierly dismissive of the other attributes Paulson could bring to her performance. I do think to imagine that the only thing any actor called upon to play this part would have to offer is their physical self is a real reduction of the offering the actor has to make, Paulson told the LA Times . I would like to believe that there is something in my being that makes me right to play this part. Reviewers of Impeachment tended to agree. Gold Derby opined that Sarah Paulsons performance as Linda Tripp is more than just makeup, while a Guardian critic wrote that Paulsons never-better performance as Tripp is so much more intricately developed than the collection of studied tics it could have been. An obsession with biopics only featuring direct lookalikes suggests a troubling road ahead. Given that weve all seen those creepy deepfake Tom Cruise videos doing the rounds on social media, its already possible to imagine biopics of the future starring actors effectively wearing the skin of whoever it is theyre supposed to be playing. It might make the trolls happy, but its hard to believe that watching a bunch of digital Ed Geins dance through the Uncanny Valley would actually result in films that get closer to the essential truth of a person. Until then, if you really want to see Balls inimitable facial contortions light up the screen, there is always I Love Lucy. 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 Biden refused to comment on whether Sen. Joe Manchin , D-W.Va., broke his commitment to the president to support the Build Back Better legislation. "Sen. Manchin and I are going to get something done," Biden said Tuesday when asked if Manchin had backed away from previous support for the plan. President Joe Biden REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein SCHUMER HITS MANCHIN FOR FAILING TO SUPPORT BUILD BACK BETTER, MAINTAINS DEMOCRATS WILL FIND A WAY FORWARD Biden's remarks came during an impromptu press conference following his address to the nation outlining his plans to combat the omicron variant, with reporters peppering the president with questions about his ongoing negotiations with Manchin. "Some people think maybe I'm not Irish because I don't hold a grudge," Biden said in response to another question about Manchin. "But I want to get things done. I still think there's a possibility of getting Build Back Better done." The exchanges come after a drama-filled week featuring the president and the West Virginia Democrat, with Biden releasing a statement singling out Manchin for the delay in passing his massive legislation, a move that reportedly helped prompt the senator to completely cut off negotiations with the White House. Sen. Joe Manchin REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst "I've done everything humanly possible," Manchin said during an appearance on Fox News over the weekend where he announced his opposition to Biden's plan. "When you have these things coming at you the way they are right now I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation," he said. Manchin's public announcement outraged the White House, which fired off a statement accusing the senator of an "inexplicable reversal in his position." "If his comments on Fox and written statement indicate an end to that effort, they represent a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position and a breach of his commitments to the president and the senators colleagues in the House and Senate," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Sunday. "Just as Senator Manchin reversed his position on Build Back Better this morning, we will continue to press him to see if he will reverse his position yet again, to honor his prior commitments and be true to his word." By Sunday evening, cooler heads had seemingly prevailed after Manchin and Biden spoke over the phone, a call that was described as cordial and ended with an understanding that negotiations over the legislation would continue in the new year. The Biden administration is loosening restrictions to make it easier for humanitarian groups to provide aid to a devastated Afghanistan, senior administration officials told reporters Tuesday night. Why it matters: The steps do not address the urgent calls from the Taliban, Afghan protesters, international aid groups and U.S. lawmakers for the U.S. to lift its freeze on Afghan foreign reserves. With most aid stopped and overseas assets frozen, Afghanistan's cash crunch has rendered the economy hardly functional. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. Instead, the administration announced three new general licenses to allow the U.S. government, NGOs and international aid organizations to provide more support without violating U.S. sanctions against the Taliban. The licenses allow investment in education, making it possible for aid groups to pay Afghan teachers' salaries, for example. The Biden administration is also providing an additional 1 million COVID-19 vaccines to Afghanistan, bringing the total doses provided to 4.3 million. The big picture: Afghanistan's economy faces a "severe contraction" of around 30% following the Taliban takeover, one senior official told reporters, citing drought, COVID-19 and the Taliban's handling of the economy. Another major reason is the sudden severing of most foreign aid to Afghanistan, due in part to the fact that the Taliban government lacks international recognition. Around 95% of the population does not have enough food and 1 million children could die this year from malnutrition, according to U.N. estimates. Winter weather is only expected to worsen the situation. Afghanistan is facing near-universal poverty, the closure of most health clinics and potential mass starvation. Driving the news: This week, protestors in Kabul marched toward the U.S. Embassy, demanding "let us eat." Meanwhile, more than 40 House Democrats wrote a letter calling on Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to end the freeze on Afghan foreign reserves. Story continues Between the lines: Lifting the freeze would be politically tricky, as it could be construed as providing billions of dollars to the Taliban. The administration has also argued that there are legal hurdles to doing so. The funds remain the subject of ongoing litigation relating to the families of 9/11 victims who are seeking compensation from the Taliban. What they're saying: When asked whether the new actions were sufficient to lessen the crisis, one senior official said the goal is to mitigate, not prevent, economic contraction in Afghanistan. The official emphasized the Taliban will have to make the right economic decisions to prevent crisis and that the U.S. remains in communication with the militant group to ensure humanitarian assistance goes where it is intended. Another official on the briefing call also called on other nations to join the U.S. to help prevent disaster in Afghanistan. Since mid-August when the Taliban took over Kabul, the U.S. government has announced $200 million worth of assistance for Afghanistan and worked with other countries to redirect additional funding toward efforts on the ground from UNICEF and the World Food Program, the officials said. What to watch: On Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution to create a humanitarian carve-out for Afghanistan sanctions, which will also help humanitarian groups provide more assistance. More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free Secretary of State Antony Blinken gives remarks following the final U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan Secretary of State Antony Blinken will host his Japanese counterpart as part of a high-level security meeting between diplomatic and defense officials early next month, a source familiar with the meeting told The Hill. The meeting on Jan. 7, called the 2+2 dialogue, will include Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, the source added. The last 2+2 ministerial was held in Tokyo in March and marked the first overseas trip for Blinken and Austin. It served as a strong signal that allies in Asia and the Pacific would be at the center of the Biden administration's foreign policy. The close alliance with Japan is viewed as vital in countering China's ambitions, whether militarily in the Indo-Pacific or providing a counter to Beijing's economic coercion in the region and globally. A State Department spokesperson did not comment on the date of the 2+2 meeting, but confirmed reports that Japan is increasing its financial support for hosting U.S. troops under a new five-year agreement beginning in 2022. The U.S. and Japan in February had signed a one-year extension of the previous agreement, amid the transition between the Trump and Biden administrations. "We can confirm that representatives of the Governments of the United States and Japan have reached consensus on the contents of a new proposed Special Measures Agreement and Host Nation Support Framework between the United States and Japan," the spokesperson said, adding that further details "will be released after the agreement is concluded." "The proposed agreement represents a modernized, forward-looking framework under which U.S. forces in Japan help ensure security and regional stability," the spokesperson added. "It promotes greater mutual investment in defense and improvements to our forces' interoperability. It includes an increase in cost-sharing contributions from Japan." Story continues Japan announced on Tuesday that it is increasing financial support to host U.S. troops by 5 percent over fiscal year 2016 through 2021 levels, or up to $9.2 billion over five years, the Japan Times reported. Under the one-year extension signed in February, Japan agreed to pay $1.9 billion as part of the arrangement for hosting American troops. The new five-year deal and cost-sharing increase marks a win for President Biden, and is seen as a sign of easing relations between Washington and Tokyo that were strained during the former Trump administration. Former President Trump had pushed for Tokyo to quadruple its cost-sharing of hosting U.S. troops or risk losing their presence on the island nation. Masashi Mizobuchi, spokesperson for the Embassy of Japan, did not comment on the upcoming meeting but said Japan and the U.S. "agree on the recognition that it is necessary to further strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance in an effective manner as the security environment in the region becomes even more severe. Having shared this recognition, we have held a series of consultations." Mizobuchi added that the announced five-year host-nation agreement "intends to lay the foundation to solidify the Japan-U.S. alliance further, including improving the readiness of the Self Defense Forces and its interoperability with the US forces." Updated at 5:27 p.m. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) No. 1 South Carolina added another milestone to what's shaping up as a truly special season the biggest comeback in program history. The Gamecocks rallied from 18 points down to beat defending national champion Stanford 65-61 and keep their perfect, 12-0 start alive. Aliyah Boston had 18 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:05 left for South Carolina's second victory this season over a No. 2 team and fifth over a Top-10 opponent. It shows our power, Destanni Henderson, who scored 17 points and returned to the starting lineup after missing the past three games due to injury. It's hard to compete with us. Especially in the second half when the speedy Henderson and tall, athletic Boston got going. Still down 45-28 when Hannah Jump nailed a 3-pointer to start the third quarter, the Gamecocks took off on a 22-4 burst that put them ahead 50-49 entering the final period. Boston's final basket proved decisive and was a bit of redemption after she missed a short one in the final seconds of Stanford's 66-65 victory over the Gamecocks in the national semifinals. Boston overcame a slow start, adding five blocks and dominating down low in the second half. It was her fifth straight double-double and 36th of her career. Aliyah is Aliyah, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. This is what she's been doing. And beating all comers is what the Gamecocks have done in the first third of their season. They've notched wins over North Carolina State, Oregon, UConn and Maryland before toppling Stanford. Stanford (8-3) had a chance to go in front, but Cameron Brink's jumper came off the rim and into the capable hands of Boston. Boston hit a foul shot and Destiny Littleton followed with two more with 0.8 seconds left to close out the win. It was a complete reversal for the Cardinal, who seemed to pull off a Southern double after winning at No. 7 Tennessee last weekend. Stanford coach Tara Vanderveer believes the trip will prove beneficial to her team, no matter the disappointment in this one. Story continues We'll get better, she said. It's good this way now instead of this being your NCAA (tournament) game and your done. We can learn and get better. Henderson added seven assists and seven steals. Brink, Stanford's leading scorer at 14.2 points a game coming in, was held in check by the Gamecocks and finished with three points on 1-of-7 shooting. Lexie Hull led Stanford with 17 points, just three of those coming in the final three quarters. South Carolina had been waiting for this one since the last Final Four, Brea Beal and Boston missing two short cracks at the basket. But it was Stanford who came out quickly. Lexie Hull scored 14 points on a pair of 3-pointers in the opening quarter and the Cardinal kept up the barrage from outside. Hull's sister Lacie started the second period with a 3-pointer. Jump and Anna Wilson added long-range baskets. By the time Haley Jones got free for a layup, Stanford was up 34-16 in front of a stunned, mostly full house of South Carolina fans. Stanford had the perfect formula for defeating South Carolina: Make most of your shots and push Boston away from the basket. South Carolina's pressure took its toll on Stanford, who committed 20 turnovers, 12 of those in the final two periods. BIG PICTURE Stanford: The Cardinal were clicking when the shots fell. Once that stopped in the second half, they could not keep up with South Carolina's speed in the backcourt in Henderson and its rebounding led by Boston. Don't be surprised to see these two play again in March or April. South Carolina: The Gamecocks needed every bit of Henderson, who had missed the past few games. She's the experienced leader who makes the team go. She did it in this one and will have to do it even more with SEC play upcoming. STRUGGLING COOKE Zia Cooke, South Carolina's top returning scorer entering this season, continued her struggles to find her touch. She was 1-of-9 shooting for four points, the fourth time in the past five games she's been held out of double figures. She's shot 12 of 59 during that stretch. Staley thinks Cooke is so intense in her play, she sometimes adds to the pressure to perform. With a nine-day break ahead, Staley is positive Cooke will return to form for the SEC run. SPECIAL GUEST South Carolina coach Dawn Staley brought her dog, Champ, to the postgame, where he was put on the table next to Staley's microphone and settled in as she fielded questions. When asked what Champ's getting for Christmas, Gamecocks assistant coach Lisa Boyer chimed in that every day is Christmas for him. UP NEXT Stanford starts Pac 12 Conference play at Washington on Dec. 31. South Carolina opens Southeastern Conference play at Missouri on Dec. 30. ___ More AP womens college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 BOSTON A Boston talk radio host who used his show to oppose measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus has reportedly been infected with COVID-19. WRKO morning host Jeff Kuhner, who called for Anthony Fauci to be put on trial for crimes against humanity and once agreed with a caller who suggested vaping bleach to prevent COVID-19 infection, has been off the air this week. Universal Hub, which first reported this story, said Sandy Shack, Kuhner's producer, is hosting the show this week. On Tuesday's show, Shack called Boston's new vaccine mandate "persecution against the unvaccinated." Prayers going out for a full and speedy recovery for Jeff Kuhner / @TheKuhnerReport who is reported to be suffering with COVID. Be well Jeff! The Rombach Report (@club_ed8) December 22, 2021 Kuhner has hosted rallies at the State House opposing government mask and vaccine mandates and other government measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus. In a May blog post on WRKO's Website, Kuhner called Fauci a "criminal, liar and fraud" who should be put on trial for "crimes against humanity." In an April 2020 blog post, Kuhner said government rules to slow the spread of the coronavirus were being orchestrated by Democrats and "media elites." "And for what?" Kuhner wrote. "To allegedly combat the coronavirus epidemic that we now know was based on a pack of lies and badly flawed data." Two weeks after the post was published, Kuhner agreed with a caller to his show who identified himself as Zack from Stoughton and wondered if vaping bleach could prevent COVID-19 infection. The show aired the day after President Donald Trump suggested looking at bleach as a remedy, according to a recap on RawStory. "Zack, you're not crazy, and bingo -- you said the word, you said the phrase...Thinking outside the box," Kuhner said. "That's literally what the president was doing yesterday. That's what a good chief executive does." This article originally appeared on the Boston Patch Three Utah students face felony charges after police accused them of promoting a senseless TikTok challenge that encouraged school shootings and other violence. The Roosevelt City Police Department said in a news release that it launched an investigation into comments and social media messages between students about a rumored bring your gun to school day trend that cropped up online last week. The trend, also dubbed the National Shoot Up Your School Day challenge, mentioned the possibility of violence and encouraged students to arm themselves at school on Dec. 17, McClatchy News reported. The threats sparked concern at school districts nationwide, prompting some to even close for the day. In a statement on Dec. 16, TikTok condemned the rumored school violence and said it had not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading 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. TikTokComms (@TikTokComms) December 16, 2021 Utah investigators determined there was no immediate threat and that no guns were taken into Roosevelt schools. The only senseless act that was committed was the sharing of, and comments in support of this act, Roosevelt Police Chief Mark J. Watkins said in a statement. As a result, three local students have been charged with a felony for participating in this senseless act of sharing, commenting and, or encouraging school violence. The Roosevelt Police Department will have zero tolerance for such acts, Watkins said. Police havent released the students ages or what school they attend. The specific charges they face is also unknown. Roosevelt is about 143 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. Story continues TikTok recipes inspired grocery lists in 2021, Instacart says. Here are the most popular TikTok shows woman butchering the name Buc-ees and Texans are ticked off Door kick TikTok trend could be mistaken for home invasion, California police say (Reuters) -Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd will cancel some passenger flights in January because of operational and travel curbs at a time when the Asian financial centre has tightened quarantine requirements, the airline said on Wednesday. "The new consolidated schedule will result in several flight cancellations," the company said in a website notice, without giving details. The carrier declined to comment on the routes involved, but said it would immediately reach out to all affected customers and try to make alternative flight arrangements for them. A travel industry source who was not authorised to speak publicly about the matter told Reuters the cancellations included many long-haul flights to and from Australia, North America and Europe. Cathay's Australian website said it would only fly to Sydney from Hong Kong in January, with no flights to Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth, which had been destinations in December. For December, Cathay planned to fly no more than 12% of its pre-pandemic passenger schedule, having cancelled many flights because it could not find enough crew members to volunteer for tough rosters https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/locked-hotels-hong-kongs-covid-19-rules-take-mental-toll-cathay-pilots-2021-11-26 involving five weeks locked in hotel rooms. Hong Kong has tightened travel rules since the Omicron coronavirus variant emerged, and arriving passengers from many countries are limited to citizens and residents who are now subject to three weeks of managed quarantine even if fully vaccinated. The Hong Kong government has a "zero-COVID" policy in line with mainland China as it hopes to persuade Beijing to allow cross-border travel. (Reporting by Jamie Freed in SydneyEditing by Gerry Doyle and Mark Potter) CHERRY HILL - The township's new police chief is a 22-year veteran of the local force and holds a law degree and an MBA. Robert Kempf, a lifetime Cherry Hill resident, was named Tuesday to succeed William 'Bud' Monaghan, who retired in September. Kempf, formerly a lieutenant, will become acting chief effective immediately, township officials said. He is to be appointed chief by resolution at a township council meeting in January. Details of Kempf's new contract have not been finalized, a township representative said Wednesday. In announcing the selection, Mayor Susan Shin Angulo praised Kempf as "a forward-thinking leader and deeply engaged member of the Cherry Hill community." Council President David Fleisher extended thanks to Captain Larry Robb, who has served as acting chief since Monaghan's departure. Cherry Hill Acting Police Chief Robert Kempf Kempf will oversee about 170 employees at the police department, which averages 120,000 calls for service per year in a township with some 75,000 residents. The department has 134 full-time sworn officers, six special law enforcement officers, 11 dispatchers, and administrative staff and records personnel. Kempf joined the department as a patrolman in November 1998 and became a detective in the cyber crime unit in 2011. He has served as a sergeant and lieutenant in the patrol division, as well as a detective sergeant in the investigative division. He worked most recently in the professional standards and training department. Nearby: Salem Medical Center plans to merge into Inspira Health Network Nearby: Berlin Township making changes after critical state audit Kempf, who was chosen after a months-long application and interview process, described his new post as "the honor of a lifetime." The married father of three is a 1990 graduate of Cherry Hill West. He holds a bachelor's degree in management from Rutgers University, a master of business administration from Rutgers University School of Business and a juris doctor degree from Rutgers University School of Law . Story continues Kempf is also a graduate of of the FBI National Academy, and earned a graduate certificate of achievement from the University of Virginia. Jim Walsh covers public safety, economic development and other beats for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Support local journalism with a subscription. This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Cherry Hill NJ: Robert Kempf named new police chief A Chicago firefighter died Tuesday, days after suffering injuries while battling an apartment building fire, officials said. Mashawn Plummer, 30, was injured early Thursday morning in the Belmont Central neighborhood, said Larry Langford, Chicago Fire Department spokesman. Firefighters had been called about 2 a.m. to a basement fire in the 3100 block of North Marmora Avenue. It was a very windy night if you recall on Dec. 16, Langford said. And the velocity of the wind makes firefighting much more difficult because it whips the fire up. One other person, Eladio Gomez, 37, died as a result of the fire. In addition to Plummer, a woman and man were injured and were hospitalized in critical condition. Its under investigation as to what happened inside, Langford said. But they lost contact with him and went in to find out why and found him down. The fire was put out in a matter of minutes, he said. It wasnt an extensive fire, but it was a wind-whipped fire and intense for a bit, he said. Plummer, who was also an EMT with the department, was transported to Community First Medical Center, then to Loyola University Medical Center for more advanced treatment. Despite the best efforts, he succumbed today to those injuries that he suffered in the fire, Langford said. Plummer was transported to the Cook County medical examiners office from Loyola in an honor procession Thursday evening. A line of fire trucks, ambulances and police vehicles made their way to the medical examiners office, their lights flashing. Just outside the office, a U.S. Flag hung from the ladders of two fire trucks that faced one another almost touching the ground. Plummer joined the Fire Department Dec. 1, 2020, recently marking one year as a Chicago firefighter. He was assigned to Engine 94 firehouse, at 5758 W. Grace St. in the Portage Park neighborhood. Plummer is survived by his mother, father and four sisters. The news of Plummers death comes a day before the Fire Departments memorial in the former Union Stock Yards to commemorate the loss of 21 firefighters in December 1910. December is a rough month for the Fire Department, Langford said. Weve had some of our largest loss of life in December. Earlier Tuesday, a 2-year-old died after a house fire in West Pullman. MarketWatch Is there a job that comes with the prospect of a six-figure income, high job satisfaction and has enough job openings to make it a real possibility? Companies are always keen to use intel to improve efficiency and learn more about their customers and, so, computer scientists are in high demand. Java developers are No. 1 on Glassdoors 50 Best Jobs in America for 2021. BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese regulators on Wednesday suspended an information-sharing partnership with Alibaba Cloud Computing, a subsidiary of e-commerce conglomerate Alibaba Group, over accusations it failed to promptly report and address a cybersecurity vulnerability, according to state-backed media reports. Alibaba Cloud did not immediately report vulnerabilities in the popular, open-source logging framework Apache Log4j2 to China's telecommunications regulator, according to 21st Century Business Herald, citing a recent notice by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). In response, MIIT suspended a cooperative partnership with the cloud unit regarding cybersecurity threats and information-sharing platforms, to be reassessed in six months and revived depending on the company's internal reforms, the notice said. This latest measure highlights Beijing's desire to strengthen control over key online infrastructure and data in the name of national security. The Chinese government has asked state-owned companies to migrate their data from private operators such as Alibaba and Tencent to a state-backed cloud system by next year. The suspension highlights Beijing's concern at a vulnerability that has triggered a wave of panic among corporations and governments around the world. Apache Log4j2 is a Java-based tool that is widely used in enterprise systems and web applications. This vulnerability may lead to remote control of equipment, which may lead to serious harms such as the theft of sensitive information and interruption of equipment services. It is a high-risk vulnerability," the telecommunications regulator said in a statement last week. Alibaba Cloud recently discovered a remote code execution vulnerability in the Apache Log4j2 component, notifying the U.S.-based Apache Software Foundation, according to the statement. MIIT said it then received a report from a third party about the issue, rather than from Alibaba Cloud. Alibaba Cloud declined to comment on the suspension. (Reporting by Sophie Yu in Beijing, Eduardo Baptista in Hong Kong. Editing by Gerry Doyle) BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday the situation in Hong Kong had improved in the past year from "chaos," and hailed recent legislative elections in the city as a manifestation of the people's democratic rights. Xi's remarks, carried by state media, were made during a meeting in Beijing with Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam. (Reporting by Tony Munroe; Editing by Andrew Heavens) The union representing rank-and-file police officers in Milwaukee reached an agreement with the city requiring union members to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or wear a mask at all times. The agreement comes as concern mounts over the omicron variant, and two months after the city reached a similar agreement with the union representing supervisors within the Milwaukee Police Department. Officers will have until Jan. 31 to be vaccinated or wear masks at all times while on duty except when eating or drinking at a safe social distance. Violating the requirements could lead to suspensions and, for repeated violations, possible termination, according to a city news release. At this important time in the COVID pandemic, I am pleased the [Milwaukee Police Association] has agreed to these reasonable steps, said Mayor Tom Barrett, who resigned from the position Wednesday. I appreciate the spirit of cooperation the MPA has brought to this matter. Andrew Wagner, the president of the Milwaukee Police Association, said the union remained unhappy about the strictness of the agreement, which doesnt create exceptions for unvaccinated officers whose mask might come off while chasing or wrestling with a combative suspect, for example. Were hoping the city will be fair with that, but were just not sure, he said. All general city employees in Milwaukee have been required to be vaccinated since September, but police officers and firefighters, who are represented by unions, were exempted from the order. Jeff Fleming, a spokesperson for Barretts office, said Wednesday that positive discussions are continuing with unions representing firefighters for a similar agreement. In November, the city said more than 95% of 3,100 general employees had complied, not including 31 employees who requested exemption based on religious or medical reasons. The order did not include elected officials, although at least 13 of 15 Common Council members have said they are vaccinated, along with Barrett. Cavalier Johnson, who as president of the Common Council will take over as interim mayor, has said he is vaccinated. Story continues Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12. Stay in the know. Sign up to get NewsWatch delivered to your inbox every afternoon. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: City reaches deal requiring COVID-19 vaccines for Milwaukee police Farmworkers remove debris from blueberries before weighing them at Berries NW in Albany, Oregon on Friday, July 30, 2021. Last summer, the conversation in Jose Alfredo Marquez Alonsos Spanish class turned to farmworkers. He followed along through one AirPod while harvesting blackberries at a Willamette Valley farm. This year, Marquez Alonso learned in his Immigration and Farmworkers class at the University of Oregon about the larger context surrounding the work hes done, a class he said has helped him better understand his own family history. The course focuses on western racial, labor and immigration history and U.S.-Mexico relations as a way to understand Mexican and Central American immigration, conversations around immigration policy and farmworker movements and cultures. I feel like all my life Ive had amnesia, Marquez Alonso, a senior anthropology major, said. Taking this course is a way to fix that. Making the invisible visible In the late 1990s, anthropology professor Lynn Stephen was contemplating a move to Oregon. As she visited the town of San Miguel Cuevas in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, a place where she's conducted research since the mid-1980s, she saw about 10 pick-up trucks with Oregon license plates. She soon had an idea for one of her first classes at the University of Oregon. People from Oaxaca and other states, many of them Indigenous, have migrated to Oregon for agricultural work since the 1970s, she said. Her research centers on Indigenous people from Mexico and Central America, transborder communities, globalization and the connections between these topics and others. She designed the Immigration and Farmworkers class in 2000, which she said is partly about mak[ing] visible what is invisible and highlighting farmworkers presence and roles in their own communities. Students often remark they didnt learn any of the immigration and labor history in other classes, Stephen said. Students dont see themselves connected to the bodies and conditions of farmworkers, but when you start to look at where your food comes from, the energy that food brings that allows you to do everything comes from farmworkers, Stephen said. Story continues Behind the food: Farmworkers keep Oregonians fed, but struggle to put food on their own tables The course begins by analyzing the history of settler colonialism and forced labor in the U.S., with a look at slavery and the displacement of Native people, among other topics. It delves into the history of the Bracero Program in Oregon and brings the course to the modern day by highlighting issues farmworkers face, such as sexual assault in the fields and health issues resulting from their work, all while connecting the topics to U.S. intervention in Latin America and its impacts on migration and labor markets. Stephen said over the years, shes added a greater emphasis on farmworker health issues and how they intersect with other aspects of workers' lives. This year, she taught about the COVID-19 Farmworker Study, which she participated in. Farmworkers interviewed connected loss of wages, working conditions and experiences with structural barriers and lack of access to resources. However, Stephen reminds students that while Latinos are the driving force behind Oregon agriculture, not all Latinos in Oregon have connections to agriculture, and they work in a diversity of industries. Dig deep: Oregon farmworkers don't get overtime pay. Some want to change that In a November class, the students focused on the more recent phenomenon of Guatemalans coming to Oregon for agricultural work, driven by climate change, violence and other factors, analyzing how violence impacts women differently. Communities from within towns in Guatemala will often reconstitute themselves in Oregon, Stephen said. There are significant Guatemalan communities in Woodburn, Gresham and Cottage Grove. Stephen tied todays events and the more than 3,600 Guatemalan asylum cases waiting to be heard in Oregon to U.S. foreign policy ranging from Ronald Reagans support for Efrain Rios Montt, a Guatemalan dictator convicted of genocide, to the Biden Administrations preservation of certain Trump-era immigration policies. 'Never really thought about it' For some students, the content is unsurprising yet still shocking. Grace Curley is a freshman with an interest in climate justice and food justice. She said the course has prompted her to reflect on her role in Oregon's food systems. I have directly benefited from these really exploitative labor systems, Curley said. What power do I have as a consumer?" It's also made her appreciate some new-to-her history of parts of the state she's known forever. "Looking at all of these landmarks Ive grown up with, like the Hood River area, looking at how in history, it was such an important area for farm work," Curley said. Emiliano Campos, who is in an anthropology graduate program at the University of Maryland, took the course a few years ago and was surprised to learn about the amount of immigration history Oregon has, given that its nearly 75% white and has a deeply racist history. For example, laws in the 1800s banned Black people from living in the state. Many peoples perception of Oregon can obscure its diversity, he said. They have ideas about what Oregon is like, and the conceptions of it are totally not aligned with the historical reality of Oregon, Campos said. Latinos make up about 14% of Oregon's population, the 14th highest state Latino population in the U.S., according to U.S. Census data. In Marion County, Latinos make up about 27% of the population. The course also emphasized, especially through the book Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies, how farmworkers often exist isolated from the rest of society, Campos said. (The author) talks about how labor migrants are kind of placed in ways that invisibilize them, where you really dont see them physically and metaphorically, Campos said. "There are ways in which various immigration policies and the agricultural sector of the U.S. push them to the margins of society, and I had never really thought about it that way before. Learning family history It's been common for Stephen to have at least one student whose parents were farmworkers. But recently, there were about 10, Stephen said. They read about their parents stories, and five or six chose to write about it on finals, she said. (Its important) for the students to see the experiences of their fathers and grandfathers and understanding that and feeling validated, and then writing about themselves in college and their aspirations. Marquez Alonso grew up in a farmworking community in the Willamette Valley and has harvested blueberries, blackberries, grapes, strawberries and more during summer breaks. Multiple generations of his family have been farmworkers. Through the class, hes seen how his own familys story is one of many. Its just eye-opening seeing the actual history, that its not just my life, Marquez Alonso said. I really like how my professor connects the history, but the actual significance it means for the people themselves. Dora Totoian covers agricultural workers through Report for America, a program that aims to support local journalism and democracy by reporting on under-covered issues and communities. You can reach her at dtotoian@statesmanjournal.com. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: UO class offers often untaught history of Oregon farmworkers Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D). Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) told reporters on Tuesday his office has received a clemency application for Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, a truck driver who was sentenced last week to 110 years in prison for causing a deadly crash on Interstate 70. In April 2019, the brakes on Aguilera-Mederos' truck failed, and he slammed into stopped traffic, killing four people. A 26-year-old immigrant from Cuba, Aguilera-Mederos was convicted in October of 27 counts in connection with the accident, including reckless driving and attempt to commit assault in the first degree extreme indifference. Before he was sentenced, Aguilera-Mederos said he accepted responsibility for the "heartbreaking" accident, and he "never thought about hurting anyone in my entire life." Because of Colorado's mandatory minimum sentencing laws that apply to cases where a person is killed, Aguilera-Mederos was sentenced to 110 years in prison, with Judge Bruce Jones saying, "I will state that if I had the discretion, it would not be my sentence." The backlash from the public was swift, with more than 4.5 million people signing a petition calling this an unjust punishment and demanding Polis do something about it. When asked about the matter on Tuesday, Polis said, "We just received the application yesterday evening from his attorney and my legal team is reviewing it right now. When we have a decision, we will announce it." Prosecutors have also filed a motion for the court to hold a hearing to reconsider the sentence, submitting a request on Tuesday for the matter to be expedited. You may also like Biden tries a harsher COVID message It's unrealistic to ban football. But it might not be ethical to watch it, either. Watch the emotional new trailer for the Harry Potter reunion special STUDIO CITY, CA Booster shots, available at pharmacies and clinics in Studio City, are the best defense against COVID-19 illnesses as the omicron variant of the coronavirus spreads across the country, according to health officials. Breakthrough COVID-19 cases from the omicron variant infections among the vaccinated are less common among people who have received their third vaccination shots, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The omicron variant, first reported in South Africa on Nov. 24, has been detected in California. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, said Friday the Pfizer and Moderna booster shots work well against the omicron variant and that there's no need for a specific vaccine to fight it. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the omicron variant is likely to become the dominant coronavirus strain in the coming weeks. It currently represents 3 percent of new infections. Public health officials are concerned that vaccination rates currently 61 percent of eligible Americans are fully vaccinated, and only 28 percent have gotten booster shots are insufficient to fend off a fifth wave of the coronavirus. COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are increasing, with about 120,000 new cases and 1,200 deaths reported each day, mainly from the delta variant. Here are some locations that offer booster shots near Studio City: Rite Aid, 10989 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, 91604 Ralph's Pharmacy, 12842 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, 91604 Total Testing Solutions, 4385 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, 91601 Visit the county's website to schedule a booster shot near you. The CDC says Pfizer and Moderna booster shots both provide increased protection against COVID-19 and help prevent severe symptoms in breakthrough cases. You can also make an appointment in Los Angeles County to get tested ahead of the holidays. Visit the website to schedule an appointment or find a location for walk-in testing. This article originally appeared on the Studio City Patch LOS ANGELES, CA COVID-19 hospitalizations in Los Angeles County are close to the number reported last week as case numbers continue to climb again. The county reported 3,052 new cases on Tuesday, Dec. 21. Across the county, 741 people are hospitalized as of Sunday. The number of hospitalizations has decreased slightly since last week, when there were 770 COVID-positive patients in county hospitals on Wednesday, Dec. 16. Related: COVID-19 Booster Shots: Where To Find Them In Los Angeles Another 25 deaths were reported Tuesday, bringing the number of total deaths in the county as 27,473. COVID-19 Daily Update:December 21, 2021New Cases: 3,052 (1,570,230 to date)New Deaths: 25 (27,473 to date)Current Hospitalizations: 741 pic.twitter.com/FZteXXf0CO LA Public Health (@lapublichealth) December 21, 2021 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the omicron variant is likely to become the dominant coronavirus strain in the coming weeks. It currently represents 3 percent of new infections. This article originally appeared on the Los Angeles Patch ASHBURN, VA As COVID-19 cases increase and families prepare for holiday gatherings, testing demand has increased in Ashburn. On Wednesday, Dec. 22, Loudoun County recorded 436 new COVID-19 cases. It's the second-highest single-day total since the pandemic began. Over the last seven days, Loudoun County is averaging more than 250 new COVID-19 cases per day. On Wednesday, there were 62 cases per 100,000 residents over the previous week, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health. Public health officials recommend COVID-19 testing if you have symptoms or exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people who were positive for COVID-19 in the last three months and recovered do not have to be tested, unless they develop new symptoms. The CDC also recently recommended self tests for those gathering with other households, especially unvaccinated children, older adults, immunocompromised people, or individuals at risk of severe disease. Antigen tests may be conducted at home with results in about 15 minutes and a virtual component so test results can be provided to VDH. A positive self-test means an individual should stay home or isolate for 10 days, wear a mask, contact a healthcare provider, and contact close contacts who may have been exposed. A negative result may mean there may not be an infection, but repeating the test with at least 24 hours in between will increase the likelihood the individual isn't infected. Below are some testing options around the Ashburn area. Residents call ahead to confirm availability and check for closings on the upcoming Christmas and New Year's holidays. More options are provided by the Virginia Department of Health's searchable testing site map. This article originally appeared on the Ashburn Patch The New York Times is facing criticism for failing to address what some contend is a crucial point in a recent article that sought to explain why Asian and Black activists struggle to unite against violence. Driving the news: In a 1,500-word story published on Sunday, the Times identified policing as the one main issue that divides the communities. While Black Lives Matter activists fueled by the death of George Floyd in May 2020 call for defunding law enforcement, some Asian leaders support more policing, given the astronomical surge in attacks against their community amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology reporters Kellen Browning and Brian X. Chen began their article by citing solidarity statements between some Black and Asian communities, which came in the wake of the fatal Atlanta mass shootings in mid-March. Robert Aaron Long, a white man, was sentenced to life without parole after pleading guilty to four of eight deaths. Black and Asian communities historically have been divided by racial tensions and socioeconomic inequality, the authors wrote. In supporting the case, they presented one stark difference: Black Americans are disproportionately killed by police, while Asian Americans are least likely to be harmed. The article managed to lay out the views of those who oppose policing, including younger activists of both races seeing the matter as ineffective. However, it lacked information on how law enforcement has helped Asian communities feel safer, despite already citing statistics on the hate crime spike. The authors also highlighted the income difference between Black and Asian Americans based on a 2018 study by the Pew Research Center. The fact that Asian Americans while being the most economically divided group earn the most and Black Americans earn significantly less, at least in 2016, made finding a common ground difficult, the Times quoted one academic as saying. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dion Lim (@dionlimtv) What critics are saying: As of Monday, at least two articles have criticized the Times over its piece. The Media Research Center (MRC), which brands itself as Americas Media Watchdog, and an op-ed for RT News, both slammed the publication for evading the elephant in the room: Black-on-Asian crimes. Story continues So who committed those hate crimes against Asians? The Times neatly avoided mentioning the disproportionate number of blacks that instigated hate crimes against Asians, though the numbers are readily available in the same place the paper found its other data. How can one write about black and Asian relations without mentioning those statistics? author Clay Waters wrote on MRCs NewsBusters. The reporters passed on without condemnation or comment [on] the anti-police radicalism from black-led anti-police groups. Waters also took offense at the Times reference to clashes between Korean business owners and poorer Black residents in South Central Los Angeles in the 1990s. Riots following the acquittal of four police officers who beat Rodney King saw the destruction of over 2,300 Korean businesses. Equating Korean store owners wrangling with poorer Black residents in Los Angeles to Korean-owned businesses being looted and burned by Black rioters is an offensively asymmetrical comparison, Waters noted. Yet the Times seems to think theyre equivalent, tucking both examples under the euphemism of clashes. In his op-ed for RT, Tony Cox, an American journalist, said the Times ignored the obvious conclusion in its piece. In all its navel-gazing, the Times failed to mention the elephant in the room: Its tough to work together in combating violence when Blacks appear to be the main perpetrators of crime against Asians in Americas big cities, Cox noted. Cox also addressed the issue with putting white nationalism in the middle of anti-Asian crimes. The problem was, the assailant was a Black man, Cox wrote, referring to a February incident that left a 61-year-old Asian man with a slashed face. Observers couldnt help but notice that in case after case, the skin colors didnt fit the political narrative of white supremacy being the crisis of the day. In fact, so many of the perpetrators turned out to be Black that the legacy media conspicuously stopped hyping anti-Asian hate crimes. Featured Image via Getty Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! Woman Put in Headlock After Deliberately Coughing on Thai Airways Flight Attendant Taliban curtailing women's rights in Afghanistan, killing female activists Beloved Jersey City Councilman Michael Yun Passes Away From COVID-19 Fear of Coronavirus is More Dangerous Than Actual Coronavirus, NYC Councilman Says Dec. 22Nursing students have another option for study in Jamestown. Dakota College at Bottineau announced Tuesday it will offer an additional Dakota Nursing Program site at the North Dakota State Hospital in the fall of 2022. Students of the program would receive a Practical Nursing degree upon completion of an 11-month program. They may also continue their nursing education working toward an associate degree also available through Dakota College. Dakota Nursing Program sites through Dakota College at Bottineau now have extended to four distant sites that include Minot (Trinity Health) location, Rugby (Heart of America location), Valley City (Mercy Hospital location) and Jamestown (North Dakota State Hospital location). "We are excited to bring a practical nursing program to the Jamestown area to assist in combating the nursing shortage seen within the state," said Paige Baade, MSN, RN director of nursing at DCB. "The partnerships with DCB from the North Dakota State Hospital and the University of Jamestown is what helps make this program possible." Beth Satrom, director of nursing at the State Hospital, said the program could be beneficial to the hospital. "We are excited about this partnership and the opportunity to train high-quality nurses that will be available in the community and in the state," she said. WORCESTER Dana Gaul, who was charged in the killing of 19-year-old Jehlon Rose, was released with a GPS bracelet after the government received information another person may be responsible. The attention has turned to Jorge Luis Rivera-Baez, according to authorities. Now Gaul, Rivera-Baez and the government are embroiled in a legal affair in which a DNA sample from Rivera-Baez may be able to clear Gaul of all charges in the case. Rivera-Baez, through his attorney Sarah Hamilton, is opposing the acquisition of his DNA. Rose, a resident of Connecticut, was killed during a fight on Water Street while visiting Worcester. After the death, Gaul, a Leicester resident, was identified by four witnesses as the person assaulting Rose in the video footage of the fight. The witnesses included two police officers who knew Gaul. One of them is his cousin and another his friend. Gaul was arrested, charged, and indicted by a grand jury. As he awaited further proceedings he was imprisoned until the government learned of Rivera-Baez possible involvement, eventually leading to Gauls release at the end of November. The two men, according to court documents, look strikingly similar, which suggests that witnesses may have misidentified Gaul. Furthermore, when the state police crime laboratory tested DNA from the victims clothing, they found that the sample had a mixture of DNA including Rose and an unidentified person, but not Gaul. This fact was raised by Sarah Hamilton, who represented Rivera-Baez Wednesday at a motion hearing. She argued the government hadnt provided probable cause to obtain DNA from Rivera-Baez, especially as he might become implicated as a suspect in this case if he provided his DNA. Hamilton also said that delays in Gauls exoneration shouldnt come at the expense of Rivera-Baez legal rights. She highlighted the governments responsibility in this possible mishap, saying they had known that Gauls DNA was not found in the mixed sample obtained from the victims clothing, yet he had been held until November. Story continues Hamilton asked the court to allow her more time to investigate the case to better represent Rivera-Baez, specifically until she could talk to a DNA expert. The commonwealth is telling the court they may have gotten this wrong once. Theres no reason to go down that path again, said Hamilton, asking for more time and documents from the investigation into Gaul and his indictment. More investigative material from Gauls case wasnt given to Hamilton, after Kanchana Fernando, representing the government, argued that Hamilton was only representing Rivera-Baez as a third party in Gauls case for his possible exoneration. The judge granted Hamilton more time, pushing the hearing to decide whether Rivera-Baez had to provide a DNA sample, to Tuesday. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: The debate over who allegedly killed Jehlon Rose plays out in Worcester courtroom Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) was carjacked at gunpoint on Wednesday while leaving a meeting in her Philadelphia congressional district. The incident occurred at around 2:45 p.m. near FDR Park, according to Scanlon's communications director, Lauren Cox. Scanlon was physically unharmed, Cox told The Hill, and is currently in communication with law enforcement. "The Congresswoman was physically unharmed. She thanks the Philadelphia Police Department for their swift response, and appreciates the efforts of both the Sergeant at Arms in D.C. and her local police department for coordinating with Philly PD to ensure her continued safety," Cox said in a statement. Statement from the Office of Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon on today's incident: pic.twitter.com/fomScnWUXo - Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (@RepMGS) December 22, 2021 The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) told The Hill in a statement that the carjackers were two Black men aged between 20 and 30 years old. One of the men, who was armed, drove off with Scanlon's blue 2017 Acura MDX. The other man then got into a dark SUV and followed their accomplice. They were last on the 2000 Block of Pattisson Ave. "I am relieved that Congresswoman Scanlon was not physically injured, and my thoughts are with her during this difficult time," said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw. "The PPD will continue to provide any support needed in this case and will work diligently alongside our federal partners to assist in bringing those responsible to justice." Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney (D), who gave an update on citywide anti-violence efforts on the same day Scanlon was carjacked, released a statement saying he was "appalled" by what had occurred. "Everyone deserves to feel safe in our city, and sadly, as we know, that hasn't always been the case this year. It's disheartening, and quite frankly infuriating, that criminals feel emboldened to commit such a reckless crime in the middle of the day in what should be a place of tranquility and peace - one of Philadelphia's beautiful parks," Kenney said in a statement to local CBS affiliate KYW-TV. Story continues "I'm thankful that she was not physically harmed during this incident, and my thoughts are with her during what I'm sure is a traumatic time," he continued. Fellow Democratic Pennsylvania Rep. Brendan Boyle said on Twitter that Scanlon is "Philly tough" and "will be ok." Wishing my colleague and good friend @RepMGS the very best. She's Philly tough so I know she will be ok! - US Rep Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) December 22, 2021 Updated at 6:50 p.m. Pictured, from left, Jason Boyd (TriStar Horizon CEO), Dr. Mathew Joseph (Medical Oncologist with Tennessee Oncology), Mayor Bob Rial, Ron Horowitz (Tennessee Oncology CEO), Karen Edwards (Director of Development for Tennessee Oncology), Dr. Matt Tincher (TriStar Horizon Chief Medical Officer), Gabe Triplett (TriStar Natchez Administrator), Gina Bullington (TriStar Horizon Chief Nursing Officer), Lauren Carter (T.W. Frierson Project Manager), JP Cowan (TMPartners Architect), Matt Taylor (T.W. Frierson VP Operations) The TriStar Natchez campus is undergoing another expansion with company officials anticipating more growth around the facility located near Interstate 40 in Dickson. A groundbreaking ceremony took place in November for the $4.5 million project to allow for the Tennessee Oncology satellite office to expand. Expected completion is slated for fall 2022. The 7,500 square foot expansion will better accommodate the growing needs of the community for those seeking cutting-edge therapies and cancer treatments, said TriStar Horizon Natchez spokesperson Taylor ImOberstag. Tennessee Oncology has occupied its space since TriStar Horizon built the campus in 2007, providing medical oncology and chemotherapy treatment services to Dickson and surrounding communities. The Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute occupies the adjoining space where radiation oncology treatments and oncology nurse navigator services are offered. Dr. Mathew Joseph, medical oncologist, and Jason Boyd, TriStar Horizon CEO, expressed the importance of serving cancer patients in the community with adequate space, advanced technologies and compassionate care. In 2015, TriStar Natchez opened an emergency room and in 2018 the Southern Joint Replacement Institute opened a clinic at the facility. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Dickson TriStar Natchez medical campus begins $4.5M expansion The Justice Department on Tuesday announced that it will not make individuals placed on house arrest during COVID-19 return to prison once the pandemic is over. The Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) on Tuesday said that after being "asked to consider" a previous Trump-era rule requiring the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to recall all prisoners placed on home confinement once the COVID-19 emergency ended, it has decided to "give the Bureau discretion to permit prisoners in extended home confinement to remain there." Attorney General Merrick Garland meets with law enforcement leadership and Illinois-area Strike Force Teams at the U.S. Attorney's Office on July 23, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Samuel Corum-Pool/Getty Images) "Thousands of people on home confinement have reconnected with their families, have found gainful employment, and have followed the rules," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. "We will exercise our authority so that those who have made rehabilitative progress and complied with the conditions of home confinement, and who in the interests of justice should be given an opportunity to continue transitioning back to society, are not unnecessarily returned to prison." The BOP has "significantly increased its placement of offenders on home confinement," according to its website. The BOP currently has nearly 8,000 inmates on home confinement, and the total number of inmates placed on home confinement between March 2020 and the present is more than 36,000, including those who have completed their sentences. The Justice Action Network, an organization dedicated to reforming the U.S. criminal justice system, praised the move in a Tuesday statement, with president and executive director Holly Harris calling it a "Christmas miracle." The Justice Action Network said the policy change came after Biden administration officials met with representatives from their organization, as well as the ACLU, Americans for Tax Reform, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, R Street, the Sentencing Project and the Justice Roundtable on Nov. 30. "I was thrilled to be informed by Attorney General Garland, and to thank him for giving these families such an incredible gift," Harris said. "This is an amazing moment for all of the men and women who shared their stories and the advocates who spent the last ten months pushing for this policy change." House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler applauded the move, calling it "the right thing to do for these individuals, their families, and their communities." EVANSTON, IL Ald. Cicely Fleming, 9th Ward, the second-term City Council member who was the only alderman not to face a challenge in municipal elections, announced her resignation Monday. Citing the recent death of her mother, Marsha Lynn Cole, and the need to put herself first unapologetically, Fleming said her role on the council was not having the effect she wanted. Cole, a former Black Panther, member of the Jane Addams Senior Caucus and longtime social justice advocate, died Dec. 8 at the age of 67. "Watching her die of COVID was quite hard," Fleming said. "For anyone who has not been vaccinated, I would just implore you to do so or to think more about it." Fleming said her unvaccinated mother succumbed to the virus after spending three weeks alone at the hospital with a coronavirus infection. "I will say, in her honor, that she was very regretful that she did not choose to get the vaccine," Fleming said Monday during a special City Council meeting, which was held remotely amid a surge in new COVID-19 infections. "Hopefully, her life will not be in vain in that way and other people can take our family experience and think more seriously about getting the vaccine," she added. "It's very serious, so I would hate for someone else to go through that." Fleming is the fourth generation of her family to be involved in Evanston politics. Her great-grandfather, Samuel White Jr., led the local Democratic Party. Her great-aunt Edna Summers served both Evanston 5th Ward alderman and Evanston Township supervisor. Two other relatives also served as 5th Ward aldermen. "I am privileged to know that I am a manifestation of my mother's dreams. I have financial privileges that she did not have. I am able to work in spaces she was not able to. I don't take that lightly at all," Fleming said. "But what I do know is that what my mother wanted for me that she did not have for herself was really a chance to rest and do things that she enjoyed. So she really fought until her last breath for things that she saw as social justice issues, which I think we would all agree, and I want to spend my time doing the same," Fleming said, speaking Monday at the special City Council meeting. Story continues "What I realized from my mother's death, and what I realized from myself, is that while I love [the] city of Evanston, I don't love my role at City Council. I joined City Council to really improve the city in a way in which I thought that I could do, and I've had some successes, but ultimately this position is become more harmful to my health than joyful to me," she said. "And while I know that no advocacy is necessarily always full of joy, I have decided that this one is just too difficult." After Fleming announced her resignation plans Monday evening, Mayor Daniel Biss and several other fellow elected officials praised her service to the city. The mayor said that he would have done everything in his power to convince her not to resign had she been stepping down for any other reason. "I don't think anybody who's ever seen you for two seconds would be surprised about your brilliance or your toughness," Biss said. "But what I didn't necessarily expect to find when I joined this body is your friendship, and I just want to say it's meant a lot to me personally as I've tried to learn how to do this job." Alds. Clare Kelly, 1st Ward, and Jonathan Nieuwsma, 4th Ward, both first-term City Council members, said Fleming provided a model for transparency and communication with residents. Ald. Bobby Burns, 5th Ward, said he knew from the first time he met Fleming that she would be a force for improving the Evanston community. "You've done a great job serving your ward. I think that's evident in this last election, not having anybody running against you, that's hard to do in politics," Burns said. "People love you, you engage with them and one thing I've always liked about you is you explain every one of your votes." Ald. Devon Reid, 8th Ward, expressed his condolences for Fleming's family, described her mother as a "lightning rod for advocacy" and said he hoped to continue to rely on her wisdom in the future. "I'm going to miss sitting next to you and having you nudge me every so often to say, you know, 'cut it,'" Reid said. City Clerk Stephanie Mendoza, a 9th Ward resident, said Fleming had done a great job representing the area and was one of the only councilmembers who sends out a really good newsletter. "I don't think anyone on council has been as effective at reaching out to that community like you have," Mendoza said. "You attend the monthly immigration and first-generation undocumented family monthly meetings that were put together during the pandemic," she told Fleming. "You're the only council member who actively engages with the Latino community and actively attends those meeting. I truly, truly appreciate you for trying to work with every corner of our community." Alds. Melissa Wynne, 3nd Ward, and Tom Suffredin, 6th Ward, were not in attendance at Monday's special meeting. In a letter to constituents following the meeting, Fleming said she had been negatively affected by the "expectations of residents, requirement of my time, unhealthy work culture of city hall, and unproductive tension on the Dias." Fleming said she intended to remain in office to see out the process for hiring a new permanent city manager. Last week, the City Council held a closed-door meeting to discuss finalists for the job. Fleming said in a ward newsletter that the list of candidates had been whittled from 10 to four people ahead of the meeting. "I was absent at Tuesday's meeting due to the death of my mother, so I sent my thoughts and choices to Council," Fleming said. "They decided that because I was not present, they would make the decision without considering my input. During this meeting they narrowed it down to 2 final candidates. I want to thank Councilmember Tom Suffredin, Councilmember Eleanor Revelle and Mayor Biss for their empathy as they advocated for my opinion to be heard." It was not clear whether Fleming's presence would have had an effect on the finalists selected. City spokesperson Patrick Deignan said there was no information yet available regarding when the finalists will be revealed to the public. Biss is tasked with appointing someone to serve the rest of Fleming's term, which is due to run through the April 2025 elections. Fleming said she planned to work with the mayor to maximize community input to the decision. "My mother was a fighter, but she also wanted her daughter to have the opportunity she never had to balance the never ending fight, with the needed rest. To put myself before others. To buck the stereotype that my worth in this world is only as 'a strong black women' able to carry and repair burdens I didnt create only to be rewarded 300% more likely to die from a heart attack than a white women," Fleming said in her message to constituents. "Its time to put myself first, Unapologetically. Thank you 9th Ward residents for entrusting me with being your advocate." This article originally appeared on the Evanston Patch Dec. 21SALEM, Mass. A local man who drove his pickup truck head-on into a Honda sedan, critically and permanently injuring Lawrence High School track star Julio Berroa, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to state prison Tuesday. Deybet Blanco, 39, pleaded guilty to charges of negligent operation and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury in Salem Superior Court Tuesday afternoon. Judge Thomas Dreschler sentenced Blanco, who he previously described as "profoundly mentally ill" to 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 years in state prison followed by five years probation. Dreschler further barred Blanco from seeking a license for or driving any kind of car or motorized vehicle and from using drugs or alcohol including marijuana. He ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation and take prescription medication as recommended. Blanco was present in the courtroom Tuesday afternoon. And while medicated, Blanco repeated told the judge he understood him and the proceedings that were underway. He was given credit for 2,121 days he's already served in jail or custody roughly the five years and nearly nine months since the March 2, 2016 crash. During the past five years, Blanco's mental competency to stand trial wavered and he remained held without bail. Berroa, now 24, suffered a devastating head injury in the crash, resulting in paralysis that requires him to be cared for around the clock. He's undergone 10 surgeries in the past 10 years and cannot move or eat on his own, Assistant District Attorney James Gubitose said. According to police, Blanco was on a suicide mission on March 2, 2016, when he drove his pickup truck head-on into the sedan on Howard Street in Lawrence, injuring Berroa and the driver, Oscaris Pimental, Berroa's girlfriend. Pimental, now 24, was also injured but not as severely as Berroa. The crash occurred down the street from the Engine 6 firehouse. A veteran firefighter described the incident as one of the worst things he'd seen in his career. Story continues Firefighters used two sets of the Jaws of Life extrication tools to free the teens from the mangled wreckage. Immediately after the crash, Blanco told first responders he was possessed by the devil. "Nobody deserved what we went through," said Pimental during a previous lobby conference in before Dreschler. She noted she and Berroa had their whole lives ahead of them when the crash occurred. Gubitose had asked for Blanco to be sentenced to eight to 15 years in state prison, followed by five years of probation. Also, as part of the guilty plea, an agreement was reached with the prosecution that Blanco would not face additional charges if Berroa dies from injuries suffered in the crash. Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill. The Daily Beast Google MapsWhen police arrested Gioacchino Gamminoone of Italys most wanted mafia fugitivesin a Madrid suburb last week, he asked how on earth they found him. Did someone rat him out or did he accidentally leave a clue?Gammino insisted he had not called his family for more than a decade and had been living under a false name. We saw you on Google Maps, the police told him, showing him a fuzzy photo of himself standing outside a greengrocer store in 2018.Gammino, 61, had escaped from Romes Dutch prosecutors on Wednesday called for life in prison for four suspects on trial in absentia accused of downing Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine with a surface-to-air missile, killing 298 people. The ill-fated flight heading for Kuala Lumpur took off from Amsterdam's Schipol airport in July 2014, and prosecutors this week launched closing arguments in the closely-watched trial. A verdict is not expected until late 2022 at the earliest. The four suspects on trial are Russian nationals Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky and Oleg Pulatov, and Ukrainian citizen Leonid Kharchenko, accused of launching the BUK missile that hit the plane over war-torn eastern Ukraine. "We are asking that the suspects Girkin, Dubinsky, Pulatov and Kharchenko, each for their responsibility of crashing a plane leading to the death and murder of 298 people, be sentenced to life in prison," prosecutor Manon Ridderbeks told the court Wednesday. All four have refused to appear in court in the Netherlands and are being tried in absentia. Prosecutors have argued this week that the four suspects played pivotal roles in securing the BUK system, which was most likely intended to strike a Ukrainian warplane. International investigators say the BUK missile was originally brought from a Russian military base, ostensibly to be used in the fight against Ukrainian forces. "If we consider how much time the defendants put into planning and organising the deployment of the BUK, it is all the more poignant how little attention they appear to gave given to the risk of inadvertently shooting down a passenger aircraft," prosecutors argued, according to trial documents Wednesday. "In legal terms, the defendants were civilians and were therefore not allowed to shoot at any aircraft, whether civilian or military." - The 'gunner' - The hearings come as fresh tensions soar over Ukraine, with the West accusing Moscow of planning an invasion. Story continues 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 recently 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. Moscow denies the claims, with President Vladimir Putin seeking talks with US counterpart Joe Biden and security guarantees to stand down his troops. Western nations imposed tough sanctions on Russia amid international outrage over the shooting down of flight MH17. The best known of the suspects, 49-year-old Girkin -- nicknamed "gunner" -- was one of the main separatist commanders at the start of the conflict with the Ukrainian army five years ago. He said Wednesday he was not surprised by the prosecutors' request, and denied the rebels shot down the plane. "If they could have sentenced me to death, they would have done it, no doubt about it," he was quoted as saying by Russia's Interfax news agency. Dubinsky, 57, is said to be linked to Russian military intelligence, while Poulatov, 53, is a former member of the Russian special forces and Dubinsky's deputy. Khartchenko, 48, is believed to have led a separatist unit in eastern Ukraine. Prosecutors said during the opening of the trial in March 2020 that if the court passed a sentence "we will do everything in our power to ensure that it is enforced, whether in the Netherlands or elsewhere". The trial heard harrowing testimony from relatives earlier this year who spoke of the heartbreak of the loss of children, parents and siblings, and called on "corrupt" Russia to provide justice. jcp/jv/yad Data: Axios/Illinois Tech/YouGov; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios Big majorities of Americans think tech companies are too big and too nosy and want government to rein them in, an exclusive poll by Axios and the Illinois Institute of Technology finds. Why it matters: As technology's role in American life increases, people on both sides of today's political divide have grown wary of its influence. Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free The big picture: A majority of the 1500 survey respondents expressed concern about the use of artificial intelligence, the reach of algorithms, the state of their online privacy, the size of tech firms and dependence on smartphones. Artificial intelligence: More than 70% of those polled distrust the use of AI for self-driving buses and airplane autopilot systems (early autopilot systems in airplanes have existed since 1912). Sixty-nine percent said they would limit the use of AI for hiring decisions. Nearly 60% distrust AI for processing loan applications and setting mortgage rates. Both liberals and conservatives overwhelmingly agree that there should be public or government oversight of the use of algorithms (71%). Antitrust and consolidation of power: Three-quarters of those polled said tech companies are too big (80% of liberals and 83% of conservatives). A smaller 53% of respondents said the government should be responsible for ensuring competition and more choices in online services. Privacy: Most poll respondents (78%) said they feel they are targeted in online ads based on their web activity. And 50% said they think they're targeted for online ads based on their offline conversations. Eighty-one percent think the government should be doing more to protect online privacy. Smartphone dependence: More than half of those polled (56%) believe they are somewhat dependent on their smartphones. A smaller percentage (31%) say they feel anxiety or withdrawal without their devices. Story continues Meanwhile, 46% of respondents say their friends feel anxious without their smartphones. What they're saying: "Were in a situation in which we already depend so deeply on technology for all of these aspects of our day-to-day lives, but at the same time, we have a deep distrust of this same tech," said Christine Himes, dean of Lewis College of Science and Letters at Illinois Tech. "[The results] may be indicative of increasing distrust for all institutions, whether they are secular, religious, governmental, private or public," said George M. Langlois, executive director of the Center for Research and Service at Illinois Tech. "It does seem the public wants more control and is open to support changes that reflect that. What we're watching: Government agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission want to make rules for online advertising, the use of algorithms and AI and the size of tech companies. But to achieve those goals they'll likely need a sluggish Congress to grant them new powers. Go deeper: Read the full survey results. Methodology: The survey was conducted by YouGov from July 25 to Aug. 5. 1898 respondents were interviewed, and the final sample of 1,500 responses were matched across several demographic categories and weighted to form a representative sample of the U.S. population. The overall margin of error is +/- 3.63. Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free. A Tunisian court sentenced in absentia exiled former president Moncef Marzouki, a fierce critic of the power grab by current leader Kais Saied, to four years in prison, a judicial source said Wednesday. The source was not able to clarify on what charge Marzouki, 76, was convicted by the court of first instance in the capital Tunis. His lawyer, Lamia Khemiri, told AFP that Marzouki had not received any summons to court and she also did not know why he was convicted. Local media said he was found guilty of "undermining the security of the state from abroad" and of having caused "diplomatic harm". Saied has said Marzouki is among the "enemies of Tunisia", and asked the courts to investigate statements he had made, as well as to withdraw his diplomatic passport. A Tunisian judge last month issued an arrest warrant for the former president. During an early October demonstration in Paris, Marzouki, in a reference to Saied, called on the French government to "reject all support for this regime and this man who plotted against the revolution and abolished the constitution". On July 25 Tunisia's Saied sacked the government and began to seize sweeping powers after months of political and economic crisis. Since then, Marzouki has used regular television appearances and social media to launch withering broadsides against Saied, whom he has called a "dictator". Tunisia was the birthplace of the Arab Spring revolts a decade ago and became the only democracy to emerge from that movement. A human rights activist who was imprisoned then exiled under Tunisia's former dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Marzouki returned home and was elected president for three years following the 2011 revolution. He shared power with the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party, a move which drew criticism. Ennahdha was also the largest party in the parliament suspended by Saied. The president last week extended the months-long suspension until new elections in December 2022, while calling for a July referendum on constitutional reforms. kl-ezz/it/lg The claim: Screenshot of a CNN graphic shows Justin Trudeau as a passenger on Jeffrey Epstein's plane The federal sex-trafficking trial of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, accused of helping convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein sexually exploit underage girls, began Nov. 29. The sensational trial made headlines across the world, particularly as Larry Visoski, Epstein's former pilot, identified high-profile individuals who flew on Epstein's private plane. Some on social media ran with those claims as well. A Facebook post shared Dec. 3 includes a purported CNN graphic identifying six passengers Visoski supposedly named: Britain's Prince Andrew, former presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, astronaut and former Sen. John Glenn, and actor Kevin Spacey. Special access for subscribers! Click here to sign up for our fact-check text chat "So this is about the Jeffery Epsteins pedophile ring," reads the caption of the post. "During the trial one of Epsteins pilots took the stand and named these people as people that accompanied Jeffery Epsteins on his private plane." The post generated close to 1,700 shares in less than two weeks. But the image is altered. Trudeau is not part of the graphic originally broadcast on CNN. USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook user who posted the image for comment. Live footage shows George Mitchell Lauren Bobek, spokesperson for CNN, told USA TODAY in an email the image is fake. The Facebook user appears to have taken a screenshot of a graphic from a Nov. 30 broadcast of "CNN Newsroom with Ana Cabrera." Fact check: False claim that Time chose fallen service members as Persons of the Year The original graphic shows former Sen. George Mitchell in the fourth spot from the left, according to an internet archive. The picture in the post was digitally altered to replace Mitchell with Trudeau. CNN reporter Kara Scannell also highlighted during the broadcast that Epstein's former pilot said the high-profile passengers included Prince Andrew, Clinton, Trump, Mitchell, Glenn and Spacey, according to a transcript. "Now none of these have been accused of wrongdoing in connection with the issues at trial," Scannell also said during the broadcast. Story continues There was no mention of Trudeau as one of the passengers. Fact check: Image claiming to show Musk and Maxwell as Time's Person of the Year is altered According to a CNN article, Visoski would "typically be given notice if Clinton or high-profile passengers like him would be flying." USA TODAY did not identify any credible reports that Trudeau flew on Epstein's plane. USA TODAY reached out to Mitchell and Trudeau for comment. Our rating: Altered Based on our research, we rate ALTERED a purported CNN graphic that lists Trudeau as a passenger on Epstein's plane. The original graphic that CNN aired was changed to replace Mitchell with Trudeau. 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: CNN graphic related to Maxwell trial has been altered Boston terrier Getty Christmas came early for the Sotos. The Wisconsin family was reunited with their 10-month-old Boston Terrier, Bruno, on Tuesday, after the pup was taken from outside a holiday lights show, according to CBS's Milwaukee affiliate. The Sotos received a phone call on Monday night to inform them that their beloved pup was at Kozi Park on the south side of Milwaukee. The family found the dog tied up at the park around 2 a.m. the next morning and are grateful to have him home. RELATED: 'Mild-Mannered' Dog Rescues Iowa Family from Middle of the Night Carbon Monoxide Leak Bruno went missing when the family's car was stolen outside a holiday lights display at Jellystone Park in Caledonia, Wisconsin, on Friday. Jamie Soto, who offered a $4,000 reward for the return of the pet, explained to CBS58 that her son had gone to the vehicle to grab something and left the keys behind. RELATED: Emaciated Dog Left Caged Outside in Freezing Weather Called a 'Christmas Miracle' After Recovery "All of a sudden we go outside, and we're walking and I'm like, 'Where's my car?' " shared Soto. "My dog is in the vehicle, with the car. I don't care about the car, I care about my dog." Soto's 2014 green Land Rover was found on the south side of Milwaukee on Monday, but Bruno was nowhere in sight until that fateful phone call brought him home. The pet holds a particularly special place in Jamie's heart because of the animal's relationship with her son, who suffers from anxiety and usually sleeps next to the terrier. RELATED: Clever Dog Keeps Her Town Clean By Picking Up Litter Left by Humans and Throwing it Away "They were best friends," said Soto. "The night that it happened, he was up all night, he didn't go to sleep at all." Now, the best pals have been reunited, just in time for Christmas. TAMPA, Fla. (AP) UCFs long wait for another shot at Florida is over. The neighboring programs havent faced each other on the football field since Florida won 42-0 during its 2006 national championship season. That changes Thursday night, when the Knights and Gators meet in the Gasparilla Bowl. It's a preview of sorts for a two-for-one series that begins at the Swamp in 2024. The teams are also scheduled to play at UCFs on-campus stadium in Orlando in 2030 and back in Gainesville again in 2033. Winning the Gasparilla Bowl arguably would mean more to the Knights, who have accepted an invitation to move from the American Athletic Conference to the Big 12 and would like nothing more than to make a statement about their direction under former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn. Florida, however, is eager to finish strong after coach Dan Mullen was fired ahead of its regular-season finale against Florida State. Its bragging rights. This is a big game for us, said interim coach Greg Knox, who led the Gators to a 24-21 victory over FSU. Its not a rivalry, but its an in-state game against an in-state team with guys that are playing against guys they played against in high school or played with in high school, Knox added. So, its a big game and our kids are approaching it that way. They're excited about playing this game. Its also an opportunity for returning players to make an impression on Billy Napier, the former Louisiana coach hired to plot the future for a team that got off to a 3-1 start and was ranked in the top 10 before losing five of seven during the stretch that cost Mullen his job. Our guys have done well with it, Knox said of how the Gators have adjusted to the coaching transition while also preparing to face UCF. That has been a big deal because the new staff has had some things they wanted them to do and theyve been working with us as far as practicing and everything, Knox added. I think they handled it very well. Story continues The Gators (6-6) will be without several key players, including injured quarterback Anthony Richardson and defensive end Zach Carter, who opted out after deciding to leave for the NFL draft. Emory Jones, who shared the quarterback job with Richardson, will start his last game for Florida before entering the transfer portal. Wide receiver Jacob Copeland also is transferring and will not play, but cornerback Kaiir Elam plans to suit up despite being the teams highest projected draft pick. Theyre a lot better than their record, Ill tell you that," Malzahn said. "I think everybody knows that. Theyre extremely talented. Its a big challenge for us, no doubt. Obviously its a big game for us. Its an in-state opponent. A very quality opponent that has some really, really good talent all across the board. Its a great opportunity for our program and our players, and they understand that. UCF (8-4) is 0-2 all-time against Florida, also losing 58-27 in 1999. MOVING ON Like Florida, UCF is losing a highly regarded quarterback to the transfer portal. Mikey Keene started the last nine games of the regular season for the Knights after Dillon Gabriel broke his left collarbone against Louisville in September. Gabriel, who threw for 61 touchdowns over the previous two seasons, elected to leave the program last month. He has committed to UCLA. Keene threw for 1,586 yards, nine TDs and six interceptions during the regular season. FREQUENT VISITOR UCF is making its fifth appearance in a game known as the St. Petersburg Bowl before it moved to Raymond James Stadium in 2018. The Knights played in St. Petersburg in 2009, 2012 and 2014 before making their first appearance in the Gasparilla Bowl in 2019. Its the initial Gasparilla appearance for Florida, which isnt accustomed to making bowl trips that end before Christmas. EXTRA MOTIVATION Bragging rights arent the only motivation for Florida to finish strong. With a win, the Gators would avoid finishing with their first losing record since 2017, the last of three seasons under former coach Jim McElwain. ___ More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 Sign up for the APs college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25 A former Sardis City employee was arrested Tuesday on a charge of first-degree identify theft, according to Sheriff Jonathon Horton. Robert Warren Sandusky, 32, of Oneonta, faces the felony charge, Investigator Shannon Thomas said. He is accused of using Sardis Citys name and federal tax ID number to obtain services from March 2017 until the present, without having permission from Sardis City or the administration's knowledge. Sandusky hasn't been employed by the town in several years, according to the sheriff. Sandusky turned himself into the sheriff's office and posted a $5,000 bond. Contact Gadsden Times reporter Donna Thornton at 256-393-3284 or donna.thornton@gadsdentimes.com. This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Former Sardis employee arrested for identify theft This year, Dr. Scott Levy will be handling out early presents when his family gathers for the holidays: over-the-counter rapid COVID-19 tests. Guests will be asked to take the rapid antigen test when they arrive as a precaution, Levy said. With a 93-year-old father with health issues, the chief medical officer at Doylestown Hospital is taking no chances amid the latest case surge in the near two year pandemic, he said. Doctors urge caution: UPMC doctors issue new warnings as omicron spreads in Pa., urging household-only gatherings One-on-one with Wolf: Gov. Tom Wolf talks COVID strategy as omicron spreads, 2022 agenda and plans after office With more people traveling and gathering in-person during this holiday season, the wide availability of COVID vaccines bolstering more relaxed attitudes toward social distancing and mask wearing, and the rapidly growing omicron variant, health experts are seeing an explosion in COVID cases in Pennsylvania and elsewhere this month. Patricia Messatzzia, of Bristol Township, gets her nose swabbed for testing for the coronavirus as part of the free COVID-19 testing now being offered at the Gene and Marlene Epstein Campus and the two other campuses of Bucks County Community College by AMI, a testing firm based in Reston, Va. While health experts tout the vaccine and booster shots as the most effective protection against severe complications from the virus that result in hospitalization, they are also recommending people remain vigilant. Pennsylvania has recorded more than 130,000 new COVID cases the first three weeks of December, according to state health data. In November, there were 169,342 new cases. State health officials estimate 15% of COVID cases through Dec. 6 are among fully vaccinated individuals. As of Tuesday, 4,527 Pennsylvania adults were hospitalized with COVID, compared to 2,639 on Nov. 17; of those hospitalized 933 or roughly 20% were in the intensive care unit, according to state data. Story continues below graphic The number of hospitalized COVID patients on ventilators jumped from 365 to 571 over the last four weeks, state data shows. State health officials and doctors say the overwhelming majority of new hospitalizations and deaths - more than 80% - are among people who are not fully vaccinated or unvaccinated. The state's positivity rate is about 17%, among the highest since the pandemic started. Story continues Short of self-isolation, Levy and other doctors recommended taking a rapid antigen test either the at-home version or ones offered through drug stores before attending large in-person social gatherings. The pre-gathering testing is recommended for people who are fully vaccinated and boosted as breakthrough cases are rising, and vaccinated individuals may experience only mild symptoms or none, but can spread the infection. Chain retailers Walgreens and CVS announced this week they will limit the number of at-home COVID test kits customers can purchase in response to a jump in demand. Online orders for at-home tests are also reportedly in short supply. Consumer advocate Michael Bannon, head of the consumer protection office in Bucks County, said his office has not received any complaints involving price-gouging or scams involving at-home COVID-19 test kits. But it could be only a matter of time with increased demand, he said. We think this type of chaos created around the COVID 19 testing is very fertile ground for scammers to take advantage of, he said. A speciman from a rapid PCR COVID-19 test is processed inside a lab at Doylestown Hospital on Monday, March 8, 2021. Health experts appeared divided over the safety of in-person social gatherings inside and outside the home. Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole recently advised against holiday gatherings involving more than one household, but the city's health department is giving out 24,000 at-home test kits before Christmas People need to be conscientious about the size of their get-togethers, said Dr. Graham Snyder, medical director of infection prevention and hospital epidemiology at UPMC in Pittsburgh. "Try to keep them small," he said. Children who are too young for the vaccine and the immunocompromised should continue to wear face masks in public and gatherings of more than six people, doctors said. Face masks, hand hygiene and practicing social distancing around those who are under vaccinated, unvaccinated or otherwise considered at high risk for developing complications. Short of an at-home test, Dr. Ronak Bhimani, chief medical officer at Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol Township, is also recommending smaller gatherings of related people. If youre sitting at a table with people from six different households, that is six different opportunities to have one person be positive, he said. More on rising COVID cases: COVID in Pennsylvania: Wolf asks federal government to help hospitals as cases spike More Covid-related stories: Ex-chief of cardiac surgery at Doylestown Health mounts campaign to get his job back after refusing COVID vaccine COVID in long-term care: New data shows COVID deadlier, more prevalent in PA long-term care than once thought This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Fast-spreading COVID variant prompts new calls for pre-holiday precautions BERLIN (Reuters) - German health experts said on Wednesday that new coronavirus curbs probably did not go far enough to keep the Omicron variant in check, as the country's health minister said he had not ruled out a full lockdown if cases spiked. The measures, decided on Tuesday, include limits on private gatherings, closing clubs and discos and banning spectators at football matches and are set to be introduced from Dec. 28. Janosch Dahmen, health expert for junior coalition partners the Greens, said they were a step in the right direction. "But they probably won't be able to curb the danger that Omicron represents," he told broadcaster Deutschlandfunk. German Hospital Federation chairman Gerald Gass called the measures "necessary, but possibly not sufficient" in comments to the Funke media group. Germany reported 45,659 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, close to recent peaks, as the death toll rose by 510, and both men said the government should be ready to toughen the curbs if the epidemic worsened. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases, meanwhile, recommended "maximum contact restrictions" and "maximum infection prevention measures" be implemented immediately. Defending the partial nature of the curbs, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach - who is due to address the media alongside RKI head Lothar Wieler later in the day - said he valued the institute's advice but "there can sometimes be demands that we do not immediately implement." In separate comments to broadcaster ARD, he added: "What we decided today will take effect quickly. But I don't rule out the possibility that a hard lockdown will have to be discussed should case numbers develop in that direction." Support for the government came from Stefan Genth, chief executive of Retail Association HDE. "The federal government and states are making it clear that a return to a blanket and disproportionate lockdown is not a solution," he said. (Reporting by Miranda Murray; editing by John Stonestreet) NEW BEDFORD Families can celebrate the holidays knowing they are a little safer with at-home testing kits right at their fingertips. The city of New Bedford was allocated 37,700 at-home COVID-19 testing kits containing two rapid antigen tests each, and began distributing them to residents Tuesday at Keith, Normandin and Roosevelt Middle Schools. Just an hour into the pop-up distribution, three boxes of 90 kits each had already been emptied at Keith, with Normandin quickly running low on supplies. With a quick in-and-out traffic flow of grab-and-go kits, families were able to take a kit or two for their families on the way home from work or school. As COVID-19 cases are once again on the rise and the virus is spreading throughout the holiday season, residents said they're picking up kits purely out of convenience. The rapid antigen tests take only 15 minutes to receive results, so families can quickly test themselves before visiting relatives for the holidays. Need a COVID test before the holidays?: New Bedford testing sites release schedule Monique Rosario said she and her coworkers have been in close contact with individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, so instead of waiting for an appointment and then several more days for results, she is able to test immediately in the comfort of her own home. "It's good to have it at home," Rosario said. "It gives you peace of mind." According to city spokesperson Michael Lawrence, the city gave 78 cartons to New Bedford Public Schools. There are 90 test kits per carton, and two tests per kit, totaling to 14,040 tests available to residents who stopped by the schools. In addition, Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech received 24 cartons, Alma del Mar Charter School received 11 cartons, St. James St. John School received three cartons and Nativity Preparatory Schools received one carton. All Saints Catholic School received 200 kits. What about the suburbs?: Acushnet fire chief says state not doing enough to help towns in the fight against COVID Story continues The test kits are similar to those offered as part of the Test and Stay program offered to students and staff that are asymptomatic close contacts of COVID-positive individuals. Both New Bedford and Acushnet Public Schools stated the BinaxNOW rapid antigen test takes about 15 minutes to produce results, keeping students in school by sending them back to class at a safe distance while waiting for results with a "minimal impact on the learning day." Mask advisory: What we know about all of Gov. Baker's COVID responses Need a free COVID test kit? The test kits will be available for distribution at the following elementary schools on Wednesday, Dec. 22: Alfred J. Gomes Elementary School (286 S. 2nd St.) Sgt. William Carney Memorial Academy Elementary School (247 Elm St.) Hayden McFadden Elementary School (361 Cedar Grove St.) Abraham Lincoln School (445 Ashley Blvd.) Casimir Pulaski Elementary School (1097 Braley Road) Libraries are offering test kits in addition to the schools on Tuesday and Wednesday with extended hours: Downtown / Main (613 Pleasant St.); 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 21-22 Wilks Branch (1911 Acushnet Ave.); 12 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21-22 Howland-Green Branch (3 Rodney French Boulevard); 12 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21-22 According to a city press release, further distributions may be announced depending on the success of these initial events. Standard-Times staff writer Kerri Tallman can be reached at ktallman@s-t.com. Follow her on Twitter at @kerri_tallman for links to recent articles. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today. This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford distributes free at-home COVID test kits before holidays Lori Sumwalt, a local Department of Child Services supervisor, loads Christmas gifts into a vehicle Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021. RICHMOND, Ind. Trunks and back seats overflowed with beautifully wrapped Christmas presents Tuesday. Although they weren't sleighs, the vehicles that pulled out from the local Department of Child Services office would deliver holiday smiles. DCS staff members and Richmond Police Department and Wayne County Sheriff's officers played the part of Santa Claus. Those gifts purchased by RPD's Blue Angels Fund were destined for 78 children who might not otherwise receive Christmas gifts. The YMCA and Abilities Richmond also partnered with the local DCS office so that about 100 children overall would receive gifts. Richmond: Grant enables group to study rehabbing downtown structure "At this time of year, it's nice to be able to get gifts to families and children in need who would not be able to get gifts for the children," said Angie Jordan, the director of the local DCS office. "It's rewarding. It means a lot to be able to provide the gifts for the children, especially at this time of year. It's rewarding to pay it forward and see the smiles on children's faces and the parents, too." While those deliveries were taking place Tuesday, gifts were being delivered to and sorted into family groups at the YMCA. DCS staff members were to pick up and deliver those gifts Wednesday. YMCA members and the community adopted 17 children in the Y's second year teaming with DCS. "Everybody who dropped off gifts all said they want to be able to give back to families in need," said Misty Hollis, the Y's executive director. "When you give, you really receive. When you offer a blessing to others, you get a blessing back." STAY INFORMED AND SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: Subscribe today using the link at the top of this page. Hollis said that after the YMCA helped provide for children's Christmases last year, DCS approached her again this year, and she quickly agreed. All of the children were "adopted" within a couple of hours, Hollis said. Story continues "We look for ways for our members to give back to the community," she said. "We're very grateful and excited to do it and be a part of it." RPD officers began six years ago by helping one family after the children's mother was killed in a December car accident. John Lackey, who has since retired from RPD, said about $2,000 was quickly raised so the children could have the best Christmas possible under the circumstances. From that, the Blue Angels Fund has grown beyond even Lackey's expectations. RPD continued to receive donations after Christmas that first year, so the Blue Angels Fund was established at the Richmond City Employees Credit Union in the Richmond Municipal Building. It is designed to provide officers the means to assist children throughout the year when a need arises, plus assist families impacted by tragedy around the holidays. "Just giving back to the community and watching the smiles of kids who would not have Christmas," Lackey said. "It doesn't help all of their problems, but at least they have the holidays." Lackey said the Blue Angels Fund is also providing Christmas for a few children not involved in the DCS program, and was able to assist with a back-to-school program and the Fraternal Order of Police's Shop With a Cop program. The fund received a boost during 2019 when it received $10,000 from local businesses. Community and business donations have continued to grow, enabling the Blue Angels Fund to help even more children. In 2020, for example, the fund sponsored 44 children with DCS. "The amount of support from the community is outstanding, and the prominent businesses help tremendously to keep this going and let us reach out to more people," Lackey said. Donations can be mailed to the Richmond City Employees Credit Union at 50 N. Fifth St., Richmond, IN 47374 and specified for the Blue Angels Fund. Department of Child Services staff members and law enforcement officers prepare Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, to deliver Christmas gifts to local children. This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Giving back: Gift deliveries brighten 100 children's Christmases Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo Google's CEO addressed a staff concern that the company has become less honest with employees. Pichai said trust has to go both ways, referring to employees leaking information to the press. The pandemic and the Google's size resulted in answers from management feeling "canned" he added. Google CEO Sundar Pichai was confronted with an employee question earlier this month asking whether Google plans to more honest and direct with its staff. CNBC obtained audio from an end-of-year all-hands meeting hosted by Google CEO Sundar Pichai earlier this month. During the meeting Pichai read out an employee question which had been submitted via the company's internal system Dory. The question was: "It seems like responses to Dory have gotten increasingly more lawyer-like with canned phrases or platitudes, which seem to ignore the questions being ask [sic]. Are we planning on bringing candor, honesty, humility and frankness back to Dory answers or continuing down a bureaucratic path?" Google employees are able to vote on questions submitted through Dory, and per CNBC the question received 673 votes. Pichai appeared to blame leaks to the press as one reason why speakers' answers at meetings might seem artificial. "Sometimes, I do think that people are unforgiving for small mistakes. I do think people realize that answers can be quoted anywhere, including outside the company. I think that makes people very careful," he said. "Trust and candor has to go both ways," Pichai added. Pichai also said the company's massive size and the pandemic forcing meetings to be held virtually were contributing factors. "I've noticed more people reading off screens during the pandemic and so I think some of it contributes to answers feeling canned," Pichai said. "I think people are always nervous to answer in this setting," he added. Per CNBC, Pichai said the concern raised was "good feedback." Story continues Google has faced widespread employee discontent before the pandemic. In 2018 over 20,000 Google employees staged a walkout in protest against the company's handling of sexual harassment. Google employees formed their first-ever union in January of this year. The union called on the company to change how it handles sexual misconduct claims in July. Do you work for Google? Got a tip? Contact this reporter at ihamilton@insider.com or iahamilton@protonmail.com. Always use a non-work email account. Read the original article on Business Insider Strictly Come Dancing pro Gorka Marquez has returned home after being admitted to hospital and put on an IV drip. On Tuesday (21 December), the dancer shared a series of photos and videos to Instagram as he lay in a hospital bed wearing a mask and attached to an IV. I was looking forward for Christmas at Home but that was [an] interesting 24h in Hospital, Marquez wrote. @glouiseatkinson thinks it was a excuse to avoid all the wrapping of the Christmas presents. The Spanish dancer did not say why he had been hospitalised, but confirmed that he was now doing well, saying: I am back home having cookies and cuddles of my little nurse. Thanks to the Doctors and Nurses at Fairfield Hospital for being so lovely to me. FELIZ NAVIDAD!!! Marquezs post was met with outpourings of support from his fellow Strictly pros, with Katya Jones commenting: Oh no! Get better soon Gorks. Oh no! Hope youre okay, Janette Manrara wrote, while Dianne Buswell added: Hope your feeling better soon gorks. Marquez is engaged to actor Gemma Atkinson, who he met when she competed on the show in 2017. The pair have a two-year-old daughter called Mia together. He appeared on the most recent series of Strictly with actor Katie McGlynn, where the pair were the second couple to be eliminated from the competition. FAIR LAWN, NJ Heroes come from all walks of life and find any number of ways to contribute to the community. On Monday, Congressman Josh Gottheimer (5th District) honored hometown heroes from first responders to local veterans, teachers, community volunteers and others who made life better in Bergen County over the past year. Gottheimer presented Fifth District Hometown Heroes Awards to more than 30 local residents in recognition of their dedication to helping improve the lives of their neighbors, families and communities. We are lucky to have so many unsung heroes in our communities, whose quiet service goes on every day without the recognition they truly deserve. They give back just because they care. Today is their day, Gottheimer said in a news release. If you pick up the paper, there is far more attention being placed on what's going wrong with America, and far too little attention on whats going right. "But then, stories crop up here and there about someone saving a life, or a neighbor opening up a food pantry or raising money for charity or making their town a better place and you realize that we just dont spend enough time showcasing all of the good that happens every day. Not enough time recognizing what it means to be a great citizen in the greatest country in the world. Gottheimer said Hometown Heroes are nominated by fellow residents in the 5th District. While the heroes come from a number of vocations and communities, the congressman said they all share a dedication to Jersey values and make the district a special place to live and work. They help us build that more perfect union of our dreams, Gottheimer said. We all should work to live up to their example. Here are the Bergen County honorees: Joyce Gonzalez, Allendale, Bergen County Five years on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps as a 5942 Aviation Radar Repairer, and deployed to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. An active member of American Legion Post 310 and NJ SOS Veterans stakeholders women's subcommittee, she also currently serves as Platoon Leader at the Mission Continues Newark Platoon to manage a corps of veterans to help community service projects throughout Newark and Bergen County. At BMW, as a Data and Project Manager, she serves as co-chair of the BMW Group Veterans Network Employee Resource Group. Story continues Jimmy Winters, Closter, Bergen County Started as a volunteer firefighter with the Closter Fire Department in 1980, and has served as Captain, Secretary, Board of Governance, and currently as Treasurer. From 1986 to 2018, he worked in the Closter Police Department and retired as Captain. Since 1996, he has served as the coordinator for the Borough of Closter Office of Emergency Management. Pat Zengel, Glen Rock, Bergen County A longtime member of the Women in Community Service, Community Meals on Wheels, the Glen Rock Holiday Committee, the Glen Rock Chamber of Commerce, and other key local organizations all focused on supporting her community and fellow North Jersey residents. Rosalyn Holland, Hackensack, Bergen County She helped manage a food pantry that fed more than 100 people per week throughout the pandemic, by coordinating inventory, delivery and stocking of goods, shelving, refrigeration, grants, funding, volunteer staffing, and more. She trains the technologically-challenged with computer skills, ZOOM, Excel, Word, and other apps and necessities for today's world. Bob Kneer, Fair Lawn, Bergen County Served the Fair Lawn community for 44 years as a police officer and previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he retired as a Lance Corporal. He previously served as Patrol Sergeant, Detective Lieutenant and Patrol Captain, as the NJ State Honor Guard Commander, and served as a domestic violence liaison, designed the police uniform, and served on the board of End DWI. Bonnie Borghi, Haworth, Bergen County Throughout COVID-19, she coordinated with restaurants to deliver meals during holidays, and is always working to support her community whether by making sure that downtown Haworth is beautifully decorated for the holidays, that the parks are clean and have new equipment so that children can safely spend more time outdoors, or by chairing the Haworth Seniors group. Jon Najarian, Hillsdale, Bergen County For more than 25 years, he has volunteered for the Hillsdale Fire Department, working his way up to chief. Currently, Jon serves as the Deputy Coordinator for the Hillsdale Office of Emergency Management and throughout the pandemic worked tirelessly securing PPE to keep first responders safe, looking after Jerseys senior citizens, and enacting programs to better disseminate vital information during the crisis all while coordinating with federal and state agencies. Paula Marsh, Lodi, Bergen County She has been instrumental in running the pantry sponsored by the Center for Food Action at Varick Memorial AME Zion Church throughout the pandemic. Since March 2020, Paula has been present every day the pantry has been open, organizing deliveries, storage, and bag packing. Joe MacDiarmid, New Milford, Bergen County He started his career in public service in Okinawa as a U.S. Marine, and is now a leader in the New Milford and Teaneck volunteer ambulance corps where he has been active for the past fifteen years. In the ambulance corps, he has helped save countless lives and is known for his dedication and integrity. Julie Krcmaric, Norwood, Bergen County An advocate for the special needs community, she has spent countless hours supporting parents with special needs and rare disease children guiding parents and community members through some of the most difficult decisions they have to make. She is not afraid to push an insurance company for additional coverage, making sure families critical medical supplies and medication are covered. Bill Sanders, River Edge, Bergen County A decades-long member of the River Edge Volunteer Fire Department, where he is currently Chief, and REVAS, the River Edge Volunteer Ambulance Service, where he was previously Captain. Chief Sanders not only effectively led the Fire Department throughout the pandemic, creating COVID-19 guidelines and ensuring the safety of the department's members, he also guided the town through its Hurricane Ida response. Silvia Kerslake, Norwood, Bergen County Since moving to New Jersey in 2013, she has served her community through her work at Spectrum for Living, a nonprofit that helps adults with developmental disabilities by providing quality housing and clinical services. Vinod Chadha, Old Tappan, Bergen County He is a founding member of Hindu Samaj, a temple in Mahwah, and the Coordinator for the Bergen County Chapter of Manavi, an organization that supports abused women and domestic violence victims. He has been a leader in his community for decades by supporting local organizations, helping serve meals to school children, raising funds for cataract surgeries in India, and working to support those less fortunate. Joe Zbierski, Midland Park, Bergen County He is currently serving his 28th year with the Teaneck Fire Department, running into fires when others are running out, for his whole career. He is the Battalion Chief of the 4th Platoon and has routinely put everything on the line to make life-saving actions. He bravely served at at Ground Zero following the September 11th terrorist attacks. Rose Curry, Montvale, Bergen County She has served Montvale and North Jersey for decades, serving as Montvale PTO President and VP, working in Broadway and regional productions, directing area high school musicals, volunteering with the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Tri-Boro Food Pantry, and Meals on Wheels, and most recently served as Councilwoman for the last decade. After her years of dedication and work with the Montvale Public Library, as of last month, the library now bears the honorary name of Rose S. Curry. Muhammad Haque, Paramus, Bergen County He is a Managing Partner of the Fusion Muslim Community Center of North Jersey, who led Fusion to partner with New Bridge Medical Center to provide culturally-sensitive long-term care for elderly and disabled Muslim community members. Dr. Haque also volunteers at the Bergen County Correctional Facility to help administer vaccines. Moish Tov, Ridgewood, Bergen County He is the founder and CEO of JoyDew Foundation, a nonprofit that provides job training and employment opportunities to young adults with autism. Moish also works as a Board Member at the New Jersey Autism Center of Excellence and the Giving Hope Network, and has shown a deep understanding of the needs of the autistic young adult and adult community, and made his mission to create meaningful life opportunities for them. Matt Tiedemann, Waldwick, Bergen County Lieutenant Tiedemann has been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading the Office of Emergency Management and working tirelessly in the Bergen County Sheriffs Department. From coordinating PPE distribution to working with FEMA to launch New Jerseys first government-run drive-thru COVID-19 testing center at Bergen Community College, to supporting the Bergen County Food Security Task Force. Lisa Bontemps, Westwood, Bergen County When the COVID-19 pandemic began, she organized a new fresh food distribution center out of her church, that has since grown to serve more than 300 hot meals every Tuesday, along with fresh fruits, vegetables, breads, and other non-perishables. This program began with no budget, but from her desire to help her community, it is now helping hundreds of members of the community facing food insecurity. She has also led efforts to improve Westwood AARP. Andrew Esposito and David Wells, Maywood, Bergen County They saved the life of a 92-year-old swimmer while serving as lifeguards at the Maywood Municipal Pool, by responding in record time after seeing the swimmer unconscious, then delivering CPR and calling an ambulance. Thanks to their quick responses and lifesaving actions, this woman survived. This article originally appeared on the Fair Lawn-Saddle Brook Patch Gov. Laura Kelly unveiled a proposal Wednesday calling on lawmakers to give Kansas residents a one-time, $250 tax rebate in light of the state's significant budget surplus. Gov. Laura Kelly unveiled a proposal Wednesday calling on lawmakers to give Kansas residents a one-time, $250 tax rebate in light of the state's significant budget surplus. Kelly's office said the latest plan would deliver $445 million in relief. The $250 rebates would be non-taxable and those who file their taxes jointly would be in line for $500 each. "Thanks to our fiscal responsibility and record economic development success, we can return money to taxpayers and give every Kansas resident who filed taxes in 2021 a $250 rebate," Kelly said in a statement. "These are significant savings for every family to be delivered by summer of 2022." It is the latest tax relief plan from Kelly, who is up for re-election in 2022. Earlier this year, her office, along with her likely GOP opponent in next year's election, Attorney General Derek Schmidt, called for the elimination of the state's food sales tax, a move which would cost $450 million a year. More: Lawmakers grant final OK to Docking State Office Building renovation, KDHE lab downtown Kansas has seen growing state revenues It comes amid a bumper year for state revenues. Economists revised revenue estimates in November and now project the state will take in $1.3 billion more than initially thought for the current fiscal year, a 17% increase. That combines with over $2 billion in the bank from last session, giving lawmakers plenty of ammo for a raft of legislative priorities the projected budget surplus, even when taking into account current spending, is over $2.9 billion. Democrats cheered Kelly's proposal as a mechanism to more equitably provide relief to residents. "Like our plan to eliminate the state sales tax on food, Governor Kelly's proposal doesn't pick winners and losers: it provides relief for all Kansans in every corner of the state," Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, said in a statement. While Republican legislators will likely use this to tackle tax relief, it will likely look different than what Kelly has proposed. Story continues More: Fraudulent applications tick up in eviction relief program. Officials try to improve aid. Republicans offering different suggestions for revenue Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, chair of the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee, pointed to a range of ways she felt legislators could better help residents. That includes eliminating taxes on retirement accounts, including Social Security, eliminating the 1.5 mill levy collected for state building funds to provide property tax relief and freezing property tax payments for seniors. "We have been studying this issue for years," Tyson said. "And her one-time shot in the arm is not good business for the state of Kansas. We need a tax strategy that can be carried on for years so that businesses and individuals are able to plan." Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, echoed that sentiment in a statement. "I appreciate Governor Kelly's election-year revelation that Kansans are taxed too much," Masterson said. "While I am open to all ideas to help reduce the tax burden on Kansas families, permanent solutions will be our priority." CJ Grover, Schmidt's campaign spokesperson, said Kelly was trying to mimic a tax relief plan passed by the Republican legislature last year, one she vetoed citing its potential costs to the state. Legislators later overrode her veto and it became law anyway. "Between this, proposing a food sales tax cut after vetoing one in 2019, and pretending to oppose vaccine mandates while doing nothing to stop them, the election-year makeover of Laura Kelly's politics is obviously underway," Grover said in a statement Andrew Bahl is a senior statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached at abahl@gannett.com or by phone at 443-979-6100. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly pushes $250 tax rebate for residents The Greendale Village Board has approved of a plan to turn the former Boston Store property at Southridge Mall into a mix of apartments and commercial space. Elected leaders in Greendale have given a local developer the green light to transform the former Boston Store property at Southridge Mall into a four-story, 790-unit apartment development. The village board on Tuesday voted 5-1 to approve a draft redevelopment agreement between the village and Barrett Lo Visionary Development to construct the apartments and bring 50,000 to 60,000 square feet of commercial space to the nearly 15-acre property. The plan calls for building the apartments over a three-phase period "extending well into the future," said attorney Alan Marcuvitz of von Briesen & Roper, working as development counsel for the village. More: Southridge Mall's former Boston Store building will apparently be demolished and replaced with an apartment development More: Greendale starts process of possibly buying Southridge's former Boston Store to help redevelop troubled mall Marcuvitz said the agreement isn't in its final form, but the board's vote approves the concept expressed in the document and authorizes village officials to execute the agreement when it's completed. "This is a moving target," Marcuvitz said. "We were going back and forth on some matters (Tuesday) which still need to be squared away. I think we probably can accomplish that within the next week or 10 days." The potential value of the development is pegged at more than $100 million, Marcuvitz said. Nearly 800 units are planned Rick Barrett, who operates Milwaukee-based Barrett Lo, said they're in the initial stages of the concept, but currently are projecting 790 units with a mix of one, two and three bedrooms. The sizes are yet to be determined. There would be four stories of residential space above parking, he said. There will be underground parking. Whether there will be at-grade parking wasn't immediately clear. "We're looking to create a mixed-used, lifestyle center that's upscale with a village green that becomes a center point of the residential, the new food and beverage, the new retail that would be added to the project," Barrett said after the board's vote. Story continues A construction timeline has yet to be determined, he said. Barrett Lo is best known for developing the Couture residential high-rise on Milwaukee's lakefront. The firm also has done suburban apartments developments, including the Emerald Row project at Oak Creek's Drexel Town Square mixed-use site. In May, the Greendale Village Board voted to buy the former Boston Store and its parking lot for $3.3 million with plans to make it available for new development. More: Southridge's vacant former Boston Store isn't blighted -- and shouldn't be forcibly sold to Greendale, owner says The purchase was completed in July. The building has been vacant since Bon-Ton Stores Inc., the operator of Boston Store and other department store chains, was liquidated in 2018. Board's vote not unanimous Elaine Unger was the only trustee to vote against the proposal. "I'm concerned about the upfront risk to the village and the negative impact on the village bond rating," Unger said. She also expressed concern about the conveyance of additional public infrastructure to the village things such as roads, sidewalks and green space that could create additional workload for the DPW and village staff. Trustee Ronald Barbian, who voted yes, said the village board has had "many, many closed session meetings"' to try to find the right developer and thinks they have. "The quality products that this company provides are all through the local area," Barbian said. "They fit in well with what we're looking for." He said the project is just the first step of revitalizing the whole area. "The tax base of this area is vital to the survival of Greendale," he said. "And this is going to enhance it." Trustees Collen Fechtmeyer, Robby McFaul and Donna Ouellette and Village President Jason Cyborowski also voted in favor of the development. Matt Sell abstained. "I would have loved to vote yes, but I want to recuse myself because I was a commercial real estate lender for about 15 years, so I've done business with the majority of real estate developers and landlords in the city and surrounding areas," Sell said. "So I just figured it would be best since I've had past business relationships through my bank, that I just recuse myself of voting on the matter." After the vote, applause filled the room, coming from both the audience and board members. Barrett said they're thrilled with the decision. "We can't wait. This is an amazing village," he said. "We're very excited to be here. And I heard a roomful of supporters that made me feel great." Contact Bob Dohr at 262-361-9140 or bob.dohr@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BobDohr1. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Nearly 800 apartment units planned for former Southridge Boston Store Habitat for Humanity handed over keys to its first 3D-printed home to a Virginia woman and her son on Tuesday. Driving the news: The house in Williamsburg, Virginia, was built by a construction tech startup called Alquist, using a giant 3D printer. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. It took just 22 hours to print the 1,200-square-foot, 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, which would take at least four weeks using standard construction methods. It's the first home owned by April Stringfield, who invested 300 hours of sweat equity with Habitat to qualify. The big picture: 3D-printing technology is transforming the homebuilding process to help solve an affordable housing crisis as well as a shortage of skilled labor and rising material costs. Zachary Mannheimer founded Alquist in 2020 and partnered with Habitat for Humanity to help solve the rural housing crisis. Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free. Its holiday time, and Florida Man is the gift that keeps on giving. What is it this time? According to the Associated Press, Pinellas County sheriffs deputies stopped a vehicle that was driving without lights on. It was 4 a.m. on Saturday, still dark outside. Deputies said they searched the car and found a gun, and searched the driver and found drugs wrapped around his penis. The man swore that the cocaine and meth were not his. He wasnt sure to whom they belonged. No matter. We dont approve of drug-smuggling, but we admire creativity. And when it comes to that, this guy is the whole package. By Gessika Thomas PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - Haitians on Tuesday mourned victims of a fuel truck blast that killed 90 people last week, though many stayed home out of anger at the government amid a string of tragedies in a Caribbean nation plagued by gang violence, poverty and political turmoil. The coffins of several of the victims, some draped in Haitian flags and flowers, were carried by firefighters through the streets to a church in Cap-Haitien, the country's second-largest city, where the explosion took place. The death toll from the accident soared to 90 in little over a week as authorities pieced through the rubble, identifying the charred remains of many still missing following the massive blast. Others have since died in the hospital. Residents facing chronic fuel shortages had flocked to the truck after it tipped over a week ago, hoping to extract fuel from it. Instead, the truck exploded, engulfing them and neighborhood homes in flames, officials said. Residents interviewed by Reuters who attended the funeral said the government had not done enough for those who lost loved ones or their homes following the explosion, providing little support or relief. "The government shouldn't treat us like this," said mourner Charite Jean, who lost 15 relatives in the blaze. "Where is the international community?" Guylaine Charles, a neighborhood resident who lost seven of her children in the explosion, held a separate funeral in protest of the state's treatment. She told Reuters she'd been unable to find the remains of five of them after they were swept into a mass grave. "The Haitian state came with ... loaders and picked them all up. They threw them away without any conditions, without even the chance to identify our loved ones," she told Reuters. The accident has cemented among some Haitians a sense of a societal crisis that has stirred anger against the government. Kidnappings and violence have soared this year, added to the still-unsolved assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July. Weeks later, a devastating earthquake https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/magnitude-7-quake-strikes-western-haiti-usgs-2021-08-14 killed more than 2,000 people. Fuel supplies in Haiti were severely limited in October and November after a coalition of gangs blocked transport trucks from accessing fuel port terminals in a bid to force the resignation of the interim prime minister, Ariel Henry. The gangs last month lifted the blockade, but Haitians continue struggling to obtain gasoline and diesel. (Reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince and Reuters TV in Cap-Haitien, writing by Dave Sherwood) Harvard University professor Charles Lieber was convicted Tuesday in connection with lying to U.S. federal authorities about his ties to China. Driving the news: A federal jury in Boston found the 62-year-old former chair of Harvard University's chemistry and chemical biology department guilty of two counts of making false statements to federal authorities about a Chinese government recruitment program, per a Department of Justice statement. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. He was also found guilty of two counts of making and subscribing a false income tax return and two charges of failing to file reports of a foreign bank in China and financial accounts with the Internal Revenue Service. Our thought bubble, via Axios China reporter Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian: The Lieber verdict comes as the DOJ's China Initiative faces intense scrutiny after a series of charges against ethnic Chinese scientists were dropped. The big picture: Lieber had pleaded not guilty of all charges related to his affiliation with the Beijing-run Thousand Talents Program and China's Wuhan University of Technology (WUT). "Under the terms of Liebers three-year Thousand Talents contract, WUT paid Lieber a salary of up to $50,000 per month, living expenses of up to $150,000 and awarded him more than $1.5 million to establish a research lab at WUT," per the DOJ. "In 2018 and 2019, Lieber lied to federal authorities about his involvement in the Thousand Talents Plan and his affiliation with WUT." What's next: The court has yet to schedule a sentencing date, but Lieber faces up to five years in prison for the making false statements charge, according to the DOJ. Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free. A Harvard chemistry professor was convicted on Tuesday for lying to authorities regarding his affiliation with a Chinese government educational program as well as failing to report income he made from a Chinese university. Charles Lieber, chair of Harvard University's Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department, was convicted on two counts of making false statements to federal authorities, two counts of failing to report foreign financial accounts with the IRS and two counts of making a false tax return. Lieber was arrested in January of 2020 on Harvard's campus and accused of failing to disclose foreign financial conflicts of interest when he received over $15,000 in grant funding from both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Defense (DoD). According to authorities, Lieber became a "Strategic Scientist" at Wuhan University of Technology in 2011 and was also a contractual participant of China's Thousand Talents Plan from 2012 to 2017. Harvard, which Lieber joined in 1991, was allegedly unaware of his work in China. When asked about his involvement in the Thousand Talent Plan, Lieber told federal authorities that he was never asked to join the program, but said he "wasn't sure" how the Chinese government categorized him. According to authorities Lieber earned income from the Wuhan University of Technology during the 2013 and 2014 tax years in the form of salary. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Casey told a Boston federal jury that Charles Lieber, a renowned nanoscientist and former chair of Harvard's chemistry department, lied to U.S. investigators to protect his career and Nobel Prize ambitions https://t.co/iNUfhJ5xdG pic.twitter.com/sOzS4EDrHG - Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) December 21, 2021 Lieber, who has been diagnosed with late-stage lymphoma, according to The Harvard Crimson, is now facing several years in prison and potentially over $1 million in fines. The Hill has reached out to Lieber's attorney for comment. Story continues When reached by The Hill, Harvard University declined to comment on the verdict. The school also declined to comment on Lieber's employment status following his conviction. Lieber had been placed on leave with pay before his trial began. Lieber was charged under the "China Initiative," which was started by the Trump administration in 2018 with the mission of finding "economic" Chinese spies in the U.S. The initiative has been criticized for targeting and promoting racial profiling against U.S. college professors of Asian descent - particularly those with Chinese heritage. Earlier this year, Stanford University professors asked the Department of Justice to end the China initiative, writing in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland that the program has "deviated significantly from its claimed mission." They argued that the initiative is "harming the United States' research and technology competitiveness and it is fueling biases that, in turn, raise concerns about racial profiling." - Updated at 10:11 a.m. Today is Tuesday. Welcome to Hillicon Valley, detailing all you need to know about tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. Subscribe here: thehill.com/newsletter-signup. Follow The Hill's cyber reporter, Maggie Miller (@magmill95), and tech team, Chris Mills Rodrigo (@millsrodrigo) and Rebecca Klar (@rebeccaklar_), for more coverage. President Biden warned during a speech updating the nation on the COVID-19 pandemic that misinformation spreading on social media is leading to vaccine hesitancy. Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of lawmakers are seeking action on a website that is reportedly encouraging users to kill themselves, and DHS is expanding its bug bounty program to cover a new, sweeping vulnerability that has left organizations worldwide open to attacks. Let's jump into the news. Biden: Misinformation fueling vax hesitancy Misinformation spreading on social media platforms and cable television is fueling vaccine hesitancy, President Biden said Tuesday. 'Dangerous misinformation': "The unvaccinated are responsible for their own choices. But those choices have been fueled by dangerous misinformation on cable TV and social media," Biden said during remarks about the COVID-19 pandemic. "These companies and personalities are making money by peddling lies and allowing misinformation that can kill their own customers and their own supporters. It's wrong. It's immoral. I call on the bearers of these lies and misinformation to stop it, stop it now," he added. Biden's comments come as the omicron variant spreads across the country, now making up about three quarters of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Biden said that vaccinated Americans, especially those who have received a booster shot, will be largely protected from severe illness from the omicron variant and made a plea for anyone who has yet to get vaccinated to do so. Story continues "Let me say again and again and again and again, please get vaccinated. It's the only responsible thing to do. Those who are not vaccinated are causing hospitals to become overrun again," he said. Building pressure: The latest comments build on the administration's pressure for social media companies to crack down on health misinformation. In July, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory calling misinformation an "urgent threat" and calling for tech companies to take action against the false claims. At the time, Biden went so far as to say social media platforms are "killing people" by allowing the content but later walked it back by placing the blame on the spreaders of the misinformation using platforms like Facebook. Read more here. Website crackdown a sign with information for the national suicide prevention lifeline Congressional lawmakers are calling on technology companies to take the threat of websites that promote suicide seriously and limit their visibility after The New York Times published an investigation detailing how one such website allegedly contributed to the deaths of 45 individuals by suicide. Wide array of lawmakers: A bipartisan coalition of House lawmakers issued a statement on Monday announcing it has requested briefings from search engines, web hosting companies, organizations that oversee content delivery networks and pertinent social media platforms to "better understand how this website is able to continue encouraging suicide." "It is imperative that companies take the threat of such sites seriously and take appropriate steps to mitigate harm," the lawmakers added. Briefings: They also said they have asked for briefings from the Department Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Surgeon General to "discuss this growing crisis and efforts to provide support for Americans and counter harmful online content." Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Bob Latta (R-Ohio), Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) all signed the statement. Rep. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) led a bipartisan group of Congress members issuing a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday asking about options to take action on the site. Read more here. DHS EXPANDS BUG BOUNTY PROGRAM The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is expanding its recently announced bug bounty program for cyber vulnerabilities to include incentives for hackers to hunt down issues related to the Apache logging library log4j vulnerability. The Hack DHS program, announced last week, will allow cybersecurity experts to hunt through some external DHS systems to find any vulnerabilities and to then receive payment for alerting DHS to those findings. "In response to the recently discovered log4j vulnerabilities, @DHSgov is expanding the scope of our new #HackDHS bug bounty program and including additional incentives to find and patch log4j-related vulnerabilities in our systems," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tweeted Tuesday. "In partnership with vetted hackers, the federal government will continue to secure nationwide systems and increase shared cyber resilience," he added. Read more here. Secret Service steps in The U.S. Secret Service announced on Tuesday that it has chosen a senior agency official to lead the agency's efforts on the crackdown on COVID-19 financial scams. The agency said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Roy Dotson of the Jacksonville, Fla., field office will serve as the National Pandemic Fraud Recovery Coordinator. In a statement the agency said he will oversee "efforts across multiple ongoing Secret Service investigations into the fraudulent use of COVID-19 relief applications, with stolen benefits nearing $100 billion." The agency said the release of money through the CARES Act - the $2 trillion relief package then-President Trump signed into law in March 2020 - attracted the attention of individuals and organized criminal groups throughout the world, adding that the exploitation of funds allocated during the pandemic is "an investigative authority" for the agency and its partners. Read more here. INTEL LAYS DOWN THE LAW Intel has announced that unvaccinated employees who fail to meet the company's Jan. 4 vaccination deadline and do not receive a religious or medical exemption will soon be put on unpaid leave. Unvaccinated employees' unpaid leave will begin in April, three months after the deadline, which was announced in November, according to The Associated Press. The California-based tech company will consider employees' exemption requests until March 15. Then employees who do not receive an exemption will begin unpaid leave for a minimum of three months starting April 4. Intel's Chief People Officer Christy Pambianchi confirmed that the employees on leave "will not be terminated" and will continue to receive their healthcare benefits while they are on leave, the AP reported. Read more here. BITS AND PIECES An op-ed to chew on: New AI and free press standards fortify the fight against autocracy Lighter click: These two things do not equate Notable links from around the web: The cybersecurity stories we were jealous of in 2021 (Vice Motherboard / Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai) That fun TikTok video? It's actually an ad (The New York Times / Sapna Maheshwari) Advertisers are sucking up student data, even after legal action, researchers say (CyberScoop / Tonya Riley) One last thing: More NSO allegations A United Arab Emirates (UAE) agency downloaded spyware from Israeli company NSO Group on to the phone of former reporter Jamal Khashoggi's wife months before Khashoggi's murder, new findings published Tuesday concluded. The Washington Post cited findings from Citizen Lab that found that Hanan Elatr, then the fiance of Khashoggi, was arrested by UAE officials in Dubai in 2018. NSO Group's Pegasus software was downloaded onto her Android phone in just over a minute while she underwent hours of questions, with the phone returned to her days later. "We found the smoking gun on her phone," Bill Marczak, a senior research fellow at Citizen Lab, told The Post after examining Elatr's phones. Pegasus spyware has been used by governments and other groups to steal data, turn on microphones and record calls without the user knowing. NSO Group has come under fire in recent months for allegations that it had developed and sold Pegasus to foreign governments as a tool to spy on dissidents, journalists, and others. A spokesperson for NSO Group strongly pushed back against the findings outlined by the Post on Tuesday. Read more here. That's it for today, thanks for reading. Check out The Hill's technology and cybersecurity pages for the latest news and coverage. We'll see you Wednesday. A look at some of today's top stories, the weather forecast and a peek back in history. Bad air quality worsens during the "big four" holidays, when smoke from fireplaces and fireworks settles over the Phoenix area. Learn why holiday pollution forces many Valley residents to stay indoors. Arizona is one of six states getting a federal emergency response team to help support strained hospitals in the ongoing COVID-19 surge, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday as part of his broader COVID-19 response plan, including the availability of at-home rapid tests. Want to make your down-to-the-wire Christmas shopping easier for everyone, including yourself? Here's advice from favorite Phoenix small businesses. Today, you can expect it to be mostly cloudy, with a high near 71 degrees. Cloudy at night, with a low near 57 degrees. Get the full forecast here. Today in history On this date in 1902, certain parts of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation were restored to the public domain by executive order. In 1929, several boys, all under age 13, broke into a railroad car belonging to the Arizona Packing Co. in the Southern Pacific yards in Tucson and stole several whole hogs and assorted packages of pork. For most of the night, the Tucson Police Station resembled a packing house storage room as officers recovered and brought in loads of meat. In 1936, the announcement was made that The Associated Press trunk line would establish a mainline office in Phoenix. In 1944, during the World War II Battle of the Bulge, U.S. Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe rejected a German demand for surrender, writing Nuts! in his official reply. In 2011, a wave of 16 bombings ripped across Baghdad, killing at least 69 people in the worst violence in Iraq in months days after the last American forces left the country, heightening fears of a new round of sectarian bloodshed. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AZ Briefing: Holiday pollution forces many in Valley to stay indoors A bedroom, bathroom, kitchen area and living room complete with a couch and a sense of security. Theyre the things most take for granted, but for the hundreds of homeless living in and out of shared shelters in Bucks County, a private place to call home makes a world of difference. With the addition of two private units, thats what the Bucks County Emergency Homeless Shelter is offering more than a roof over their heads but a sense of home. And hopefully, a place to start again. Last August, the Family Service Association of Bucks County added two 787-square-foot, beige units behind its emergency shelter building in Bristol Township, on Library Way off New Falls Road, amid a spike in homelessness during the pandemic. The 24-hour volunteer-run shelter, which serves as temporary housing for those in need of a safe and stable place to stay, can host around 75 people in its main building. Between the shelter and 24 rooms at a local hotel, Family Service houses between 90 to 100 people in total. Of those, one-third of the shelter's guests are children, and the new prefabricated homes allow another space for families to sleep in the same place, away from the communal quarters of the shelter. The shelter's main building also has two private rooms with private bathrooms for families with children that can't be accommodated in either the men's or women's dorm rooms. The new two one-bedroom houses were initially put in place to quarantine people who had COVID-19. The entire year, we didn't have anyone who was COVID positive by the time we added these, so we said we'll have them open for people who are positive, but also for larger family groups, said shelter director Murielle Kelly. At the time of interview, the shelter had its first COVID case with a family quarantining in one of the homes. This prefabricated home, one of two located behind the Family Service Association of Bucks County in Langhorne, can house one larger family at a time. The two modular units behind the Family Service Association of Bucks County each include a single bedroom with bunk beds. They're now open to any family that is referred by the Family Service that needs housing, regardless of COVID status. Story continues The homes have a bedroom with bunk beds, a bathroom, living room, storage space and a kitchen area with no stove or refrigerator, as the shelter has a chef prepare nutritious meals for its guests. In addition to larger families with either small or teenage children, the spaces are open to those who cant be accommodated inside the main shelter or if theres no space at the motel, Kelly said. There are four beds in there; we had one family when they moved in, and (the mother) said, Oh, we'll just sleep out here, Kelly said, referring to the living room space. 'It's sad to see it go': Dublin IGA closes after 40 years in the borough The fact that you can have a sense of privacy from the children, and this is something that you don't get in other settings, is nice, she said. You definitely feel a sense of home. About five families have lived in the units since August, and the usual limit for each stay is 60 days. But since the pandemic began, the length of time has sometimes gone up to 80 or 90 days per stay at the shelter as a whole. The Family Service Association of Bucks County in Langhorne now offers additional private housing to larger families in the two modular units located behind the main building. "Some people are staying longer than usual," Kelly said. "It just depends on the family, what's happening with them and what their situation is." The number of people experiencing a housing crisis ballooned during the pandemic, with the average number of calls to the Bucks County Housing Link going up from around 800 calls to 3,000 per month, according to the Family Service. "It's staggering in a wealthy county like Bucks County to know that this level of need exists," said Family Service CEO Julie Dees. The Bucks County Department of Housing and Community Developments annual point-in-time homeless count from January showed 288 people living in transitional housing, emergency shelters or outdoors. Its a 13.5% drop from the January 2020 count. "I like that we're able to bring awareness to the fact that, even in a wealthy county, there is significant need," Dees said. Emergency shelter volunteers also work to help individuals and families experiencing homelessness get back on their feet. While at the shelter, the people staying there have access to help searching for jobs and even transportation to job interviews. "We have case managers who work intently with the residents to help them successfully move into permanent housing," said Dees of their efforts to deal with the underlying factors of homelessness. "We have funds to help support their move into an apartment/unit and to help with the purchase of furnishings if needed," she said. Forty-eight percent of the households the Family Service served in 2020 had successful permanent housing placements. The organization's housing, including the two modular homes, are free to the guests, with everything funded by government programs or donations. Related: Bucks County's hotel homeless living on the edge, but say its better than the streets. Here's a look inside Federal CARES grant funding paid for the $500,000 project cost, according to Dees, who said the original idea from the Bucks County Department of Housing was to expand and build onto the existing shelter building. Logistically, and for a whole lot of reasons, that just wasn't going to work, Dees said. We were just kicking around ideas, like what can we do?, and somebody (said), how about mobile units?, she said. "So that's what we did. A look inside one of the modular homes behind the Family Service Association of Bucks County. Each of the modular units behind the Family Service Association of Bucks County has a full bathroom for families to use. The families that have lived in the homes thus far have enjoyed having their own space and the feeling of being settled. We had a person in a wheelchair, and it was him, his wife and I believe five or six children, Kelly recalled. The first day we showed him the private unit, he just sat in his wheelchair, looking out into the sunset like, This is home, she said. Upon seeing them for the first time, some local county officials were fans of the units, as well. For subscribers: How Ottsville bakers found recipe for success on old farm: 'We try not to mess around with nature too much' "They said, 'I wish we could have a whole field of these units,' which would be wonderful," Dees said. In reality, the homes are expensive to build, she added, and down the line, officials are aware that there will be expenses for upkeep and maintenance for the two they currently have. "I do think we need at least a solid year of having these to understand the financial impact," she said. Community members had initially expressed concerns about the units at a county meeting, worrying that the two new units might attract more homeless people to the area. But Family Service says they havent experienced those issues. Its been quiet, Kelly said. People really just want to feel at home, they just want to be off the street, have someplace warm to stay, have food to eat, and be able to provide for themselves and family. This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bucks County shelter offer homeless families new units for safety, privacy SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) Bosnian officials and religious leaders on Wednesday denounced suggestions voiced by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his spokesman that the integration of Bosnia into the European Union will be challenging because of its large Muslim population. Orbans spokesman Zoltan Kovacs has tweeted that the challenge with Bosnia is how to integrate a country with 2 million Muslims. During his long speech on Tuesday in Budapest, right-wing populist Orban said Hungary supports Bosnias EU bid, adding that as an EU member, Hungary had to mobilize a lot of energy to overcome the enlargement fatigue that has taken hold of the European Union. I am doing my best to convince Europes great leaders that the Balkans may be further away from them than from Hungary, but how we manage the security of a state in which 2 million Muslims live is a key issue for their security too. Reaction in Bosnia was sharp, with some Bosniak parties asking for a ban on Orbans planned official visit to Sarajevo and the head of the Islamic community, Reisu-l-ulema Kavazovic, calling his statement xenophobic and racist. If such ideologies become the basis on which the policies of a united Europe are based, then it takes us back to the times when the European unity was to be build on similar fascist, Nazi, violent and genocidal ideologies that led to the Holocaust and other horrific crimes, he said in a statement. The Bosniak member of the countrys tripartite presidency, Sefik Dzaferovic, called Orbans statement shameful and rude. It is not a challenge for the EU to integrate 2 million (Bosnian) Muslims, because we are an indigenous European people who have always lived here and we are Europeans, he said. Bosnia, which is made up of Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats, is going through its gravest political crisis since the end of the civil war in the 1990s. With tacit support from Russia and Serbia, Bosnian Serbs are threatening to form their own army, judiciary and tax authority, reviving fears of another bloody breakup of the Balkan country. Story continues During his speech on Tuesday, Orban also said Hungary wouldn't support EU sanctions against Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik as threatened by Germany and some other member states because of his separatist stands. Sarajevo has lost its nerve, it is attacking everyone -- Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, now Hungary. Not to mention Russia, Dodik said Wednesday, referring to support he has allegedly received from those countries. Orban has been known for his anti-migration policies, claiming Muslim migrants are the greatest threat to Europes Christian values. He has also been supporting quick accession of Serbia into the EU despite the increasingly autocratic policies of his ally, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. More than 100,000 people were killed and millions were left homeless during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia when Bosnian Serbs tried to create ethnically pure territories in order to join them with neighboring Serbia. ___ Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade, Serbia, and Justin Spike in Budapest, Hungary, contributed to this report. A Monroe infant whose donated organs helped save the lives of two others will be honored at this year's Rose Parade New Year celebration. The Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency will sponsor a floragraph, a portrait made of flowers and seeds, of John Clarke Perry on the Donate Life float in the Jan. 1 parade in Pasadena, California. The parade kicks off the annual Rose Bowl college football game. John Clarke died of an abnormal vessel malformation at 6 months old in November 2015. His parents, Jonathan and Holley Perry, then made the decision to donate his heart and lungs to other children in need. John Clarke's heart was donated to Davis Boswell, an Auburn, Alabama, infant who battled illness shortly after his birth. The family of John Clarke Perry holds a florograph of the late infant. The portrait, made of flowers and seeds, will appear on a float in the Rose Bowl parade New Year's Day. 'A special boy who is watching over us': St. Francis renames PICU in honor of Monroe organ donor "After we donated his organs, we found out through a mutual friend on Facebook that they thought they knew who got his heart," Jonathan Perry said. "Through some research on Facebook the night that John Clarke passed away, there was a boy in Auburn, Alabama, that received the heart that was the same age as John Clarke, and they had told us that 6-month-old babies don't need hearts, it's just very rare. Ironically, they were telling the Boswell family the same thing, and their son needed a heart. It just so happened that the Lord put us together and the heart ended up being a perfect fit." John-Clarke Perry will be one of 36 individuals honored with a floragraph on the Donate Life float. Each year, the float features three types of participants: riders who are recipients of organs, walkers who are living organ donors, and "floragraph families" whose loved ones are honored with memorial portraits of deceased organ and tissue donors. MOR: Monroe child's heart beats on in Alabama boy The Donate Life float will travel five-and-a half miles down Colorado Boulevard. The Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency has honored donors from different parts of the state each year and has sponsored a floragraph on the float for the last 16 years. Story continues Jonathan Perry said God continues to bless his family with something new to keep John Clarke's memory alive. "Everything's coming full circle and then all of sudden getting a call about this Rose Parade, it's just another year going to reach people about organ donation," Perry said. Perry said his entire family wife, Holley; three daughters, Emarie, Ella, and Evie Clarke; and mother, Carolyn will attend the parade and other festivities. "One of the neat things is we actually get to go work on the float, me and my wife do where there's different shifts," Perry said. "You can sign up for 24 shifts to get it ready for the final parade. We've got an 8 to 12 that we'll actually be working on the float, cutting flowers and actually helping with the process." More: Heart of LSU Tiger beats in Auburn boy, joins families Community educator Leah Lopez of the Louisiana organ agency described John Clarke as a hero. She said the infant's story has inspired people who learn about registering for organ donation. "The Perrys are tremendous advocates for donation and actively seek out opportunities to share John Clarke's story," Perry said. "We felt they were a wonderful fit for this year's theme, 'Courage to Hope,' because they have often said donating John Clarke's organs gave them peace and hope." The parade will air on KNOE-TV and other stations across Louisiana at 10 a.m. Jan. 1. Follow Ian Robinson on Twitter @_irobinson and on Facebook at https://bit.ly/3vln0w1. Support local journalism by subscribing at https://cm.thenewsstar.com/specialoffer. This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Infant organ donor from Monroe to be honored in Rose Parade Sheikh Attia Omara, second from right in the back row, meets with religious leaders from the Austin area as part of interfaith efforts to build relationships between primarily Muslim, Christian and Jewish groups. Sheikh Attia Omara said he feels he preaches better in the unique atmosphere out in Lake Travis area, which he has visited regularly as the community has started the early stages of building a mosque. For this reason, among others, he said he was excited to begin his new role as the imam for the Islamic Center of Lake Travis in early December. Omara grew up in Egypt, where he attended school to become an imam. He moved to Austin in 2012 and took a job at the Islamic Center of Greater Austin and the Austin Peace Academy. He is taking over the job after a two-year vacancy left when Sheikh Mohamed-Umer Esmail, a well known member of the Austin Muslim community, died in September 2019. I want to be part of building a new community. Most of the communities here in Austin are established, he said. I want to be part of building the community there in terms of programs, activities, building relations with neighbors and communities, other faiths and building this connection. Sheikh Attia Omara grew up in Egypt and moved to Austin in 2012. He is taking over the job of imam at the Islamic Center of Lake Travis after a two-year vacancy. As he takes on his new role, Omara is also studying to receive his PhD in Islamic studies with a minor in religious studies at the University of Texas. When he first arrived in the United States, he received his masters in adult and community education at Texas State University. He said his first priority is to build connections with people in the Muslim community in Lake Travis. The first thing is to build trust with community members, so to get to know everyone, he said. We've been doing programs like community potlucks, and we did a welcome dinner so that I can meet everyone. More: 'A month of reflection and prayer' Muslim community celebrates second pandemic Ramadan Shakeel Rashed, a board member at the center, said that hiring a new imam was the communitys big goal this year. We had some very specific requirements. Our mosque is quite diverse in attendance, we have people from all over the place, he said. So we were looking for somebody who appreciates that diversity and promotes inclusion. Story continues Rashed said that one of the reasons Omara was a good fit is because of his experience teaching and working with kids. The thing that our community is always most concerned about is the next generation, he said. And because (Sheikh Omara) was a teacher at the Austin Peace Academy, we know he is able to work with kids and ... he can get them more involved with ICLT. With the new imam in place, Rashed said the community will focus on planning for a new mosque building. The center was building a mosque in 2017 when the site caught fire and burned the construction to the ground. Federal and local authorities investigated the possibility of arson but Travis County Fire Marshal Tony Callaway said at the time that the cause of the fire may never be known. Rashed said the community is ready to continue its efforts toward building anew. Its build time, he said. Now we actually have a leader who will be able to help us grow this community and sustain us. We always have plans for expanding the building and all of those things but what we are looking for right now is his ability to bring more people and engage more people within our community. More: Lake Travis school district reaches next step in strategic planning process Omara said he is also working on connecting with the community in Lake Travis beyond the center, including with other religious leaders in the area and in Austin as part of interfaith efforts to build relationships between primarily Muslim, Christian and Jewish groups in the area. He said his philosophy as an imam is that when you help people grow spiritually, the benefits of that growth expand outward into the entire community. Helping people grow spiritually is very important, he said. When we do that, you help individuals and you help the community at large because when people have this connection with God and they have the trust, and they have the concept of being faithful to God all the time, in my opinion it makes them more devoted citizens as well. So spirituality is the number one priority for me and I believe from spirituality so much good can come out. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Islamic Center of Lake Travis welcomes new imam after over two years Jacob Elordi talks about objectification she faces as a man in Hollywood (AFP via Getty Images) Jacob Elordi has spoken candidly about the objectification he faces as a Hollywood star, with the actor explaining that its definitely frustrating. The Euphoria star, 24, discussed his experience, especially during his role in The Kissing Booth, during an interview with Mens Health, where he revealed that you learn quickly that what people take away from those movies is your stature and your figure. You have all sorts of aged people around the world only talking about what you look like, he continued. Elordi also acknowledged that men are often overlooked in conversations about objectification and unwanted attention, and that people may not realise their attitude is contributing to the problem because they are just following what they see on their screens. I dont think its really a conversation that people have in regards to men, he said. It doesnt keep me up at night, but its definitely frustrating. According to The Kissing Booth star, even on set he isnt free from the attention on his appearance, as he noted that there have been times where hes been objectified while hes been getting changed. Youll go to a shoot and youll be getting changed or something, and someones like: Oooaaah, would you look? Can you imagine if I said to a woman: Daaaaamn, look at your waist! the star said, adding that he would never do that but believes other people feel comfortable doing so because they see it on their screens. While Elordi said that he isnt seriously concerned by the global focus on his looks, he did note that the effect it may eventually have on his self-worth worries him, as he acknowledged that its a slippery slope to put all your value into the vanity of what your body looks like as your body is going to deteriorate. This is not the first time Elordi has opened up about the issue he has with the focus being on his appearance, as he previously revealed that he was bothered by the attention on his body in the first of the three The Kissing Booth films. Story continues Prior to filming, the Australian actor had implemented a rigorous fitness regime because it said it in the script, he told Mens Health in July 2020, and because he wanted to live up to the expectations for his character. However, the subsequent attention on his body, both on-screen during shirtless scenes, and from fans of the films, really bothered him, as everyone wanted to talk about my body. At the time, I was super young and got thrown into a world where everyone wanted to talk about my bodyit really f***ing bothered me, he revealed. I dont identify with that whatsoever. I was trying to prove myself and be known as an actor. While speaking with the outlet, Elordi noted that he had since found a more functional workout regime that prioritised his mental and physical health and better suited him, as it aligned with his goal to walk and run with my grandkids when Im eighty-something. A jury found prominent Harvard chemistry and engineering professor Charles Lieber guilty of lying to federal investigators regarding his reception of Chinese funding for research projects. The Justice Department accused Lieber, a nanoscience specialist, in January 2020 of concealing his involvement with Chinas thousand talents program, a government-funded initiative meant to foster scientific research. On Tuesday the jury in his trial found Lieber guilty of all six resulting charges, including two counts each of making false statements to investigators, failure to report a foreign bank account, and filing a false tax return. Liebers defense team maintained that the professors actions were careless and not criminal in nature. If there was a Nobel Prize for inventing something out of nothing, the governments case would win it, Liebers lawyer Marc Mukasey told jurors. Video recordings of meetings with investigators showed Lieber explaining that he was paid in cash in China and held a bank account with over $200,000, although he did not end up using the money because he didnt believe it was the right thing. Prosecutors displayed evidence that Lieber signed a thousand talents agreement with the Wuhan University of Technology, and received up to $50,000 a month in salary. Under the Trump administration, the Justice Department began a number of investigations into scientists receiving funding while working at American college campuses. More from National Review Good afternoon and welcome to This Just In. I'm Mike McDermott, managing editor of The Providence Journal. As of this afternoon, most K-12 schools in Rhode Island are on holiday break. A big salute and thank-you to the teachers, and students, who have gotten through these last few months. And while things are likely to be choppy for a while, we all hope that this school year can get back to something resembling normal before it ends. I didn't have a COVID numbers update in yesterday's newsletter because the Department of Health data were delayed. So here is the data for the last two days, combined: 17 COVID-related deaths, and 2,826 additional cases, along with 41,424 negative tests, for a 6.4% positive rate. There were 276 COVID-positive patients in Rhode Island hospitals at last count, with 39 in intensive care. It's been difficult to make sense of the Health Department data this week the state added a large number of "reinfections" from the past as new cases, and the hospitalization number seemed to have fallen early this week, but was later revised back upward. The hospitalization number is now about the same as it was a week ago, while new cases over the last seven days are also flat from a week ago, and up 19% from two weeks ago. For the second week in a row, Foster had the highest COVID infection rate in the state last week, followed by Johnston and Coventry. With demand soaring entering the holidays, Rhode Island opened two more rapid-testing sites. The available appointments were snapped up quickly. Lifespan announced today that it will require proof of vaccination for most hospital visitors, starting Monday. Nearly 50 years ago, when Dick Fossa first ran for the Town Council in North Providence, he did it reluctantly, only after a hard sell by the former mayor Sal Mancini. A half-century later, Fossa has never left the political game. Now chief of staff to the current mayor, Charlie Lombardi, Fossa has no plans to retire, even at age 85. Recently he spent time with The Journal's Tom Mooney to talk about his remarkable career, so far including that time he did the nearly impossible by upstaging Buddy Cianci. Story continues House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi reports that Rhode Island lawmakers are closer than ever to granting driver's licenses to people who are not in the country legally. Marking the end to one of the state's saddest cases of child neglect, a judge sentenced Michele Rothgeb to 18 years in prison in the death of her adopted daughter and the mistreatment of other children in her care. The owners of the East Side culinary institution Chez Pascal are selling their restaurant and moving to Singapore. Finally, if you like to read about holiday traditions, some of Gail Ciampa's loyal readers shared their food-centric memories of Christmases past. Have a great night. And remember, if you enjoy This Just In, please encourage a friend to sign up. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: The remarkable political career of North Providence's Dick Fossa The students love their new gender-neutral uniform but conservative groups are upset A row has broken out in the southern Indian state of Kerala after a government school allowed teenage female students to wear trousers. The BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi and Ashraf Padanna in Kerala explain the controversy over clothes. On Wednesday morning, when Sringi CK waited at the bus stop to catch a bus to school in her brand new uniform, a compliment from an unknown woman made her feel special. "This lady told me that I looked very smart and I felt very proud," the 17-year-old, who studies in class 11 at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School in the town of Balussery, told the BBC. But once Sringi reached school, she had to make her way through a throng of protesters - kept in check by dozens of policemen - who were unhappy that girls could now wear trousers and shirts, just like the boys. Until the changeover, female students wore traditional long tunics, loose fitting trousers and waistcoats. School principal Indu R told the BBC that last year girls, who are now in class 12, suggested they should be allowed to wear the same uniform as the boys. She said she saw merit in their proposal since "most of our students wear jeans and tops outside like teenage girls anywhere else in the world" and the waistcoat was not suited for Kerala's humid weather. "So we discussed it with the staff and then called a meeting of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). The majority agreed so we decided to switch," Mrs Indu said. "Only one or two parents expressed concern about the gender-neutral uniform and we told them that girls could wear longer shirts with full sleeves, they could wear a headscarf and even the waistcoat if they wanted. "But very few girls have chosen them," she added. Mrs Indu sent the BBC photos of a group of students in their new uniform, taking selfies, doing fist bumps, laughing and literally jumping for joy. Story continues Conservative Muslim groups are opposed to the new uniform for girls Sringi, who's part of the group, says she loves her new uniform because it's "very comfortable" and allows her to be "very flexible". "Ours is the first government higher secondary school that's gone for the unisex uniform. I feel like I'm part of a revolution," she adds. The uniform change has the blessings of the Kerala government. "The dress code and the entire system of schooling should change with the times," Education Minister V Sivankutty told the BBC. "We hope more schools will join the initiative to create awareness among teenage students against gender discrimination early." But the new uniform has not gone down well with conservative Muslim groups who say their children are being "forced" to wear the new outfits. "The decision was taken without calling a general body meeting of the PTA and now our girls are being forced to wear trousers and shirts like boys. It's also a huge financial burden on poorer families," said Mujahid Balussery, a member of the Muslim Coordination Committee against unisex uniforms. But a bigger concern for Mr Balussery is his belief that a uniform change is part of the state's Communist government "agenda to impose their atheistic ideology on children" which he says will lead them astray. "We cannot compromise on our faith," he says. "Girls and boys must keep their distinctive identities. Allowing girls to dress up like boys is like initiating them into free sex. It will lead to sexual liberation by ending gender differentiation." Similar comments by other Muslim religious groups in the past week have evoked sharp criticism from many in Kerala and the rest of India, with critics saying it is an attempt by orthodox groups to impose restrictions on girls. Kerala is often described as India's most literate and progressive state. It's often cited as the only state in the country that has achieved 100% literacy. Girls make up 48.96% of total student enrolments in schools and a majority go on to acquire university degrees. The previous school uniform was different for boys and girls But critics say deep-rooted misogyny makes Kerala as patriarchal as the rest of India. Principal Indu says the fuss over the new uniform is especially surprising since female students in many private schools in Kerala already wear trousers, and a government junior school had switched to unisex uniforms for younger children in 2018. The idea behind introducing the new uniform, she says, is only "gender neutrality". "From the time children are born, we differentiate between boys and girls - we buy them different toys, boys get guns and cars while girls get dolls, boys are dressed in blue while girls wear pink, and as they grow, their shoes and clothes become different too. "But I think if girls feel more comfortable and confident in trousers and shirts, then they should be allowed to wear them. I feel all children should be given the same freedoms and same opportunities." The owners of a now-defunct Key West staffing agency were charged by federal prosecutors this week with conspiring to facilitate the hiring of more than 100 undocumented workers by area bars, restaurants and hotels and to withhold income and employment taxes. One of the owners, Igor Kasyanenko, was a decorated Key West police officer at the time the alleged crimes were committed, federal prosecutors say. Another owner and an employee are also charged with knowingly providing Keys businesses with workers they knew or had reason to believe were not authorized to work in the United States, according to the Dec. 20 charging document. Phoenix ADB Services owners Kasyanenko and Roman Riabov face a maximum five-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine if convicted on a charge each of conspiracy to defraud the United States. And, Phoenix owner Mikus Berzins and employee Andrejs Kozlovs face the same sentence on a charge each of knowingly hiring at least 10 aliens. Riabov, Berzins and Kozlovs could not be reached for comment. A voicemail to a cell phone listed to a realty practice operated by Kasyanenko was not returned. The U.S. Attorneys Office did not immediately respond to a question asking if the men were taken into custody. The men were charged by an information brought by federal prosecutors, not by a grand jury. According to the charging document, Berzins, Kasyanenko and Riabov owned and operated Phoenix from October 2014 to October 2020. Kozlovs worked for the firm from August 2016 to October 2020. The charging document states that Kasyanenko and Riabov entered into written contracts and verbal agreements with hotels, bars and restaurants in Key West and elsewhere to provide labor staffing services. Prosecutors say the clients knew or had reason to believe that the workers Phoenix provided werent authorized to work in the U.S. and that federal income and employment taxes were not being withheld from their gross wages. Story continues Berzins and Kozlovs are accused of helping various hospitality businesses not named in the information hire dozens of workers whom all involved knew were not authorized to work in the country. Kasyanenko resigned from the Key West Police Department on July 25 after having worked there for seven years, according to police spokeswoman Alyson Crean. He received a department commendation in August 2018, along with two colleagues, for stopping a 17-year-old boy from committing suicide by jumping off the roof of the Habana Plaza earlier that year. While one officer distracted the boy, Kasyanenko and another officer climbed onto the roof, sneaked up behind him and grabbed him before he could jump, according to the commendation. Before he left, he was making $77,343 a year. While with KWPD, he was given written reprimands in January 2016 and in April 2016. The one in April was reduced from a 12-hour suspension from disciplinary action on Jan. 15, 2016. Case reports were not available Tuesday, Crean said. He received counseling from a supervisor three times in 2015, but details were not available either on Tuesday. Kasyanenko also has an active real estate broker license in Florida that was issued in 2020, according to the state license search website. House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi in his State House office. Rhode Island lawmakers appear closer than ever to granting driver's licenses to people not in the country legally and making big investments in housing affordability. Those issues, along with marijuana legalization, should be on the agenda when the General Assembly returns next year, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi told The Journal in a wide-ranging interview previewing the year ahead. That's if the COVID-19 pandemic doesn't derail the start of next year's legislative session. 'Heartbreaking milestone': RI COVID deaths hit 3,000 as Gov. Dan McKee tries to combat COVID surge Shekarchi on Tuesday said he expects the House will convene in the State House in January and not move to a venue with more space and better ventilation, something he did last year and the Senate is considering again as infections rise. While Shekarchi hopes his members wear masks, with Republicans objecting to Gov. Dan McKee's mask mandate, he is not requiring it. Shekarchi said in the House floor lawmakers will have to wear a mask only if they are unvaccinated, as would be the case in a business holding 250 or fewer people. Any unvaccinated lawmakers will be asked to sit upstairs in one of the two House galleries a floor above the chamber. The other gallery will be reserved for House members who don't feel comfortable being around mask-less colleagues. "We'll ask, and if they are vaccinated, they don't have to wear a mask," Shekarchi said. "If they don't want to tell us we will ask them politely to go to the gallery." 'Now is the time to act': Opening day for Rhode Island's latest masking mandate On the first day back in session, the House, like the Senate, expects to vote on spending $119 million in federal American Rescue Plan money and likely override more than one of McKee's summer vetoes. McKee vetoed three bills in July and Shekarchi said the House is seriously considering a three-fifths override vote on two of them. Story continues RI towns are in for a big payday: Here's how your town's spending COVID-relief money. One involves auto-body shop mark-ups and would declare an insurer guilty of an "unfair claims practice" for ''refusing to compensate an auto body shop for their documented charges'' for paint, body and refinishing materials if they reflect automotive industry-recognized costs. A second veto facing an override called for a registry of short-term rentals through websites such as Airbnb and VRBO. The call for a short-term rentals database originated on tourist-heavy Aquidneck Island with the support of municipal leaders and residents who feel neighborhood streets are being transformed into hotel districts. Immigrant licenses After years of unsuccessful lobbying by immigrant-rights advocates, the Senate for the first time in June passed a bill that would allow the issuance of driver's licenses to people living in Rhode Island who are "unable to establish legal presence in the United States." But the House had already passed the state budget and didn't take up the issue on the grounds that the Division of Motor Vehicles would have no way to pay for the program. On Tuesday, Shekarchi said the initial license program had cost $7 million, but by charging more for those licenses than for a traditional driver's license, "we can work that down to a more reasonable number." He said the state is looking at a permit system based on what is issued in Virginia. "The Virginia model spells out what the driver's license does and does not do," Shekarchi said. "It cannot be used for voting and for things other than a driver's license, no naturalization rights." Affordable housing Asked how he thinks the state should spend the bulk of the $1.1 billion the state got from the American Rescue Plan, Shekarchi said that will be worked out through the normal House budget process that typically ends in June. The one other thing he said about the money is that Rhode Islanders should expect some of it will go to housing, one of his long-time policy interests. And the House might go further on housing than just new spending. Shekarchi is looking at overhauling the state's land-use laws. "The zoning laws need to be looked at," he said. "They are impediments to affordable housing. Everyone wants affordable housing, but no one wants it in their back yard." Specifically, Shekarchi said potential reforms include stricter enforcement of the law requiring that 10% of a community's homes be affordable and making it easier to convert factories, schools and other properties to housing. And he is not ruling out more radical changes, like California's legalization of "accessory dwelling units" on residential properties, effectively getting rid of pure single-family zoning. "It is something that needs to be looked at," he said. 'Superman Building' Shekarchi said the owner of Rhode Island's tallest building, Providence's vacant Industrial Trust Building, has not asked the House for anything to help renovate the building. More: Should Providence buy the 'Superman building'? But Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor in September told Shekarchi he thinks a deal might be made to convert the tower to apartments and offices using existing programs. RI Foundation: Use federal COVID aid to build homes, not to fix Superman Building Shoreline access Shekarchi anticipated legislation would emerge from a study led by Rep. Terri Cortvriend, and he said it's the kind of effort that has produced a lot of "misinformation." Among the false issues he cited: that strangers would be able to set up their beach chairs and umbrellas in the backyards of waterfront homeowners, or sue for "slip-and-fall" injuries if allowed to exercise their constitutionally given right to shoreline access. Commission seeks clarity: How much of RI's shoreline is the public entitled to? Nursing homes While not ruling out a "possible delay in all or part" of the new minimum-staffing requirements lawmakers imposed earlier this year on nursing homes, Shekarchi said legislative action may not be necessary. He said the new law gives "a lot of latitude to the director of the Department of Health," who can declare the severe staffing shortage across much of the state's medical landscape including the nursing homes as an "unforeseen event." "Maybe it's a delay of the penalties,'' or something else, he said. "We are working with the industry ... [and] our partners in government in the Senate. I also will talk to my members as well." Marijuana After negotiating all summer and fall with McKee and Senate leaders, Shekarchi again said an agreement on legalizing recreational marijuana is close and he expects to release a framework plan next month. The sticking point has been whether a Senate-approved commission or the Department of Business Regulation will issue licenses; Shekarchi said talks are centered on a "hybrid" model, but would not elaborate. What's next for pot in New England in 2022: VT sales starting, MA equity issues, RI says it's close and more. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI closer to driver's licenses for people not in the country legally Tiktok lawyer begs followers to stop inundating him with confessions (Screengrab/ TikTok/@loloverruled) A lawyer on TikTok is begging followers who see him as their attorney to not share their legal problems with him on TikTok. Alex Peter, known on TikTok as @loloverruled, shared a video on TikTok on Sunday telling users that he was not their defence attorney. I need to tell you something that is happening to me. Because a lot of you are saying that I am your defence attorney. I am not your defence attorney. I am not, he said. I know its funny, but I am scared you guys are going to get me in trouble. And you keep adding me in videos. And sometimes other people arent seeing these videos. But I am seeing these videos. And theyre saying their crimes. Stop doing that. I am not your lawyer, he said. Mr Peter, who has over 580,000 followers, has made multiple videos sharing legal rights citizens have, including the right to remain silent and the right to have an attorney. His followers appear to see him as their counsel and refer to him in their comments as our lawyer, which had led Mr Peter to implore them to stop. His followers though have doubled down after Sundays video and have commented claiming more legal problems. Most of the followers, however, are likely joking. Mr Peter has made a series of videos making fun of his plight on the video sharing platform. Youre not just A criminal defence attorney. Youre OUR criminal defence attorney, wrote one user, prompting Mr Peter to make a video of the comment with a bemused expression on his face and The Red Army Choir playing in the background. In one video, Mr Peter has put a caption on himself that read: Going to law school at my dream school and getting into a career in public defence so I can help people in tough situations. Story continues People asking if they can take ducks from the park, read the second caption, referring to one of the questions he had received on TikTok. Is it illegal to take ducks from a park? Also do you want to see my totally not stolen park ducks? a follower had asked Mr Peter, of which he made a video of himself pouring a bottle of vodka as the theme music from Stanley Kubricks horror classic The Shining plays in the background. His followers however, have not given in to his pleas to stop sharing their legal problems and continued to comment on the video with jokes. Answer the question lawboy, wrote one user named Jenna. Another user called Nik commented, Okay if not ducks.... squirrels? Squirrels fight dirty, so I need them for my fight club. That has to be legal, right? Mr Peter said that while the situation was funny, he will continue to tell users to stop sharing their legal woes on TikTok. I have made it very clear to everyone that while I am a lawyer, I am not their lawyer, and the things they write online are for public consumption, he told viral content aggregator The Daily Dot. I think its very clear its a big joke, like when people admit to doing absurd thingslike pouring their milk before they poured their cereal, assassinating Abraham Lincoln, or doing some crime at a place that doesnt exist before that person was even born (thinking about the infamous Applebees incident in Dunwich, Oklahoma). But as always I would reiterate: I am NOT your attorney and I also think its generally a bad idea to post that kind of stuff online, even in jest. I hope they stop doing it! Despite his pleas, his fanbase appear to adore him and have helped him obtain supplies for social workers after the lawyer dropped an Amazon wish list. He shared a video thanking them for their kindness with the caption Incredible kindness. QuikTrip is among the new-to-OKC brands coming to the metro area in 2022. The Oklahoma City Council on Tuesday approved a zoning request to allow for the city's first QuikTrip truck stop location. The Tulsa-based convenience store chain will set up shop at 4000 E Hefner Road, with the property planned along the southwest corner of the nearby Interstate 35 Service Road and Hefner Road. "This solidifies it is coming, and it is a QuikTrip right by Frontier City. I don't know about y'all, but I'm excited about it," said Ward 7 Councilwoman Nikki Nice during the final hearing for the proposal Tuesday morning. "They assured me they plan on being good neighbors for their first store in Oklahoma City." QuikTrip, Costco, or maybe Buc'ees?: Here's a look at new stores coming to OKC in 2022 Rendering of the planned QuikTrip truck stop to be located along Hefner Road and Interstate 35 Service Road. With a unanimous vote, absent Ward 3 Councilwoman Barbara Young and Ward 5 Councilman David Greenwell, the council approved the planned unit development district designation for the location, which will house one of the chain's larger stores meant for heavier traffic. "QuikTrip Corp. has been focused on expanding the footprint of our travel center network to geographies with strong truck traffic across the United States. We are excited to consider Oklahoma City as a potential market for our remote travel center concept, Aisha Jefferson-Smith, QuikTrips corporate communications manager, told The Oklahoman in September before plans were announced. The company still has no plans to add additional, smaller convivence stores in the metro area. At this time it is unclear when construction of the truck stop is expected to begin or be completed. Previously: QuikTrip considers Oklahoma City for travel center expansion The new truck stop location will be located near Frontier City and will serve nearby highway traffic. The chain has 900 locations across the country, with 81 in Oklahoma, but dating back to the company's origins has never opened a store in Oklahoma City. Over the years the reason for QuikTrip's absence from the city has been attributed to a saturated convenience store market and what some believe to be a longstanding agreement between Bill Brown, former owner of Oklahoma City 7-Eleven locations, and QuikTrip co-founder Chester Cadieux. Story continues While there is no evidence of an official agreement, or that of a "gentlemen's agreement," in 2019 former QuikTrip spokesman Mike Thornbrugh chalked up the decision to stay away from Oklahoma City as "old school respect." In a 2014 story in the Tulsa World, Cadieux said Brown gave him business advice and helped him during the early stages of QuikTrip's existence. If it wasn't for Brown, we wouldn't be in business, Cadieux said. As long as Brown's family owns those stores, it would be unconscionable to open there. The Brown family sold its local 7-Eleven stores in January 2020. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC's first QuikTrip gas station gets zoning approval The Newark man charged with stabbing a woman in Belleville last month was identified by his child in a statement to police, records show. Termaine Pines, 48, of Newark, was arrested Sunday at a Trenton homeless shelter. He was charged with attempted murder, burglary, aggravated assault and weapons offenses, related to a home invasion and bloody attack on Nov. 20 in a Van Rensselaer Street home. The victim, a 54-year-old woman who lived in the building with her mother, arrived at the house and allegedly found Pines inside. He attacked her, leaving her bloodied and calling for help as he fled, prosecutors have said. The mother was found dead inside the house. A medical examiner has not yet determined the manner and cause of the older woman's death. In a statement given to detectives one week after the incident, the child identified Pines in a surveillance video still, according to the affidavit of probable cause. The child also confirmed that Pines was their father. Essex County: Cedar Grove survey asked students to reveal gender identity. NJ says it violated laws North Jersey: NJ senator did not have alcohol in system after DWI, but unidentified 'other drugs' found On the day of the stabbing, when officers responded to the victim's apartment, they found her a block away on Howard Place, bloodied from the attack and she warned them her mother may still be inside the apartment. Police entered to find her 84-year-old mother unresponsive inside a bedroom. She was declared dead at the scene. Surveillance video captured a dark sedan, which was later identified as Pines', parked nearby on Cleveland Street, police said in the affidavit. Video also showed Pines walking toward the Van Rensselaer home an hour before the incident, though footage captured by camera across the street did not show Pines walking past the address, according to the affidavit. Pines remains in custody pending his first appearance in court. Currently he is only facing charges for the attack on the daughter as prosecutor's await the cause of death of the 84-year-old mother. Story continues Liam Quinn is a breaking news reporter for NorthJersey.com. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter. Email: quinnl@northjersey.com Twitter: @Liam_D_Quinn This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Belleville NJ stabbing suspect was identified by own child, police say A 32-year-old man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after being convicted of murder in connection with a 2013 robbery-turned-shooting in Wilmington that killed one man and injured another. A New Castle County jury found Anthony Dale guilty of two counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted murder for the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Tony Berry at Printz Convenience Market on June 7, 2013. Dale, whose convictions carry a life sentence, will be sentenced in March. Dale and Maleke Brittingham were named as suspects in the murder in 2019, six years after the shooting. By the time the two were named as suspects, the shooting had been deemed a cold case, Wilmington police said. BACKGROUND: Wilmington police arrest 2 in 2013 convenience store homicide cold case According to Wilmington police and the Delaware Department of Justice, on the day of the shooting, police responded to the convenience store, located in the 2700 block of Northeast Blvd. and found Berry, a store clerk, shot twice. The state justice department said Dale, Brittingham and another man were attempting to rob the store when Berry tried to stop them. During the struggle, Dale killed Berry, while another man shot another store clerk three times. The second clerk lived but was initially listed in critical condition. According to his obituary, Berry left three children behind. He came from a large family with 10 siblings and at least eight nieces at the time of his death. On Wednesday, Attorney General Kathy Jennings weighed in on the conviction, saying she was "deeply grateful" for those who "are fighting gun violence each day. READ: Man pleads guilty in Wilmington murder cold case There are few matters as pressing or essential as addressing the devastation of gun violence in our communities, Jennings said. Brittingham pleaded guilty in June 2020 to a single count of second-degree murder. The original charges of attempted murder and first-degree murder were dropped, court documents showed. Got a story tip or idea? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@delawareonline.com. For all things breaking news, follow her on Twitter at @izzihughes_ This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Man convicted of murder for 2013 double shooting in Wilmington WASHINGTON Sen. Mitch McConnell is extending an open invitation to Sen. Joe Manchin come on over to our side. McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, said Tuesday that he was astonished by the angry response that Manchin, D-W.Va., elicited from the White House and his fellow Democrats with his Sunday bombshell that he would oppose President Joe Bidens signature domestic policy bill. The Senate, McConnell noted, is an institution where the most important vote is the next one, leaving the Republican leader perplexed as to what drove Democrats to impugn Manchins integrity by accusing him of reneging on commitments to the president. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times Why in the world would they want to call him a liar and try to hotbox him and embarrass him? McConnell, who is just one Senate seat away from regaining the majority leader title, asked in an interview. I think the message is, We dont want you around. Obviously that is up to Joe Manchin, but he is clearly not welcome on that side of the aisle. It is hardly a secret, McConnell said, that he has wooed Manchin for years, only to have Manchin, a lifelong Democrat, resist. And Manchin this week said he hoped there was still a place for him in the party. Despite his break with Biden over the sprawling safety net and climate change bill, Manchin would not be an exact fit for the Republican Party. He is closer to Republicans than Democrats on some flashpoint cultural issues like guns and abortion. But he has a more expansive view than most Republicans of the role of government in social and economic policy. And in both of former President Donald Trumps impeachment trials, Manchin voted to convict. But McConnell seemed to see the clash over the spending measure as potentially providing a new opening for a party switch that would both restore him as majority leader and shift the ground in Washington. And he is also not against stirring up trouble for Democrats however and whenever he can. Story continues Obviously we would love to have him on our team, said McConnell. I think hed be more comfortable. McConnells appeal to Manchin came as the Republican leader celebrated the year coming to a close without Democrats advancing two of their most ambitious priorities: legislation to bolster voting rights and the sprawling domestic policy bill that McConnell characterized as part of a socialist surge that has captured the other side. Considering how Republicans began 2021 in the minority in Congress, a newly elected Democrat poised to move into the White House and a public worn down by a pandemic and alarmed by an assault on the Capitol McConnell and his colleagues say they have had a successful year. In some respects, it was all the things they did not do that may have served them best. They did not maneuver themselves into shutting down the government as they have in the past despite demands from the right that they never work with Biden. And they did not allow the government to default, with McConnell providing Democrats a circuitous path to raising the debt ceiling. Either could have created a backlash for Republicans. We had a good deal of drama, McConnell said about the high-wire act over the debt ceiling, but in the end, we got the job done. As Democrats spent months trying to hammer out the huge policy bill among themselves, Republicans were relegated to the sidelines. McConnell said Democrats inability to come together on it so far reflected a misreading of the 2020 elections, when voters gave them the White House but bare majorities in both the Senate and the House. They did not have a mandate to do anything close to what they tried to do, said McConnell, suggesting that progressive ideology overcame their judgment. The decision by McConnell and other Republicans to help Democrats write and pass a separate, $1 trillion public works bill was, McConnell said, a smart one, even though Republican supporters of the measure took heat from others in the party, notably Trump. McConnell said that applying pressure to keep the policy bill separate from the infrastructure measure denied Democratic leaders leverage over Manchin, who helped negotiate the infrastructure measure, while delivering a bipartisan bill that met legitimate needs. He said that Trump and other Republican critics had been proven wrong. I think it was a much smarter play to support the infrastructure bill, he said. I think it was, A, good for the country, and B, smart for us politically. Democrats have not given up on either the social policy bill or winning over Manchin, meaning McConnell and Senate Republicans will have to maintain their campaign against the legislation into the new year. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the majority leader, also intends to press forward with voting rights measures fiercely opposed by McConnell and is threatening to try to change Senate rules if Republicans try to filibuster it again. Democrats say McConnell is being complicit in allowing some states to impose new voting restrictions meant to target voters of color, a charge he rejects, saying that the impact of the new laws is being exaggerated. He said he was relying on Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., who recently reaffirmed her opposition to changing filibuster rules, to hold steady. Kyrsten Sinema has been quite unequivocal that she is not going to break the Senate and eliminate the legislative filibuster, he said. Thank goodness for that. One area where Biden and Senate Democrats have posted some victories is on judicial confirmations, with 40 judges being seated in the presidents first year, a number well in excess of other recent presidents. It is a subject of special interest to McConnell, since he spent the Trump era pushing conservative judges through the Senate. Look, theres some advantages to having the White House, he said. Im not surprised, but the three Supreme Court justices and the 54 circuit judges we did are still there and I think will be good for the country for a long time to come. McConnell said he believed his partys performance this year and the struggles of the Democrats were setting Republicans up for a strong midterm election next year and his potential return to running the Senate no matter what party Manchin is in. Despite Trumps efforts to encourage candidates he favors in key Senate races, McConnell said he was intent on avoiding the type of primary contests that in the past have hurt Republicans by saddling them with primary winners who falter in general elections. I feel good about how we handled ourselves this year and I feel good about how the American public is reacting to what they are trying to do, he said of the Democrats. I believe it will be an excellent environment for us. 2021 The New York Times Company Pennsylvania Republican David McCormick is drawing support from alumni of the Trump administration and allies of the former president ahead of the expected launch of his Senate campaign. Among those advising McCormick are Hope Hicks, who worked both on former President Trump's 2016 campaign and in his White House; and Stephen Miller and Cliff Sims, who were both high-profile staffers in the previous administration. Other prominent Trump alumni, including former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and former press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, are also supportive of McCormick's expected bid, according to a source familiar with the matter. The source also said McCormick is consolidating support among prominent Pennsylvania politicos, including Christine Toretti, a Republican National Committee member from the state; David Urban, a lobbyist who also has ties to Trump; former Pennsylvania GOP Chair Robert Gleason; lawyer Jim Schultz; and strategist Mike DeVanny. The source noted not all of those people would be paid advisers to McCormick's campaign but will back him in some capacity. "What this shows is that the campaign will have a veteran team of advisers with deep Pennsylvania roots and national reputations," the person said. The group of Trump allies supporting McCormick was first reported by Politico. McCormick himself has ties to the Trump administration. He was considered for various jobs in the Treasury and Defense Departments and his wife, Dina Powell, served as Trump's deputy national security adviser. The news indicates McCormick, a former hedge fund executive, is likely angling his campaign around his support for Trump and his policies, though it's unclear how eager the former president is to get involved in the race after his endorsed candidate, Sean Parnell, dropped out following allegations of domestic abuse by his estranged wife and a lost custody battle. McCormick is far from the only one to employ a Trump-centered strategy - candidates from Ohio to Wyoming to Arizona to Alaska have tapped strategists in the former president's orbit in an apparent attempt to curry favor with Mar-a-Lago. Story continues But the stakes are particularly high in Pennsylvania, where the race to replace retiring Sen. Pat Toomey (R) is anticipated to be among the most hotly contested in the country and thought to be key in determining which party controls the Senate. McCormick moved closer to a Senate bid Monday when he formally filed paperwork to form an exploratory committee to look into a run. He is expected to launch his bid in January, and would be joining a crowded GOP field. Businessman Jeff Bartos and former Ambassador to Denmark Carla Sands have stayed in the race, though they've struggled to gain traction, and surgeon and television celebrity Mehmet Oz jumped into the race last month. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, Rep. Conor Lamb, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Val Arkoosh and state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta are running in the Democratic primary. Five months after Jose Carlos Vazquez was abducted by suspected criminals, his family found his apparent remains on a hillside in northwestern Mexico on their first search attempt. Despite their grief, they are considered "lucky" by some relatives of the more than 95,000 people missing in the violence-ravaged country. Many relatives have spent years searching in vain for their loved ones, in stark contrast to the Vazquez family. Vazquez's mother Yadira and sister Andrea had joined Seekers for Peace, one of the groups looking for missing Mexicans, many of whom are presumed to be victims of drug-related violence. They had not heard from Vazquez since he was taken from his home in Magdalena de Kino in the state of Sonora, and feared the worst. The search site has been the scene of confrontations between criminal gangs, and the group was only able to access it with a military and police escort. After several hours looking they were about to give up when a member of the group found bones along with shorts, a T-shirt and a bank card believed to have belonged to Vazquez. His relatives had no doubt -- they had found his remains. "Oh, my son! The animals ate him!" his mother said when she saw bones believed to be those of the missing 28-year-old. Finding the remains of a loved one on the first attempt is highly unusual in Mexico, where many relatives accuse the authorities of not doing enough to help them. "It's sad to say, but how lucky that they recovered their son during the first search," Charlin Unger, another member of the group who is looking for her son, told AFP. Over the years, these collectives have developed forensic skills as they often work without support from the authorities. They have learned how to use picks and shovels to carefully dig for bones and even recognize the stench from bodies buried in clandestine graves. "It was their first search and in that first search to find your loved one and in those conditions, it's something that hurts our soul," said group leader Cecilia Delgado. Now the Vazquez family is awaiting the result of a DNA test so they claim the remains and hold a funeral. str/yug/dr/bgs Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley speaks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the conclusion of military operations in Afghanistan and plans for future counterterrorism operations, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley on Wednesday spoke with his Russian counterpart amid heightened tensions over Moscow's military presence at its border with Ukraine. Milley spoke by telephone with Chief of Russian General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov to discuss "regional security-related issues of concern," according to a readout of the call. "The phone call is a continuation of communication between both leaders to ensure risk reduction and operational de-confliction. In accordance with past practice, both have agreed to keep the specific details of their conversation private," the U.S. military said in the statement. Russia has amassed roughly 100,000 troops at its border with Ukraine, sparking warnings from Western world leaders that Russia may move to invade the former Soviet state. Russia has so far denied it is planning an invasion, and insists its forces are there in response to military moves by NATO which it claims are threatening. Last week, Russia released draft security agreements demanding that the U.S. and NATO give legally binding guarantees that it will stop expanding further eastward, specifically by denying membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet bloc nations. Moscow also wants Western officials to promise that certain weapons would not be deployed to countries neighboring Russia. The United States, meanwhile, has promised a "very meaningful and massive response" by Washington and its allies should Russia commit "renewed acts of aggression," likely referring to the Kremlin's 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. "We've seen plans that Russia has to commit renewed acts of aggression against Ukraine that it could implement on very short order," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby also on Tuesday said the U.S. continues "to see a significant force presence near and around the Ukraine border" which "continues to be concerning." Story continues "We still don't know the full intent here. And there's no indication that [Russian President Vladimir Putin] has made a decision one way or another," Kirby told reporters. In an attempt to use diplomatic channels to quell the unrest, U.S., Russian and NATO officials are planning talks in January. Moscow will also start separate negotiations with NATO in January, per Reuters. BOSTON After hosting an oversight hearing that top state health officials skipped, high-ranking lawmakers are now calling on Gov. Charlie Baker to consider a menu of pandemic management options, including quarantine and isolation shelters and a pause on school mask mandate exemptions. Baker on Tuesday introduced an advisory recommending masking in indoor public places, outlined plans to have the National Guard assist the health care sector, and put a pause on non-essential, elective procedures at many hospitals. But the governor also said people should move ahead with holiday plans, citing gains made in the virus fight and encouraging anyone who is eligible to join the millions who have received COVID-19 vaccinations. State Rep. William Driscoll, D-Milton In a Tuesday letter to Baker, Joint Committee on COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness Co-chairs Sen. Jo Comerford of Northampton and Rep. William Driscoll of Milton expressed support for the National Guard call-up but expressed concerns about numerous issues based on testimony they received last week. "We have found ourselves in the mid-holiday season with increasingly high COVID transmission rates, along with at or near capacity hospitals throughout the state. We are still learning about the delta variant and navigating its surge, and now the emerging omicron variant could have monumental impacts given its potential increased transmissibility," they wrote. More: Need a COVID booster shot? Here are upcoming clinics, vaccine sites on the South Shore They said Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, founding director of Boston University's Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy & Research, "reminded us that even if those who have been vaccinated generally become less ill with the virus, with exponential growth driven by omicron we could see real system destabilization due to surging numbers of critical patients, among them the unvaccinated and others in the minority of vaccinated patients who have comorbidities. Story continues "Given the spike in COVID cases within congregate care settings, it is imperative that the administration open quarantine and isolation shelters across the commonwealth," they wrote. "It is our understanding that there are critical, emergent capacity issues which threaten public health." The lawmakers expressed alarm about the "potential for the situation to further deteriorate in the coming weeks, despite having a highly vaccinated population" and asked Baker to "urgently and more clearly define the details of a surge-related plan with specific goals regarding tests, vaccinations, boosters and hospital capacity thresholds." More: Quincy, Brockton, Rockland, Randolph to get free home COVID tests Citing the feedback they received at their Dec. 16 hearing, they recommended adoption of "temporary and durable steps," including: Reinstating a mask mandate for all indoor public spaces, an idea they said has "broad support among public health, hospitals and medical experts." Closing the race/ethnicity gap in pediatric vaccinations, an effort the lawmakers said should include coordination with local public health officials and "improved translation and explicit outreach efforts, as well as work to decrease the spread of misinformation." Setting public targets and timelines for booster shots. "Greater clarity is needed regarding how many booster shots or tests the state hopes to achieve daily or by other parameters," they wrote. Expanding in-school testing. "We ask that you strengthen the 'test and stay' program by including vaccinated students and also allowing those who have been exposed to COVID outside of a school context to qualify and participate," Comerford and Driscoll wrote. Pausing mask mandate exemptions for schools that have reached the vaccination goal until after January "or a period when transmission and trends are dropping precipitously week-over-week and greater hospital capacity exists." On Wednesday morning, Comerford and Sen. Cindy Friedman, the vice chair of the committee, issued a statement saying they were in concert with the calls from Senate President Karen Spilka for the Baker administration to take a more aggressive approach to omicron. Asked why the Legislature isn't stepping in to act, Comerford and Friedman said in a statement, "It is the governor's responsibility, through his executive powers, to put temporary measures in place to protect public health in an emergency, which in this case means mitigating the current impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in real time as the situation continues to evolve. That's why the Senate is advocating for the governor to do more immediately." This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Baker urged to take bolder steps as omicron coronavirus variant surges Common Council President Cavalier Johnson unveils a plan to curb reckless driving and make Milwaukee's streets safer during a press conference Tuesday at the Next Door Foundation on West Capitol Drive. Behind him, from left are, Assistant Milwaukee Police Chief Paul Formolo, Bob Gutierrez, South East Region Director at Wisconsin Department of Transportation, and Jordan Morales, the Sherman Park resident who constructed a makeshift traffic circle in his neighborhood to combat reckless driving. With the Milwaukee mayoral race heating up, Common Council President Cavalier Johnson on Tuesday announced the steps he plans to take to address reckless driving when he becomes acting mayor in the coming days. Johnson is one of eight candidates vying to fill the remainder of Mayor Tom Barrett's term when Barrett leaves to become ambassador to Luxembourg. Others in the race include Milwaukee County Sheriff Earnell Lucas, Ald. Marina Dimitrijevic, former Ald. Bob Donovan and state Rep. Daniel Riemer. Barrett's nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate last week and his departure is expected in the coming days so the Common Council can meet a Dec. 28 deadline to order a mayoral election in conjunction with the spring election cycle. Subscribe to our On Wisconsin Politics newsletter for the week's political news explained. He has not said exactly when he plans to resign, a move that will automatically make Johnson the city's acting mayor until voters elect their next executive. In a press conference Tuesday, Johnson said combatting reckless driving would be his top priority when he becomes acting mayor. "Residents are both rightfully terrified about the dangerous driving speeds and the reckless road behavior that has increased dramatically over the recent years, and that leaves them feeling scared to drive their vehicles, ride their bikes or even walk across the street at many intersections in the city of Milwaukee," he said. Johnson traced the city's reckless driving problem to vehicles that are easy to steal but also societal challenges that he said needed to be addressed through economic development and measures that create stability in residents' lives. He said while the city has taken steps to combat the problem, "clearly it has not been enough to move the needle." He rolled out a plan that he said would "immediately" address the driving crisis. And while he said the planning was underway before his move to the Mayor's Office appeared imminent, the new position will empower him to take action such as directing department heads. Story continues On his first day as acting mayor, he said, he will declare reckless driving a public safety crisis, meaning he will direct all departments to focus on the problem. While the Police Department's new Traffic Safety Unit has been out already, residents will notice in the coming months more efforts from the city's Department of Public Works to install permanent and temporary traffic-calming measures, he said. The plan's effectiveness will be evaluated and it will be adjusted over time by stakeholders including schools and police, Johnson said. He said his administration would work to put in place physical road improvements, better hold reckless drivers accountable and improve public education in conjunction with increased enforcement by police and bringing retired police investigators back to direct car theft investigations. Johnson also said he would push for a new policy to tow unlicensed and unregistered vehicles of reckless drivers and create a traffic coordinator position in the Mayor's Office to work with city departments, residents and businesses. He called for an "all hands on deck" approach to addressing the issue. "Today, if I were to assure you of one thing, it's that you have a leader coming into the Mayor's Office who recognizes the urgency of this crisis and who will work with all earnestness with each and every one of you in a multitude of ways to address our reckless driving scourge," he said. The plan got the approval of Sherman Park resident Jordan Morales, who recently took matters into his own hands with an improvised traffic circle that slowed drivers in his neighborhood. City and state leaders also said they were committed to working together on the issue. Assistant Police Chief Paul Formolo said police enforcement was just one piece of the needed response and that the department would work with other entities. City Office of Violence Prevention Director Arnitta Holliman said her department would work with organizations that serve youth to support programming and education that prevent young Milwaukeeans from getting into a reckless driving situation and support those who are moving away from that behavior. Contact Alison Dirr at 414-224-2383 or adirr@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter @AlisonDirr. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Common Council President Johnson shows reckless driving plan A new era is arriving in Milwaukee. Mayor Tom Barrett left office effective 5 p.m. Wednesday after 17 years at the city's helm, handing power to Common Council President Cavalier Johnson. In a news conference in the Mayor's Office at City Hall on Wednesday, he called being mayor the "biggest honor and privilege of my life" and said it was "surreal" to leave. "This is the hardest job Ive ever had in my life and it is the most rewarding job Ive had in my entire life," Barrett said before signing and handing his resignation letter to City Clerk Jim Owczarski. "I'm leaving this job filled with optimism for the future of this city." Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett signs paperwork formalizing the transition of authority to Common Council President Cavalier Johnson as Milwaukee City Clerk Jim Owczarski looks on during a press conference at Milwaukee City Hall on Wednesday. The announcement comes a week after the U.S. Senate confirmed Barrett as the next ambassador to Luxembourg. The announcement comes a week after the U.S. Senate confirmed Barrett as the next ambassador to Luxembourg, and he had been expected to resign from the city's top job before Dec. 28. Barrett's departure in the middle of his fifth term will mean Johnson becomes acting mayor until voters choose their next executive in a special election. Whoever is elected will serve out the remainder of Barrett's term, which ends in 2024. Subscribe to our On Wisconsin Politics newsletter for the week's political news explained. The council has a Dec. 28 deadline to order a special election to take place in conjunction with the Feb. 15 primary and April 5 spring election, saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars that would be needed if the election was held off the normal cycle. A special council meeting will take place Thursday to order the election on those already scheduled dates. Acting Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson enters the Mayor's Office as mayor for the first time moments after Tom Barrett's resignation became official Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021, at City Hall in Milwaukee, Wis. Johnson, as the Common Council president, became the acting mayor under the charter of the City of Milwaukee. Johnson is one of eight candidates who have filed to run to fill the remainder of Barrett's term. Others in the race include Milwaukee County Sheriff Earnell Lucas, Ald. Marina Dimitrijevic, former Ald. Bob Donovan and state Rep. Daniel Riemer. Other names in the mix are Michael Sampson, Nick McVey and Sheila Conley-Patterson. The race will be the first without Barrett in nearly two decades, and his departure will kick off a sprint to fill the job. Story continues Barrett was first elected mayor in 2004 after having been elected to the state Assembly in 1984, the state Senate in 1989 and Congress in 1992. On Wednesday, the outgoing mayor highlighted successes of his tenure, including the development of the Menomonee Valley, Reed Street Yards business park, places like the Pabst Brewery and "literally thousands of new housing units that have gone up over the last 15 years." Barrett called the last 21 months "extremely difficult," due to the pandemic, the isolation it created, and the unrest in the summer of 2020 following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. He also acknowledged the challenges the new mayor will face, including record homicides in the last two years despite years of declines leading up to the pandemic. Combating the rise in violence will require getting more funding for police officers, Barrett said. The city has seen its police force decline due to budget challenges in recent years, and Barrett has floated the idea of implementing a structure in which the state would help support public safety services in the city. "One of the challenges and one of the disappointments as I leave this job is our fiscal relationship with the State of Wisconsin. Without a doubt that has to be changed," he said. "I'm hoping that having a new face might enhance the chances that that will improve." He said he would be sworn in as ambassador at 9 a.m. Thursday at the federal courthouse by U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman. He anticipated he would depart for Luxembourg sometime next month. No oath is required for Johnson to become acting mayor, Owczarski said. He will have the powers of both mayor and council president but will be unable to vote on the council. Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. He told media as he walked to the Mayor's Office Wednesday evening that he was ready to lead the city. Contact Alison Dirr at 414-224-2383 or adirr@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter @AlisonDirr. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett resigns, handing reins to Cavalier Johnson It looks like a supersized pelican, bulbous head and wide wings on a slim fuselage topped with a gaping air intake for its Rolls-Royce AE3007H jet engine near a V-shaped tail. And as the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton flew in last week from California to its new home at Naval Station Mayport, one other thing was obvious to observers there's no cockpit for a pilot. That's because the Triton is an unmanned drone aircraft, flown remotely from a Naval Air Station Jacksonville operations center. The first of up to four planned for the VUP-19 drone squadron's new Mayport homeport, it will handle the Navy's East Coast surveillance and search-and-rescue operations. They also will be joined by 200 maintenance personnel at the Navy base to handle housing and maintenance, Cmdr. Brian Conlan said. The Blues: U.S. Navy Blue Angels scheduled to appear at 2023 Sea and Sky Airshow in Jacksonville Beach LCS: No new cash, but no decision on decommissioning 2 Mayport LCS after Senate defense vote The first of up to four new MQ-4C Triton drones ass igned to Naval Station Mayport, after flying in from California early Thursday. "This is the U.S. military's largest drone that we fly, and it's now homeported in Jacksonville, and that's the excitement for the local area," he said, with the 130.9-foot-wingspan drone behind him on the runway. "It will bring a number of folks I have had in California for the last couple of years to be homeported here as well to support," Conlan added. "It truly is at the forefront of naval aviation and the direction we are going with intelligence surveillance reconnaissance aircraft." Mayport beat out Naval Air Station Key West and the NASA Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Va., in 2017 to become the East Coast Forward Operating Base for the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System, according to the Navy. Unique aircraft with unique capabilities The 47.6-foot-long aircraft weighs just over 32,000 pounds fully fueled and can fly for more than 24 hours at altitudes higher than 10 miles, with an operational range of 9,430 miles, according to the Navy. Triton drones can survey 2.7 million square miles in a single mission, used for surveillance and search-and-rescues. Story continues The MQ-4C Triton drone has a huge 130.9-foot wingspan, a Rolls-Royce AE3007H jet engine behind that tall intake on the back. Conlan said it can "hang out for a long time" over what it is surveilling. "Manned aircraft are frequently encumbered by the altitudes we can get to as well as the time on target where we can stay," he said. "With the unmanned drone, we are no longer encumbered. We are all about endurance. We want to stay on top as long as possible, and the MQ-4C Triton enables us to do that." The unmanned, unarmed, remote-controlled aircraft provide tactical and strategic mission capabilities as part of the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force. The drones require a ground-based crew of five: remote pilot, tactical coordinator, a pair of mission payload operators and a signals intelligence coordinator. Mayport will operate a launch and recovery site for four drones as well as a maintenance hub for up to four more of the unmanned aircraft, according to the Navy. NAS Jacksonville is already the training hub for the drones and the home of the first operation squadron, VUP-19. VUP-19 squadron Cmdr. Brian Conlan talks about the new MQ-4C Triton drone behind him, just flown in Thursday to Naval Station Mayport. The morning flight from its California base was a "very small hint at its capability." "We are truly covering all 24 time zones," Conlan said, not getting specific about its surveillance capabilities that include a nose-mounted sensor pod. "... The nice thing is that because of the altitudes it attains, it allows us to peer a little bit further into places than we are accustomed to. It's going to have a lot of fancy stuff in it." The Navy selected Mayport after completing an environmental assessment to analyze the impact on the communities surrounding the three potential bases. Assessment results showed no significant environmental impact at any of the three locations, but the major factor in choosing Mayport was financial. U.S. Navy: New Task Group Greyhound hits the seas out of Mayport and Norfolk bases The Navy said existing drone facilities were already in place at NAS Jacksonville, making it the most affordable option of the three. Naval Air Station Point Mugu in California is the West Coast home base for the Triton program, with three other sites outside the continental United States also selected, the Navy said. The camera and sensor pod under the nose of a MQ-4C Triton drone. Along with maintenance staff at the Mayport drone command hub, set to arrive by March, others will be based out of Navy facilities in Sigonella, Italy, the Middle East and West Pacific, Conlan said. dscanlan@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4549 This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: MQ-4C Triton drone arrives at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville MAE SOT, Thailand (Reuters) - Myanmar's oldest rebel force wants international help to establish a "no-fly zone" near the Thai border, after warning there was a danger of clashes with the army resulting in civilians being targeted by air strikes. There has been an escalation in fighting recently between the army and the Karen National Union (KNU), prompting thousands of people to seek refuge in Thailand. About 3,400 people have taken shelter in Thailand over recent days, Thai authorities said. Thousands more are stranded on the Myanmar side of the border, waiting to cross. In a statement released this week, the KNU warned of a "high possibility" of military air strikes on civilians. "These air strikes won't target military bases but civilian bases as in schools, hospitals, houses and villages," the head of the KNU's foreign affairs department, Saw Taw Nee, told Reuters, citing his experience from previous bouts of fighting. A spokesman for Myanmar's military junta did not answer calls seeking comment. The KNU urged the international community to identify a no-fly zone by seeking an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. Last month, the U.N. Security Council, in a rare statement that was agreed by its 15 members, expressed concern over violence across Myanmar and urged the military to exercise utmost restraint. International efforts to end the conflict in Myanmar since a February coup have been limited to diplomatic initiatives and attempts to exert economic pressure through Western sanctions. Since the military overthrew the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has said that more than 1,300 people have been killed by the security forces. The military has said the figures from AAPP, a monitoring group cited by the United Nations, are exaggerated. The KNU agreed to a ceasefire in 2012, ending an insurgency for self-determination that began soon after Myanmar gained independence in 1948, but its forces have been clashing with the army since the coup and it has allowed opponents of the coup to take shelter in territory it controls. Story continues The latest fighting had been triggered by the army's attempts to arrest people in the Lay Kay Kaw area, said Saw Taw Nee. "They came and checked on the town which we allow. However, they didn't keep their promise and arrested people which we totally don't accept," he said. The KNU said three of its fighters and 15 government soldiers had been killed in the clashes. Reuters could not independently verify the account. (Reporting by Reuters Staff; Editing by Ed Davies, Robert Birsel) Public Square Park: Scene of many local events, the park sits outside the Metro Courthouse. The Metro Council on Tuesday approved the allocation of $49.2 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds, $40.2 million of which will bolster the creation of affordable housing. But the remaining $9 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds slated to purchase 142 new vehicles including 128 new police vehicles proved a point of contention for some council members. The council approved the $40.2 million allocation 34-1 with one abstention. The funds will be split between the Barnes Housing Trust Fund and a new Catalyst Fund designed to support fast action to preserve affordable units. The $9 million fleet allocation passed 25-8, with three council members abstaining. Elected officials and COVID-19 Financial Oversight committee members are grappling with how to best prioritize the ARPA funds amid increasing pressure to put community support programs ahead of capital requests. "We have been in the habit lately of using these funds to fund inanimate objects and things and not fully funding the human toll that this virus has taken on us," said Council member Ginny Welsch, who voted against the fleet allocation. Metro is set to receive $267 million from the American Rescue Plan over two years. Of that total, the city appropriated $29 million as of Monday, according to Deputy Finance Director Mary Jo Wiggins. Tuesday's approvals bring the figure to $78.2 million. "The intended use of these funds is much broader" than CARES Act dollars, Wiggins said, adding American Rescue Plan dollars can also be used for public safety measures. The COVID-19 Financial Oversight Committee is creating a survey through HUB Nashville to gauge community members' spending priorities, but the survey is not yet complete. The council deferred until February a separate resolution that would ask the COVID-19 Financial Oversight Committee to review and propose a $70 million ARPA appropriation for economic development in disadvantaged communities and small business recovery. Story continues Council member Jennifer Gamble, also a member of the COVID-19 Financial Oversight Committee, said the panel put off fleet needs and other requests when allocating the first round of CARES Act funding, focusing instead on community needs like food, rent and mortgage relief and funds for small businesses. "This time, we have more funding and more time to address all of the needs of the city," Gamble said regarding the oversight committee's support of funding for the vehicle fleets. Debate over use of ARPA funds for police vehicles, equipment The Metro Council is debating whether to use American Rescue Plan Act funds on new police vehicles. President Joe Biden said in June that cities and states can use portions of the American Rescue Plan Act funds allocated to them toward public safety efforts. The Metro Nashville Police Department referred to Biden's guidance in justifying the fleet request as well as a $6 million request for Tasers that has not yet been reviewed by Metro Council. The department reported its current Tasers are "obsolete" and will cease to function in less than a year. Building the department's fleet would allow officers "adequate time to clean and sanitize vehicles between uses or transports," cut down on wait times for vehicles during shift changes, reduce response times and allow detectives to have department vehicles equipped for investigations, Metro Nashville Chief of Police John Drake wrote in a letter to council members last week. More vehicles are also necessary for the police department's planned switch from five-day work weeks with 8.5-hour shifts to four-day weeks with 10.5-hour shifts. At-large Council member Bob Mendes opposed the funds for new vehicles coming from American Rescue Plan dollars in a blog post last week, arguing that the funds should be spent on community members suffering from the pandemic first. "The need is real, I appreciate it, but we need to figure out some way where the city's recurring revenue pays for our recurring expenses like fleet and focus our (COVID-19 relief) money elsewhere," Mendes said at the Budget and Finance Committee meeting Monday. Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake answers questions on the first day of joint training with MNPD and Mental Health Cooperative at Mental Health Cooperative offices on Monday, June 7, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. Council member Courtney Johnston, who serves on the COVID-19 Financial Oversight Committee, said the cost of the new "light fleet" vehicles could not be covered in a capital spending plan, which are designed for purchasing heavy equipment. The Council "inherited a mess with fleet issues," she said Monday, noting that Metro Council approved a $996,500 allocation to purchase COVID-19 related response vehicles and technology for the Office of Emergency Management in October and $4.7 million for Nashville Fire Department vehicles and equipment in November. "We're in a big hole, and I do think that it's appropriate to use these funds free funds, this gift to help get us out of the hole," Johnston said. USA Today contributed. Reach reporter Cassandra Stephenson at ckstephenson@tennessean.com or at (731) 694-7261. Follow Cassandra on Twitter at @CStephenson731. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville officials debate best use of American Rescue Plan Act funds Associated Press A former hermit in New Hampshire whose cabin in the woods burned down after nearly three decades on the property that he was ordered to leave has been charged with trespassing there once again, turning a shed that survived the fire into a makeshift home outfitted with a wood stove. There had been an outpouring of support for David Lidstone, 81 better known as River Dave" since he was arrested in July and accused of squatting on property owned by a Vermont man. Lidstone was a local celebrity to boaters and kayakers on the Merrimack River before his property dispute caught the attention of the masses, bringing in over $200,000 in donations to help him start a new, law-abiding life. After major companies like MicroStrategy, Tesla, Galaxy Digital Holdings and Square doubled down on Bitcoin, many are wondering who could be next? Companies that are operating in the social media sector, e-commerce or are simply tech-driven are more likely to offer crypto-related products and services and are more probable candidates for Bitcoin purchasing. Twitter First and foremost, there is Twitter, whose new CEO Parag Agrawal said people should expect this social network to move a lot faster than it has in the past. Its no secret that Twitters latest boss, currently CEO of Block Jack Dorsey is a huge Bitcoin advocate. He recently commented that if he wasnt CEO of both Twitter and Square (now known as Block), that he would be working on Bitcoin. It seems, hes also putting that rhetoric into action, as he recently laid the groundwork and issued a white paper for Square to launch its own decentralised exchange for Bitcoin trading and enabled Bitcoin payments via Square/Blocks Cash App since 2018. In October, Square announced that it would buy $50mn worth of Bitcoin, equating to 4,709 Bitcoins at the time. In February, Twitters chief financial officer Ned Segal confirmed the company was considering the option of holding Bitcoin on its balance sheet. With that said, it would not be unexpected to hear an announcement that Twitter has purchased Bitcoin. Amazon Amazon recently posted jobs for a digital currency project for a new division called Digital and Emerging Payments. One of the postings said the company was looking for a leader to help us launch a new payment product starting with Mexico as our initial launch country. This product will enable customers to convert their cash into digital currency which customers can enjoy online services including shopping for goods and/or services like Prime Video, the job ad said. Story continues After its CEO Jeff Bezos was replaced by Andy Jassy, previous head of Amazon Web Services, Amazon Web Services launched Amazon Managed Blockchain, which claims to be the leading cloud provider of blockchain services, supporting all major protocols and hosting 25% of all Ethereum nodes worldwide. It is expected that Jassys experience with blockchain could allow him to be more open to the companys acceptance of crypto payments. Google Google has the potential to become more involved with crypto mostly because of its Google Pay service, which seems primed for crypto integration. Users can already use BitPays card for their crypto assets through Googles payment app, but adding the ability for users to buy, hold and spend crypto directly in the app seems like an obvious choice in a world where crypto adoption has been growing. Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google, has also shared a positive outlook on the blockchain space and confirmed he owns an ETH miner. A year or two ago my son insisted that we needed to get a gaming PC. I told him If we get a gaming PC we have to mine cryptocurrency. So we got an Ethereum miner on there and weve been making a few pennies and dollars since, he said. That definitely got me interested and I started to study the technology behind it and found it to be fascinating. Facebook Facebook has two board members that are well-known pro-Bitcoiners Peter Thiel and Marc Andreesen. Its stablecoin, Diem, is still, however, set to launch a pilot. As the company slowly movies into the crypto scene and establishes itself with its stablecoin and digital wallet systems, it could become more realistic for it to hold Bitcoin on its balance sheet as well. Also, its founder Mark Zuckerberg recently posted a picture to his Facebook page of his goats named Max and Bitcoin. Amusing as that may be, it has led to a good deal of speculation among the crypto community. Mastercard In early February, Mastercard announced it would soon start supporting cryptocurrencies directly on its network. We are preparing right now for the future of crypto and payments, announcing that this year Mastercard will start supporting select cryptocurrencies directly on our network. This is a big change that will require a lot of work, the company said. Mastercard is also working with the Gemini Exchange to offer a crypto rewards credit card and has also partnered with Bakkt. We want to offer all of our partners the ability to more easily add crypto services to whatever it is theyre doing, Sherri Haymond, Mastercards executive vice president of digital partnerships, then said. Resort and bar owners on a Philippine island popular with surfers and tourists were expecting a bumper Christmas holiday after Covid-19 restrictions finally eased. Then Super Typhoon Rai wiped them out. The strongest storm to hit the archipelago this year cut a swathe through Siargao, a tropical paradise known for its sandy beaches, big waves and relaxed vibe. Packing wind speeds of 195 kilometres (120 miles) per hour as it made landfall on the island last Thursday, Rai uprooted palm trees, shredded thatched roofs, smashed wooden buildings, and toppled power poles. The widespread destruction left the island -- voted the best in Asia by Conde Nast Traveler readers this year -- unrecognisable. "The day after the storm, we went outside and we were like 'wow, this is Siargao now, it's no more'," Claudine Mendoza, 27, a sous chef at a beachfront resort, told AFP. "Even Cloud Nine is no more, it was really devastated," Mendoza said, referring to the island's surf break where a wooden boardwalk -- a favoured selfie spot for tourists -- was swept away by the typhoon. The storm is a bitter blow for tourism operators, hitting them a week before the Christmas holidays when many Filipino families typically head to the country's famed beaches and dive spots. Pandemic travel restrictions decimated visitor numbers to the island in the past two years, leaving many resorts, cafes, souvenir shops and tour guides struggling to survive. But domestic tourism began to pick up in recent months as the government relaxed rules to boost economic activity -- though it kept a ban on foreign travellers entering the country. "Everyone was so happy, the island was lively again," Mendoza said. "Then suddenly the storm came." Now, business owners face expensive repairs or having to start from scratch, and their employees an uncertain future. Some are wondering if it is even worth trying to begin again. Story continues "This typhoon is much worse for us than the pandemic -- the pandemic didn't cause any (structural) damage," said resort owner Anton Alvarez. "We think we have the capacity to rebuild but there's no point in rebuilding if it's just us -- we need the whole of Siargao to rebuild." - 'What will happen now?' - With electricity across the island knocked out, there is no signal or internet, which has hampered efforts of disaster agencies to assess the full extent of the death and destruction caused by the storm. A least 375 people were killed on the islands hit by Rai, national police have reported -- including 167 in the region that includes Siargao. Farmers and fisherfolk have also seen their livelihoods destroyed, and thousands of families left homeless. Elka Requinta, a marketing coordinator on Siargao, said the strength of the typhoon caught everyone by surprise. "We didn't expect it to be this bad," said Requinta, 36. "You have locals who were hit because I don't think there was a call for any evacuation from the government." It could take months for power to be fully restored to the island, making it difficult for business owners to talk to their partners and investors about the future. Alvarez said he would like to reopen his resort within 12 months, but admitted that was "pretty optimistic". "What will happen now?" asked Mendoza. "We don't know." str-cgm-amj/jah A North Carolina sheriff said he "will not waiver" after the Freedom from Religion Foundation requested he remove a Bible quote from a wall located inside the government office. The quote I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13." can be seen in numerous photos shared on the Columbus County Sheriff's Office Facebook page. However, the Freedom from Religion Foundation, a national nonprofit group that promotes the separation of church and state, is demanding the quote be taken down, saying it promotes exclusion and violates the First Amendment by "government sponsorship of religious messages." "The Columbus County Sheriffs Office must serve all citizens equally, whether Christian or non-Christian," foundation president Annie Laurie Gaylor said in a statement on Dec. 14. "A blatantly Christian message in a law enforcement division sends a message of exclusion." Religion: About 30% of American adults are now religiously unaffiliated, Pew Research study finds 'Nones': Why are millions of Americans leaving organized religion? "This bible verse display promoting Christianity in a sheriffs office building is correctly viewed by a reasonable observer as an endorsement of religion, and is therefore unconstitutional," the foundation's attorney, Chris Line, said. Log in or sign up to view On Tuesday, Sheriff Jody Greene addressed the demand in a Facebook post. "The verse is one of my favorite Bible verses, and it seemed fitting for all the adversity I have had to endure," Greene wrote. He said before officers execute a search warrant or "any service that puts our people in immediate harm's way," they always pray. "I was raised in church. I have been in law enforcement for over thirty years. My training taught me to value God, family, and my country," Greene wrote. "Companies spend thousands of dollars on motivational classes, to come up with motivational slogans. My motivation comes from the greatest motivational speaker of all times, Jesus Christ." Story continues The sheriff added the quote was paid for with private funds and he intends to keep the quote up. "I am not scared of much, but I am afraid of burning in hell," Green wrote. "Let me be clear, I will not waiver on my stance and Christian beliefs." Log in or sign up to view As of Wednesday afternoon, the post has received thousands of reactions and comments, mostly thanking Greene and the department for standing for their beliefs. Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sheriff denies request to remove Bible verse in North Carolina office By Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Omicron will become the dominant coronavirus variant in Europe by the start of 2022 and three to four weeks is needed to determine the severity of the COVID-19 it causes, the World Health Organization's European head said on Wednesday. Hans Kluge has warned countries to brace for a "significant surge" in cases. He told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday that Omicron, already dominant in Britain, Denmark and Portugal, was likely to be the main coronavirus strain in Europe "in a couple of weeks". "There is no doubt that Europe is once again the epicentre of the global pandemic," said Kluge, the WHO Regional Director for Europe, adding that infections were up 40% from a year ago and Omicron was now taking over. "Yes, I'm very concerned, but there is no reason for panic," he said. "The good news is... we know what to do." People needed to adopt a "vaccine-plus" approach, with vaccinations and booster shots complemented by mask-wearing, while ruling out "non-essential" contacts over Christmas and New Year, he said. Countries should also be ready to implement stricter measures, but lockdowns should only be used as a last resort, given the economic and social cost. Kluge said it was not clear how long immunity lasted after a third dose. Israel is set to become the first country to offer fourth vaccine doses to more vulnerable people. "But then let's remember that Israel was the first one to start. So I would say that a fourth dose in Israel is like a third dose in other countries," he said. LESS SEVERE COVID? Some studies suggest Omicron causes less severe disease than the Delta variant that is dominant in most countries, but scientists are still debating this point. Kluge said it would likely be three to four weeks before the question was answered. While the coronavirus could not be eliminated, it could be stabilised, allowing hospitals to handle more cancer and cardio-vascular diseases. Story continues Controlling the virus would come through vaccines, boosters, doubling the number of people wearing masks indoors, ventilation and use of new COVID-19 drugs. Kluge said the good news from history was that every pandemic had ended. "This virus has surprised us more than once so I would say I don't know when it will finish, but I think that we are on track that our lives will normalise next year, particularly if - we don't know if Omicron would be less severe," he said. "The key issue is how do we survive the winter, how do we leave no one behind." (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel) OSL has hired senior positions in digital, technology, execution services, product and sales, the exchange and its parent, BC Technology Group, said in an announcement shared with CoinDesk on Wednesday. Martijn de Jong joins OSL as chief digital officer, overseeing marketing, design, CX, digital servicing, onboarding, data analytics and products. De Jong previously worked at Standard Chartered Bank as managing director and global head of digital platforms and innovation. He has also held senior positions at Aegon, Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone. Ricky Tsang is chief information officer, BC. He joins from Tencent where he was chief technology officer of Fusion Bank, a joint venture, licensed virtual bank in Hong Kong that includes Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia) and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, among others. Jean-David Pequignot was named global head of execution services, OSL. Pequignot has about 20 years of experience in trading, sales, market structuring and structured products. He has held several senior positions in major banks, most recently at Westpac Institutional Bank, where, among other positions, he served as deputy chief executive, Hong Kong, and head of global markets Hong Kong. Mark Hammond joins as head of product, OSL. He previously worked at Liquid, a regulated digital asset exchange, as chief product officer and head of flow products and API. Hammond oversaw electronic pricing and execution services at Citi, Standard Chartered Bank, and Merrill Lynch, and was head of engineering, data and security at a Sequoia-backed startup. OSL also beefed up its sales teams, hiring UBS and Julius Baer veteran Shaun Lin as head of digital asset wealth sales in Singapore and JP Morgan and Credit Suisse alum Tim Griffin as head of prime sales, also in Singapore. This has been a year of growth, OSL CEO Wayne Trench said in the announcement. Weve seen record platform volumes over the past several months as well as new product launches and the continued development of a strong pipeline of global customers across all business units. On Dec. 8, OSL announced that it opened access to its exchange product to institutional investors in the U.S. and Canada, following the expansion of OSL Exchange to Latin American customers in October. Also in December, OSL secured registration as a Money Services Business with the U.S. Department of Treasurys Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and hired RBS and Merrill Lynch veteran Jeffery Howard as its Head of North America Business Development and Institutional Sales. BC Group and Standard Chartered on June 2 announced a partnership to launch a digital asset brokerage and exchange joint-venture with an initial focus on the European and U.K. markets. READ MORE: How OSL Became the First Crypto Exchange to Win Over Hong Kong Regulators When Jennifer Crumbley texted her son "Don't do it" on the day of the deadly Oxford High School shooting, she was reaching out to tell him not to kill himself, according to a new court filing. This detail was disclosed Wednesday in a document seeking a lower bond for Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of the shooting suspect, who are facing involuntary manslaughter charges in a novel case that seeks to hold parents responsible, in part, for a school shooting. The couple are being held on $500,000 cash bonds each, though defense lawyers have asked a judge to reduce each to $100,000 cash, arguing the couple pose no danger to the public and have long ties to the community. Defense attorneys for the first time gave their account of how the Crumbleys felt following the shooting, and why they believe the prosecution will not be able to prove its case, specifically, that the Crumbleys knew their son would shoot up his school with a gun they had bought him as an early Christmas present. "The prosecution will not be able to prove that the Crumbleys ... knew their son was a danger to other students, or that they knew there was a situation that required them to take care to avoid injuring another," defense attorneys Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman wrote in the filing. "The Crumbleys, like every parent and community member, are devastated by the school shooting," the filing continued. "The last thing they expected was that a school shooting would take place, or that their son would be responsible. This situation is entirely devastating." Video: Mich. senators discuss Oxford school shooting on Senate floor WATCH: School district faces 2 suits in Oxford shootings OXFORD SHOOTING VICTIM: Michigan State honorsTate Myre on National Signing Day The filing in Rochester Hills District Court then cited the Jennifer Crumbley's "Don't do it" text to Ethan Crumbley that has made international headlines. The distinction could be important if the prosecution plans to use the text as evidence Jennifer Crumbley knew her son was dangerous. Story continues "When Mrs. Crumbley texted Ethan, 'Don't do it,' ... the shootings had already happened, Mr. Crumbley had determined the gun was missing and had notified authorities, and Mrs. Crumbley was texting her son to tell him not to kill himself," the defense states in the filing, later adding: "They did not know Ethan was a threat to anyone; and they certainly did not anticipate or cause the tragedy that unfolded at Oxford High School." The Nov. 30 shooting left four students dead and seven other people injured, including a teacher. According to prosecutors, four days before the shooting, the Crumbleys bought the gun that was used in the massacre as an early Christmas present for their son, who is now facing first-degree murder and terrorism charges. According to prosecutors, the parents did not have the gun properly secured, though the defense has disputed that, stating in court records, "the Crumbleys did have the gun at issue in a locked and hidden location." The father of accused Oxford High School gunman Ethan Crumbley, James Crumbley is in the 52-3 District Courtroom of Judge Julie Nicholson in Rochester on Dec. 14, 2021, for a probable cause conference in their cases after being charged with involuntary manslaughter. The Crumbleys are represented by attorneys Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman. The defense has argued that Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald has filed "inappropriate" charges against the parents, and that their case will raise "unprecedented" legal issues. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lawyers: Oxford shooting suspect's mom texted son not to kill himself Olney Charter High School in Philadelphia moved students to remote learning Monday amid a massive "sick out" staged by teachers at the high school after a 17-year-old student died of COVID-19 complications, according to multiple reports. Officials said the "sick out," in which roughly 40 teachers participated by calling out sick from work at the school that day, "hindered and interrupted Olney's ability to operate and provide in-person instruction," local affiliate Fox 29 reported. The high school sent out a letter to students' parents and guardians Sunday night to inform them that classes were moving online and staff is expected to teach remotely through Jan. 14, according to Fox 29. The student who died, Alayna Thach, was a senior in the process of visiting colleges, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. She was an honor-roll student and wanted to become a life coach. Per Fox 29, she contracted the coronavirus in early December. Thach's aunt, Hien Yem, spoke to local affiliate CBS 3 Philly on behalf of Thach's mother, telling the outlet that her niece's COVID-19 infection seemed mild at first, until things took a turn for the worse. Hien also said that Thach was not vaccinated, but was scheduled to get the shot next month, in January, per CBS 3. Both of the student's parents are reportedly fully vaccinated. Thach's family sent a statement to CBS 3 to say that they stood in solidarity with the teachers who were calling out in protest of in-person learning amid the COVID-19 surge, CBS 3 reported. They added that their daughter would have been in solidarity with the "sick out," as well. Meanwhile, Olney Charter High School Principal James Thompson said of the "sick out," "I don't think this was the time or the way to go about this," according to CBS 3. Olney Charter said it had performed contact tracing and was 100 percent sure Alayna had not contracted the virus from attending the school, per the outlet. The striking opening shot of Abner Benaims plangent drama Plaza Catedral induces slight vertigo. The camera rises on an elevator attached to the outside of a partially built skyscraper, looking out across Panama Citys high-rise apartment complexes, and eventually, at the bay beyond. It should be uplifting, but a chilly, murmured voiceover and the opening drone of Matthew Herberts rueful score, are like the rainclouds that edge the blue sky in foreboding gray. The view ascends, but it evokes a sinking feeling. The voice belongs to Alicia (a strong, subtle turn from Mexican actress Ilse Salas), who introduces herself and speaks elliptically, in her emotionless, removed way, of a loss she has suffered in her recent past, that has put her at odds with the world around her. She is an architect by training but a salesperson for an upscale property developer by profession, hence her visit to this half-finished penthouse, with the young family who are thinking of buying it. More from Variety In the wake of losing her 6-year-old son in a freak accident, Alicia and her husband Diego (Manolo Cardona) divorced. She now lives in a smart, well-appointed apartment on the Plaza of the title, where one day she is waved into a parking space by a rangy 13-year-old who calls her Boss and goes by the nickname Chief. He is played by a terrifically surly, understated Fernando Xavier De Casta, whose murder mere months before the films release is a shattering blow revealed to us in a terse title at the end, and cannot but cast a retroactive pall over the project, even while it stands as a fine testament to his nascent talent. Chief is an annoyance to Alicia, who is wrapped up in her self-imposed, grief-mandated, guilt-induced isolation. He flings coins back at her when she doesnt pay him enough, sneers at her as a gringa (shes Mexican, but not being from Panama apparently makes her foreign enough to warrant the slur) and insinuates vague threats about what will happen to her car if shes stingy. Alicia, with the grit of the hard-edged urbanite who is just too preoccupied right now to worry about checking her privilege, refuses to be intimidated. They settle into a frosty stalemate, which changes abruptly when one night Alicia finds Chief bleeding from a bullet wound to the stomach on her stairway. Story continues This is the third time a film of Benaims has been selected as Panamas entry for the international Oscar, but the previous two were documentaries (2014s Invasion and 2018s Ruben Blades Is Not My Name). This time, in his second fiction feature, Benaim brings some of his documentarian sensibility to bear on a story that might otherwise feel a little schematic. As it is, the entirely convincing snapshot he presents, of a city riven by divisions between the wealthy and the poverty-stricken, comes to glowering life in the gently thawing chemistry between his two protagonists. And while Plaza Catedral never lapses into sentimentality, as Alicias unexpected and volatile connection to Chief evolves to provide her with the redemption perhaps even she does not know she is seeking, the truthfulness of the performances renders it moving and genuine, despite the inherent problematics of its focus on the poor boy primarily as an agent of change for the well-off woman. The actors subdued, elegant downplaying is complemented by the cool restraint of Lorenzo Hagerman photography, which is especially attuned to the impersonal, somehow oblivious, coldness of more moneyed surroundings: the expensively neutral upholstery of Alicias spacious apartment; the angles and floor-to-ceiling windows of the office where her complacent boss Jack (played by Benaim himself) insists on sharing a celebratory drink with her at 10 in the morning. One shot, of a painstaking scale model of the Panama City skyline which is placed by a window that looks out onto the very same real-life view, is eloquent in its summation of an entire professional elite who literally get to build the world according to their own design or, conversely, get to look on the real world from a lordly perspective, as though it were their plaything. It contrasts most markedly with a section toward the end when Alicia finally visits the grubby, ramshackle neighborhood where Chief lives, and of which its likely no architect ever troubled to build a model. That Benaim, who also wrote the screenplay, chooses to end his film here, in a moment of sudden violence that is a darkly cathartic culmination for both characters, is poignant in offering the slenderest, faintest tendril of optimism. Which somehow makes that final title, with the news of this promising, charismatic young actors horribly premature death, all the more crushing: an example not of life imitating art, but obliterating it. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. ST. PETERSBURG Police have arrested a man accused of robbing the Regions Bank at 3399 66th Street N. on Wednesday, St. Petersburg police said. The robber, identified as 31-year-old Charles Chad Reschar, was captured on video handing a note to a teller. He implied he had a weapon but did not show it, police said. Police did not say how much money Reschar made off with. A Lafayette Police officer will get his job back after he failed drug screening, the Lafayette Fire and Police Civil Service Board ruled. Officer Bernard Anderson was fired in June for violating Lafayette Consolidated Governments illicit drug policy after his screening showed he tested positive for marijuana metabolite. He told Internal Affairs investigators he was taking a CBD supplement as a sleep aid and never ingested marijuana. Because marijuana immediately begins to break down in the body, some drug labs choose to test for marijuana metabolite, which stays in the system longer and is specific to traditional marijuana, a doctor testified before the board. Sen. Fred Mills, center, testifies on Dec. 21, 2021, in the discipline hearing of Bernard Anderson, right, who was asking the Lafayette Fire and Police Civil Service Board for his job back. CBD (Cannabidiol) is derived from hemp plants, which are the same species as marijuana but contain virtually none of the psychoactive compounds that get people high. To be legal in Louisiana, CBD must contain less than 0.3% of THC. The board voted 3-1 to give Anderson his job back with pay. "I find that the lack of progress in testing and the technology that is available in something as innocent as sleep drops," board member Christina Olivier said, "that the city did not act in good faith and just cause." Mickey Broussard was the one dissenting vote, arguing Anderson violated the city's drug policy. In other news: ACLU clears first hurdle against Lafayette Police Department in case of violent 2018 arrest Michael Corry, the attorney representing the police department and LCG, argued Anderson violated the citys zero-tolerance drug policy when his test came back positive. Andersons attorney, Allyson Prejean, argued that because there is no specific policy for CBD and the test could not determine whether the positive test was attributed to CBD or marijuana, Anderson should get his job back. Anderson was involved in an on-duty car accident on Dec 24, 2020, and, per department policy, had to take a drug test. The test came back positive for marijuana metabolite, Dr. Paul Bergeron testified. Anderson asked for a retest and the marijuana metabolite was still there. Story continues Bergeron said in some cases, consistent CBD use could lead to a positive drug test. He also testified he could not determine whether the marijuana metabolite came from CBD or an illegal THC product. An Internal Affairs investigation was launched. Anderson told the investigator he had trouble sleeping so his wife suggested a CBD supplement. The manufacturer had given samples at the hospital where she worked as a nurse. Other nurses she worked with had success with the supplement and had no problems when given random drug tests at work, she testified. CONSIDER SUBSCRIBING TODAY: Help support local journalists like Ashley White Anderson told the investigator he never ingested marijuana. He also took a computer voice stress analyzer. During the test, Anderson was asked if he had used illegal drugs or used marijuana in the past year, Det. Jonathan Sanchez testified. Anderson answered no to both questions and Sanchez said did not detect any deception in the stress levels. His wife, a co-worker and supervising sergeant all testified they had never known Anderson to take illicit drugs, use marijuana or appear to be under the influence of illicit drugs. In other news: Defense argues man accused of killing Officer Middlebrook isn't competent to stand trial Sen. Fred Mills was called to testify about his knowledge of CBD and the differences between CBD and illicit marijuana and argued there's no testing to tell the difference. Anderson was fired on June 25 for violating LCGs zero-tolerance drug policy, which terminates employees who test positive for any level of illicit drug as outlined in the policy, Human Resources manager Rick Zeno testified. Two other officers, Jonathan Rabb and Maverick Morvant, withdrew their appeals. Few details were shared about their discipline but Morvant was suspended for 30 calendar days and Rabb was suspended for 10 calendar days. Contact Ashley White at adwhite@theadvertiser.com or on Twitter @AshleyyDi. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Officer argues he used CBD supplements, not THC, gets job back Florida authorities are on the hunt to find the Grinch who stole Christmas gifts and other items worth $1,600 from a home, according to the local sheriffs office. A man broke down the door of a home in Lakeland around 7:30 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 20 and ransacked the place, the Polk County Sheriffs Office described in a post on Facebook. Once he entered, the thief stole wrapped presents from under the tree that were meant for the two girls, ages 11 and 8. Lakeland is about 60 miles southwest of Orlando. Given the nature of the crime, the Polk County Sheriffs Office have deemed the thief the Grinch. This Grinch needs to be caught and held accountable for his criminal actions. Thankfully, detectives are working with Polk Sheriffs Charities and Toys For Tots to ensure these children have a Merry Christmas in spite of this horrible act, Sheriff Grady Judd said. The department also wrote that those with information about the burglary and the person responsible may be eligible for a $2,500 cash reward through Crimestoppers. According to the news release concerning the incident, the resident left her home early on Dec. 20 to meet family members. When she came home, she saw her door had been broken in and the house burglarized. She also discovered all the wrapped Christmas presents were missing, as well as a company laptop and a flat screen television, the release added. The victim reported the crime and detectives were able to pull some images of the burglar from the familys home security system, the sheriffs office said. In the security footage, which was shared by the sheriffs office with the public, a man is seen entering the home and carrying a laptop as he passes through the frame. Judd said that he entered and exited the home multiple times to carry out the stolen goods. The sheriffs office stated they believe the man may be driving a 2019 or newer dark 4-door Chevrolet Malibu, or similar model of vehicle. They do not have license plate information. Story continues This guys got eggnog for brains, Judd said in a news conference posted on Facebook. This is called the Grinch from Christmas 2021, and we want him in jail. We need your help. Anyone with information about the crime is encouraged to contact Polk County detectives at 863-298-2600, or call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS to remain anonymous. Parents are stressed for the holidays, poll finds. What do they worry about most? Man wanted on sex crime charges in NC is on the run with his 3 children, Texas cops say Amazon, Walmart among stores restricting sales of home COVID tests as omicron spreads Redeemer Lutheran Church, Vineland, members collected more than 500 food items to help feed those who are food challenged in the Vineland area. In addition, the church was awarded a $500 grant from Thrivent Financial, which was donated along with the food to the Spirit & Truth Ministries and the Vineland Soup Kitchen. Redeemer, which is at 2384 E. Landis Ave., serves the people of the greater Vineland area. More: New, used and even worn out sneakers accepted for Womans Club of Vineland project More: Families enjoyed holiday fun at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cumberland County Dawn Amari, a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Vineland, presents a donation check to Cindy James, a representative of Spirit & Truth Ministries and the Vineland Soup Kitchen. For church information, visit www.facebook.com/RedeemerLutheranVineland. Send community news and event items to lvoit@gannett.com. Help support local journalism with a subscription to The Daily Journal/Courier Post/Burlington County Times. This article originally appeared on Vineland Daily Journal: Vineland church donates food and money to help feed those in need The first COVID-19 omicron variant case detected by the University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute was found this week from a UF Health patient, according to UF Health Shands CEO Ed Jimenez. It is not clear if it is the first confirmed omicron case in Alachua County as the Florida Department of Health and the local health department could not be reached immediately to confirm. Dr. Glenn Morris, head of the UF EPI, said he was not comfortable sharing whether the patient was an Alachua County resident because of privacy reasons. However UF Health spokesman Ken Garcia confirmed the patient had been treated as an outpatient in Gainesville. Morris said the case was the first omicron isolate found by his team, which routinely sequences COVID-19 samples from Shands hospital and other parts of UF Health, including patients from neighboring counties. According to Dr. Nicole Iovine, an infectious disease specialist with UF Health, finding one omicron case in Gainesville means that there are many more in the community. Some may be infected and not sick enough to seek medical help, while others may not have been sequenced and passed through medical centers undetected. "It's just the tip of the iceberg," she said. "Certainly there are other cases of omicron floating around in Alachua County ... There's no doubt in my mind." Because the omicron variant is so much more transmissible, she said, it is likely to quickly replace the delta variant as the dominant COVID-19 strain in the area. What's known so far about omicron, Iovine said, is that it has what is called "vaccine escape." Antibodies people have acquired from COVID-19 vaccines or infections have a harder time recognizing the variant with its many mutations. Recent work from the EPI places omicron's possible COVID-19 surge with a projected peak in February of more than 150,000 infections a day in Florida, well above any previous peak since the pandemic began. Story continues Read about it here: UF study projects COVID-19 omicron surge with record infections but perhaps not as deadly And even if illness from omicron is less severe than delta and other strains, as some early research indicates, the doctor said a smaller percentage of more cases is still a huge number. The only people with significant protection against omicron are those who have received a booster shot, Iovine said. Natural immunity and vaccine immunity wane over time, but the booster doesn't just increase the numbers of the antibodies people already have. It actually increases the diversity of the antibodies, she explained, allowing your immune system to recognize different things. With the holidays approaching, COVID-19 cases rising and many Floridians either unvaccinated or immunocompromised, Iovine said it is a "perfect storm for a surge." The doctor and expert urged getting the booster shot or starting the COVID-19 vaccine series. The best way to keep yourself and your loved ones safe over the next few weeks, she said, is to mask indoors or celebrate outdoors with ventilation. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: UF Health patient in Gainesville infected with COVID omicron variant PROVIDENCE, RI In 2020, many Rhode Island residents opted for small, low-key holiday celebrations as coronavirus cases soared nationwide and public health experts urged social distancing. We werent used to Christmas without the trimmings; however, while the situation was not ideal, many of us realized large, stressful holiday gatherings arent all theyre cracked up to be. This year, many may again opt to keep Christmas simple and unhurried. Doing so could mean letting someone else take care of the holiday festivities entirely. This includes the cooking. If thats the route youre going this Christmas, we certainly wont blame you. Luckily, several local and chain restaurants in Rhode Island plan to be open on Christmas Day. Also, here are the chain restaurants expected to be open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, unless otherwise noted, according to lists compiled by The Pioneer Woman, Womans Day and Food Network. Again, hours can vary by location. Always call ahead to make sure your local restaurant of choice is open on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. This article originally appeared on the Cranston Patch PROVIDENCE Rhode Island Hospital, Hasbro Childrens Hospital and their affiliated hospitals will soon require most visitors to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative PCR COVID test. The requirement, effective Monday, is being implemented because of "rising COVID numbers and to ensure the safety of our patients and staff," health-system operator Lifespan announced Wednesday afternoon. Explained: What you need to know about RI's new mask mandate as COVID cases rise Lifespan also operates The Miriam and Bradley hospitals in Providence, and Newport Hospital. Starting Monday, visitors to those hospitals will have to show a picture ID and proof of vaccination or results of a negative COVID PCR test administered within 48 hours of their visit, Lifespan said. Rhode Island Hospital and other Lifespan hospitals will require most visitors to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test starting Monday. Supple and demand: RI opens two more sites for rapid COVID tests, in Bristol and Newport Exceptions will be permitted for end-of-life visitation, escorts for patients with disabilities, parents and caregivers of pediatric patients, birthing partners and in other designated circumstances at the discretion of the clinical care team, Lifespan said. Lifespan's announcement comes three days after a renewed masking mandate went into effect in Rhode Island. The new regulation requires customers and staff to wear masks in indoor settings that hold 250 or more people. Operators of smaller venues, such as restaurants, have the option of allowing people without masks if they show proof of vaccination. At your fingertips: Rhode Island residents can now use app to show they've been vaccinated for COVID-19 jperry@providencejournal.com (401) 277-7614 On Twitter: @jgregoryperry Be the first to know. Sign up for our breaking news alerts This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Lifespan requiring COVID vaccination proof from most hospital visitors Up and at 'em, Riverhead! It's me again, Diane Witek, your host of the Riverhead Daily. Here are the top 4 stories in Riverhead today. First, today's weather: Sun mixing with clouds. High: 36, low: 25. Here are the top stories in Riverhead today: Suffolk County Errol Toulon said Tuesday that the Elf on a Shelf has been arrested and currently incarcerated in the Suffolk County Correctional Facility. The Elf allegedly has been destroying kitchen countertops, making messes in bathrooms, and swinging from dining room chandeliers. The Elf has been charged with "silly mischief" and attempting to distract the sheriff from his duties. (Riverhead Patch) The New York State Department of Education announced yesterday that the Riverhead High School Regents exams, set for January, have been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The statewide coronavirus test positivity rate was over 10 percent yesterday, with Suffolk Countys being pushed to nearly 14 percent. (RiverheadLOCAL) More than 130 acres on the northwest corner of Horseblock Road and Sunrise Highway in Brookhaven hamlet has been rezoned from residential to industrial. Part of the property has been used by the town for composting and other waste management purposes. The rezoning was intended to keep developers from making the land a residential subdivision. (Newsday) Noah Haynes, 18, was arguing with a 17-year-old victim inside LA Fitness on Deer Park Avenue in North Babylon around 7:15 p.m. when staff members asked them to leave. The teens fought in the parking lot, then Haynes returned and confronted the 17 year old in the locker room, authorities said. There, he allegedly slashed the teen in the neck with a metal object and pointed a handgun at him. Three gym members intervened and held Haynes down until police arrived but he fired one shot during the struggle; luckily no one was hit. (New York Post) Today's Riverhead Daily is brought to you in part by Newrez, a leading nationwide mortgage lender. Make a smart move for your future and refinance with Newrez today. Call 844-979-1707 to connect with a Newrez loan officer. Newrez, LLC (NMLS #3013) Story continues From my notebook: RiverheadLOCAL: "Suffolk County reached a daily coronavirus test positivity rate of more 13.7 percent yesterday, as public health experts warn families to take precautions against an expanding surge of the coronavirus led by the omicron variant." (Instagram) NY Marine Rescue Center: "We're so happy that Bowie has found his forever home with Ocean Connections, Inc. Stay tuned for more updates." (Facebook) Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps (RVAC): "Santa will be leaving RVAC shortly! Below is the link to track where he is! https://glympse.com/riverheadsanta." (Facebook) More from our sponsors thanks for supporting local news! Events: Announcements: Animal Communication Sessions. Holiday Gift Certificates. (Details) Add your announcement. Loving the Riverhead Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved: Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe. Get your local business listed in front of readers. Send me a news tip or suggestion at diane.witek@patch.com. Thanks for following along and staying informed! See you all tomorrow for another update. Diane Witek About me: Impassioned Writer, Website Designer, Social Media Marketer and newly proclaimed Baker. Lover of nature and animals of all kinds. This article originally appeared on the Riverhead Patch By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russia continues to move away from commitments it made to join the World Trade Organization in 2012, the U.S. Trade Representative's office said on Tuesday, citing agricultural import restrictions and import substitution policies. In an annual report to Congress on Russia's WTO compliance, USTR said Russia in 2021 introduced new tracking systems for consignments of goods through supply chains and has maintained non-science-based agricultural import restrictions. "Over the past year, Russia has continued its trajectory of an economy moving away from the guiding principles of the WTO: non-discrimination, freer trade, predictability, transparency, and fair competition," USTR said in the report https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/enforcement/WTO/2021%20Report%20on%20Russia's%20WTO%20Compliance.pdf. "Rather, Russia maintains restrictive at-the-border measures, institutes behind-the-border measures to inhibit trade, and implements an industrial policy seemingly driven by the guiding principles of import substitution and forced localization." The United States has raised concerns about Russia's actions and will "use all appropriate means to resolve the matter and keep Russias markets open to U.S. exports," USTR said. The report noted that U.S. bilateral work with Russia on agricultural trade issues has been limited since 2014 due to Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine, and engagement in the WTO on Russia's access barriers has been limited. But the agency said it will continue to meet with industry stakeholders to discuss their concerns and strategies to remove such barriers. The report did not mention any new U.S. trade measures that could be taken against Russia should Russian President Vladimir Putin invade Ukraine. If that should happen, U.S. officials are considering tough export control measures to disrupt Russia's economy, a Biden administration official told Reuters, including halting Moscow's ability to import smartphones, key aircraft and auto parts and other materials. (Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Stephen Coates) MOSCOW (AP) Russian and U.S. negotiators will sit down for talks early next year to discuss Moscow's demand for Western guarantees precluding NATO's expansion to Ukraine, Russias top diplomat said Wednesday. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia in January will also start separate talks with NATO to discuss the issue, adding that separate negotiations under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will also be held. Last week, Moscow submitted draft security documents demanding that NATO deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back the alliances military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe. Washington and its allies have refused to provide such pledges, but said they are ready for the talks. Moscow presented the demands amid soaring tensions over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine that has stoked fears of a possible invasion. U.S. President Joe Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin in a conference call earlier this month that Russia will face severe consequences if it attacks Ukraine. Putin has denied having plans to launch an attack but has described NATOs expansion to Ukraine and weapons deployment of the alliance weapons there as a red line. We dont want a war, Lavrov said Wednesday. We dont want to take the path of confrontation. But we will firmly ensure our security using the means we consider necessary. Speaking in a live interview with Russian RT television, Lavrov hailed Washingtons business-like approach that helped quickly agree on parameters of the future talks. He added that Moscow would be ready to consider Washingtons demands, but warned that the talks mustn't drag out indefinitely. I hope that they will take us seriously given the moves we take to ensure our defense capability, he said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also hailed reaching a quick agreement on the start of the talks, but noted that they should be aimed at reaching concrete results and not become drawn out. He added that Moscow expects Washington to present a detailed platform for the talks and be ready for a constructive discussion. Story continues We want these talks, he said in a conference call with reporters. And, certainly, the talks are held to discuss each others positions. A key principle of the NATO alliance is that membership is open to any qualifying country, and the U.S. has said it won't give Russia the kind of guarantee on Ukraine it seeks. In the meantime, the American side is conferring with its European allies. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed Ukraine on Wednesday with Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy. They emphasized the need for coordinated action to support Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity and reaffirmed that any further Russian military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences for the Russian Federation, State Department spokesman Ned Price said. Separately, U.S. Army Col. Dave Butler, spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, spoke Tuesday with Russian Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff. He said the generals discussed regional security issues, but no details of the conversation were released. Russia annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and shortly after cast its support behind a separatist rebellion in the countrys east. The fighting, which started more than seven years ago, has killed over 14,000 people and devastated Ukraines industrial heartland, known as the Donbas. Ukraine's security chief said Wednesday that the country now faces more than 250,000 troops amassed in western Russia. Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, said that 122,000 Russian troops are concentrated within 200 kilometers (about 125 miles) of the Ukrainian border and another 143,500 Russian soldiers are within a broader, 400-kilometer (250-mile) distance from it. He added that the Ukrainian authorities are closely monitoring the situation. If the situation exacerbates, it can't happen momentarily, Danilov said. It will require preparation, and we are watching it. Moscow has rejected Western concerns about the troop concentration, saying it's free to deploy them wherever it deems necessary on its territory. It has denied the allegations of a planned invasion as a Western smear campaign and, in its turn, accused Ukraine of an intention to reclaim control of the rebel-held areas by force. Ukrainian officials have denied having any such plans. On Tuesday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed that more than 120 U.S. private military contractors are currently operating in two villages near the line of contact in eastern Ukraine, training Ukrainian troops and setting up firing positions in residential buildings and different facilities. He also alleged that they stockpiled toxic chemicals in preparation for a possible provocation. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry strongly rejected Shoigu's claim as part of a Russian disinformation campaign. In Tuesday's speech before top military brass, Putin warned that Russia will have to take adequate military-technical measures if the West continues its aggressive course on the threshold of our home. They must understand that we have nowhere to retreat, Putin said. Peskov on Wednesday wouldn't specify what those military-technical steps may include, saying only that they will imply an entire range of measures to ensure security of the Russian Federation and the deterrent parity. Asked about Putin's warning, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the Russian leader's statement causes concern and underlined the need for a dialogue. "Yes, my concern is great, but that means all the more that we must enter dialogue with every millimeter of our own action, Baerbock said in Berlin. And that also means that, if proposals are made that are not our basis for negotiations, we must speak to each other. She stressed the importance of returning to four-way talks between Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine, and again expressed hopes of reviving talks in the NATO-Russia Council to prevent further escalation. ___ Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Geir Moulson in Berlin, contributed to this report. Mild temperatures, clear skies and calm seas will greet Space Coast anglers and boaters through the Christmas holiday weekend. In between family commitments and holiday celebrations, anglers should get out and wet a line for their favorite targets. Blackfin tuna and mahi mahi are offshore on the current edges. There have been cobia and kingfish on the reefs in 60 to 80 feet of water. Pompano and whiting are on the beaches. Snook, sheepshead and tripletail have been a target showing up in good numbers for anglers inshore. And don't forget about freshwater where speckled perch (crappie) should be biting better with the cool down. A remembrance: Sargent: Remembering a fishing buddy, a victim of COVID-19 The pelican brief: Climate change is causing white pelicans to winter in Florida later, for briefer stays Clammy hands: Will clams help save the Indian River Lagoon? Melbourne angler is aiming to find out Red grouper will be one of nine species of grouper plus hogfish available for harvest to Atlantic anglers after May 1. Closures in effect: Anglers are reminded about these fishery harvest closures currently underway and ones about to begin and end. Snook: The closure began Dec. 15 and runs through Jan. 31, 2022. Spotted seatrout: No harvest of trout is allowed in the waters of eastern central Florida, from Volusia to Palm Beach counties, from Nov. 1 though Dec. 31. Harvest will re-open Jan. 1, 2022. Grouper : Shallow water grouper are prohibited from harvest Jan. 1 through April 30, 2022. That includes gag grouper, red grouper, scamp and six other lesser species. Hogfish: No harvest of hogfish is allowed in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida from Nov. 1 through April 30, 2022. Harvest re-opens May 1, 2022. For complete fishing regulations in Florida go to MyFWC.com. Mosquito Lagoon Capt. Jon Lulay of 2 Castaway Charters in Titusville said his clients were able to get in on some great oversized redfish action. Using split crabs was the trick. There also have been good schools of black drum in the shallow waters around the islands in the lagoon. Use live shrimp on a popping cork in 2-3 feet of water. Trout are on the points of the islands. Even though trout opens to harvest Jan. 1, consider letting them all go. Trout are a depleted resource with the loss of seagrass beds. Story continues Offshore Capt. Jim Ross of Fineline fishing charters in Rockledge said once the winds back down and anglers can get back offshore, to look for nearshore action on tripletail. He was right. Anything that floats has had a tripletail drifting underneath it. On the reefs, Ross said the king mackerel action has been steady drifting live baits or slow trolling dead baits. There have been some cobia around, too. Remember, this is the last week anglers can keep a grouper until May 1. Surf The calm shorebreak and mild temperatures will make the beach inviting to anglers pursuing pompano, whiting and bluefish. Use pieces if shrimp, sand fleas, Fish Gum or Fishbites EZ Flea or yellow crab to get bites. The fish are running the sand bar so cast there. Long cast with short rods and jigs will get bites from Spanish mackerel, bluefish and blue runners. Sebastian Inlet Anglers are catching flounder, sheepshead, black drum, Spanish mackerel and bluefish from the jetties and catwalks. Use mud minnows or finger mullet on a sliding sinker rig to catch the flounder from the T Dock, along the rocks by the wading pool or along the south shoreline. Fish for big redfish by drifting the inlet by boat with live croaker or crabs. Indian River Lagoon Ross said look for action to be in 3-5 feet of water where large schools of mullet have been along the eastern shoreline of the Indian River Lagoon through the Grant and Melbourne Beach areas. The cool air means the fish are looking for deeper spots and holes where the water temperature is more stable. That is where to find redfish, black drum, trout and croaker. Freshwater The cool weather will have speckled perch biting better. Use 1/32-ounce and 1/16-ounce jigs or live minnows over submerged structure to get bites. Reminder that the air boat ramp at the Stick Marsh is closed temporarily through mid-January as St. Johns River Water Management District completes construction on the S-96 structure nearby. Alternative launching locations include the concrete boat ramp located at Stick Marsh or the air boat ramp at the 512 Rec Pad (also known as Blue Cypress Recreation Area). Ed Killer is florida today's outdoors writer. Friend Ed on Facebook at Ed Killer, follow him on Twitter @tcpalmekiller or email him at ed.killer@tcpalm.com. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Space Coast anglers will have success targeting trout, bass and tripletail Police have arrested a second suspect in connection with the fatal shooting of a teen in South Fairmount last month. On Tuesday, police announced the arrest of 22-year-old Keuntay Bazel on an aggravated murder warrant in connection with the death of Kristopher Teetor, 17. Keuntay Bazel Teetor was shot and killed while pumping gas at a BP station between Harrison and Queen City avenues Nov. 7. Brian and Felisha Zimmerman told The Enquirer they weren't the teen's biological parents but had custody of him. Kristopher Teetor, 17, was shot to death the evening of Nov. 6, 2021, after buying juice at the BP food mart in South Fairmont. Joseph Bazel III, 24, was arrested Nov. 23, 2021 and charged with aggravated murder for the shooting. Kristopher's brother, Brian Crouse Jr., 18, was shot and killed on July 25, 2017. Brian said on the night he was killed, Teetor was at a gas station getting some juice and "apparently when he was checking out, he took his cash out, which we told him never to do. The shooter saw his money and followed him outside and he fought back, and then other guys ran up and shot him and went in his pockets. "Every time wed get a phone call, we were worried. (Felisha) is in the bedroom and she collapses on the floor. She says, Kris is dead. "Whats terrible is knowing that Kris life was taken over possessions. That $300 in the hood is a jackpot." Last month, Cincinnati police announced the arrest of 24-year-old Joseph Bazel on an aggravated murder charge in Teetor's death. Cincinnati police officials said Joseph Bazel and Keuntay Bazel are related, but are still investigating how. Joseph Bazel III, 24, is escorted out of his arraignment for aggravated murder by Deputy Sheriff Justin Morgan at the Hamilton County Justice Center, November 24, 2021. Bazel is accused of shooting and killing Kristopher Teetor, 17, the evening of Nov. 6, 2021, at the BP food mart in South Fairmont. Enquirer reporter Amber Hunt contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Second arrest made in fatal South Fairmount shooting of teen A group of 13 Democratic senators led by Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Jack Reed of Rhode Island has called on Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to answer how Facebook handled misinformation enforcement ahead of the January 6th US Capitol attack. Citing documents and testimony shared by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, they say they want to know why the company "prematurely" removed safeguards it had in place before the 2020 presidential election. "This action allowed misinformation, disinformation, and violent rhetoric to return to the platform immediately following Election Day and in the lead-up to the January 6th insurrection," the group said. Many of the questions center around Meta's defunct Civic Integrity team. During her testimony before the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Data Security, Haugen said that the company dissolved shortly after the 2020 election. That's a claim Meta has consistently disputed. "We did not disband Civic Integrity," Guy Rosen, Meta vice president for integrity, told Time in October. "We integrated it into a larger Central Integrity team so that the incredible work pioneered for elections could be applied even further, for example, across health-related issues. Their work continues to this day." To that point, the group asks Zuckerberg when Meta made the decision to disband the team and who ultimately made it. They also want to know what part of Meta is currently responsible for overseeing its efforts to prevent election-related misinformation, in addition to details like how many employees the company has assigned to that division. Beyond those questions, the group says they want to know how Meta plans to protect the integrity of future elections. "While we acknowledge the efforts Facebook took to prevent the spread of election-related misinformation and disinformation, violent rhetoric, and harassment prior to the 2020 elections, it clearly was not enough to prevent lies about the election from taking root on the platform and fueling violence against our democracy," Klobuchar, Reed and the 11 other senators said. The group stops short of threatening regulatory action against Meta. It's possible the Senate could call on Zuckerberg to testify much like Instagram head Adam Mosseri was asked to do earlier this month. While most US lawmakers agree more needs to be done to regulate Facebook and other social media platforms, Democrats and Republicans have found little common ground on how to approach the issue. Carnegie Town Hall Sioux Falls voters will get to decide whether the city's next mayor should see their pay increased by nearly $35,000 when they step into the voting booth this April. The proposal, which passed a second reading at Tuesday night's Sioux Falls City Council meeting, originally called for the mayor's salary to be increased to $195,000, but an amendment brought by Councilor Janet Brekke and unanimously supported by the council brought the figure down to $165,000. The city's charter set the mayor's salary at $75,000 in 1995, adding that it should be adjusted annually for inflation or deflation. As of Jan. 11, 2021, Mayor Paul TenHaken was paid $130,748.80. More: Sioux Falls City Council advances proposal to put mayoral, council pay raise on 2022 ballot Councilor Marshall Selberg, the item's primary sponsor, said he understood that some voters might have "sticker shock" when looking at the raise as he explained his support for Brekke's amendment. Still, he reiterated his belief that a pay raise was necessary for a position that oversees 1,300 employees and a $650 million budget and yet makes less than many of the directors who report to them. Brekke, who expressed her belief that a pay raise would do little to attract more people to the position, said her proposed figure may even be a little high, noting it would exceed the mayoral pay of many cities in the region, including Kansas City, Minneapolis and Des Moines. Selberg noted in response that there was some challenge in doing an "apples-to-apples comparison" given the differences in the governmental makeup of various cities. If approved by voters, city councilors would also see a pay raise, as their salary is locked by charter at 15% of what the mayor makes. That would put them at $24,750, an increase of over $5,000 from their current salary of $19,612.32. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls voters to decide if mayor will get a nearly $35k pay raise GARDNER The clock is ticking to find a solution to the problem of what to do about the sewage sludge that is disposed at the landfill off of West Street in Gardner. According to officials, the landfills capacity limit will be reached in three to seven years, so a decision about whether to expand the site or find an alternate method of disposing of sludge from the citys sewage system will have to be made fairly soon. Meanwhile, a statewide coalition of environmental groups has been organized by the Athol-based Millers River Watershed Council (MRWC) to promote sustainable alternatives to expanding the landfill, which is located near the Cummings Conservation Area. Just about everyone wants to find an economical solution to dealing with Gardners landfill sludge that is also environmentally friendly, and we are confident the city would find such a solution if it chose to look for one, said MRWC director Ivan Ussach. Weve looked at a range of alternatives that include everything from anaerobic digestors to composting to even hauling (sludge) to other locations. In terms of urgency, obviously this would have been great if things had been done several years ago, but here we are in 2021. The city has got to get on the ball and start moving now. The West Street landfill in Gardner is predicted to reach capacity in three to seven years. Comprised of groups including Gardner Clean Air, Mount Grace Conservation Land Trust, and the Athol Bird and Nature Club, the coalition aims to garner support for an approach to managing the citys sewage sludge that will keep the communitys air and water clean and will not disturb environmentally sensitive forest land near the site, according to Ussach. The impacts (of expanding the landfill) run from potential leakage into local drinking water wells and the nearby Otter River theres plenty of evidence to show that landfill liners leak to digging up protected land that the city has paid money to protect, Ussach said. And theres the ongoing odor issues that have been documented for many years. Those impacts will continue unabated if things continue just status quo. No other municipalities in the state are planning to open or expand sludge landfills, and that should tell you something. Story continues Mayor Michael Nicholson said the city is reviewing possible plans for what to do when capacity at the landfill is reached. We are exploring different options including expansion, hauling or anaerobic digestion, however, there are issues associated with each of those, Nicholson said. The only state that accepts hauled sewage sludge is New Jersey, and the shipping costs are astronomical, which would require significant increases in sewage rates to pay for. The city does not produce enough sludge on our own to support anaerobic digestion. As such, if we wanted anaerobic digestion, we have to truck in sludge from other places, which raises several concerns and environmental issues. Nicholson said when Rutland, where he served as town administrator before being elected mayor of Gardner in 2020, decided to truck in sludge from other places, it was discovered by officials that the sludge contained contaminants that raised several environmental concerns. I am not in favor of trucking in sludge from other locations and the side effects it could cause, so if we went the anaerobic digestion route, there would have to be a large amount of research done on the matter first, Nicholson said. Alan Rousseau, an abutter to the landfill and co-chair of Gardner Clean Air, said an expanded landfill would not be the legacy Gardner deserves. Threatening water supplies and stinking up the Cummings Conservation Area that the city, state and federal government paid to protect is not the way to go, he said. Neither is destroying rare geological features and vernal pools in the city-owned Wildwood Forest. Nicholson said that there are several concerns among officials regarding the option of expanding the landfill, including its location and other environmental factors. As such, we are exploring every option we can with as much research as possible, he said. No matter what option we choose, the city would have to have several inspections, permits and conversations with the Department of Environmental Protection who would have to fully approve of the final plan. This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Gardner sludge landfill nearing capacity; officials seeking solutions It may be awhile before the pilot who died when a small airplane crashed near the Monroe County Airport Friday night is identified. Because the single-engine Piper PA-32 caught fire and burned at the crash site two miles south of the airport, DNA will be necessary to positively identify the pilot, Monroe County Coroner Joani Stalcup said in a news release. Previous story: 1 dead after plane crash southwest of Bloomington The aircraft went down in a wooded area off Tower Road. southwest of Bloomington at 8:10 p.m. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the plane was flying from Indianapolis Metro Airport to the Monroe County Airport. The crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, a government agency that investigates aviation accidents in the United States. No preliminary information about the crash has been released. Holiday meals: Where to get a free meal on Christmas Day in Bloomington Indiana State Police Sgt. Mike Wood said his agency responded to the crash initially, and that federal investigators took over once they had arrived. "When there is an incident like this, we go to the scene and do what needs to be done until they show up and take over," he said. Contact reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com, 812-331-4362 or 812-318-5967. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington plane crash that killed one still being investigated A church service in the new building for the United Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Cuba. The church leadership of Stone Lutheran Church in Ashland committed to a special project in 2021. They were presented with an opportunity to support the completion of a new building for the United Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Cuba and jumped on it, according to a news release from Stone Lutheran Church,. More: Shoeboxes are filled with necessities and toys for kids in need overseas Stone Church adopted the small Cuban church as its church sister abroad and immediately got to work, said the release, which added by the end of October and thanks to the generous donations from the congregation, Stone Church had raised a bit more than the targeted $2,000 necessary to complete the project. Classroom teaching in new building for the United Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Cuba. Despite the pandemic and political and social unrest in Cuba over the past couple of years, Stone Lutheran's sister church continues growing and strengthening through different programs and ministries, forming leaders reaching people for Christ and actively helping in the distribution of food and resources within the best of their possibilities, according to the news release. As 2021 closes, they will have a new building that is the headquarters of a new church where Sunday service is celebrated and the community is reached, loved and fed. Church members with supplies for community work in the new building for the United Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Cuba. Our congregations generosity has encouraged and empowered the mission and ministry that we do together and is a tangible example of Christs love alive in the world today," Stone Lutheran Pastor Miguel Acosta said in the release. "By the love and the grace of our Lord, even though we are a small congregation nestled in a country area, we are going beyond our walls and touching lives overseas, as a member of the universal body of Christ. This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Stone Lutheran supports completion of a new church building in Cuba Directional signs pointing to various religions Credit - Dimitri Vervitsiotis-Getty Images In a society that largely takes the existence of God for granted, it can be difficult for non-believers to express themselves to friends and family. But there are some methods that can make it easier for atheists to broach this controversial subject. In many families, its actually considered taboo to even discuss religion or politics at all. But if you stay true to that rule, youll end up ignoring your family members positions on some of the most important topics in life. And there are practical matters to consider, too, such as how to handle church invitations or questions about potential baptisms of any newly born children. Either way, if youre an atheist with believers in your family, the topic is bound to arise eventually. Studies from the Pew Research Center have highlighted a rapidly growing group dubbed the nones, because they dont identify with a religion. Largely made up of young people who were raised in a faith but later left it, the nones are changing how religion is seen in the U.S. And while not every single none is an atheist, its clear that the younger generations are disregarding religion at rates never seen before, and that more Americans than ever are going to have to inform their families that they dont share their faith. With a stigma against atheists that often paints us as Satan worshipers or even worse, that task can be daunting for some non-believers. But for many people who dont believe, the time for delay is coming to an end. And if you are a non-believer hoping to live your life honestly, and youre wondering what to do next, here are some tips: PLAN OUT WHAT YOULL SAY AND WHEN YOULL SAY IT If deciding to tell loved ones about your de-conversion is the first step, then timing and planning the delivery is the second. Planning can prove to be very helpful in this area in that a spontaneous, off-the-cuff, announcement through an argument can catch your family off guard, leaving yourself and loved ones unprepared. Story continues THE EARLIER YOU SPEAK UP, THE BETTER OFF YOU ARE It may seem like a cliche, but, in the context of speaking out to family about controversial subjects, time generally does heal all wounds. Religious family members may be upset to hear about your lack of faith in the tradition that they practice, but time will always help those who truly love you to understand and accept that you simply arent convinced by the claims made by any world religions. EVEN IF YOURE JUST STARTING TO HAVE DOUBTS, EXPRESS THEM Expressing your doubts in religious institutions as early as you begin having them can help you transition smoothly into an openly non-religious life while making sure your doubts arent misunderstood. This is not to say that the first time you question religion you should immediately tell your family that youre an atheist, but openly expressing doubt may help plant the seeds with religious family members for a future revelation. What it does mean is that, if you are sure that you want to share your secularism with your family and friends, then the earlier you make the information known, the earlier they can solve their own issues with your deconversion and accept your choices, hopefully ensuring everyones happiness. DONT MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS DURING A FAMILY FIGHT As tempting as it may be to yell exactly how you feel when tempers start flaring, thats probably the worst time to make an important disclosure. As you might expect, it is usually considered bad form to come out in an argument about religionand it is certainly in poor taste to purposefully belittle ones beliefs. This type of confrontational behavior will ensure that your message is delivered to family in a time of stress or tension and will subsequently convey those negative feelings; in most cases, that only serves to make the acceptance process more difficult for you and your family in the long run. ITS NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CHANGE MINDS When talking to family about something as controversial as a difference of opinion over faith, its important to keep in mind that it isnt your job to convince them of anything. These are beliefs that have been flourishing and fortifying in some cases since childhood and today may provide comfort for those who fear the unknown or even retain a fear of purposelessness in a more general sense, and they will not be easily shaken. Nor is it your responsibility to de-convert your family; instead, think of it as your obligation to present your opinions in a logical manner, educate loved ones on your motives for separating from religion if prompted, and love your family no matter what they believe. After all, it is a persons actions that define themand not their belief system or lack thereof. More from TIME The percentage of Americans who are dropping religion increases every year, so the chances are if you arent questioning your faith, someone you love just might be. And wherever you are in your journey to answer the worlds most important questions, keeping these tips in mind will help you interact with family members about the contentious topics of religion and atheism without severing important familial connections. Samuel Hall, founder of Patriots for America, addresses Val Verde County commissioners in Texas. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) The militia leader came before Val Verde County commissioners at their regular meeting in this border town 200 miles west of San Antonio wearing a straw cowboy hat, boots and a T-shirt emblazoned with the American flag. He introduced himself as Samuel Hall, north Texas-based founder of Patriots for America. For the last two months, volunteers from his militia which doesn't disclose the size of its membership had coordinated with the sheriff of neighboring Kinney County to stop illegal immigrants. The militia patrolled in shifts, funded by donations. They approached ranchers in Val Verde about running operations on their land too. Hall hoped to win commissioners' blessing at Tuesdays meeting. We are expanding our operations, said Hall, 40. The militia has been demonized pretty well by the left. My goal and my objective before you today commissioners is to let you know that our message is pure. Were not a bunch of guys that have a hate rhetoric. Were not a bunch of guys that beat our chest or have the wrong intentions or wrong message. We are a Christ-centered, faith-based organization. Were a bunch of believers. Samuel Hall, second from left, and fellow members of Patriots for America in Del Rio, Texas. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Militias have staked out the border for decades, but Patriots for America has managed to do what many others have not: Patrol armed, with landowners permission, in concert with local law enforcement. The militia arrived here after Gov. Greg Abbott declared the Texas border a disaster and launched Operation Lone Star last spring, allowing state troopers to arrest and jail migrants on misdemeanor trespassing charges. Since then, thousands of migrants have arrived, including a caravan of Haitians that overwhelmed U.S. Customs and Border Protection last fall, prompting criticism of some agents who were photographed on horseback chasing migrants. Migrant deaths have increased in both counties this year. Sheriffs said there have been drownings in the Rio Grande and bodies recovered on ranches further north. Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union and nine other groups filed a complaint to the U.S. Department of Justice, requesting that it investigate Texas agencies and local governments involved in the operation. Among their concerns: County support for militias. Story continues Haitian migrant Junior Desterville, center, crosses the Rio Grande in Del Rio, Texas. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Operation Lone Star goes hand in hand with white supremacist extremism including efforts to partner with vigilante groups, said Kate Huddleston, a staff attorney with the ACLU, noting it had yet to receive a substantive response from the Justice Department. Were particularly concerned about violence due to the armed vigilante group presence and law enforcements willingness to work with them instead of ensuring that everyone in the county is safe, Huddleston said. She said the majority of the more than 2,300 arrests under the program have been made in Kinney County, a conservative, rural ranching community of about 3,500 people. The prosecutors are busy nonstop, Sheriff Brad Coe said during an interview at his office last week in the county seat of Brackettville, about 130 miles west of San Antonio. Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe in his office in Brackettville, Texas. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Coe served for 30 years with the Border Patrol and still has Donald Trump stickers on his desk. Coe said he stays in touch with Hall, that ranchers have allowed the militia on their land and appreciate them in town. When they go into the stores, restaurants, people love them. They say, We appreciate what you do, Coe said. Coe said when he started working with the militias, he received pushback from the Texas Department of Public Safety, causing concern the state would pull resources from the county. Travis Considine, a spokesman for the state agency, said it didn't support partnering with militias. But he said the department never threatened to pull resources from Kinney County. We do not want to work with [militias], but we do not control the sheriffs, he said. Val Verde County Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez, center, looks on as Samuel Hall, right, addresses county commissioners. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Val Verde County Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez also had reservations about working with Halls group. Hall insists his militia is law-abiding. They vet members with background checks. When they encounter migrants, they use their cellphones to alert the sheriff. They don't detain migrants, he said, which would be illegal. "They can leave if they want," Hall said, although migrants they encounter are usually too tired. "They've given up on their trek." Hall met Martinez twice before the commissioners meeting and asked the sheriff to approach local ranchers on his behalf. The sheriff said he talked to seven. They dont want them on their ranches because of liability, he said. At Tuesdays meeting, Martinez looked on from the gallery as Hall appealed to the five commissioners, four of them Democrats. When we do come upon illegal immigrants, it is our goal to comfort them, not be mean, not be intimidating. We give them food, we give them water, we attend to any medical needs that they have, Hall said, including three migrants they found a few nights earlier in Kinney County very scared, very cold. They had been walking for a month and a half from Nicaragua. In Spanish, the translation was they had been persecuted by their own country so much that this was the only path that they felt they could take. He noted that he had met with the countys chief executive the day before, Judge Lewis Owens Jr., a Democrat, who agreed the county was struggling to cope with the surge in migrants this year. People on both sides of the aisle are fed up. We dont have the proper resources, we dont have the proper infrastructure, to handle this crisis. So what do we do? Well, we have Texans like Patriots for America, Hall said. Hall choked up as he described how, after a Val Verde County rancher allowed them onto his property recently, they saw discarded migrant childrens clothes, shoes and a toddlers life jacket. He said Coe supported the militia because of their humanitarian message. We dont come in with any intent to hurt anybody. We dont come in with any intent to cause any fights, he said. Were here to make a positive difference, but we need your support. Militia member Kevin Caldwell, 58, a former business owner from north Texas, spoke next. He told commissioners he had just retired, bought an RV and was about to travel with his wife when Hall contacted him. "I put all of my plans on hold to heed that call," Caldwell said, insisting militia members are not "vigilantes." "Those volunteers are hardworking people like myself that are making sacrifices understanding that what's going on down here is not right. We are a nation of laws and we need to enforce those laws," he said. Owens, a former developer and contractor, said commissioners wouldnt be deciding the matter at Tuesdays meeting, but noted that migrant flows into the area had not slowed. Samuel Hall, right, of Patriots for America addresses Val Verde County Judge Lewis Owens Jr., center, and County Commissioner Robert "Beau" Nettleton, right. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Its becoming a bigger and bigger problem, said Commissioner Robert "Beau" Nettleton, the lone Republican, who owns a landscaping company, runs a family ranch and had arrived chewing an unlit cigar. There was a guy on my porch, a scout, charging his cellphone. Weve got to do something on the north end of the county. Those ranchers are getting overrun. And these are not people looking for asylum. Commissioner Gustavo Gus Flores, who owns a hauling and trucking company, agreed. Owens noted that days before, Abbott debuted the first stretch of state-built border wall to the east in the Rio Grande Valley. The county executive had been fielding calls ever since about what the state planned to build locally. On Friday, Abbott announced another $38.4 million in funding for the state's border operation. The administration has completely abandoned the American people on this issue, Nettleton said. Yes, Hall whispered in the gallery. Samuel Hall of Patriots for America. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Hall left the meeting feeling encouraged. Though the sheriff told him ranchers were not supportive, a couple were, he said, and there were a few commissioners I spoke with who seem open. Owens, the county executive, was less optimistic. I dont think theyre going to be needed in or welcomed in our county, he said, although he conceded, We agreed on just about everything we were talking about except them coming into our county. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. By Doyinsola Oladipo and Suheir Sheikh DUBAI (Reuters) - Brazilian tourist Livya Feho used a 24-hour Dubai layover to visit the Expo 2020, in a city that remains one of the few international tourism hubs still open for travellers during a coronavirus-disrupted holiday period. Feho, travelling from Israel to Brazil, snapped a few selfies at the global fair's main square, festooned with Christmas trees and other holiday decorations. With the Omicron variant circulating in the UAE, was she not worried about catching COVID-19? "Yes, a bit ...but I had the booster dose... and I am also using the mask. So I think I will be fine," she said. Dubai, the Middle East's business and tourism hub, cannot afford another lockdown. Its economy, whose foundations have creaked under coronavirus restrictions, relies heavily on the travel industry. It received 5.5 million visitors in 2020, despite global lockdowns, and this year had welcomed 4.88 million by the end of October, official data shows. UAE infection numbers are rising again. There were 665 new cases on Wednesday, but tourists are still enjoying its glitzy hotels and night life. Gabriela Pourova, a tourist from the Czech Republic, said she needed only a PCR test to land in Dubai. "No matter how the risk right now is... I can just take my precautions and still enjoy Dubai," added Yvette Dbedevi, a tourist from Togo. (Editing by Aziz El Yaakoubi; editing by John Stonestreet) Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty A trafficking survivor suing a Virginia police department has amended her complaint to claim that a former detective was threatened into keeping a protection racket and massive coverup quiet. According to the suit, Fairfax County police officers let predators operate in exchange for free sexual services in a coverup that reached all the way to the then-chief. In one instance, the suit claims, a lieutenant threatened a detective who raised concerns, telling him to keep [his] mouth shut and dont utter the words human trafficking again. The Fairfax County Police Department referred a request for comment about the allegations to the county, which did not respond to calls and emails from The Daily Beast. The suit was originally filed in October by a 43-year-old woman who claims she was trafficked from Costa Rica in 2010 and forced to work as a prostitute in Fairfax County until 2015. She alleged she was forced to provide two local police officers with free services in exchange for information about when the department would be conducting raids. An updated version of the complaint filed last week contains the names of both officers, as well as additional allegations that the suit claims come from William Woolf, a former Fairfax County Police Department detective. Woolf did not respond to multiple calls and emails seeking comment, but the plaintiffs attorney, Vic Glasberg, claims he spoke to the cop at length about his former department after filing the original complaint. Frankly, I view him as a latter-day Serpico, Glasberg said, referring to a famous NYPD whistleblower. Around the time the plaintiff was allegedly being trafficked, the suit says, Woolf was the only FCPD officer assigned to work on the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force, for which the department had previously received a half-million-dollar grant. According to the suit, Woolfs fellow officers looked down on his work with trafficking victims, saying they were not real crime victims and disparaging him as a social worker. Story continues Trafficking Victim: They Made Me Have Sex With Cops In 2014, Woolfs supervisor, Michael Barbazette, began demonstrating a substantial interest in Woolfs work with trafficking victims, asking to come along on interviews and at one point asking for a victims cellphone number, the suit claims. At the same time, the suit says, Barbazette began making Woolfs work substantially more difficult, denying his travel requests, refusing him overtime, and requesting a detailed daily report on his activities. At one point, according to the suit, Woolf complained to his supervisor about Barbazettes behavior and about trafficking victims who said that they were being traded to the officers in exchange for protection from law enforcement. But Woolfs supervisor, Capt. James Baumstark, allegedly declined to help and ordered him to forget what he had been told, saying: Im a lifeguard and you are far off shore drowning, and Im not going to try to save you. (Baumstark did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment.) The next year, Woolf was aggressively interrogated by Lt. Vincent Scianna about flying to interview a sex-trafficking witness, the suit claims. It reports that Woolf claims Scianna turned off the recorder he had been using to tape the meeting and asked, You know what this is really about, dont you? before issuing the order to keep [his] mouth shut if he wanted to keep working in law enforcement. You have six kids. You have to think about them, the suit says Scianna added. (Scianna could not be reached for comment.) Woolf agreed not to raise the issue of human trafficking again, and was assigned to work on child pornography and runaway cases, according to the complaint. Two days later, Chief of Police Edwin Roessler, who retired this year, called and said he wanted to make sure Woolf was willing to play ball. The suit says Woolf assured the chief that he was. (Roessler could not be reached for comment.) Chief Edwin Roessler retired in January. Fairfax County Police via Facebook A few years later, the FBI began investigating the trafficking ring in which the plaintiff claims she was victimized. Multiple women told the bureau stories strikingly similar to hers, saying they had been lured from Costa Rica to Virginia under false pretenses and forced to work as prostitutes. Several of the women claim the ringleader confiscated their travel documents and threatened to harm their families, according to a federal affidavit. As part of their investigation, the FBI searched a cellphone used by the plaintiff and several other trafficking victims and found numbers belonging to Barbazette and another FCPD officer, Jason Mardocco, the complaint says. Mardocco did not respond to a request for comment and Barbazette could not be reached. Neither was named in the original complaint, because the plaintiff said she did not know their names, but the police department identified them in response to a subpoena, according to a separate court filing. The leader of the trafficking ring, Hazel Marie Sanchez Cerdas, eventually pleaded guilty to felony charges related to sex trafficking and served five years. In the meantime, the suit claims, the FBI forwarded the case to its Public Corruption Division to investigate Barbazette and Mardoccos involvement. According to the suit, the bureau eventually referred the corruption case back to the Fairfax police, which allegedly allowed the officers to resign quietly and maintain their pensions. Woolf, meanwhile, resigned from the department in 2017 and went on to serve as the director of human trafficking programs for the Justice Department and a special adviser for human trafficking to the White House. He also founded his own anti-trafficking charity, Anti-Trafficking International, and serves as a senior fellow for the America First Policy Institute, a think tank stacked with Trump administration veterans. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Travis County has administered more than 1,993,342 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, as of Dec. 21, according to data from the Texas Department of State Health Services. That's up 2.25% from the previous week's tally of 1,949,543 COVID-19 doses administered. In Travis County, 70% of people living in Travis County are fully vaccinated as of Dec. 21. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers someone fully vaccinated two weeks after they've been given a single-dose shot (Johnson & Johnson) or a second shot (either Pfizer or Moderna). More: Austin Regional Clinic testing COVID-19 vaccine designed to target variants Texas reported 4,453,516 total cases of coronavirus, an increase of 1% from the week before. The five counties with the highest percentage of their population fully vaccinated in Texas as of Dec. 21 are Presidio County (81%), Webb County (81%), Maverick County (78%), Hudspeth County (76%) and Starr County (75%). Here are the latest numbers on COVID-19 vaccinations in Travis County as of Dec. 21: How many people in Travis County have received a COVID-19 vaccine? 80% of people in Travis County have received at least one dose of the vaccine, for a total of 965,447 people 70% of people in Travis County are fully vaccinated, for a total of 838,432 people For a county-by-county look at the vaccination rollout, see our COVID-19 vaccine tracker, which is updated daily. How many people in Texas have been vaccinated so far? 69% of people in Texas have received at least one dose of the vaccine, for a total of 19,153,518 people 59% of people in Texas are fully vaccinated, for a total of 16,381,440 people COVID vaccinations for kids and boosters The percentages in this story reflect the total share of the population that has received vaccines. That now includes people as young as 5 years old, for whom vaccines have been authorized. These weekly stories will be updated as more data on vaccination rates in children, as well as booster vaccination rates, are released. Story continues More: Williamson County COVID-19 vaccine tracker: 71% of people fully vaccinated We pull data on local vaccine distribution on a weekly basis. Check back for our next weekly update mid-week for the latest numbers. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Travis County Texas vaccine rate: How many people are vaccinated? EXCLUSIVE: Former President Trump said his new media company will likely be up and running in the first quarter of 2022, telling Fox News in an exclusive interview that the platform is currently "under development" and will be a way of "getting our voice out to a lot of people." The former president touted his new media organization, in an exclusive interview with Fox News this week, saying Trump Media & Technology Group will "be in great shape" and "moving along very well" in early 2022. TRUMP'S MEDIA COMPANY TO PARTNER WITH RUMBLE "Id like to say the first quarter of this year coming up," Trump said, when asked about a timeline. "We think well be in great shape, and you know, its moving along very well, and we think were going to be in great shape." When asked what the plan and purpose of the new company was, Trump said it is about "getting our voice out." "It is going to be, very simply, a way of getting our voice out to a lot of people," Trump told Fox News. "And when we get our voice out, there are a lot of people that want to hear this voice, because they dont hear it." Trump slammed the media, saying it "certainly is not a free press." "Its very corrupt, and we have to be able to get our voice out and this will be a way of getting our voice out loud and clear," Trump said. "I truly believe we have far more than 50% of the public of the people of this countrymuch more than 50%," Trump said. "This is a way of getting a strong word out from a lot of different people who should be heard." NUNES TO RESIGN FROM CONGRESS, JOIN TRUMP MEDIA COMPANY AS CEO Earlier this month, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) announced that Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., would resign from Congress at the end of the year, and join the company as chief executive officer. "Devins been a fantastic leader," Trump told Fox News, adding that the companys main product is "under development right now." "He also understands big tech, and small tech, and he is very, very much involved in that, which is an ability in itself, and I think hes going to do a fantastic job." Story continues WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 29: U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) testifies during a Republican-led forum on the origins of the COVID-19 virus at the U.S. Capitol on June 29, 2021 in Washington, DC. The forum examined the theory that the coronavirus came from a lab in Wuhan, China. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) Kevin Dietsch Trump went on to say that he has received "rave reviews for having picked" Nunes to lead the venture. "He also loves our country and he wants to get another voice out thereobviously not just for the radical left, so this is a very big thing," Trump said. He added: "It is far more important than money. This is a very big thing that were doing." It is unclear, at this point, exactly what the TMTG platform and product will look like, or how it will function. Earlier this month, TMTG announced a technology and cloud services partnership with video hosting platform Rumble. "As part of our mission, TMTG [Trump Media & Technology Group] continues to align with service providers who do not discriminate against political ideology," Trump said in a statement last week, adding that the Rumble Cloud will serve "as a critical backbone for TMTG infrastructure. TRUMP LAUNCHES NEW COMMUNICATIONS PLATFORM MONTHS AFTER TWITTER, FACEBOOK BAN "TMTG has already launched Truth Social on the Rumble Cloud for invited guests only, and the initial Beta launch has been excellent. America is ready for TRUTH Social, and the end to cancel culture," Trump said in the statement. Rumble will also provide video and streaming services for Truth Social as part of the agreement, while the companies are still in negotiations for Rumble to provide additional infrastructure and video delivery for TMTG's subscription service, TMTG+. The announcement also comes after Rumble agreed to go public earlier this month, with an implied $2.1 billion valuation. The creation of Trump's media company comes after he was banned from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat after the Capitol riot on Jan. 6. TRUMP 'VERY APPRECIATIVE' AND 'SURPRISED' BIDEN ACKNOWLEDGED HIS ADMINISTRATION'S COVID VACCINE SUCCESS Trump, in May, launched a communications platform, "From the Desk of Donald J. Trump," which appeared on www.DonaldJTrump.com/desk. That platform, first reported by Fox News, intended to serve as a "place to speak freely and safely" after his ban from sites like Twitter and Facebook. That platform ran for a short while, and has since been dormant. Trump currently communicates with supporters and the media by releasing statements via press release from 45office.com. Meanwhile, a businessman, Trump reacted to the uptick in organized retail crime crime across the nation--specifically the rise in "smash-and-grab" robberies in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, New York and Minneapolis. During the interview, Trump said the law enforcement community needs the support of the government and the public in order to combat the surge in crime. TRUMP SAYS MANCHIN IS 'SAVING' BIDEN 'FROM HIMSELF' BY OPPOSING BUILD BACK BETTER "We have to give the police and law enforcement their authority back," Trump told Fox News. "We have to give them their strength back, so that they can stopthey can solve this problem very easily." But Trump suggested that police, in the current climate, are concerned to do their jobs with full force. A boarded up Michael Kors store in San Francisco, California amid a rise in smash-and-grab theft. "If they stop it now, and if they stop it strongly as they can, they don't want to lose their pension, they don't want to, you know, have their families be destroyed," Trump told Fox News. "We have to give back their authority and their strength to our Police Department as opposed to 'defund the police," Trump continued. "What you read about is defund the police. We can't allow that to happen." PSAKI SAYS ROOT CAUSE OF ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME IS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC He added: "If we give them back their respect and their strength we will see that end very quickly." Trumps comments come as the National Retail Federation (NRF) reported that 69% of retailers have seen an increase in organized retail crime over the last year. The NRF also reported that 78% of retailers believe that "greater federal law-enforcement activity would effectively combat organized retail crime." One incident last month left a California security guard dead as he tried to protect a news crew that was reporting on the crimes. Retired San Jose police officer Kevin Nishita was fatally shot during an armed robbery. But the White House, earlier this month, said that the root cause for the spike in organized retail crime is the COVID-19 pandemic, while stressing that Biden administration officials are working with a number of communities across the nation to "crack down" on crime in those neighborhoods. TRUMP WILL 'PROBABLY' ANNOUNCE 2024 PLANS AFTER MIDTERMS: 'A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL BE VERY HAPPY' Crime is likely to be a top talking point for Republicans as they hit the campaign trail ahead of the 2022 midterm elections in November--a campaign that Trump plans to be "very involved" in. Trump, during another exclusive interview with Fox News in November, said he planned to formally announce whether he will run for re-election in 2024 after the midterms. When asked whether he will stick to that timeline, Trump said: "Most likely, yes. Most likely would be after." TRUMP TO BE 'VERY INVOLVED' IN 2022 MIDTERMS, SAYS HE 'WILL STAY BUSY FOR GOOD PEOPLE' "We have a big thing coming up--we have a very important election coming up," Trump said. "And the Republicans have to do well on that or we're not going to have a country left." As for the Democrats, Trump said he doesn't know whether President Biden will run for re-election. "I don't know whether or not he's gonna run, and we'll see, and my numbers have been very strong, it's like, stronger than I've ever had em, and Im honored by that," Trump said. "That's a question you're gonna have to as him, and then you'll have to ask that to the vice president also." Meanwhile, Trump was asked what he would like for Christmas, and his hopes for the new year. "Well, honestly, Id like to see, very simply, Id like to see our country do well," Trump told Fox News. "Were not doing well, were doing very poorly. Id like to see our country do well." The former president pointed to the Biden administrations withdrawal from Afghanistan in August, marking an end to the United States 20 year war on terror. "I think that was one of the lowest points in the history of our country with the way we withdrew," Trump said, noting that he did not disagree with the withdrawal, as he "was doing it and was the one that got it down to 2,000 soldiersbut the way they withdrew. Trump went on to point to the border crisis and the surge in crime across the nation. "The border is so bad, and the crime is so high," Trump said. "A lot of problems. A lot of problems." "So, even if it was bad politically, Id like to see our country do great," Trump told Fox News. "It is much more important than politics." He added: "That would be my true wish, and well see what happens." ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey's domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine, Turkovac, has received emergency use authorisation by Turkish authorities and will be open to use from next weekend, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Wednesday. Turkey began developing Turkovac this year, but the launch date for the vaccine has been beset by delays. President Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey would make the shot available globally. Turkey has already administered more than 125 million doses of vaccines using shots developed by China's Sinovac and by Pfizer/BioNTech, with more than 51 million having received two doses of the vaccines. It has also begun administering boosters shots. Koca was speaking at the vaccine's manufacturing facility in the southeastern province of Sanlirufa. Turkey's daily infection numbers have hovered around 20,000, while the daily death toll remains near 200. (Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Toby Chopra) The Tuscarawas County YMCAs 2021 Turkey Trot fundraiser was successful thanks to support from the community. The 5K run, which takes place every year on Thanksgiving, brought in more than $15,000 in support of the Ys Annual Campaign. This was the 50th anniversary of the Turkey Trot here in Tuscarawas County. Fifty four YMCA members and staff volunteered their time to help make the race run smoothly. There were 756 registered participants ranging in age from 7 to 76. The overall male winner was Kevin Beachy with a time of 16.39 and the overall female winner was Madison DeBos with a time of 17.43. Jason Eick, Race Director, stated, We are so excited and thankful to be able to hold our 50th anniversary Tuscarawas County YMCA Turkey Trot 5K as a in person event! This race is a holiday tradition for so many and we thank everyone who came out to run or walk with us this year! See you next year! All proceeds from the Turkey Trot benefit the YMCAs annual campaign, which provides direct financial assistance to local youth and families who would otherwise not be able to afford membership or participation in Y programs like swim lessons, preschool, afterschool, youth sports, gymnastics, day camp, and Teen Leaders Club. For more information on the Turkey Trot or the Annual Campaign, contact the Y at (330) 364-5511 This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Tuscarawas County YMCA Turkey Trot a success Darronte Matthews, left, and Sheridan Hurtig. PEORIA A reporter has been promoted to weekend anchor for WMBD-TV and WYZZ-TV. Darronte Matthews, an Eastern Illinois University graduate who has been with the news operation for more than two years, has taken the weekend role formerly held by Janie Bohlmann, said Shaun Newell, news director for the Nexstar Media Group stations. Bohlmann departed last month for WSPA-TV, a CBS affiliate based in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Meanwhiletime, digital reporter Sheridan Hurtig is now also serving as news reporter for the stations. 'Absolutely heartbreaking': Why this Peoria bar owner says it's time for 'last, last call' More: Reporter-anchor leaves Peoria's WMBD-TV news operation for East Coast position Hurtig joined the stations in June after graduating from Bradley University a month earlier with a major in television arts and minor in journalism. This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria reporters named to new news roles at WMBD-TV WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday barred two former Malta government officials and their immediate families from entry, citing suspicions of involvement in significant corruption. The move targets Maltese ex-premier Joseph Muscat's former chief of staff, Keith Schembri, and former energy minister Konrad Mizzi, the U.S. State Department said in a statement. "Specifically, there is credible information that Mizzi and Schembri were involved in a corrupt scheme that entailed the award of a government contract for the construction of a power plant and related services in exchange for kickbacks and bribes," State Department spokesman Ned Price said. Representatives for Schembri and Mizzi could not immediately be reached for comment. The government in Malta made no immediate comment. In 2020, Reuters and the Times of Malta https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-malta-daphne-money-trail-exclusive-idUKKBN23Q1MA revealed that an offshore company called 17 Black Limited made millions by profiting from a 2015 wind farm project purchased in Montenegro by Malta's state energy company Enemalta. The purchase came after negotiations and several trips to Montenegro led by Mizzi. Accountants for Mizzi and Schembri wrote in an email seen by Reuters that the two men stood to receive payments from 17 Black for services that were not specified. Mizzi and Schembri have denied any wrongdoing. Reuters had earlier established that the owner of Black 17 was Maltas wealthiest businessmen, Yorgen Fenech. He was accused in 2019 of ordering the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was looking into the firm. Fenech has denied the accusation and is awaiting trial. (Writing by Susan Heavey and Crispian Balmer, Additional reporting by Chris Scicluna in Malta; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Mark Heinrich) By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers urged major airlines to back mandatory training for flight crew members to address violent incidents amid a record number of disruptive onboard incidents. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Wednesday it has received a record 5,779 unruly passenger reports this year, including 4,156 incidents related to a requirement passengers wear masks to guard against the coronavirus pandemic. The FAA, which has pledged a "zero-tolerance" approach, said last month it had referred 37 unruly passengers to the FBI for potential criminal prosecution. The FAA has initiated 1,054 investigations and 325 enforcement actions. On Wednesday, House of Representatives Homeland Security chair Bennie Thompson and Transportation and Infrastructure chair Peter DeFazio and two key subcommittee chairs sent letters to the CEOs of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines urging them to require crew members to attend the Transportation Security Administration's Crew Member Self Defense Training Program. The lawmakers want to ensure "they are equipped with the necessary skills to deter and mitigate dangerous situations as unruly passenger behavior spikes across the country." They want airlines to provide crewmembers with paid time, travel and accommodations to participate in the training led by federal air marshals. TSA resumed offering its free self-defense program in July after pausing the course due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the lawmakers noted. American Airlines said on Wednesday it holds "the safety of our frontline team members as our highest priority, and we appreciate these lawmakers' commitment to helping protect it. We are reviewing the letter." The push comes amid a holiday travel surge. The TSA says it has screened 1.98 million or more passengers in each of the last six days. The FAA and TSA announced on Tuesday that unruly passengers facing fines may be removed from TSA PreCheck screening eligibility. Story continues Last month, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland directed federal prosecutors to prioritize prosecution of airline passengers committing assaults and other crimes aboard aircraft. To date, the FAA has issued more than $1.4 million in fines for unruly passengers. Many passengers who refused to wear masks have been hit with $9,000 or higher fines. On Oct. 8, President Joe Biden instructed the Justice Department to "deal" with the rising number of violent incidents onboard planes. U.S. prosecutors in Colorado have charged a 20-year-old California man with punching a flight attendant on an Oct. 27 American Airlines flight bound for Santa Ana, California, that forced the plane to land. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Howard Goller) The U.S. population grew during the coronavirus pandemic at the lowest rate since the nations founding, according to statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday. Population growth has been slowing for years because of lower birth rates and decreasing net international migration, all while mortality rates are rising due to the aging of the nations population, Census Bureau demographer Kristie Wilder said in a press release. Now, with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this combination has resulted in an historically slow pace of growth. The countrys population grew by 0.1 percent, or 392,665 people, to about 331.8 million from July 2020 to July 2021. That time frame marked the first time since 1937 that the population grew by less than a million within a year, and the lowest added number of people since 1900. The U.S. added almost 245,000 people from international migration but just 148,000 from new births supplanting deaths, marking the first time that migration contributed more to U.S. population growth than births. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, however, new immigration fell by about half from the previous year. Over 800,000 Americans have died of Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. I was expecting low growth but nothing this low, William Frey, a demographer and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told the Associated Press. It tells us that this pandemic has had a huge impact on us in all kinds of ways, and now demography. Among U.S. states, 33 gained in population while 17 decreased in the number of residents. Texas and Florida saw the highest numerical population gains, while New York and California recorded the highest numerical declines. More from National Review By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Tuesday finalized a reversal of a rule issued under then-U.S. President Donald Trump that sought to pre-empt California's vehicle emissions regulations. The Department of Transportation said it was issuing final rules rescinding the Trump action, which sought to bar the most populous state in the nation from setting vehicle rules that might conflict with the federal government's authority to set Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) requirements. The program, in place since 1975, sets vehicle fuel efficiency requirements. "States can now actively pursue solutions to address the climate crisis and environmental challenges in their communities," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. About two dozen U.S. states sued to block a pair of Trump actions that sought to remove California from vehicle emissions regulations, while major automakers had backed the effort. The Republican president often clashed with California. Related video: Study finds dips in vehicle emissions have resulted in fewer deaths Soon after Democrat Joe Biden was elected president in November 2020, General Motors Co reversed course and opted to no longer back the Trump administrations effort to bar California from setting its own emissions rules. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) separately has moved to reverse the Trump administration's 2019 decision to withdraw California's legal authority to set vehicle emissions rules and set zero-emission vehicle mandates. The EPA in 2013 granted California a waiver for its tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions and zero-emission vehicle regulations. A total of 14 states have adopted California's vehicle-emission rules and 11 have adopted its zero-emission vehicle mandates. On Monday, the EPA finalized new vehicle emissions requirements through 2026 that reverse Trump's rollback of car pollution cuts and will speed a U.S. shift to more electric vehicles (EVs). The rule will reduce U.S. gasoline consumption by 15% through 2050, the EPA said, or more than 440 million barrels. Story continues If expressed in miles per gallon (mpg) requirements, the EPA rules would result in real-world average for new cars and trucks of about 40 mpg in 2026, versus 38 mpg under the August proposal and 32 mpg under the Trump rules. Biden wants 50% of all new vehicles sold in 2030 to be EV or plug-in hybrid models but has not endorsed California's plan to phase out new gasoline-powered light-duty vehicles by 2035. The Transportation Department next year is expected to finalize its rewrite of CAFE standards. (Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Jonathan Oatis) Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Matt Rourke/AP Photo The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a probe into Tesla's "Passenger Play" feature. "Passenger Play" allows drivers to play video games on the cars' touchscreens while in motion. The NHTSA said this "may distract the driver and increase the risk of a crash." Tesla is under investigation by the US auto safety agency over reports that drivers can play video games on vehicles' front touchscreens while the car is in motion A document published to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) site states the investigation was opened on Tuesday following a single complaint, and applies to roughly 580,000 vehicles. "This functionality, referred to as 'Passenger Play,' may distract the driver and increase the risk of a crash," the agency said in the document. The NHTSA said it confirmed that this functionality has been available to drivers since December 2020. "Prior to this time, gameplay was enabled only when the vehicle was in Park," it said. The New York Times spoke to a Tesla Model 3 owner in December who said he'd discovered he was able to play games including solitaire on his car's touchscreen while driving. The driver said he'd also seen people on YouTube driving while playing games in Teslas. "I'm astonished. To me, it just seems inherently dangerous," he told The Times. The NHTSA said it was in talks with Tesla about the feature the next day. In Tuesday's document announcing the official probe, the NHTSA said the feature could be dangerous. Tesla did not immediately respond when contacted by Insider about the NHTSA investigation. The agency also opened an investigation into Tesla in August over the safety of its driver-assistance Autopilot feature, following 12 reports of Teslas on Autopilot crashing into emergency vehicles. Read the original article on Business Insider The Treasury Department on Wednesday announced it was issuing special licenses to ensure that some international aid could flow to Afghanistan, where the economy collapsed following the Taliban takeover in August. The licenses will enable the U.S. government, international organizations such as the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations to operate in the country and offer humanitarian assistance despite sanctions. They will also allow Afghans living abroad to send money to their families in Afghanistan through remittances. We are committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan, said Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo in a statement. Unfortunately, the economy faces grave challenges, exacerbated by the countrys long dependence on foreign aid, donor and private sector flight sparked by the Talibans takeover, drought, structural macroeconomic issues, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. government has labeled Afghanistans Taliban and the related Haqqani network as terrorists, severely restricting their access to global institutions and the outside money that supported the countrys economy before the withdrawal of U.S. forces this year and the swift demise of its previous government. Biden administration officials face the awkward task of trying to help the Afghan people without also funding a Taliban government that the U.S.-led coalition supplanted after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 and then fought for roughly 20 years. As much as 80% of Afghanistans budget comes from the international community. Without greater access to foreign money, the Afghan economy is likely to contract by about 30% this year furthering the humanitarian crisis. The State Department said the U.S. government plans to provide Afghanistan with an additional 1 million vaccine doses in the coming weeks. That brings the total U.S. donation for Afghanistan to 4.3 million doses, though the country has an estimated population of about 40 million. Earlier in December, the U.S. government worked to transfer $280 million from the World Bank's Afghanistan reconstruction trust fund to U.N. organizations to address health and nutrition needs in the country. A welding skills lab will take place at the East Jordan High School welding lab. Classes begin Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022 and will take place from 4-6 p.m. every Monday and Thursday for 15 weeks. EAST JORDAN A new after-hours Welding Skills Lab is being offered to participants of all ages interested in developing their welding skills to enhance a current career, start a new career or pursue a hobby. The welding skills lab will take place at the East Jordan High School welding lab. Classes begin Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022 and will take place from 4-6 p.m. every Monday and Thursday for 15 weeks. The classes will be taught by East Jordan High School welding teacher David Muladore, who has 40 years of welding experience in the industry and in the classroom. Upon successful completion, participants will earn American Welding Society (AWS) Level 1, 2 or 3 certifications. Participants in the new welding skills lab will get a first-hand feel for the different welding processes and basic fabrication skills, Muladore said. Students will learn shop safety along with an understanding of level one welding processes which include O.A.W., G.M.A.W., S.M.A.W., F.C.A.W, and G.T.A.W. along with fabricating equipment such as sawing, shear, roller, grinding, plasma cutting and drilling. The welding skills lab is open to participants of all ages, professional or hobbyist, but space is limited. Cost for the program is $1,200 and includes all supplies and instruction. Scholarships are available through Northwest Michigan Works!. Registration opened for the lab on Monday, Dec. 20, and a registration form may be found at www.charemisd.org. The registration deadline is Jan. 7, 2022. To apply for a scholarship, or if you have questions, contact Corey Busch, Northwest Michigan Works! at (231) 492-8207 or email corey.busch@networksnorthwest.org. More details about the welding skills lab are available on the Char-Em ISD website, www.charemisd.org. The welding skills lab is being offered through a partnership between Char-Em ISD, East Jordan Public Schools, Northwestern Michigan College, and Northwest Michigan Works!. This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Welding skills lab to take place in East Jordan beginning Jan. 20 (Reuters) -The World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday it will reduce food rations for 8 million people in Yemen from January due to a lack of funding from donors, warning the cuts will push more people into starvation. Families on reduced handouts will receive barely half of the WFP's daily minimum ration. Other food assistance and child malnutrition programmes are at risk of further cuts if more funding does not come through, the WFP said in a statement. U.N. agencies, including the WFP, earlier warned of programme cuts, after only $2.68 billion of $3.85 billion requested from donors for this year had been received as of the end of October. "WFP food stocks in Yemen are running dangerously low," the WFP's regional director, Corinne Fleischer, said in a statement. "Every time we reduce the amount of food, we know that more people who are already hungry and food insecure will join the ranks of the millions who are starving. But desperate times call for desperate measures." Five million people at immediate risk of slipping into famine will keep the full ration, the WFP said. The agency feeds 13 million people a month in Yemen. Yemen, divided between the Iran-aligned Houthi group in the north and the internationally recognised government in the south, has been plunged into hunger by seven years of war, inflation and impediments to imports. The war has killed tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, and left millions on the brink of famine. The average cost of a minimum food basket this year rose 140% in southern Yemen, and 38% in Houthi areas, the WFP said. In June the WFP resumed monthly food aid in some Houthi-run parts of Yemen after limiting deliveries to every other month from April 2020 because of donor funding cuts, partly over concerns about obstruction to aid delivery. The World Bank on Tuesday said it had approved $170 million in grants for Yemen for urban infrastructure, climate resilience and rural food insecurity projects. (Reporting by Lisa Barrington; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Frank Jack Daniel) (Bloomberg) -- Discount carrier Wizz Air Holdings Plc will increase its presence in the U.K. after agreeing to buy takeoff and landing slots from Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA at Londons Gatwick hub. Most Read from Bloomberg Budapest-based Wizz will acquire 15 daily slot pairs at Gatwick, where operations are restricted by a single runway, allowing it to increase its number of jets there from four to five, according to a statement on Wednesday. While no sale value for the slots was given, DNB Bank ASA estimates that they are worth 300 million-400 million Norwegian krone ($34 million-$45 million) at current prices. The selling price was likely in line with that estimate, analyst Ole Martin Westgaard said in a note. The slots may have been worth almost 10 times that amount before the coronavirus pandemic upended air travel, according to DNB. Norwegian Air said earlier it sold the excess slots at the London airport following a decision earlier this year to exit long-haul flying. The slots could have been taken away without compensation had they not been offloaded, the carrier said in a statement. Wizz shares were little changed as of 9:57 a.m. in London, and have declined by 7.4% so far this year. Boosting flights in Britain will bring Wizz a bigger share of Europes largest low-cost aviation market and help it take on rivals EasyJet Plc, which counts Gatwick as its biggest base, and Ryanair Holdings Plc. Wizz Chief Executive Officer Jozsef Varadi has been demanding that the U.K. return to rules compelling airlines to surrender slots unless they utilize 80% of them after the requirement was watered down at the height of the coronavirus crisis. Story continues Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. has also halted long-haul flights at Gatwick while retaining slots. IAG SAs British Airways mothballed short-haul routes but plans to gear up services again next summer with a revamped operation. (Updates with analyst estimate of slots value in second paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2021 Bloomberg L.P. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) For nearly 10 years, Joseph Moore lived a secret double life. At times the U.S. Army veteran donned a white robe and hood as a hit man for the Ku Klux Klan in North Florida. He attended clandestine meetings and participated in cross burnings. He even helped plan the murder of a Black man. However, Moore wore something else during his years in the klan a wire for the FBI. He recorded his conversations with his fellow klansmen, sometimes even captured video, and shared what he learned with federal agents trying to crack down on white supremacists in Florida law enforcement. One minor mistake, one tell, he believed, meant a certain, violent death. I had to realize that this man would shoot me in the face in a heartbeat, Moore said in a deep, slow drawl. He sat in his living room recently amid twinkling lights on a Christmas tree, remembering a particularly scary meeting in 2015. But it was true of many of his days. Before such meetings, he would sit alone in his truck, his diaphragm heaving with the deep breathing techniques he learned as an Army-trained sniper. The married father of four would help the federal government foil at least two murder plots, according to court records from the criminal trial for two of the klansmen. He was also an active informant when the FBI exposed klan members working as law enforcement officers in Florida at the city, county and state levels. Today, he and his family live under new names in a Florida subdivision of manicured lawns where his kids play in the street. Geese wander slowly between man-made lakes. Apart from testifying in court, the 50-year-old has never discussed his undercover work in the KKK publicly. But he reached out to a reporter after The Associated Press published a series of stories about white supremacists working in Floridas prisons that were based, in part, on records and recordings detailing his work with the FBI. The FBI wanted me to gather as much information about these individuals and confirm their identities, Moore said of law enforcement officers who were active members of or working with the klan. Story continues From where I sat, with the intelligence laid out, I can tell you that none of these agencies have any control over any of it. It is more prevalent and consequential than any of them are willing to admit. The FBI first asked Moore to infiltrate a klan group called the United Northern and Southern Knights of the KKK in rural north Florida in 2007. At klan gatherings, Moore noted license plate numbers and other identifying information of suspected law enforcement officers who were members. Moore said he noted connections between the hate group and law enforcement in Florida and Georgia. He said he came across dozens of police officers, prison guards, sheriff deputies and other law enforcement officers who were involved with the klan and outlaw motorcycle clubs. While operating inside this first klan group, Moore alerted the feds to a plot to murder a Hispanic truck driver. Then, he says, he pointed the FBI toward a deputy with the Alachua County Sheriffs Office, Wayne Kerschner, who was a member of the same group. During Moores years in the United Northern and Southern Knights, the FBI also identified a member of the klan cell working for the Fruitland Park, Florida, police department. Moore said hed provided identifying information that was useful in that case. His years as an informant occurred during a critical time for the nations domestic terrorism efforts. In 2006, the FBI had circulated an intelligence assessment about the klan and other groups trying to infiltrate law enforcement ranks. White supremacist groups have historically engaged in strategic efforts to infiltrate and recruit from law enforcement, the FBI wrote. The assessment said some in law enforcement were volunteering professional resources to white supremacist causes with which they sympathize. The FBI did not answer a series of questions sent by the AP about Moore's work as a confidential informant. CREATING A CHARACTER Moore was not a klansman before working for the FBI, he said. He said he joined because the government approached him, and asked for his help. As a veteran and Army-trained sniper, he said he felt that if his country asked him to protect the public from domestic terrorists, he had a duty to do so. He saw himself, he said, as a safety net between the violent extremists and the public. He said he never adopted their racist ideology. To keep a lifeline to his true character, Moore claims to have never used racial slurs while in character even as his klan brethren tossed them around casually. On FBI recordings reviewed by the AP, he was never heard using racial slurs like his former klan brothers. But he also acknowledges that successful undercover work required him to change into a wholly different person so that he could convince his klan brothers that he was one of them. I laid out a character that had been overseas. That had received medals in combat. That was proven. That had special operations experience more experience than I had. But someone that they would feel confident would be a useful asset to the organization at a much higher level, Moore said. It worked, and Moore was given high-level access and trust. If youre not credible, if youre not engaged on all levels, you dont get to go home to your family. So you have to jump all in in order to keep you and your family safe, he said. It also required Moore to lie to his wife, to her parents, to everyone. Nobody could know what he was doing. But eventually, Moores wife became suspicious of his activities, and he cracked. He told her and her parents what he was doing. You cant tell them. And they continue to probe because they want to know whats going on in your life. So theres this concern that you have to lie to your own family and I didnt want to be lying to my family, he said. Moore was also being treated for bipolar disorder and severe anxiety, which he'd gotten under control with medications. But given his struggles with mental illness, his wife didnt immediately believe him. Hed eventually take her with him to a few klan gatherings, a decision he regrets because it put her at risk. When the FBI agents with whom he worked discovered that his wife knew, they ended the relationship with the agency, and Moore sought additional mental and physical health treatment through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Still, after some time away, the FBI would come back to him and recruit him for his second mission. THE GRAND KNIGHT HAWK In 2013, an FBI agent whod worked with Moore during his first stint as an informant recruited him again. This time he was asked to infiltrate the Florida chapter of a national group called the Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Within a year of becoming naturalized, hed become a Grand Knight Hawk of the klavern based in rural north central Florida. He was in charge of security and internal communications, and because of his military background, he was the go-to guy for violence. It was at a cross-burning ceremony in December 2014 that Charles Newcomb, the Exalted Cyclops of the chapter, pulled him aside to discuss a scheme to kill a Black man. Warren Williams was a former inmate whod gotten into a fight with one of their klan brothers, a correctional officer named Thomas Driver. Driver, corrections Sgt. David Moran and Newcomb wanted Williams dead. Moore alerted the FBI and was approved to make secret recordings over the next few months. By this time, hed become enmeshed in Newcomb's life: They drank together, hung out at barbecues, and talked about lifes problems. This allowed Moore to get close enough to record the three current and former Florida correctional officers as they planned Williams murder. He captured discussions of the murder plot that would lead to criminal convictions for the three klansmen. And this wasnt the only person that they wanted to target, said Moore. There were other people in the community that they wanted to target. But this was the one that we could build a case on. Over his decade inside, Moore said his list of other law enforcement officers tied to the klan grew. The links, he said, were commonplace in Florida and Georgia, and easier to identify once he was inside. I was on track to uncover more activity in law enforcement, but the immediate threat to the public with the murder plot was a priority, Moore said. And I was only one person. There was only so much I could do. Moore said the three current and former prison guards implicated in the murder plot case operated among a group of other officer-klan members at the Reception and Medical Center in Lake Butler, Florida, a prison where new inmates are processed and given health checks. He said the officers he knew were actively recruiting at the prison. Floridas Department of Corrections said that's not true. Every day more than 18,000 correctional officers throughout the state work as public servants, committed to the safety of Floridas communities. They should not be defamed by the isolated actions of three individuals who committed abhorrent and illegal acts several years prior, the department said in an emailed statement. Spokeswoman Michelle Glady has told the AP the agency found no evidence of a wider membership by extremist white supremacist groups, or a systemic problem. She said every allegation of wrongdoing is investigated by the department's inspector general. That statement by the state is not accurate based on the facts, said Moore, who asserts he saw evidence of a more pervasive problem than the state is publicly acknowledging. He said he gave the FBI information about other active white supremacists who were working as state prison guards and at other law enforcement agencies. He said he also provided information about klansmen applying to be state prison guards. After testifying in the murder conspiracy case against the klansmen hed spent years working with, Moores work with the FBI ended. Hed been publicly identified, and in 2018 he began life under a new name. By then the work had taken an enormous toll on his mental and physical health. He says the character of Joe Moore, Grand Knight Hawk of the KKK, had to develop a kinship and almost familial relations with those he was investigating in order to make it out alive. But he lost close friends, he said, who were angry that he had claimed fraudulent military honors as part of his alter ego. Today Moore is worried that the men he helped put into prison know where he is and are looking for revenge. Theyre all due out in a few years. Moore has installed motion-detecting surveillance cameras outside the home that allow him to monitor any activity, and carries a gun everywhere he goes. He said, at this point, he believes coming out of the shadows and publicly discussing his story is the best way to protect himself and his family. We have had to change our names. We have tried to move, we have had our address placed in confidentiality. However, there are people that have investigative capacities that have tracked us, theyve uncovered our names, Moore said. In recent months, people connected to the klan have appeared at his house, he said. Moore alerted the FBI and filed a report with the local sheriff's office. Moore also does not want his work, and those of other confidential informants who put their lives on the line to help expose domestic extremists, to have been in vain. He said he wants Floridas corrections and law enforcement leaders to conduct systemwide investigations to root out white supremacists and other violent extremists. If you want to know why people dont trust the police, its because they have a relative or friend that they witness being targeted by an extremist who happens to have a badge and a gun. And I know as a fact that this has occurred. I stopped a murder plot of law enforcement officers, said Moore. The city has recorded 143 infections since 9 December More than 13 million people in the Chinese city of Xi'an have been ordered to stay at home as authorities attempt to tackle a Covid outbreak there. The northern city has recorded 143 infections since 9 December. Under the new restrictions announced on Wednesday, only one person per household is allowed to leave home every two days to buy essential goods. China has a strict zero-Covid strategy, using mass testing and lockdown to stop outbreaks. The country is on high alert for Covid as it gears up to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in February. Residents of Xi'an, known for its Terracotta Warriors, are not allowed to leave the city unless they have extenuating circumstances and approval from officials to so do. The restrictions came into effect at midnight on Thursday local time. It is not yet known how long the restrictions will last. Millions of tests have been conducted in Shaanxi province, where Xi'an is located. Long-distance bus stations have already closed and checkpoints have been installed on motorways into the city. A large number of flights from Xi'an's airport have been cancelled. Non-essential businesses have closed and local government employees have been told to work from home. Last weekend authorities had already closed indoor facilities such as bars, gyms and cinemas as a precaution, according to state-run Global Times. Officials say the outbreak is the Delta variant of Covid and have not mentioned Omicron. State media have been reporting this week that Xi'an is facing a "dual epidemic" as there have been "several reported cases of haemorrhagic fever, a natural epidemic disease with a high fatality rate". However, this is reported as being a "common" seasonal disease in northern China, and predominantly concentrated in rural areas. China has admitted that Covid-19 remains the "biggest challenge" to the Winter Olympics. The country, where the virus was first recorded, has confirmed more than 113,000 cases and 4,849 deaths. On 21 December, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a press conference to address the nation about growing concerns over the Omicron variant of COVID-19. His message outlined the steps his administration is taking both to fight the spread of the disease and to assist both people and industries being affected economically by it. And with regards to helping affected businesses, PM Kishida gave all the people of Japan a very specific example of what we can do to help: I am asking the people of Japan to use milk in cooking and to drink cups of milk always through the New Years holiday in order to prevent a mass disposal. As Japan starts to cast a wider net to prevent spread of the omicron COVID-19 variant, central and local governments are scrambling to ensure there are enough quarantine facilities for those who have come in close contact with people confirmed as infected with the highly transmissible virus. On Tuesday, the government instructed all omicron close contacts to be quarantined at a facility monitored by central or local government officials for 14 days. Until now, close contacts had been allowed to quarantine in their homes. The health ministry notified prefectural governments today to start making preparations early on to make sure they can handle a rapid rise in infections, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno on Wednesday. With this, we hope to have the necessary system in place. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday that Japan will continue to ban foreign visitors from entering the country for the time being. The policy in place since late last month was set to end on Dec. 31 but will now extend into the new year. Japan will also have all COVID-19 cases tested to confirm whether they involve the omicron variant, he said. We will reinforce measures to contain the infection, Kishida told the news conference. Despite the gradual rise in omicron cases being detected in Japan, Kishida stopped short of asking people to refrain from nonessential outings. Some experts overseas are urging people to refrain from going out if they have symptoms similar to a cold to prevent the spread of the omicron. In Japan, we are not seeing community infection, but please be sure to take precautions, he said. Christmas is all about tradition, and we all have tried-and-true recipes we trot out every holiday. Each is delicious and much-loved. But how about starting a new tradition this season? We couldnt resist the jelly doughnuts in The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, who operates Modern Love here in Omaha. What a lovely treat for the kids on a holiday morning! We turned to the Betty Crocker Christmas Cookbook for a fresh take on green bean casserole. Its a dish you can make ahead. Bookworm manager Betsy Von Kerens helped us find several cookbooks with holiday flair. When we asked for her favorite, she opted for the tried-and-true and shared with us her recipes for oyster stuffing and sweet potato casserole with a streusel topping. Christmas dinner just wouldnt be the same without them at the table, she said. Jelly Doughnuts (Sufganiyot) Ingredients: 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (one 0.75-ounce packet) 1 cup lukewarm unsweetened almond milk (or your favorite nondairy milk) 6 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed 3 cups white bread flour, plus extra for kneading 2 tablespoons sugar, plus more for coating 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil, melted Vegetable oil, for deep-frying 1 cup seedless raspberry jam Directions: In a small bowl, whisk together the yeast and milk and set aside. In a blender, blend up the water and flaxseed for about a minute until frothy and viscous. Set aside. In a very large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt, then make a well in the center. Pour in the yeast mixture, the flax mixture and the coconut oil, then mix to form a dough. Add more flour one tablespoon at a time until the dough no longer is sticky, then turn it out onto a floured counter to kneed until the dough is smooth. Wash out the mixing bowl, lightly coat it with nonstick cooking spray and add the dough ball. Toss the dough ball to coat with oil, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the bowl somewhere warm and let the dough rise until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours. Lightly flour the counter and a baking sheet. Turn out the dough onto the floured counter, knead it a couple of times, then roll it out until its about one-half inch thick. Using a floured 3-inch cookie cutter (or a drinking glass), stamp out your doughnuts and place them on the floured baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Squish the dough scraps back together and roll them out again to make more doughnuts, place them on the sheet, then cover the sheet with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the doughnuts rise for about 20 minutes. While the doughnuts are rising, prepare the fryer at 350 degrees. Have ready a layer of paper towels or brown paper bags to drain. Pour some sugar into a shallow dish for coating the hot doughnuts. Using a metal slotted spoon, lower the doughnuts into the oil, a few at a time so you dont crowd the fryer, and fry until golden brown, turning several times to keep the cooking even. Use the slotted spoon to transfer them to the paper towels or bags until cool enough to handle, then roll each one in sugar until completely covered. Once all the doughnuts are fried and sugared, its time to fill them. Fit a pastry bag with a large round tip and fill it with the jam. Poke the tip into the side of each doughnut, then squeeze a couple of teaspoons of jam inside. If you overdo it, the jam will leak out, but thats OK. Serves 16. Green Bean and Leek Casserole Ingredients: 2 bags (12 ounces each) steam-in-the-bag fresh green beans cup butter 1 large leek (1 pound), cut lengthwise in half, thinly sliced (about 2 cups) cup all-purpose flour teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper cup milk cup chicken broth 1 cups shredded fontina cheese (6 ounces) cup shredded Parmesan cheese (2 ounces) cup diced red bell pepper cup Italian-style panko crispy breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons butter, melted Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Microwave bags of beans on high for 3 minutes, 30 seconds. Remove beans from bags to large bowl. Set aside. Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, melt cup butter over medium heat. Cook leeks in butter 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender. Sprinkle flour, salt and pepper over leeks, cook and stir until well blended. Gradually stir in milk and broth. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil one minute. Stir in cheeses, cook about one minute, stirring constantly until melted. Pour over green beans in bowl, stir to combine. Stir in bell pepper. Spoon onto ungreased 2-quart casserole. In small bowl, mix breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake uncovered 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and topping is golden brown. Serves 12. You can prepare this casserole up to four hours before baking, refrigerate and then bake as directed. Just increase baking time to 45 to 50 minutes. Oyster Stuffing Ingredients: 12 cups of dry bread cubes or coarse breadcrumbs cup melted butter 1+ quart milk 2 teaspoons salt freshly ground pepper to taste cup diced celery cup diced onion 4 eggs, beaten 1 pint oysters, roughly chopped Directions: Pour cold milk over bread cubes and let stand for a few minutes to allow bread to absorb milk. Saute onion and celery until onion is translucent. Stir in rest of ingredients, mixing lightly with a fork. Stuff cavity of turkey, being sure to leave enough room for stuffing to expand while roasting. Extra stuffing can be baked in a greased casserole at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients: 6-8 medium sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed 2 tablespoons butter cup hot milk or half and half teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon nutmeg and/or cinnamon teaspoon paprika cup frozen orange juice concentrate cup dark brown sugar pinch allspice 1 to 1 cups chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted Streusel topping (see below) Directions: For sweet potatoes: Combine all ingredients except nuts. Beat until light and fluffy. Fold in nuts and pour into greased 2 quart casserole or 9-by-13-inch pan. Top sweet potatoes with streusel mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes until sweet potatoes are heated through and topping is golden brown. Streusel topping: cup brown sugar cup flour 6 tablespoons soft butter cup chopped pecans, toasted Combine brown sugar and flour. Work in softened butter, then stir in pecans. This article originally appeared in the December 2017 issue of the Momaha Magazine. A Bayard man killed by a Morrill County sheriffs deputy in a June 28 shooting charged at officers with a weed whacker as they tried to arrest him on a warrant, according to transcripts from grand jury proceedings reviewed by the Star-Herald. A Morrill County District Court grand jury convened Oct. 26-Oct. 28 to hear testimony and evidence in the death of Larry Hunt, 58, of Bayard. Sixteen jurors, and three alternates, were tasked with determining the cause of Hunts death, and whether there was any criminal conduct by any person that contributed to the mans death. The grand jury returned a no true bill, which is a finding that none of the officers committed any criminal conduct. Investigators with the Nebraska special investigations team, just started this year to investigate officer-involved shootings, and other NSP investigators testified, as well as a firearms examiner who determined which officers' bullets had struck Hunt. According to the grand jury transcripts, officers with the Nebraska State Patrol, Scotts Bluff County Sheriffs Department, Scottsbluff Police Department, Alliance Police Department, Gering Police Department and Box Butte County Sheriffs Department, all part of the WING (Western Nebraska Intelligence & Narcotics Group) drug task force, had planned to arrest Hunt on a warrant. The task force members were joined by a Bayard Police officer and two Morrill County sheriffs deputies. Prior to serving the arrest warrant, the WING Task Force allegedly observed Hunt selling methamphetamine to a confidential informant. According to an arrest affidavit, authorities accused Hunt of selling meth on five occasions from March 22 to June 23. Scotts Bluff County Sheriffs Deputy Matt Dodge, who had been leading the investigation that involved Hunt, described him as a street dealer. That was described as someone who sells methamphetamine in quantities of 3 grams or more. With sales of half an ounce to an ounce each time, Hunt faced a five to 50 years imprisonment on the drug charges in the warrant. The task force had been granted a no-knock search warrant, allowing them to enter the RV he lived in at 123 Second Ave. in Bayard without notification to Hunt or other residents. As one team of officers closed in on the RV in a form described as a stack, with officers in a line behind an officer with a large shield, Hunt came out of the RV and saw them. He fled, going into a tent-like structure that consisted of a tarp draped over forms. Most of the officers could not see into the tent, according to their testimony. Officers testified they gave verbal commands, telling Hunt that they were law enforcement, that he needed to come out and that they did not want to use a Taser or shoot him. They testified that he threatened the officers, and body cameras worn by Nebraska State Patrol investigators captured audio of Hunt cussing at officers and threatening them. While inside the tent, he threw a hammer, buckets and even a muffler at officers, all captured on video. Prior to coming out of the tent, Hunt started a weed whacker, which officers initially believed to be a chainsaw, and held it at the doorway, swinging multiple times. Officers directly in front of the tent the officers who had approached the RV testified that they had discussed using non-lethal methods to apprehend Hunt as he yielded the weed whacker. Scotts Bluff County Sheriff Deputy Matt Dodge and others testified about Dodge using Oleoresin Capsicum spray, commonly referred to as pepper spray. He approached the doorway and sprayed it into the tent. However, Hunt did not exit the tent or stop the weed whacker. Instead, he exited the tent, yielding it at shoulder level and head level, swinging it as he came toward officers. Dodge and another officer, Scottsbluff Police Officer Anthony Soucie, deployed Tasers as Hunt exited the tent. The weed whacker was described as having three blades that were serrated plastic. The blades were 1-inch wide and 3 inches long. It did not have strings. Multiple officers testified that the weed whacker could have caused serious bodily injury if an officer was struck. Vests worn by officers dont protect against blades and do not give protection to their arms, neck or head. The shooting occurred quickly, with NSP investigator David Hunter, one of the WING officers, testifying that just a split second had occurred between the time that Hunt exited the tent and shots rang out. Officers described the deployment of Tasers and the firing of guns by two deputies as happening simultaneously. A timeline established by the Nebraska State Patrol investigators determined that only about five minutes had elapsed between the time officers approached the RV until Hunt had been shot. Only three of the officers on scene that day had body cameras and all of those were investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol. In its findings, the grand jury recommended that all officers have body cameras. The body cams were very helpful to our unanimous verdict. The two officers who shot at Hunt saw that the man continued coming toward officers with the weed whacker aimed at them. Deputy Rhett Dye and Deputy Ricky Trevino both testified that they thought Hunt had been struck with the Tasers, and he continued to advance with the Tasers having no effect. However, the Tasers' probes had not made contact with Hunt, with some probes even being found in a nearby tire. Trevino fired a 9mm handgun five times at Hunt but did not strike him. Dye fired a .223 AR-style rifle, striking Hunt four times. I felt like my team was in immediate danger of either being killed or receiving very, very severe bodily harm, said Trevino, who testified that he thought Hunt had a chainsaw because from his vantage point he had not heard officers say it was a weed whacker. Dr. Peter Schilke, a pathologist with Western Pathology Consultants in Scottsbluff, testified that the fatal wound was a shot that struck Hunts left chest and damaged his heart and aorta. However, he said, a shot that struck his left arm had perforated major arteries. Hunt had significant quantities of methamphetamine in his blood stream, with 2,100 nanograms of methamphetamine and amphetamines identified in toxicology tests, Schilke testified. Just five nanograms of methamphetamine/amphetamine is considered a significant amount. Ive seen methamphetamine overdoses with numbers similar to this, he testified. Officers testified that the two deputies had followed protocol to use deadly force, because Hunt had could have caused serious bodily injury to officers. Use of Force Continuum allows officers to use deadly force against an individual who poses a threat to officers and to prevent serious bodily injury or death to officers or members of the public. Multiple officers testified that they believed the weed whacker was a deadly weapon and could have caused serious injury to them, citing that it had the potential to injure officers by striking a femoral artery, the main blood vessel supplying blood to the lower half of the body. Hunter, the investigator on the WING task force, testified that the weed whacker had the capability to eat through officers vests. In my opinion, it would have slashed through the vest and any exposed portion of the body, he told the grand jury. Dye was the only officer injured; he suffered a wound to his face after being struck by a rock that had been thrown by a weed eater as Hunt fell to the ground. Prior to the shooting, Hunt had a significant criminal history, but he didnt have a history that involved weapons. He did have a history of resisting arrest and assaulting officers. In a pre-briefings, however, officers had not been concerned that he would have weapons. After the shooting, the NSP special investigations team searched Hunts RV. Inside the RV they located $3,200 in currency, a toolbox that contained marijuana and two bags with significant quantities of methamphetamine. Dodge testified that with the quantities of methamphetamine in his possession, he would have likely faced federal charges. At the time of the shooting, Hunts sister, Katherine, was only a half-block away. She had been detained as she left the property to avoid her alerting Hunt that officers were attempting to apprehend him. According to testimony, the woman told authorities that her brother had made comments that he did not want to return to prison and she believed he would be capable of suicide by cop. Katherine Hunt was not among the witnesses called for the grand jury. Only law enforcement were called for the grand jury. Three of the officers' testimony was provided by video interviews because they are deployed with the National Guard in the Mideast. Doug Warner, a Nebraska assistant attorney general, and Travis Rodak, Morrill County attorney, acted as legal advisers for the grand jury. JOHNSTON Once the process is completed, its likely more than 1,000 refugees from Afghanistan will have been resettled in Iowa, according to a state refugee services worker. Iowa has been taking in refugees from Afghanistan since the U.S. ended its military involvement in the country in August. Mak Suceska, bureau chief for the Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services within the Iowa Department of Human Services, and Kerri True-Funk, director of the Des Moines field office of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, discussed the process for an upcoming episode of Iowa Press on Iowa PBS. Suceska said as of mid-December, roughly 700 Afghans had been resettled in Iowa, and that while the number could fluctuate depending on myriad circumstances, he expected that figure to grow to more than 1,000 by the time the process is complete. Suceska and True-Funk said the refugees are relocating in cities across the state, including Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, the Quad-Cities, Sioux City and Council Bluffs. Refugees come with a great sense of loss. So whatever opportunities they may have presented to them in a new home, there is going to be gratitude without a doubt, Suceska said. So a lot of the stories that we hear are paired with the challenges and hurdles families face, but also the successes, being grateful to be out of a dire situation and into a new place where it is safe, where there are supports and resources. We met with some families last week that are just very grateful to have the opportunity to start their new lives. Suceska, a refugee himself who in 1993 came to Iowa as a child with his family as they fled war-torn Yugoslavia, said Iowa has a history of welcoming refugees, of which he said the state should be proud. There has been an outpouring of support from top down, really across the state from our state leadership with Governor (Kim) Reynolds office to our Department of Human Services leadership as well as our community as a whole, really wanting to support these vulnerable individuals, Suceska said. With that legacy that they are accustomed to from the 70s and 80s, many of those former faith-based organizations, volunteers and sponsors have stepped up once again to try to help support. Suceska said overall, refugees tell him they have found welcoming communities in Iowa. I think Iowa, overall, with its legacy and the work that we have done, has been a welcoming state for some time, he said. It is very important to hear from our leadership that Iowa remains to be that way and we continue to build on that legacy to ensure that everyone coming to our state, specifically refugees, have a welcoming home. True-Funk said programs and resources are in place to help refugees resettle, especially during their first three months here. So once a family gets here, in that first 90 days we help them do everything from get a Social Security number to get initial doctor's visits, get medical assistance and (food assistance) benefits until they are able to get working and find housing, register their kids for school, True-Funk said. And we also have an initial employment program for people that dont have a lot of barriers to finding employment. So if they are willing and able to work we can help them find jobs. All of that, even with the employment program, takes place within the first eight months that they are here. So it is really time-crunched, a lot of services in a short period of time. And then were able to give them some longer-term support through some of our additional programming. The world is experiencing a refugee crisis, according to the International Rescue Committee, with United Nations data showing that 82.4 million people were forcibly displaced in 2020, a figure that has doubled over the past decade. Remember that refugees arent refugees at the beginning. They are individual citizens, people just like you and I who happen to become refugees. So from war to climate change or other issues that may have affected people, that is where we have seen an increase in refugee resettlement and refugees as a whole, Suceska said. For Iowa and what that means for our country and even our state is that we will continue to help support to the best of our ability and as well as we can with our leadership that we have at the state level and locally. I think Iowa is poised well to answer that call. Iowa Press airs on Iowa PBS at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and noon on Sundays. It also can be viewed anytime at iowapbs.org. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. 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 Morocco has decided to maintain all passenger links with Spain halted, citing a laxity by Spanish authorities in testing and checking people before they board. Spanish authorities fell short of taking serious action to monitor the health of passengers in its airports, the health ministry had said in a statement deploring what it described as a laxism that could pose a real risk for Moroccans health. Morocco has taken a series of precautionary measures to contain the virus outbreak including a flight ban since November 29 and the imposition of the vaccine pass for access to public places. It has also rolled out a mass vaccination campaign that has benefited so far nearly 25 million people. Spain showed some resentment after the health ministrys statement and its foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares summoned Moroccos charge daffaires to complain. Albares said the statement did not reflect reality and that Spain spares no effort to counter the pandemic. Moroccos ambassador has not yet returned to Spain since the build-up of a diplomatic crisis due to the connivance of Madrid with Algiers and its Polisario proxies. Spain had admitted Polisario leader last April under a false identity and without informing Rabat triggering a diplomatic crisis and a judicial procedure that cost the position of the former foreign minister who green lighted this fraudulent maneuver on Moroccos back. Morocco had asked Spain to offer a clear-cut position on the Sahara issue and refrain from ambiguity regarding its territorial integrity. The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has agreed to fund 50 pc of the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) Study for the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project expected to enhance African integration, regional trade, and economic cooperation. The funding agreement was signed remotely on Monday by IsDB Vice President Mansur Muhtar, Moroccan Economy & Finance minister Nadia Fettah, and Director General of the National Office of Hydrocarbons & Mines (ONHYM) Amina Benkhadra. Morocco and Nigeria have agreed to share equally the cost of the projects studies estimated at $90 million. The IsDB will support the Moroccan contribution and participate in the financing of the project with $15.4 million under Service Ijara operation. For the Nigerian contribution, the IsDB Bank has agreed to contribute $29.7 million in the FEED study which aims at preparing the required studies for the gas pipeline and help taking the final investment decision by 2023 for the infrastructure project. The IsDB funding will help to carry out the environment & social impact study in order to ensure the project compliance to all local and international environmental and social regulations and standards. It will also finance land acquisition studies for agreeing with all countries to be crossed by the pipeline to ensure smooth implementation of the works at a later stage. Morocco and Nigeria agreed to build the pipeline in late 2016 during a visit paid by King Mohammed VI to Abuja. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari also supports this landmark project. Feasibility studies have shown the technical and economic viability of the project expected to attract world gas giants. In December 2020, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) endorsed the Moroccan-Nigerian off-shore on-shore gas pipeline that will benefit 16 African countries with a total GDP of $670 billion. The London-based Penspen consulting company had been chosen by Morocco and Nigeria to carry out the first phase of the FEED study of the 5,700 km long pipeline project. The African Development Bank, AfDB, has approved the allocation of 104 million to Tunisia for the implementation of the 2nd phase of the Road Infrastructure Modernization Program (PMIR II). The Abidjan-based financial institution is a press release said the program seeks to establish an efficient and sustainable transport system capable of developing intra- and inter-regional trade. It is meant to ensure greater accessibility to priority regions and the countrys main development centers in order to support growth and provide propitious conditions for youth employment. The project the bank also stressed seeks to rehabilitate and upgrade over 230 kilometres of classified roads in the governorates of Gafsa, Kairouan, Kasserine, Sidi Bouzid and Siliana. In addition, it will, the bank further noted, contribute to the periodic maintenance of 1,000 kilometers of roads, part of which will be carried out by 80 microenterprises created for this purpose. It will also support the development of a 22 lane road on the RN2 linking Enfidha to Kairouan. The execution will create nearly 1,800 new jobs will be created. PMIR II according to the statement is part of the Banks Ten-Year Strategy 2013-2022, which is intended to lay the foundations for sustainable and inclusive growth on the continent. AfDB supported as of 30th November 2021 hundreds of projects in the North African country in several areas including health, social development, water, agriculture and energy, for a total of 1.8 billion. Posted by North Africa Post North Africa Post's news desk is composed of journalists and editors, who are constantly working to provide new and accurate stories to NAP readers. Moroccos foreign minister welcomed the momentum generated by the deal with the US and Israel saying an ocean of opportunities awaits this trilateral cooperation in support of regional peace and stability. It is indeed our strong belief that the sea, be it the Mediterranean or the Atlantic Ocean, no longer separates our countries. It now connects them. And turned into an ocean of opportunities, said Moroccos foreign minister Nasser Bourita in an address marking the first anniversary of the trilateral deal. Bourita highlighted the potential for the partnership between the two countries in the fields of health, education, security, economy, trade and investment, tourism, culture, agriculture, climate change, and sustainable development. A year ago, the three countries signed a joint declaration before King Mohammed VI, under which the US recognized Moroccos sovereignty over its southern provinces, the Sahara, and Rabat resumed diplomatic ties with Israel. We can concretize the Qualifying Industrial Zones. We can implement trilateral projects open to other countries and regions; and above all, we can and must expand the circle of those involved in our partnership, he said. By asserting the recognition of Moroccos sovereignty over its Sahara, as well as by reactivating the relationship with the State of Israel, the Joint Trilateral Declaration carries a very high message of peace, Bourita said. Bourita said Morocco highly values the wise decision of the United States to recognize Autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as a realistic viable political solution under the auspices of the UN, of the long-standing regional dispute. The Joint Trilateral Declaration is a valuable tool that can help move forward the cause of peace in the region, improve security and unlock new opportunities for all, he said. Morocco, as a historic bridge-builder and credible actor of peace and stability, is firmly committed to help achieving a lasting peace in the region, Bourita said, reiterating Moroccos position in support of the two-state solution. In His Majestys Vision (2017), the People are the raison detre and the purpose of political action. As such, People are at the heart of the Joint Declaration, he said. Morocco welcomed the statement by Germanys foreign ministry in which Berlin supported the autonomy initiative and highlighted Rabats role in favor of regional peace and security. Morocco appreciates the positive statements and constructive positions recently made by the new German federal government, Moroccos foreign ministry said in a statement on its official twitter account. These statements augur well for a relaunch of bilateral cooperation and a return to normalcy in the work of the two countries diplomatic representations in Rabat and Berlin, it said. Morocco also voiced hope that these German statements will be matched with action in order to enable a fresh start in bilateral relations on the basis of clarity and mutual respect, the ministry said. On Dec.13, the German Foreign Ministry issued a statement underlining that politically as well as culturally and economically, the Kingdom of Morocco is an important link between North and South the country is a central partner of the European Union and Germany in northern Africa, and recalling that Germany and Morocco have maintained diplomatic relations since 1956. The German Governments stance has remained unaltered for decades. Germany is supporting the Personal Envoy in his efforts to find a just, lasting political solution acceptable to all based on UN Security Council Resolution 2602 (2021). In 2007, Morocco made an important contribution to such a solution by presenting an autonomy plan, the German Foreign Ministry said. Morocco recalled its ambassador to Berlin last May and suspended all cooperation ties and contacts with the German embassy in Rabat and German political organizations over what Rabat had described as German antagonism against Moroccos territorial integrity. Steve Reeves reached the North Platte Police Departments top rung and received his full-time chiefs badge from his predecessor when the City Council Tuesday unanimously ratified his appointment as permanent chief. Law enforcement officers and first responders from North Platte and Lincoln County erupted in a standing ovation after retired Chief Daniel Hudson pinned Reeves badge of office on him. Hudson, who retired Nov. 2 after three years as chief, returned from his new home in Florida to cap the ceremony after Reeves took the oath of office from Mayor Brandon Kelliher. Council members, who voted 5-2 on Hudsons last day to make Reeves interim chief, voted 7-0 after no debate Tuesday to give him the permanent job. Councilman Jim Carman was absent. Reeves, a finalist for chief when Hudson was hired, became Hudsons deputy chief in July 2019. He was the only candidate forwarded to Kelliher last week by the citys Civil Service Commission. I just want to thank everybody for their support, Reeves told the audience in the packed City Hall council chamber. Photo: ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images In August, New York City received some good news from the United States Census Bureau: Despite hand-wringing during the early days of the pandemic about the citys decline, its population actually grew from 8.18 million to 8.80 million over the last decade. New York State, however, does not appear to be so lucky. Census data released on Monday shows that the Empire States population decreased by more than 319,000 from July 2020 to July 2021, marking the most significant population decline of any state in the U.S. at a loss of 1.9 percent. (Washington, D.C., had it rougher, with the swamp drained of almost 3 percent of its population.) When domestic migration was taken into account, New York suffered an even worse net population loss of 352,185 residents. Many of the larger population trends held true over the past year, despite the skewing of the pandemic. Texas, which grew by over 3.3 million people between 2010 and 2020, saw the largest jump in its population, increasing by 1.1 percent or 310,288 people. Reports of Californians flooding the housing market in Idaho were on to something, with the Gem State experiencing the fastest rate of growth, at 2.9 percent. In total, 16 other states suffered population losses in the time frame, which the Census Bureau described as a historically large number of states to lose population. With the country growing as a whole by just 0.1 percent the slowest rate in any year since American independence the agency naturally attributed the slow population growth to the pandemic. With American life expectancy dropping by 1.5 years due to COVID deaths, as well as a small decline in births during the pandemic, 2021 is the first year that the U.S. population grew by fewer than one million people since 1937. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images On Sunday, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia offered the American public a scapegoat in the shape of a state. He could not vote for the Build Back Better Act, he said, because of the people he represents. If I cant go home and explain it to the people of West Virginia, I cant vote for it. And I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just cant, he told Bret Baier on Fox News Sunday, a sentiment he repeated in a statement released later by his office. His colleagues, he added, are determined to dramatically reshape our society in a way that leaves our country even more vulnerable to the threats we face. In Manchins threat assessment, the national debt takes precedence over the needs of his own voters. Manchin represents one of the poorest states in the union. Immiserated by centuries of extractive capitalism, the people of West Virginia have been failed for nearly as long by members of both political parties. By opposing Build Back Better, Manchin joins an established tradition. Though the Democratic senators position is complicated by the political realities of his conservative state, hes much too hasty to declare defeat. The truth is hes bound to his own right-wing ideology and a collection of business interests. The Washington Post reported Monday that Manchin proposed his own deal to the Biden White House last week. Though that deal included funding for ten years of universal pre-K in addition to reduced spending on climate-change provisions important to Democrats, it excluded an extension of the enhanced child tax credit that is said to have lifted thousands out of poverty in his home state. There may yet be ground for Biden and Manchin to negotiate even on the subject of child tax credits but Manchins expressed commitment to heavy means-testing could leave many needy families in the cold. On the child tax credit alone, local advocates have urged Manchin to back the bill. There is no state thats more impacted by the CTC, Kelly Allen, executive director of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, told the Associated Press. West Virginia, frankly, wasnt doing great before the pandemic. So this is absolutely needed now and in the long term. According to Allen, around 50,000 children in the state are in danger of slipping into poverty if the payments lapse, or the negotiations drag on so long that the Jan. 15 payment doesnt happen, the AP added. Maybe that doesnt bother Manchin. The moderate allegedly told fellow senators he thought parents would waste monthly child tax credit payments on drugs instead of providing for their children, HuffPost reported. If Americans got paid leave, Manchin said, people would feign being sick and go on hunting trips, another source told HuffPost. The report may be shocking, but it isnt surprising. Theres been little public evidence that the needs of poor children and families weigh on Manchin at all. His real priorities are perhaps most evident when Build Back Betters environmental provisions are considered. The legislative package would create a number of investments designed to lower greenhouse-gas emissions, a goal that is nearly impossible for the country to meet if this bill or another similarly expansive piece of environmental legislation fails to pass. Nothing can pass without Manchins key 50th vote in the Senate. The bill also included programs that would benefit coal miners, a key Manchin constituency, amid an energy transition that could otherwise cost them their livelihoods. Citing several BBB provisions, including the extension of an excise tax paid by coal companies to fund benefits for black-lung patients, the United Mine Workers of America called on its longtime ally to reverse his position on the bill. For those and other reasons, we are disappointed that the bill will not pass. We urge Senator Manchin to revisit his opposition to this legislation and work with his colleagues to pass something that will help keep coal miners working, and have a meaningful impact on our members, their families, and their communities, the unions international president, Cecil Roberts, said. Other policies would help the nation move away from its reliance on fossil fuels including coal. Perhaps this bothers Manchin more than the prospect of impoverished families. Coal has helped make Manchin a wealthy man. As The Guardian reported in July, Manchin founded a coal brokerage called Enersystems, and though ownership has since passed to his son, he still controls a $5 million stake in the company that produced about $500,000 worth of income in 2020. He has raked in cash from oil and gas PACs, a sign of industry confidence in his vote. With Manchin, dirty energy gets a major return on its investment at the expense of needy families. If Manchin cared for his constituents, hed work with them, meeting them where they are to pitch them on policies that work. Thats basic politics. Families know, for example, that the enhanced child tax credit has been helpful to them. Manchin simply doesnt hold their interests close. Theres competition for his attention, and powerful forces may have defeated poor families and black-lung patients for now. Samantha Vance, 46, was another member of the founding group. We just decided it was time for us to take this step, Vance said. Lee County has such a drastic need and we just felt like Auburn was a good starting point. From the beginning of this process, the core group wanted to focus on reaching the people in Lee County and serving their needs. Vance said they want to reach Auburn students and faculty, help those who have a need for food and to reach out to local veterans. For Vance, her three kids and her husband Michael, who is a Marine, its beneficial that Ullmann has experience in combat situations. Many of our veterans feel lost in traditional religion or feel shame or judgment, she said. A lot of times they will avoid organized churches because those people dont understand their lives. The thing about Father Timothy is not only does he understand it, hes lived it and can provide counsel. Ullmann is originally from Colorado, graduated from the University of Colorado and went to two different seminaries, Concordia Seminary and Chancery for the Orthodox Church in America. Currently, if you have completed a primary series, you are considered fully vaccinated. However, there may be some discussion coming soon about where you are considered fully vaccinated if you havent had your booster. Wheres the best place to get a booster shot? Most all pharmacies have them. They might not have all three products, but theyll have at least one. Doctors offices have them as well. You dont have to go back to the same location where you got your vaccine. You can go to vaccine.gov to find locations near you that provide vaccine and booster shots. You will need to take your vaccination card so it can be documented. That is your record. Who should be getting the booster shot right now? Anyone 16 and older should be receiving their booster shot. Is there anyone who shouldnt be getting a booster shot? Right now, children 15 and under do not have a recommendation for boosters, and children younger than 5 years old arent receiving the primary series yet. Can anyone get a booster right now? They followed widespread and increasingly violent anti-government protests in 2019 that prompted Beijing to impose a sweeping National Security Law on Hong Kong, followed by a reorganization of the electoral process and transformation of the makeup of the Legislative Council to stack it with pro-Beijing loyalists. The opposition camp criticized the elections, with the largest pro-democracy party, the Democratic Party, fielding no candidates for the first time since the 1997 handover. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Monday there were multiple reasons for the decline in voter turnout. It is not only the impact of the pandemic, but also the disruption and sabotage of anti-China elements in Hong Kong and external forces, Zhao said at a daily briefing. Some overseas pro-democracy activists, including London-based Nathan Law, had urged a boycott of the vote, saying the elections were undemocratic. Under the new election laws, incitement to boycott the voting or to cast invalid votes could be punished by up to three years in jail and a 200,000 Hong Kong dollar ($26,500) fine. I stg if jujubee makes her 15th rupaul appearance wearing a halloween express outfit again Reply Thread Link I'm seriously hoping that she'll get some justice from AS5 and Queen of the Universe... Reply Parent Thread Link I tried watching Drag Race Italia and it's just dreadful. Reply Thread Link I couldn't get into it either. I enjoyed season 2 of Holland though. Reply Parent Thread Link I should check out Holland S2, as I thought the first season was decent. Italia was irritating on multiple levels. What did you not like about it? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I've never missed an episode of Drag Race EVER literally from the first day it aired... But Drag Race Italia episode 1 already had me feeling some type of way about it, I just didn't like it at all. I haven't gone back to give it a chance so my record is ruined lol What do you think were some of the issues? I can't figure out what made me feel so uncomfortable. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link The shot editing is just bonkers and everybody just talks forever Reply Parent Thread Link Is this instead of a UK s4 next year to give talent some more time to develop after the blandness that was s3 with all the newbie queens? Reply Thread Link UK4 just finished casting so that'll film in spring and air in fall like uk1 and uk3 did (and uk2 was supposed to) Reply Parent Thread Link Baga chipz is stunning...Baga Chipz is class...Baga Chipz is sexy....She takes it up the aaaaaaa! (Shhhh) Reply Thread Link louder for the girlies in the back pls Reply Parent Thread Link uk hun >>>>>>>> Reply Parent Thread Link This has to be one of the most catchy verses written on Drag Race. It will just randomly pop up in my head when I'm doing anything, it's so so good. But listening to the song which is then followed by Blu... not doing that. Reply Parent Thread Link RuPauls Drag Race UK vs. The World is the 14th competition series announced in the Drag Race franchise. Reply Thread Link 14th this year,feels like. Reply Parent Thread Link Before the official title of the show was revealed, I wondered why there were so many speculated UK queens in the cast, so this explains it. Or, they later made up the show title to suit the cast. Meh. Reply Thread Link It's a BBC production, so it makes sense. Reply Parent Thread Link Is wow presents plus worth it? Reply Thread Link I would say it's worth it for a month or 2 if you want to binge some seasons of the international shows. Reply Parent Thread Link I'll do it once I'm caught up with everything I'm already watching, I guess Reply Parent Thread Link If you watch the international shows it's way better then finding links. I also enjoy watching Unhhh before it's released on YouTube. Reply Parent Thread Link Only if you're really into Drag Race and willing to pay ~$5 for monthly access to it. Reply Parent Thread Link Is it ever really a rumor that Jujubee is going to appear on any version of drag race? Lol I love her for it though. Reply Thread Link Jujubee...I hope it's worth it! Reply Thread Link I'll allow it I'll allow it Reply Thread Link It makes me sad that DR Thailand isn't as celebrated as it should cause it's iconique Reply Thread Link It's crazy that the co-host is part of this but not one of the amazing other queens. Pangina Heals is sickening but what about the other girls? :( Reply Parent Thread Link Probably because Pangina is the best possible showing of Thai drag that knows English and has easy access to travel. Reply Parent Thread Link It's everything people say they wish the other versions were. I'm glad it's coming back for season 3. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'll watch for Jujubee and Cheryl. Reply Thread Link Uk huh? So they dont have to give money as the prize?!? Interesting. Reply Thread Link Idk, the new signing competition spinoff is 250k if I remember correctly so I think it depends on what channel its aired. I think its a bbc thing? Reply Parent Thread Link I dont think itll be funded by the public starting next year so Im assuming theyll have a cash prize I couldnt seeing the US queens competing fo free Reply Parent Thread Link I assume they would be getting money per episode and it's a free trip to the UK, so... Reply Parent Thread Link What financial difficulties? Losing his sugar mama? Doesnt he have money/rich parents? I am floored. This man is out here ruining her life at every turn and the courts let him use that BS!? Reply Thread Link Yeah isnt she giving him like 40 thousand a month? But he cant afford a house on that. Reply Parent Thread Link why doesn't he rent??? in this economy he doesn't need the luxury of owning Reply Parent Thread Link Ughhhh men are trash. Also what a dumb ass judge I swear the law is shit and hates women. Reply Thread Link The law was made by white men to serve white men so..... yeah. Reply Parent Thread Link Doesnt this loser have rich parents AND receives spousal support from Kelly? Dude, youre like 50yo. Get a fucking life. Reply Thread Link And he was her manager and producer on her talk show so he should have some savings. Reply Parent Thread Link This is really a "Get a job. Get away from her" situation, except he doesn't even need to get a job. Reply Parent Thread Link get a job, stay away from her Reply Thread Link Wtf?! He can certainly afford to rent an apartment or something. He's allowed to squat there just because he can't afford to buy a lavish mansion of his own? Reply Thread Link Idk about living the lifestyle he had while married? Especially because of their kids? But his family must be loaded after managing Reba so long. You know this one made bank off Kelly's hard work Reply Parent Thread Link What a weird title. I thought ONTD hated landlords? Reply Thread Link We hate men more Reply Parent Thread Link No yall love this performative shit, none of you actually hate men lol. Like there's a man in ur icon... Reply Parent Thread Expand Link But this isn't really a landlord vs tenant case in the classical sense. I don't think he signed a lease to live in the house they used to share Reply Parent Thread Expand Link What lol Reply Parent Thread Link Oh so he's paying rent, and she's evicting him without warning? Reply Parent Thread Link he's her ex. she pays him support. he won't leave the home they once shared. she isn't a landlord and he isn't a tenant. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link ONTD doesn't read strikes again! Edited at 2021-12-22 01:30 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link lmao what Reply Parent Thread Link this was my thought exactly. This is practically a landlord tenant situation, worse if he isnt paying rent because then hes really a bum Reply Parent Thread Link You really love being loud and wrong lmao Reply Parent Thread Link This fucker Also at the judge for siding with him Reply Thread Link Time to cut the power on ha and let him freeze to death Reply Thread Link Let some termites, rats, and roaches loose on the property tbh. Reply Parent Thread Link I would fuck him up and hire people to dress up like ghosts and scare the shit out of him. Or like steal all of his left sock. Reply Parent Thread Link Its scant on details but is this only until the unresolved financial issue is resolved? Because I mean, bitch I can have money troubles too and split that mansion with him tf Reply Thread Link No wonder shes never getting married again Reply Thread Link Divorce is so fucking messy. I cant understand why anyone gets married, let alone rich ass celebrities. Dumb. Reply Thread Link I understand why men do, it's very beneficial for their lazy, useless asses but women dreaming of marriage puzzles me (but it shouldn't since most still delude themselves into thinking their relationship is ~different). Reply Parent Thread Link Because most people don't actually know what they're signing up for. Reply Parent Thread Link has he never heard of renting??? Reply Thread Link A stranger? It's awful. An ex? Get the fuck out immediately. I would sell that shit. Ditch it. Leave him to drown-you're not as a MAN freeloading off ME what the fuck is THAT!!!!!!!!! Reply Thread Link A lot of people will not buy property until tenants have been evicted, so she probably will have difficulty to sell it with him there. My dad bought a garage for his cars and there were tenants living there and has it set up as an apartment, and he ended up having to pay them $10k out of his own pocket to make them actually leave so he could close on the property. Im sure this guy is not gonna go for 10k either lol Reply Parent Thread Link Yo fuck this dude Reply Thread Link Thats what got her into this mess to begin with Reply Parent Thread Link Coal production is set to hit an all-time high according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) despite the curbing of production across several countries and aims for decarbonization following COP26. Coal demand has continued to increase through 2021 mainly due to the needs of large Asian countries that still rely on the fossil fuel, as well as gas shortages forcing European states to shift back to coal. Coal has experienced a dramatic rebound this year, with production levels set to hit an all-time high in 2021 and demand levels to peak in 2022. Even after worldwide power generation from coal started falling in 2019 and 2020, as many countries shifted away from the energy source, it is expected to rise by around 9 percent this year to reach 10,350 terawatt-hours. The surge in demand is largely due to the faster-than-expected global economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic. Throughout 2020, demand for coal, oil, and gas dropped significantly as countries around the world imposed restrictions on movement. Many organizations saw this as the moment to push for a transition away from fossil fuels to renewable alternatives. However, as the energy demand has risen in 2021, some countries have found it hard to produce enough oil and gas, leading to shortages. Surging fossil fuel prices have also pushed consumers back to coal, which is more competitively priced. IEA Executive Director, Fatih Birol, voiced his concerns about the trend, 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 towards net zero. Related: Are Oil Markets Already Oversupplied? One of the main problems with coal production is that it doesnt just release carbon emissions into the atmosphere but also sulfur dioxide, particulates, and nitrogen oxides. In fact, many view coal as the dirtiest fossil fuel, which explains why many governments are pushing policies to end coal production in favor of cleaner energy sources. This may come as a surprise considering the recent participation of many state powers in the COP26 climate summit, which resolidified the Paris Agreements aim to curb fossil fuel production as part of a plan to decarbonize. But two of the worlds most populous countries, China and India, still rely heavily on coal to meet their energy needs. In fact, both decided upon a last-minute change of language in an agreement on fossil fuel from the phase out of coal to a phase down. China and India are the worlds two largest coal producers, making up two-thirds of global coal demand. Although the two countries have committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2060 and 2070 respectively, their heavy reliance on coal makes many of their climate aims appear unrealistic. For example, while China announced it would no longer be investing in the construction of new coal plants overseas earlier this year, it is still pursuing plans to build 60 domestic coal plants. And now it appears that even countries that are already undertaking strategies to phase coal out have experienced a hike in demand this year. Mainly due to low wind volumes and a hike in energy demand, Germany has had to rely on coal and nuclear power for electricity generation throughout 2021. This meant the contribution of coal and nuclear power for energy production reached 40 percent this year, compared to 35 percent in 2020, with renewables accounting for 41 percent compared to 44 percent last year. At present, Germany is planning to end nuclear power production by the end of 2022 and phase out coal by 2030. Related: Are Oil Markets Already Oversupplied? Even the U.K., which pledged to end coal production a year earlier than anticipated by 2024, had to fire up coal plants in September to meet electricity demand in the face of gas shortages and surging prices. During this time, coal contributed 3 percent of national power, rather than the average 2.2 percent. This was following a landmark period of time in which the U.K. run coal-free for three days in August. But many believe that a significant injection of private investment is needed to speed up the phasing out of coal, otherwise, it would already be done. Naturally, companies running coal plants dont want to shut up shop before theyve achieved their full potential, even if their operations present a threat to the environment. Unless governments can offer financial incentives for them to stop production, states will require private investment to make this happen. The potential for coal mines to be converted into geothermal energy plants and others for renewable energy uses could provide the opportunity needed to encourage this type of investment. However, without these incentives, coal companies will likely continue operations so long as demand remains high and their leases stay active. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: A key corporate proxy at the forefront of the Washingtons attempts to counteract the increasing influence of China and Russia across the Middle East is the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC), in line with the U.S.-sponsored relationship normalisation deal signed last year between Israel and the UAE. A vital part of ADNOCs role in this agreement is to boost its crude oil output from the current 4 million barrels per day (bpd) to 5 million bpd by 2030 at the latest and last week saw an announcement from the company that it has discovered a new crude oil, condensate, and natural gas site that holds around 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Located in the Block 4 onshore concession, the discovery is likely to have recoverable reserves of at least 480 million barrels, according to the operator of the site, Japans INPEX last week, based on a provisional recovery rate of 40 percent for crude oil and 70 percent for natural gas and condensate. It also marks the first such find in the Block 4 onshore concession and the initial signs are that further finds may well be discovered in the site, according to ADNOC. The new crude oil find will also significantly augment ADNOCs ongoing efforts to establish Murban as the centrepiece of what it intends to be the pre-eminent oil futures trading platform in the Middle East the ICE Futures Abu Dhabi platform (IFAD). Launched on 29 March 2021 by ADNOC in partnership with the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), IFAD was built initially around a Murban futures contract, with this light, sweet crude oil grade accounting for around half of the UAEs total near-4 million bpd crude oil production before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to ICE and ADNOC at the time of the launch of IFAD, Murban futures were the second physically delivered futures contracts traded on a regional exchange after Dubai Mercantile Exchanges Oman crude futures, and Murban remained a deliverable grade in the Platts benchmark Dubai and Oman crude assessments. ICE and ADNOC partnered with BP, GS Caltex, INPEX, PetroChina, PTT, Shell, ENEOS, Total, and Vitol to launch the trading platform, but ICE subsequently announced additional agreements with Chevron, Trafigura, and Occidental to explore using the contract to price crude exports from the U.S. to Asia. At the end of November, ICE announced that over one million futures contracts had traded on IFAD since the launch equivalent to one billion barrels of Murban crude oil. Murban futures are adding to price discovery in Asia and [the] physical delivery mechanism has worked smoothly since launch and open interest continues to grow, Mike Muller, head of Vitol Asia told OilPrice.com. The ongoing expansion of IFAD feeds into the corollary build-out of the strategically vital UAE port in Fujairah as a global crude oil storage hub. Already the worlds third biggest bunkering centre, Fujairah is set to continue to benefit from its highly advantageous strategic position outside the perennially politically sensitive Strait of Hormuz and outside the rest of the Persian Gulf as well. Fujairah offers an unencumbered direct port on the Gulf of Oman but on the eastern side of Oman itself which means that any oil kept there is able to avoid any blockade that Iran might again impose on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. This embargo option has become increasingly attractive to Iran following the finalisation of its Guriyeh-Jask oil pipeline. The pipeline allows Irans oil to flow without going through the Strait whilst it blockades 30 percent of the rest of the worlds oil supply. Fujairahs geographical position also allows any oil kept there to avoid any future problems that may arise with Oman if the Sultanate succumbs to Chinas current wooing of it to become part of its One Belt, One Road-related sphere of influence. Fujairah is already the key hub from which the UAEs Murban oil is exported, making its way there through the 360 kilometre Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline from the Habshan onshore field in Abu Dhabi and capable of transporting 1.8 million bpd. ADNOC is also currently developing underground oil storage caverns in Fujairah that can hold 42 million barrels, including Murban, with the project expected to be completed in 2022. According to recent statements from the Fujairah port development authorities, it may add a tenth berth shortly as part of plans to boost overall storage capacity across the site in the next three to four years. These energy-specific developments are, in turn, foundation stones in the UAEs broader Operation 300 Billion plan that intends to raise the contribution of the countrys industrial sector to AED300 billion (US$81 billion) from the current AED133 billion within the next 10 years. This objective itself part of the UAEs Circular Economy Policy 2021-2031 - will be achieved in large part through the creation of 13,500 industrial companies over that period, covering the manufacturing, construction, electricity, gas, mining and quarrying sectors in the first instance. Running in parallel with all of this are joint security initiatives with the U.S. and Israel, as analysed in depth in my new book on the global oil markets, with the latest development in this area being the defence deal signed in early December between the UAEs defence conglomerate, Edge, and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). According to a statement from the two companies, they will produce 170 M advanced modular unmanned service vessels that will be usable for both commercial and military purposes, including carrying out advanced anti-submarine warfare. The new product will also be usable for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, mine detection and sweeping, and as a deployment platform for certain types of aircraft, according to Edge. This follows the agreement made just after the August 2020 relationship normalisation deal that the U.S. will provide the UAE with the latest F-35 fighter planes. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Saudi Arabia has been warning for months that low global investments in new supply in recent years could lead to potential shortages down the road Until global oil demand sees a structural declinenot just a pandemic-induced crashthe world will need supply to meet that demand While oil markets are concerned about the immediate hit to demand from the Omicron COVID surge and a looming oversupply, officials at oil-producing countries and industry executives have been warning for months of a supply shortage in coming years unless investment in new projects rises materially. Last year and this year, investment in new oil and gas supply has been lingering at the lowest level in a decade and a half, setting the stage for a supply shortage around the middle of this decade when fewer new projects would have seen the light of day. The expected lower supply by 2030 would have been great news for the global push toward clean energy and a significant cut in energy-related emissions if it werent for the fact that the world still consumes as much crude oil as it did before the pandemic. And it will continue to do so for at least another decade, most analysts and forecasting agencies and organizations say. Until global oil demand sees a structural declinenot just a pandemic-induced crashthe world will need supply to meet that demand. The current natural gas crunch and energy crisis in Europe offer a cautionary tale of what could happen if supply and storage levels of a major source of energy are lower at a time when demand is risingprice spikes to records, an even higher volatility, and heightened geopolitical tension between major suppliers and large consumers. Saudi Arabia Warns Of Crippled Supply Saudi Arabia, the worlds biggest crude oil exporter, has been warning for months that low global investments in new supply in recent years could lead to potential shortages down the road. The International Energy Agencys (IEA) scenario of no new investment in oil and gasever againif the world were to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 is a sequel of the La La Land movie. Why should I take it seriously? Saudi Energy Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, said earlier this year. Last week, the minister warned that global oil production could drop by a massive 30 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2030. Thats around 30 percent of daily global oil supply and around the same share of current global oil demand. Related: Europes Gas Prices Jump To Record As Key Pipeline From Russia Halts Flows Were heading toward a phase that could be dangerous if theres not enough spending on energy, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said last week, as quoted by Bloomberg. Insufficient investment could lead to an energy crisis, he added. We have very serious concerns that the world could run short of energy if we are not careful in managing the transition, Saudi Arabias finance minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan also said last week, reiterating recent warnings from other officials and industry executives in Saudi Arabia, including from Saudi Aramcos chief executive Amin Nasser. Sure, Saudi Arabia has a vested interest in warning against a rushed energy transition, but it is not the only onesome industry executives in the U.S. have also warned that continued underinvestment could spell trouble for future global oil supply. Production Capacity Growth In Middle East May Not Be Enough The oil industry is massively underinvesting in supply to meet growing demand, Greg Hill, president of U.S. oil producer Hess Corp, said earlier this year. The energy sector is not investing enough to meet growing energy demand, including for crude, which could lead to a series of energy crunches down the road, oil expert Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of IHS Markit, told CNBC last month. Saudi Arabia alone cannot supply the rise in oil production needed to avoid a crunch, Julian Lee, an oil strategist for Bloomberg First Word, wrote in a recent opinion piece on Bloomberg. Thats despite the Saudi plan to raise its oil production capacity to 13 million bpd by 2027 from 12 million bpd now. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) plans to raise the United Arab Emirates (UAE) production capacity by 1 million bpd by the end of this decade to 5 million bpd from 4 million bpd now. Still, this may not be enough, considering that the international oil majors pivot to more investments in low-carbon energy, and some of themsuch as BP and Shellhave said their respective oil production has already peaked. Moreover, the worlds spare capacity is almost exclusively concentrated in the Middle East, a region prone to geopolitical tensions, flare-ups, and conflicts. Investment Is Still Low The oil industry continues to underinvest in new supply, while U.S. shale, while set to grow its production in 2022, is likely done with the massive 2-million-bpd annual output surge just before the pandemic hit. Related: Oil Prices Crash On Renewed Omicron Panic Upstream oil and gas investment must rise to the pre-pandemic levels of around $525 billion per year through the end of the decade so that the industry can ensure a demand-supply balance, Saudi Arabia-based International Energy Forum (IEF) and IHS Markit say. This year, upstream investment is still depressed for a second year in a row and is estimated at around $341 billion, they note. Global annual upstream spending needs to increase by as much as 54 percent to $542 billion if the oil market is to avert the next supply shortage shock, Moodys said in October. Oil Demand Is Still Going Up More-than-a-decade low investment in oil and gas would be fantastic news for all the climate goals nearly every major economy has set out, if it werent for the simple fact that oil demand is here to stay and rise in coming years. Peak oil demand is yearsif not more than a decadeaway, and when it peaks, it is not expected to plunge thereafter but only plateau, most analysts say. Even the IEA, the agency championing net-zero by 2050, acknowledged in its World Energy Outlook 2021 in October that The world is not investing enough to meet its future energy needs, and uncertainties over policies and demand trajectories create a strong risk of a volatile period ahead for energy markets. If demand remains at higher levels, this would result in tight supply in the years ahead, raising the risks of higher and more volatile prices. It is not clear that higher prices would trigger supply responses to the same extent as in the past, said the IEA. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The global energy transition is facing plenty of problems, not least of which is rising costs, and will be a key factor to watch in 2022 Predicting the price of oil is always difficult, but with an energy crisis in Europe, OPEC+ controlling production, the energy transition underway, and Covid continuing next year is particularly difficult to read Uncertainty has returned to oil markets at the end of the year as a new variant of Covid combines with inflation fears to threaten demand Following the rebound in oil and gas demand in 2021, the market is headed to 2022 with renewed uncertainties about prices, demand, and the industrys longer-term prospects as Omicron COVID cases spike and investors continue to press companies toward decarbonization. Will oil and gas demand continue to recover and clean energy installations continue to surge next year? Or will risks lurking for some time materialize to hamper green energy rollouts and upend the rebound in global oil and gas demand? The closer we get to the end of 2021, the more uncertain the 2022 outlook becomes, with Omicron spooking governments in Europe that have already started to tighten restrictions or re-impose strict lockdowns in the case of the Netherlands. The UK is not ruling out stricter measures, and many other European countries are tightening travel restrictions. $100 Oil? The Omicron impact on economies and fuel demand and the effect on oil demand recovery and prices will be a major theme throughout 2022, especially during the first few months of the year. As difficult as it is to predict oil prices in normal circumstances, the uncertainties with the pandemic have made the task of forecasting even more difficult. Currently, outlooks range from oil averaging around $70 next year to hitting as high as above $100 per barrel at some point in 2022 or 2023. OPEC sees a mild and short-lived Omicron impact on oil demand, while the International Energy Agency (IEA) expects a temporary slowdown in demand recovery due to the new variant, but not an entirely upended demand trend. In the early days of the Omicron variant spreading, JP Morgan said that oil could soar to $125 per barrel next year and $150 in 2023 due to OPECs limited capacity to boost production. OPEC left the door open to potential immediate adjustments in its oil production policy with the Omicron uncertainty, so the cartels actions would be an important driver of oil prices next year, along with the COVID developments. Oil prices rising to $100 a barrel is unlikely, at least for any sustained period next year, Simon Flowers, Chairman, and Chief Analyst at Wood Mackenzie, wrote in a recent post discussing the key themes in oil and gas in 2022. Some analysts expect a harsh colder-than-usual winter in the northern hemisphere to exacerbate the energy crisis in Europe and deplete its stockpiles of natural gas in storage which are already at a decade low for this time of the year. This could prop up demand for heating with fuels other than natural gas, including oil products, potentially driving up oil demand even if lockdowns limit gasoline consumption. When Will The Energy Crisis End? A bad winter will push gas and power pricesalready near record levelshigher still, says WoodMacs Flowers. A cold snap this weekend already sent Europes power prices surging to new records, as gas storage levels are low and electricity availability is low too after France shut down four nuclear reactors. Natural gas prices are highly volatile and sensitive to (the lack of) extra supply from Russia, but they are set to fall in the spring with warmer weather. Related: Gas Markets Could See Sudden Bout Of Volatility However, even at the end of the winter season in the spring of 2022, gas prices in Asia and Europe will remain higher than pre-crisis levels, with a structurally tighter gas market than before COVID, WoodMacs analysts say. We expect LNG prices in Europe and Asia to settle at more than double the average for prevailing prices between 2015 and 2020 until new supply comes onstream in 2026, they noted. A major risk to the gas market outlook next year and beyond would be whether gas will still be perceived as a reliable, cleaner-than-coal fuel to help a coal-to-gas switch and backup for renewables or as just another fossil fuel that shouldnt be considered the bridge fuel to clean energy sources anymore. Will Rising Costs Hold Back The Energy Transition? While Big Oil directs more investments to low-carbon energy, the pace of the capacity additions of the already mature solar and wind technology could slow because of higher costs, according to one risk Wood Mackenzie sees for a potential supercycle in metals and a continued surge in clean energy installations. Despite the high commodity and transport prices, renewables are on track for record growth in 2021, the IEAs Executive Director Fatih Birol said earlier this month, noting however that if commodity prices stay high until the end of 2022, it would wipe out 5 years of cost reductions for wind power and 3 years of reductions for solar PV. The world will still need double new annual capacity over the next five years to achieve the net-zero by 2050 scenario, the IEA said in its annual Renewables 2021 Market Report with a forecast to 2026. According to WoodMac, rising input costs and wages, supply chain challenges, and logistics could hamper the roll-out and development of a raft of low-carbon technologies. The booming U.S. solar industry is set to be torn between huge opportunities and major stumbling blocks in the coming months and years, and it will likely see a wild solar coaster ride in the next few years, Wood Mackenzie earlier this month. Related: Are Oil Markets Already Oversupplied? The U.S. solar market installed 5.4 GWdc of solar capacity in the third quarter, up by 33 percent from the same period of 2020 and the largest Q3 on record. However, costs continued to rise. Installed costs increased across all market segments for the second quarter in a row, reflecting supply chain challenges. In every segment besides residential, year-over-year price increases were the highest theyve been since 2014 when Wood Mackenzie began tracking pricing data, last weeks Solar Market Insight Report 2021 Q4 by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie showed. The outlook of U.S. renewable markets and economic growth became even more uncertain when Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a crucial vote in a divided Senate, said on Sunday that he would not support President Joe Bidens proposed Build Back Better Act. It looks like uncertainty will be the single biggest theme in oil and gas markets in 2022. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Gas flows on one of the major gas pipelines from Russia to Europe have reversed flows A combination of weather-related and geopolitical factors have led to an energy crisis in Europe A severe shortage of natural gas, declining wind power output, nuclear outages, and cold weather have conspired to hand Europe one of its worst energy crises on record. Yet, Europe's energy woes keep getting worse at every turn. European natural gas prices hit a new record high on Tuesday after a pipeline that brings Russian gas to Germany switched flows to the east while U.S. ships carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) destined for the European market are diverting to Asia where prices are even higher. Westward gas flows through the 2,607-mile-long Yamal-Europe pipeline, one of the major routes for Russian gas to Europe, have been gradually falling since Saturday but have now reversed direction, a move the Kremlin says has no political implications. Some western politicians contend that Russia is using its natural gas as a weapon in the political tussle tied to Ukraine, as well as delays in the certification of another controversial pipeline, Nord Stream 2. Russia, of course, has denied any connection. "There is absolutely no connection (to Nord Stream 2), this is a purely commercial situation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call on Tuesday. The litmus test of Gazprom's capacity to act as a swing supplier was its ability to drop production dramatically in 2020 and then to bring it back up again quickly in 2021. Yet, Gazprom has failed to bring any more spare production capacity online when needed most for one reason: it has none left. Related: Russia Puts The Blame On Europe As Energy Crisis Worsens According to Vitaly Yermakov, expert with the Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Gazprom has really been "firing on all cylinders", pushing its gas output to maximum levels at all of its key fields for most of 2021 so far. In fact, there was no sharp cyclical decline in output over the summer months. Yermakov points to several reasons why Gazprom has been unable to cover the call for increased gas production or to fully refill gas storage in Russia and in Europe. First off, very low gas prices in 2020 forced extremely high withdrawals of gas from storage by producers in a bid to minimize transportation costs and reduce losses. Second, the combined effects of robust gas demand, extreme weather patterns, and limited LNG availability in Europe have resulted in extreme market tightness and high prices. Gazprom has actually done well by managing to meet all its contractual obligations and increased deliveries to Europe, but could not single-handedly address Europe's energy insecurity. The latest reverse flows have only added to bullish factors for the gas markets, but there's one big winner: the United States. Indeed, Alex Froley, an analyst at analysis consultancy ICIS, has told the Financial Times that a U.S. LNG tanker that was heading east close to India on December 15 has done an about-turn and is now heading into the Suez Canal, suggesting a supply to Europe. On Tuesday, front-month wholesale Dutch gas price, the European benchmark, climbed more than 16% to a record high of 171.40 euros ($193.46) per megawatt-hour, while the equivalent British gas contract also hit a new peak at 4.29 pounds ($5.68) per therm. U.S. LNG Wins From a position of relative obscurity just five years ago, the U.S. LNG sector has rapidly risen through the ranks to challenge the heavyweights. U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity has expanded rapidly since the Lower 48 states first began exporting LNG in 2016. In 2020, the United States became the world's third-largest LNG exporter, behind Australia and Qatar. And now the United States is set to become the world's biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in 2022, surpassing Qatar and Australia over the course of the year once the new LNG liquefaction units, called trains, at Sabine Pass and Calcasieu Pass in Louisiana are placed in service by the end of the year. Related: The Worlds Top Automakers Are Doubling Down On Electric Vehicles Global LNG demand has hit record highs each year since 2015, thanks in large part to surging demand in China and the rest of Asia. Much of that global appetite has been steadily met by rising U.S. LNG exports, which have reached new records every year since 2016, a trend that appears set to continue. Source: EIA The U.S. Energy Information Administration (IEA) projects that U.S. LNG exports will hit 11.5 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in 2022, good for a 22% slice of the expected world LNG demand of 53.3 bcfd. The U.S. expects to make key LNG export capacity additions next year: Train 6 at the Sabine Pass LNG export facility Train 6 will add up to 0.76 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of peak export capacity. The terminal began producing LNG in late November, with the first export cargo from this train expected to be shipped before the end of 2021. Calcasieu Pass LNG This new export facility has 18 liquefaction trains with a combined peak capacity of 12 million metric tons per annum (1.6 Bcf/d). Commissioning activities at Calcasieu Pass LNG started in November 2021, with the first LNG production expected before the end of this year. All liquefaction trains are expected to be operational by the end of 2022. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Enter Manhattan Associates. The company has been around for about 20 years and is a leader in providing warehouse management software, Chai says. It allows retailers to see their products flow in and out of different warehouses, and it partners with companies that can analyze this data in real time. Retailers are realizing that they cant do this on their own, Chai says. So Manhattan Associates is going to benefit from the revamp of the supply chain, she adds. Trimble Trimble started out as a GPS hardware company. But over time, its become a software company as well, says David Kalis, a partner and portfolio manager at The Future Fund. Heres just one example of how its used: A trucking company can use the software to know where all its trucks are, what their load is, what their mileage is all part of managing the supply chain for a trucking company. Kalis is bullish on Trimble, which he expects to come out of the supply chain crisis as a winner as companies realize the need for this type of software. Splunk Local Union members approve contract with Kellogg, ending strike For more than two months, striking union members picketed day and night outside Kelloggs cereal production plant in southwest Omaha. Then, in a matter of hours Tuesday, the striking workers were gone. Union signs that had been scattered around the premises were taken down. The changes came after a majority of the approximately 1,400 members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union approved a new five-year labor contract that local union President Dan Osborn called fair. Guitarist Tom Morello's donation to Omaha Kellogg's workers lifted their spirits Proceeds from the sale of a guitar auctioned off by musician Tom Morello helped to feed and energize striking Kellogg's workers in Omaha. I have a huge sense of pride in all of our people who stood up for what they believe in and stood the line in an uncertain future in our quest to fight against corporate greed, Osborn said. Its a win for us and a win for the labor movement around the country. According to the union, which has 450 members at the Omaha plant, highlights of the contract include no permanent two-tiered system of wages and benefits, maintenance of cost-of-living raises and no cereal production plant shutdowns through October 2026. One Omaha union member who spoke on the condition of not being named estimated the union got at least 70% of what it sought. I think its a win for the union body overall, the union member said. In a statement, Kellogg Co. spokesperson Kris Bahner said the company was pleased that union members ratified the contract. We are pleased that we have reached an agreement that brings our cereal employees back to work. We look forward to their return and continuing to produce our beloved cereal brands for our customers and consumers, Bahner said. Kelloggs cereal brands include Corn Flakes, Frosted Flakes and Froot Loops. Throughout the strike, which began Oct. 5, one of the main sticking points was the presence of a two-tiered employee system, with transitional and legacy employees. That system was created under the previous collective bargaining agreement ratified in 2015. While the union wasnt successful in scrapping it, the new contract contains concessions from Kellogg Co that include allowing transitional employees with four or more years of experience to immediately move into the upper tier of legacy employees, which are now known as regular employees. We made it better, Osborn said. Osborn, who has worked as a mechanic for 18 years at the Omaha plant, also highlighted the cost-of-living adjustments employees on both tiers will receive, as well as overall wage increases. He also noted that lower-tier employees now will have access to dental insurance and upper-tier employees get increased pension benefits. Kellogg's effort to hire replacement workers draws viral backlash A post on the Reddit community Antiwork encouraged people to clog Kelloggs application process by pretending to be a resident of Omaha or another city with a Kellogg cereal production plant. Following union members overwhelming rejection of a previous contract proposal earlier this month, negotiations between the company and the union appeared to be at a stalemate with the company saying Dec. 7 that no further negotiations were scheduled. However, Osborn said negotiations toward the latest agreement began on Dec. 10 following President Joe Bidens comments condemning Kelloggs efforts to permanently replace striking workers and also calling for negotiations to resume. In a Dec. 12 letter to Kellogg Co. Chairman and CEO Steve Cahillane, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts also urged negotiations to resume. Ricketts urges Kellogg to resume negotiations with striking union workers In his letter dated Sunday, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts noted union employees role in keeping store shelves stocked with Kelloggs products throughout the COVID pandemic. Osborn thinks that Bidens and Ricketts remarks, along with those from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Vice President Kamala Harris, helped get Kellogg back to the negotiating table. In a statement Tuesday afternoon, Ricketts expressed satisfaction with the outcome. I am glad Kelloggs returned to the bargaining table and reached an agreement with the union, he said. Now the nearly 500 people who staff the Omaha Kelloggs plant can resume their important work. They are feeding the nation and world. With union members scheduled to return to work on Monday, Osborn said union leaders will meet with plant leaders on Wednesday morning. Well discuss what we all need to do moving forward, he said. There is a lot of damage to relationships. Were going to have to work diligently to repair those and get back to doing what we do best. Thats taking pride in our work and making cereal again. At one point in mid-November, Kellogg Co. asked for and received a temporary restraining order against striking union members outside the Omaha plant after alleging union members engaged in menacing behavior. Local union leader says no citations issued by police related to strike at Omaha Kellogg's plant Dan Osborn, president of the local union, said, There have been absolutely no citations issued by local law enforcement regarding the way we have been handling this legal work stoppage. Osborn said that restraining order, as well as charges the union filed against the company to the National Labor Relations Board, have been dropped with the ratification of the contract. Throughout the strike, union members have received support from many members of the public. Vehicles honking in support were a common sight at the Omaha plant at 9601 F St. Local unions and unions from other states provided food and supplies. One union even sponsored a musical performance to entertain striking employees. Osborn expressed his deepest gratitude for those who supported the union. We couldnt have stood the line without all of that support, he said. He said he paid for the woman and her daughter to fly to Boston in July 2020. He picked them up at the airport and drove them to his Ludlow ski house. He admitted to witnessing the child perform sex acts with her mother. Griffin said the activity was the mother's idea, but that was contradicted by the contents of Griffins chat communications with the girls mother and other parents of minor girls that were discovered later, the court documents say. The girl told investigators that Griffin sexually assaulted her while she was in Vermont and addressed her using derogatory terms, the court documents say. Griffin also apparently attempted to pay off a potential witness, another relative of the 9-year-old girl, by making an electronic transfer to that relative of $4,000, the motion for detention says. Griffin worked for CNN but has been fired since being arrested, the network said Wednesday. On Dec. 11, the day after Griffin's arrest, CNN reported that he had worked at the network for about eight years. The charges against Mr. Griffin are deeply disturbing, said an unnamed CNN spokesperson quoted in the story. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Gov. Gavin Newsom has encouraged local districts in the meantime to impose their own student mandates for the COVID-19 vaccine. San Diego Unified announced in September it would require all students 16 and older to get the COVID-19 vaccine to attend in-person classes starting Jan. 24. Unvaccinated students, unless they have a medical exemption, would have to transfer into the districts remote learning program, according to the mandate, which does not include religious or personal belief exemptions. In his ruling, Meyer said that San Diego Unified will be required to allow students to attend in-person as long as they have received the 10 vaccines mandated by the state, which does not include the COVID-19 shot. The judge also said that state law requires independent study programs to be voluntary and a forced transfer into such a program violates state law. Meyer has five days to sign Mondays ruling during which the ruling cant be enforced. Mark R. Bresee, an attorney for San Diego Unified, expressed disappointment with the ruling. Israel was one of the first countries to vaccinate its population early this year. Last summer, it became the first country to conduct a nationwide booster campaign. The experts recommendation still needs approval from the Health Ministrys director. If approval is given, the booster campaign is expected to begin next week. PORTLAND, Maine A state health official says two-thirds of the patients who are in hospitals with COVID-19 in Maine during its surge in cases are not fully vaccinated against the disease. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Maine has risen over the past two weeks from about 634 new cases per day on Dec. 6 to about 940 new cases per day on Dec. 20. The surge in cases came after months of the state doing a better job of controlling the spread of the virus than most. Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Nirav Shah said Wednesday that about three-quarters of the state is vaccinated against COVID-19. He and others have said unvaccinated pockets of the state are driving the surge in cases and hospitalization. This is further evidence of the beneficial impact of vaccines, Shah said. The Justice Department said last week that its fraud section had prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and had seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained Paycheck Protection Program funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with the proceeds. One of the best-known programs created through the March 2020 CARES Act, PPP offered low-interest, forgivable loans to small businesses struggling to meet payroll and other expenses during pandemic-related shutdowns. Law enforcement early in the pandemic focused on fraud related to personal protective equipment, the Secret Service said. Authorities have now prioritized the exploitation of pandemic-related relief because the federal funding through the CARES Act attracted the attention of individuals and organized criminal networks worldwide. Can we stop fraud? Will we? No, but I think we can definitely prosecute those that need to be prosecuted and we can do our best to recover as much fraudulent pandemic funds that we can," said Dotson, who is the Secret Service's assistant special agent in charge of the agencys field office in Jacksonville, Florida. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Health Department investigators on Tuesday afternoon still were trying to contact the individuals to ask about their symptoms, any travel history, vaccination status and close contacts. Its not out of the realm of possibility that more omicron-caused cases of COVID are circulating in the community, Huse said. Justin Frederick, the Health Departments supervisor of communicable disease epidemiology, said he still is seeing a lot of cases caused by the delta variant. But in the next week or two, I see that changing, he said. Huse noted that it takes time to sequence the genomes of positive samples of the coronavirus, which is the step needed to differentiate one variant from another. Frederick said about 5% of positive samples are sequenced by Nebraska laboratories. An additional 2% are sequenced by the CDC. There are, however, multiple steps built into the process from the time public health departments identify positive samples to send for sequencing to the time those results are analyzed and reported to public databases, such as the CDCs. Taylor had her daughter when she was 19 and her son a few years later. She lost custody of them for a couple years as she battled her own addiction to opioids and cocaine. She told them she wished she could fix all the dysfunctional things that happened when she was using. "Then I thought, well, then my mom would have to go back and fix things, and then my grandma would have to go back, it would have to go on like that for generations," she said. Taylor had lived in more than 50 places before she turned 18 foster homes, battered women's shelters, on the streets and faced sexual, physical and mental abuse. "The things I blame on generational trauma are not feeling good enough, not feeling worthy enough, not feeling loved," she said. She prayed to her creator to spare her children, and she told her son every day that she loved him. White Earth Nation too worked hard to save its people from addiction, and many years lost no one to overdoses on the reservation. But then the pandemic arrived and proved too painful for some. And now in Taylor's shaking hands, she holds her son's picture another face for the posterboard, lost January 11, 2021. HONOLULU (AP) A hearings officer expects to issue a recommendation early next week on whether the Navy has to comply with Hawaiis order to empty fuel from a massive storage tank facility blamed for contaminating Pearl Harbor drinking water. The Navy is contesting an order by the state Department of Health to suspend the facility's operations and empty the underground tanks after tests in recent weeks detected petroleum in the Navy's tap water system. Hearings officer David Day listened to hours of testimony and arguments into Monday night as the Navy tried to convince him that the emergency order isn't necessary while the state, along with Sierra Club of Hawaii and Honolulu's water utility, argued the tanks pose an imminent peril. Some families in military housing said the water caused ailments such as vomiting and rashes. The Red Hill storage facility houses 20 giant fuel tanks that were built near Pearl Harbor in the early 1940s. It supplies fuel to all branches of the military in Hawaii and has been the site of a series of leaks in recent years. The tanks sit 100 feet (30 meters) above an aquifer that normally supplies one-quarter of urban Honolulus water. The governor's statement on the proposal touted her management of the state's finances and efforts to attract business development, which are likely to be prominent themes in her reelection campaign. We can return money to taxpayers, Kelly said in her statement, adding that the significant savings for every family would be delivered by next summer just months before the November general election. Kelly's plan would provide $250 to individual tax filers and $500 to married couples filing jointly. The rebates would go to 1.2 million Kansas residents, costing the state about $445 million. People would get the rebate even if they didn't owe taxes for the year, Kelly's office said. The Legislature would have to approve the plan after convening Jan. 10 for its next annual session. GOP lawmakers are expected to have their own proposals for cutting income taxes permanently. Republicans were immediately skeptical of Kelly's plan, both because of its timing and because the tax relief would not continue after next year. Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. said they prefer permanent tax cuts. Galloways public disclosure of confidential documents is an act of misconduct and/or gross negligence in the performance of the functions or duties of a CPA and provides cause to discipline Galloways license as a CPA, the board wrote in its complaint to the Administrative Hearing Commission. Galloway sued in September in response to earlier threats of discipline from the board, asking a Cole County judge to block the Board of Accountancy from disciplining her over the matter. The lawsuit is pending. Galloway's office has argued that the interviews were released to promote transparency and that allowing the board to discipline her would have a chilling effect on the work of state auditors. By attempting to control information available to the public, a board of gubernatorial appointees is interfering with the Auditors central role in enforcing government transparency and accountability, according to a statement from the office released when Galloway filed the lawsuit. Prosecutors in Albuquerque say they tracked down a suspect in a decades-old rape case by using open-source genealogy data. Second Judicial District Attorney Raul Torrez announced an arrest Tuesday in the case from 1997 in which a man is suspected of forcing his way into a woman's home, holding her at knifepoint and sexually assaulting her. It's the second time the office has filed charges using forensic genealogy, the Albuquerque Journal reported. In the first case, a man pleaded guilty in 2020 to raping a woman who had been running along the Rio Grande on Christmas Eve five years earlier. Authorities connected him through a second cousin, twice removed, who uploaded his DNA to an online site, the Journal reported. In the latest case, a contractor working for Torrez's office matched DNA, collected from a fork that the suspect discarded, to open-source genealogy data. Torrez said the suspect's DNA has been linked to several other rapes. The president has been extremely clear for many, many years about some basic principles that no one is moving back on: the principle that one country does not have the right to change by force the borders of another, that one country does not have the right to dictate the policies of another or to tell that that country with whom they may associate, Blinken told reporters in Washington. One country does not have the right to exert a sphere of influence. That notion should be relegated to the dustbin of history. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper pardoned a man on Tuesday who spent nearly 24 years in prison after allegations that he sexually assaulted his 9-year-old daughter, then freed from a life sentence in 2016 after his daughter recanted her testimony. The pardon in the case of Howard Dudley, now in his 60s, makes him eligible to file a claim for compensation under state laws for people wrongly convicted of felonies, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported. I have carefully reviewed Howard Denice Dudleys case and am granting him a Pardon of Innocence, Cooper said in a statement. Mr. Dudley and others who have been wrongly convicted deserve to have that injustice fully and publicly acknowledged. Dudley maintained his innocence from the start, turning down a plea deal in 1992. The Lenoir County man was convicted in April 1992 of first-degree sexual offense and taking indecent liberties with a minor. He was sentenced to concurrent sentences of natural life in prison and three years. SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) North Macedonias Prime Minister Zoran Zaev formally resigned Wednesday, in a move he had announced after his governing Social Democrat party's heavy defeat in October's local elections. Zaev is set to be replaced by a former deputy finance minister, Dimitar Kovachevski, who was elected as the left-wing party's new chief on Dec. 13 after Zaev also relinquished the Social Democrats' leadership. The results of the last elections, although local, had a national political weight for the political moment in which the country is, Zaev said in a letter explaining his resignation. North Macedonias parliament is expected to formally accept Zaev's resignation on Thursday. Within the next 10 days, President Stevo Pendarovski must hand the mandate to form a new government to a coalition led by the Social Democrats that controls a majority in the 120-member parliament. The Social Democrats secured the majority avoiding an early election after striking a deal with a small ethnic Albanian party to join the government coalition that will control 64 seats. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Doling out pardons is a holiday tradition for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who around every Christmas grants them to a handful of ordinary citizens, typically for minor offenses committed years or decades ago. But one name stands out on his desk: George Floyd. Abbott has not said whether he will posthumously pardon Floyd this year for a 2004 drug arrest in Houston by a former officer whose police work is no longer trusted by prosecutors. Texas' parole board stacked with Abbott appointees unanimously recommended a pardon for Floyd in October. Since then, the two-term Republican governor, who is up for reelection in 2022, has given no indication of whether he will grant what would be only the second posthumous pardon in Texas history. Floyd, who was Black, spent much of his life in Houston before moving to Minnesota, where his death under the knee of a white police officer last year led to a U.S. reckoning on race and policing. DENVER (AP) Relatives, lawmakers and other supporters of a trucker sentenced to 110 years in prison after an explosive brake-failure crash that left four people dead rallied in Denver on Wednesday to plead for clemency. Supporters of Rogel Aguilera-Mederos say the sentence is deeply unjust and truck drivers around the country have taken up his cause, using hashtags like #NoTrucksToColorado and #NoTrucksColorado. Speaking at the rally at the state Capitol, Leonard Martinez, one of the lawyers representing Aguilera-Mederos, said the injustice of such long sentences needs to be addressed, both by reforming sentencing laws but also looking at the actions of prosecutors and judges. This fight is not just for him but for all, he said. The Colorado judge has said mandatory-minimum sentencing laws forced him to impose the long prison term after Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of vehicular homicide and other charges. A Nebraska man will spend the rest of his life in prison after being sentenced Wednesday for 13 counts of sexual assault and sex trafficking of a 15-year-old girl. William Billy J. Quinn of Oxford was sentenced to 177 to 304 years in prison by Furnas County District Court Judge James E. Doyle IV. Under state sentencing guidelines, the 57-year-old Quinn must serve at least half of his minimum sentence before being eligible for parole. Following a two-week trial this summer that was prosecuted by the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office, a jury found Quinn guilty of 13 of 14 felony charges. Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson said 18 other defendants have been arrested for crimes associated with Quinns actions. Todays sentence is essentially a life sentence imposed on Billy Quinn, Peterson said. The sentence issued by Judge Doyle sends a strong message that those who traffic children for sex will pay a substantial penalty for their acts. Peterson said the investigation that began in 2019 involved many other agencies, including the Nebraska State Patrol, sheriffs offices in Furnas, Sarpy and Douglas Counties and police departments in Norfolk and Kearney. LINCOLN More traveling, likely due to the states recovering economy, is fueling a decrease in state motor fuels taxes. Beginning Jan. 1, the states tax rate on motor fuels will be 24.8 cents per gallon for the first six months of 2022, the Nebraska Department of Revenue reported on Tuesday. That is a decrease of almost 3 cents a gallon from the 27.7 cents per gallon charged during the past six months. Nebraskas tax on gasoline and other fuels is adjusted every six months, based partly on total tax receipts and revenue needs for highway maintenance and construction. When the total tax collected on fuel rises, and meets or exceeds revenue needs, the tax is adjusted downward. Miles traveled on Nebraskas streets and roads have increased in 2021 over 2020, according to the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, with travel up 9.7%, or 168 million miles, in October (the most recent month available) over October 2020. Fuel tax receipts have also risen, and were up about 7.5% during July, August and September. Following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, state fuel taxes had to be increased in 2020 to record-high levels 33.2 cents per gallon due to the decline in travel that began in March and April of 2020. NORMAL An investigation into Rivian Automotive revealed a group of employees were not paid overtime for their work constructing the production line in Normal, authorities announced Tuesday. Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced settlements following an investigation by his office and the Illinois Department of Labor into the electric vehicle company and three of its subcontractors. The investigation found the subcontractors who were hired to construct the production line failed to pay overtime wages to their Mexican workers at the site, Raoul said. The settlements require China-based Guangzhou Mino Equipment Co.; Spain-based IT8 Software Engineering, S.L.; Mexico-based LAM Automation to pay owed overtime wages and civil penalties, totaling $390,000, to 54 workers who were denied overtime wages they earned. Any company doing business in our state must follow laws that require workers to be fairly compensated for the hours they work, Raoul said. This settlement should send a message that employers cannot hide behind subcontractors to avoid responsibility for stolen wages. I am committed to holding businesses large and small accountable for violating laws that safeguard workers and support law-abiding businesses in Illinois, and I appreciate the Illinois Department of Labors collaboration. According to the Attorney Generals office, Rivian hired Mino to help build assembly lines at the Normal facility, and Mino subcontracted work to IT8. IT8 then subcontracted LAM to obtain part of the workforce Mino used to complete its work for Rivian. IT8 and LAM helped laborers in Mexico obtain visas to work for IT8 and Mino at electric vehicle plants in the U.S., including Rivian. LAM was responsible for issuing payments to the workers, but Mino and IT8 shared significant control over their work and their conditions of employment and Mino used these workers for its own labor force. The Department of Labor and Attorney Generals Office found employees at the Rivian plant typically worked between 60 and 80 hours per week, seven days a week. Illinois law requires an overtime premium of 150% of regular hourly wages for each hour worked over 40 in a week. LAMs employees did not receive the full overtime wages required by law, Raoul said. Mino and IT8 both agreed to pay $145,000 in overtime wages and penalties to the 54 employees. LAM will pay an additional $100,000, according to a statement from Raouls office. Through the settlements, Raouls office is recovering nearly 270% of the overtime wages that employees should have received if they had been paid the required overtime premium rate, the attorney general said. Michael Kleinik, director of the labor department, said this investigation and its resolution was done to try and prevent this from happening to workers in the future. Local labor leaders said they appreciate the Workers Protection Unit of the Attorney Generals Office efforts to expose the exploitation of workers. It is a bittersweet day that the Workers Protection Unit was able to bring the investigation to a close and find fraud, manipulation, and the cheating of wages for vulnerable workers, said Mike Raikes, business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 197 based in Bloomington. It is sad that in the year 2021 we have contractors going to extreme lengths to intentionally break the law. These contractors knew they were illegally bringing in foreign workers, paying less than area standards and benefits, no overtime pay, and hurting our local workers, contractors, and economy by doing so. Raoul encourages workers who have concerns about wage and hour violations or potentially unsafe working conditions to call his Workplace Rights Hotline at 1-844-740-5076 or to file a complaint online. Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. We just wanted to provide an opportunity for students to stop just focusing on academics only, said College and Career Counselor Lisa Steve. The Stanford-based district has been using Pathway Days at its high school for about three years now, Steve said. The monthly events give students a chance to explore options post-high school. The De-Stress Fest used the December day to provide activities for students to healthily cope with any stress they were experiencing. The school had hosted a De-Stress Fest in 2019 as well, before the pandemic, Steve said. That event had just been in the gym, while Fridays was expanded to all of the school, with different activities in different rooms. We wanted to provide a variety of different settings for students based on their needs, she said. Quiet spaces included a therapy dog and board games, with yoga providing students with an active but calming option, Steve said. For those who had some energy to work off, there was a dodgeball tournament, which even included a faculty team. The students really enjoy when they get to be involved with the faculty doing fun things, Steve said. Even before the pandemic, school life could be a significant source of stress for teenagers, a 2014 American Psychological Association study found. Students reported feeling more stressed than adults did, and were more likely to feel their stress was above a healthy level. The counseling department wants to encourage students to find healthy ways to cope with that stress, Steve said. Olympia High School is on a block schedule which means many of the classes are wrapping up at semester, adding extra stress as students know these finals will directly impact their final grades. Part of the goal of the pathway days is to help students develop the soft skills that they will use in their adult lives, including stress management. It was great to see students being active and interested in developing those skills, Steve said. While this is the biggest event focused on de-stressing the counseling department does, it is a year-long topic for them. Its always definitely a focus of ours, she said. Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter: @connorkwood Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. NORMAL It has been 30 years, but to Janet Beach Davis, students still drive Heartland Community College. She has been involved with the school for most of those 30 years across multiple roles. She started as a student in 1993, just the third year Heartland was in operation. Today she is a faculty member in earth science. The idea of Heartland has always been student-focused and we always will be, she said. Former President Rob Widmer and current President Keith Cornille agreed. Cornille said he believes the answer about what drives Heartland will be the same even for a 50th anniversary article 20 years from now. Widmer was president from 2013 to 2018, the third person to hold the position. He spent more than 22 years at the college before retiring. Cornille was hired as the fourth president following Widmers retirement. Allen Goben preceded Widmer as president, serving for three years. Goben had replaced Jon Astroth, who was president from 1991 to 2010. Each president's strengths seemed to be exactly what the college needed at that time, Beach Davis said. 30 years young Heartland is the youngest public community college in the state. The creation of District 540 brought all of the state into a community college district, but it was far from a straight journey to that point. Several feasibility studies were done in the 1970s and 1980s. The era also saw multiple defeated referendums to create a community college district, according to an online history series published by Heartland. In 1985, the General Assembly passed legislation requiring all school districts with high schools to affiliate with a community college district by July 1, 1990. Voters again rejected a new community college district in a 1987 referendum. The decision was taken out of voters hands in 1989 when the Illinois Community College Board decided to form a new district for the area. Classes started at Heartland 30 years ago, in the fall of 1991, held in church basements, high school classrooms and other makeshift spaces. Eventually, the college found a longer term, but not permanent, home in Towanda Plaza. Widmer joined the college in the spring of 1996. One of his early tasks as vice president of business services was to work with Astroth to raise money for construction of the Raab Road campus. Theres a lot excitement in getting to build a college, Widmer said. The excitement of growing a college attracted a lot of (early employees), he said. Cornille was working at the College of DuPage at the time Heartland was starting, and thought how exciting it would be to be part of the start of a whole new college. Since he started at Heartland in 2018, he has been thankful for the work of the earlier employees. A campus of its own In 1997, the state awarded $31.3 million for a new Heartland campus, according a series of history articles published by the college. There was an 11th-hour push by downtown Bloomington business owners to locate the campus there, but work started on the Raab Road location in June 1998. Students showed up in August 2000. It was like moving into your new house with your whole new family of 120 people, Beach Davis said. Beach Davis had started at Heartland looking to take writing classes. After taking a course in earth science, she decided to get her associate degree at Heartland. She later received a bachelor's degree and a master's degree, both from University of Illinois at Springfield. "The same class that changed my life, that's the one that I teach," she said. By 2002 the college was again looking to expand. After filling in various needs during Phase I of building, including the Workforce Development Center, the college began Phase II, which brought seven new buildings to campus from 2009 to 2011. In 2011, talks began about one of the most interesting parts of Heartlands campus: the wind turbine. Being environmentally conscious has always been a focus for Heartland, Widmer said. The turbine furthered that, while also providing an education opportunity for students interested in alternative energy. Those opportunities have recently expanded with the addition of the Electric Vehicle and Energy Storage facility and program. The college has faced plenty of other challenges since then. Widmers tenure as president was marked by Illinois budget crises, which left him, the board and the staff constantly unsure what state funding would look like. At the same time, they were trying to make long-term strategic decisions. (Youre) trying to deal with that and at the same time youre growing, Widmer said. Cornille praised Widmers leadership during the budget crises, though Widmer passed the praise on to the colleges employees. Continued growth Heartland's challenges continue, with the COVID-19 pandemic now dominating Cornilles tenure. While there has been a lot of bad with that, he said it has also been a chance for the college to look at some of its internal practices. I think its been a good opportunity for us at the college to also learn, he said. Alongside students, Beach Davis, Cornille and Widmer all pointed to a commitment to the community as an essential part of Heartland Community College. The college needs to respond to the needs of the community, Cornille said. One of the ways it is doing so is through the planned agriculture complex, which will bring resources to campus like test plots and garages large enough for farm equipment. Its very exciting seeing that come down the road. Its a natural evolution for the college, and thats what we do well, Beach Davis said. My desire is that we only strengthen those community partnerships (going forward), Cornille said. Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter: @connorkwood Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. NORMAL Illinois State University will join the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and other colleges in starting the spring semester with remote learning. The university plans to resume in-person learning on Jan. 24. Courses will be delivered remotely from Jan. 10 to Jan. 21, President Terri Goss Kinzy announced in a message to the campus on Tuesday. ISU offices and facilities are still scheduled to reopen on Jan. 3. Winter session courses will also be moving online, spokesperson Rachel Hatch said. The message cited the quickly climbing number of cases as the Omicron variant spreads as the main cause of the change. In our planning efforts, we are working to anticipate the potential impacts of this highly transmissible variant on our campus community, Kinzys message said. Out of an abundance of caution, Illinois State will begin the Spring 2022 semester with two weeks of online teaching and learning. While the universitys COVID dashboard is offline until January, Hatch said that the number of people tested last week was too low for meaningful data to be collected. Students will still be able to return to on-campus housing as scheduled. However, all students, including those who have been vaccinated will have to provide a negative test taken within three days of returning to campus. Faculty and staff will have up to a week after returning to campus to be tested, again regardless of vaccination status. The university will also continue to require non-vaccinated students and employees to be tested weekly. While Kinzys message encourages campus community members to receive a booster and asks those who do to provide documentation, it does not add any additional requirements for those who have not received a booster. It is critical to know that while vaccinated individuals may still test positive, they are significantly less likely to have severe disease, require hospitalization, or die, Kinzys message said. Vaccination is even more essential in the fight against the Omicron variant. ISUs announcement comes a day after the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and University of Illinois Chicago campuses announced they would also start the spring semester with remote learning. UIUC will start with a week remote while UIC will start with two weeks of remote instruction. Both schools will require a negative test before returning to campus. Schools ranging from the University of Washington to Cornell University to Princeton University have adopted similar response plans as the COVID variant has expanded. More than 30 colleges have issued booster shot requirements in recent weeks, and others say theyre thinking about it. Illinois Wesleyan will require COVID-19 vaccines for the spring semester except for those who receive official exemptions, as it had planned to do since early this fall. In its latest COVID-19 update, from Dec. 17, IWU is also encouraging students to receive their booster shots before returning to campus. 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. Like ISU, IWU is requiring all students to be tested before returning to campus, including vaccinated students. IWU had planned on only requiring non-vaccinated students to test prior to retuning. However, vaccinated students only need to notify the university if they test positive, though it may request proof of a negative test later. IWU spokesperson Ann Aubry confirmed the school plans to stick with the scheduled return but would monitor the situation. This fall marked the start of the third school year hindered by the pandemic. Kinzys message acknowledge that students and employees may be feeling worn out and fatigued by the past 20 months. I want to extend my most sincere appreciation for your flexibility and adaptability as we face yet another obstacle in our on-going battle against COVID-19, Kinzys message said. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter: @connorkwood Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. NORMAL The Normal Police Department said a 12-year-old girl who went missing Tuesday evening was found safe. NPD said in a Wednesday afternoon Facebook post that Mariah Walter was located. Officers reported she had run away around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday from her home in Normal. NPD added in a press release that anyone who is considering running away, or knows someone who is thinking about it, should call Project Oz at 309-827-0377 to talk to a crisis counselor. The Bloomington Police Department is also searching for 16-year-old Bryan Bell. He ran away Tuesday while in the Twin cities area, but BPD believes he may be in another part of Illinois or a nearby state. This story has been updated. Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Pantagraph is counting down the Top 10 stories of 2021. This is No. 10. What do you think are the top stories of the year? Join our conversation here. NORMAL Seventeen Union Pacific freight cars jumped the tracks on Feb. 13, leaving a wide debris field near uptown Normal. No injuries were reported, but about 1,500 customers lost power because of the train derailment that scattered semitrailers, containers and snapped utility poles, closed intersections and railway crossings and diverted Amtrak trains, with at least two cars coming within yards of a Hester Street apartment building. The Federal Railroad Administration launched an investigation into the crash, but early reports indicate a worn wheel was behind the derailment. A preliminary report submitted by Union Pacific to the federal rail agency identifies a wheel tread issue as the primary cause. Wheels with tread problems may not sit properly on the tracks. Federal data shows Union Pacific has reported 12 crashes due to worn wheel tread since 1976. The most recent prior to the February derailment was in 2019. The 7,698-ton train was traveling 24 mph southbound through Normal, hauling more than 100 cars, when it went into emergency. An engineer bailed off independent brake and brought the train to a stop, according to the report submitted by the rail company. The Illinois Commerce Commission, which oversees rail crossings, conducted an independent investigation and also pointed to the wheel issue. A Union Pacific spokeswoman also said the derailment was because of "extreme winter weather" and snow and ice on the track that contributed to the crash. The frigid temperatures did not help matters when crews had to spend hours clearing the snow-covered debris that stretched from about West Vernon Avenue to South Fell Street just south of the ISU campus. Above the West Vernon Avenue underpass, one overturned trailer was left wedged between the guardrail and a fence, with a portion hanging over the concrete wall. A snapped-off portion of railing landed in the roads median 14 feet below. Normal has sought to be reimbursed nearly $20,000 from Union Pacific for the cleanup effort that cost the town $18,923 in overtime expenses, town officials said. Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. EDWARDSVILLE A Wood River man who pleaded guilty to killing his father in 1993 is accused of striking a 6-month-old boy. Shannon L. Musgraves, 44, of Wood River, was charged Dec. 17 with aggravated battery, a Class 3 felony, and two counts of domestic battery (second subsequent offense), both Class 4 felonies. The case was presented by the Wood River Police Department. According to court documents, on Dec. 15 Musgraves allegedly struck a 6-month-old boy described in court documents as a family or household member, causing bruising and abrasions to the infant's head and torso. Musgraves allegedly struck the infant in the head with a ball. His bail was set at $63,000. In 1993 Musgraves, then 16, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of his father, Hollis Musgraves, an Alton city employee. According to court documents, Shannon Musgraves told police he shot his father six times but did not mean to kill him. Court documents state that Musgraves had become upset with his father because of a remark Hollis Musgraves made about his mother. Shannon Musgrave was sentenced to 30 years in prison. But at that time, Illinois law allowed a day off the sentence for each "good day" he served. In March 2014, Shannon Musgraves was arrested and convicted in federal district court for unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. He received a 46-month sentence. Musgraves also was convicted of domestic battery in Morgan County in 2013. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 EAST ST. LOUIS Illinois State Police and community leaders in East St. Louis touted a partnership to combat gun violence and other crimes in the city during a press conference at East St. Louis City Hall Tuesday morning. Brendan Kelly, director of the Illinois State Police, opened the event with thanking the year-long community collaboration in East St. Louis, which he says has led to making the area safer. Last year, the Illinois State Police's Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) was implemented to assist the East St. Louis Police Department with violent crimes in the area. "Case by case, victim by victim, violent crime is being investigated," Kelly said. "Victims of the families are receiving support. Trust is being strengthened. Violent offenders are being held accountable." The Public Safety Enforcement Group consists of over 20 officers, including those from Illinois State Police, East St. Louis Police and federally assigned task force officers. The group handles investigations dealing with non-fatal shootings, aggravated assault, sexual assault and robbery. Since October of 2020, the unit has opened nearly 400 investigations, and East St. Louis has witnessed a reduction in homicides and non-fatal shootings compared to the year before PSEG existed. From October 19, 2019 to October 18, 2020, East St. Louis had 41 homicides. From October 19, 2020, to October 18, 2021, there were 31 homicides. As of Tuesday, there has been a 12 percent reduction in non-fatal shootings in the area compared to last year. Officials also praised the unit's clearance rate, which is 55 percent for homicides this year. Last year, the clearance rate for solving homicides in East St. Louis was 40 percent. East St. Louis has one of the nation's highest murder rates. Between 2000 to 2018 there were 453 murders within the 14-mile borders, 83% of which were gunshot related, according to a 2019 Belleville News-Democrat investigation. Additionally, 75% of those murders went unsolved. Mayor Robert Eastern III shared a personal experience of the impact and unsolved murder can have on a family. "May 1991: There was a man who was murdered, and on the scene of the murder there was his two sons that came and was at his murder scene, and his murder was unsolved," Eastern said. "That murder devastated the family for quite some time. That man who was murdered was my grandfather and the two people who were at the murder scene was my dad and uncle, so his murder was unsolved." Mayor Eastern III said his grandfather's case is the main reason he didn't hesitate to partner with the Illinois State Police. He said he's grateful for the community coming together to address crime and its effects on a family. Carolyn Seay, whose 44-year-old daughter Dwonique was murdered in July in East St. Louis, thanked the Public Safety Enforcement Group for helping her family heal from the tragedy. She said within 24 hours of her daughter's murder, the unit had a suspect in custody. "We're saddened as we approach the holidays," Seay said. "It's been real rough. I'm just holding on every day and just counting it as a blessing. She was 44 years old and she left us with a whole in our heart ... but with the help of my pastor and family members, we're holding on." Seay said she didn't know how she'd get through the loss of her daughter without the help of the PSEG unit. "Our belief in the PSEG model is simple and based on evidence," Brendan Kelly said. "The best way for police to build trust and credibility in a community is by passionately investigating all violent crimes so victims and their families see that police truly care about them. ... A critical part of PSEG's success is addressing the trauma that victims and victims' families experience when a violent act occurs." Kelly said the Public Safety Enforcement Group has worked directly with community support services like Community Life Line and East St. Louis School District 189's Wraparound Wellness Center. The Wraparound Wellness Center, which started in January, is an extension of the district's traditional counseling resources to ensure students have access to trauma services in the evenings and during the weekend. Dr. Tiffany Gholson, director of the Wraparound Wellness Center, said her group has partnered with the Illinois State Police and the East St. Louis Police Department to directly provide trauma services to victims and families through its SOS (Support on Scene) Team. She said the team is dispatched to the scene of any traumatic event involving a student in the area to provide support. "We fully wrap around our families and our students, so we aren't just on the scene during the crisis," Dr. Gholson said. "We aren't just there at their house 24 hours later, which we are. We're at the funerals and then we make sure we do the heavy work afterwards." Other speakers at Tueday's press conference included Kendall Perry, East St. Louis police chief; Steven Weinhoeft, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois; James Gomric, St. Clair County State's Attorney; Rep. LaToya Greenwood (D-East St. Louis); Sen. Chris Belt (D-Swansea); and Wyvetta Granger, CEO of Community Life Line "It takes the community to be engaged," Wyvetta Granger said. "When we see something, we must say something, and we understood that if we all work together, we can find answers and we can be a part of the solution of our community." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A former American Civil Liberties Union attorney who pushed for reforms within the Chicago Police Department, including changes to controversial enforcement actions by the agency, has been recommended for a seat on the federal bench. Karen Sheley was among seven candidates whose names Illinois Democratic U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin sent to President Joe Biden as well-suited to fill a judicial vacancy in the Northern District of Illinois, Chicagos federal court. They are candidates for a vacancy that will be created when U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly shifts to senior status, a semiretirement of sorts for federal judges, in October. Whoever Biden chooses would have to be approved by the full Senate. Sheley, who is now the general counsel for the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, declined to comment, referring all inquiries to Durbin and Duckworths offices. Sheley worked at the ACLU of Illinois from 2008 to 2021, a stretch that included time as director of its police practices project. She co-authored a scathing 2015 report about the Chicago Police Departments street stop policy that showed how it discriminated against minorities and led to constitutional violations. The report showed that in a four-month period in 2014, the department made more than a quarter-million stops a far higher rate than New York City cops at the height of their controversial stop-and-frisk practices. This led to changes in Illinois law related to police interactions with citizens. The Chicago police also signed an agreement with the ACLU to change its street stop policy. Last year, Sheley wrote a letter to the editor in the Tribune rebutting another commentary piece in the newspaper that defended stop-and-frisk. In her piece, she criticized the polices overall use of Terry stops another term for street stops, named for the landmark 1968 U.S. Supreme Court case Terry v. Ohio. Even then, the American Civil Liberties Union objected to allowing police wide latitude about whom to stop and pat down. It was clear that a disparate impact in the application of the practice was inevitable, Sheley wrote. The intervening years have shown this to be true. ... There was a systemic policy of stopping a large number of people, which led to targeting (B)lack people, especially youth, by instructing officers to stop the right people at the right place at the right time. Sheley has also helped push for Chicago police to implement reforms as part of a federally mandated consent decree. In 2017, months after the U.S. Department of Justice found a host of deficiencies with the Police Department in training and supervision, the ACLU filed a lawsuit alleging that the reform efforts didnt go far enough in addressing how cops should treat people with mental illnesses and developmental disabilities. That suit has since been folded into the current consent decree litigation. To select the candidates for the federal bench, Duckworth and Durbin set up a screening committee of 12 distinguished members of Illinois legal community. That panel conducted interviews, contacted references and reviewed the professional records and application questionnaires of the potential candidates, according to the letter to Biden. Durbin and Duckworth said in the letter theyve also interviewed the candidates. The other candidates include Jeffrey Cummings, a federal magistrate judge who previously served as a hearing officer on the Chicago Police Board; LaShonda Hunt, a U.S. bankruptcy judge; and Jeremy Daniel, a federal prosecutor and a former officer in the Marine Corp. The three others are Lindsay Jenkins, a former federal prosecutor who once served as chief of the U.S. attorneys offices criminal division in Chicago; Nancy Maldonado, a lawyer who specializes in employment, fraud and civil rights cases, and once served on the Illinois State Police Merit Board; and Nicholas Gowen, a lawyer who focuses on litigating and arbitrating employment disputes and has served as chair of Chicago State Universitys board of trustees. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 An Aurora man identified by law enforcement as a member of the far-right group Proud Boys has been arrested on federal charges alleging he used a flagpole to assault officers while illegally on the U.S. Capitol grounds during the Jan. 6 riot. James Robert Elliott, 24, who also goes by Jim Bob, was charged in an indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Washington with six counts, including civil disorder, assault of a federal officer, entering a restricted building with a dangerous weapon and carrying out an act of violence on Capitol grounds. Five of the six counts in the indictment are felonies, and the most serious counts carry up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Elliott was arrested in Batavia on Monday. He appeared via videoconference Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cummings, who ordered him released on electronic monitoring and a curfew requiring him to stay home between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. What youre accused of doing is extremely serious and dangerous conduct, Cummings said in overruling a defense objection to the curfew. During the 45-minute hearing, prosecutors said agents found bear spray in Elliotts backpack when executing a search warrant on his home. He also admitted in a post-arrest interview to membership in the Proud Boys organization, according to prosecutors. The bare-bones, four-page indictment does not provide further details on the alleged assault of the officers. Prosecutors, however, said in court that videos posted online as well as body-worn cameras on some of the officers at the scene showed Elliott among a large group of rioters trying to break through a police line outside the Capitol on the afternoon of Jan. 6. Elliott was seen in the footage carrying an American flag on a pole emblazoned with a Greek phrase that translates to Come and take them, a phrase commonly used by individuals and groups as an anti-government rallying cry, Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Bond said. One video that has circulated online shows Elliott dressed in a black helmet, goggles and flak vest with a police radio attached, according to federal law enforcement. Bond said videos from the incident show Elliott beckoning the crowd forward toward the police line and yelling, Patriots, what is your occupation? which is a paraphrase from the movie 300. Some in the crowd reply with the Spartan war cry, Har-oo! Bond said. As the crowd surges toward police chanting Four more years! and attempting to break through some metal barriers, Elliott allegedly can be seen swinging the flagpole in a downward motion at police causing at least one glancing blow on an officers head. Elliott then turns the flagpole and thrusts it horizontally toward an officers face, Bond said. The cops are getting sprayed, theres a (expletive) fight right here! the person shooting the video yells. Another video later shows Elliott moving through the inauguration scaffolding at the Capitol, where an unruly crowd was attempting to move past a police line and gain access to a staircase, Bond said. After a munition explodes near Elliott, he bends over to check on a fellow rioter, then repeats his battle cry and disappears behind the scaffolding, Bond said. Elliotts court-appointed attorney, Seema Ahmad, told the judge her client is fully employed and lives in his parents basement in Aurora with his fiancee and their 2-year-old twins. He has no prior criminal record. Elliott was ordered to appear on the charges in Washington on Jan. 6 which coincidentally marks the one-year anniversary of the attack. Elliott is at least the 20th person from Illinois to be charged in the Capitol breach, which has led to what prosecutors have described as among the largest criminal investigations in U.S. history. More than 700 people have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for alleged crimes related to the assault, including more than 220 individuals who, like Elliott, are charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Most of those arrested in Illinois have faced only misdemeanor charges alleging they illegally entered the Capitol, but were not violent or destructive. Last week, two downstate Illinois men were each sentenced to probation for entering the building through a door that had been breached an hour earlier. They stayed for about 20 minutes, snapping photos and even asking a police officer for directions to the nearest bathroom, court records show. Last month, former Inverness tech executive Bradley Rukstales was sentenced to 30 days behind bars for his role in the attack the only person from Illinois to face time behind bars so far. Elliott, meanwhile, is not the first person to be charged with using a flagpole as a weapon that day. Television and surveillance footage captured a surging crowd outside the Capitol pummeling outnumbered officers with poles, bottles, fire extinguishers, bear spray and other weapons as they made their way past barricades. Earlier this year, Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, an Iraq War veteran, testified before Congress that he was called a traitor by the pro-Trump mob who beat him with a pole flying an American flag. It was very scary, because I thought I was going to lose my life, Gonell said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Residents of the tiny village of Sorento fear that the Bond County CUSD 2 school board will vote to close their school just a few days before Christmas. Some of them, including a member of the school board, further complain that the proposed closure has been kept hidden from the community of fewer than 500 people, and that the district's superintendent "buried" notice of public hearings on the subject. The school board will vote on whether to approve closing Sorento School on Wednesday, according to the agenda published on Monday. Initial conversations about closing the school rose out of discussion of a Boundary/Enrollment plan presented in late 2019. The district has schools in three towns: Greenville, Pocahontas and Sorento. The K-8 schools in Pocahontas and Sorento are much smaller than the elementary and junior high schools in Greenville, and the district was looking for ways to even out the class sizes, according to public documents. The entire district's enrollment has decreased over the last several years, but the enrollment in Pocahontas and Sorento have dropped faster than other schools in the district. Between September and December 2019, the board heard public comments about the plan, most of which urged against changing the boundary lines, according to school board meeting minutes. On Dec. 9, the board first discussed the six options presented by Superintendent Wes Olson, none of which involved closing a school. Board Member Brian Zeeb, now the vice president, requested an "Option G" that would look at the costs and savings associated with closing Sorento School, the smallest school in the district, which Olson provided. The school board didn't take any definitive action at the time. By March 2020, district focus switched to addressing COVID-19 and remote learning, and the the issue of school boundaries was dropped. Comparing the early 2020 and late 2021 meetings The district hosted three meetings for public feedback in both early 2020 and late 2021, but there are some stark differences. Illinois code on closing a school requires at least three public hearings, the sole purpose of which is to discuss the decision to close a school building and receive input. The three hearings in December 2021 are labeled as those public hearings, both in the notice and on the agendas. The legal requirement for hearings didn't go into effect until July 2021; Olson said Monday that the district has never had hearings to close a school before this month. In January 2020, when Bond County CUSD 2 held its first town halls, the new rules weren't yet in effect. While those three meetings in 2020 were dominated by comments on closing Sorento School, they were formally for the purpose of gathering feedback on the Boundary/Enrollment study, which included other plans that didn't involve closing a school. Notice of the 2021 hearings were posted on the school district's website on Dec. 5 exactly 10 days before the first hearing, as required but it was buried on the website. Rather than being posted on the home page, anyone looking for the notice would have to click through to the school board's page, then through to the little-used notice page to find it. It is the only notice published in the 2021 archive, and there are no other archived years available, as of Monday. There's no specification in Illinois Code about how accessible notices posted on the website need to be. Illinois school districts are required to provide notice for other mandatory hearings, but there are inconsistencies in how Illinois directs districts to provide notice. Notice of a budget hearing, for example, has to be published in a newspaper posting notice anywhere on website, however prevalent and visible, wouldn't fulfill a district's legal obligation. Olson said the district met the legal requirements. A school board member shared the notices By Dec. 7, members of the Sorento community started posting about the notices after School Board Member Stephanie Gerl shared the public document, bringing attention to the hearings. "I am sure most of you have heard through social media or otherwise that the Board of Education has scheduled hearings regarding the potential closing of Sorento School at the end of the 2021 2022 school year," Olson wrote in a letter to parents. "The Board of Education has not taken any action on this matter, but is required to post and conduct hearings, as a statutory requirement, should they want to take action." Olson's letter shared information about the hearings, reiterating that it was first published on the website on Dec. 5. It was emailed to parents and published under the main announcements section of the district's website late on Dec. 13 more than a week after it was first posted and less than 48 hours before the first hearing. Gerl said she met with Olson on Dec. 8 and he asked for her approval and input three days after the notice was published. "The way they put it out for public viewing was very hidden, and (Olson) put that out before meeting with all of the board members," Gerl said in an interview Saturday. "That's bad form. That's bad leadership." "My intent regarding the distribution of my letter to parents on (Dec. 13) was to provide supplemental notifications in addition to those required by statute to members of the school community," Olson said in an email to Sorento parent Melissa Goymerac, which she provided to the Belleville News-Democrat. "I am pleased that this supplemental notice served to increase the availability of this important information, and I certainly welcome quality feedback from the community." The town halls in 2020 were first proposed by Olson in a public meeting. In a review of board minutes, there was no public mention of hosting hearings in December 2021. The 2020 town halls were also spread out geographically, with one each in Greenville, Pocahontas and Sorento; all three of the hearings this month are in Greenville. Gerl is the only Bond County CUSD 2 school board member from Sorento; historically, she said one or two people from Sorento is typical on the seven-person board. She and three other members of the board were seated in April. In the eight months since then, board meeting minutes indicate there has been no public board discussion about closing Sorento School or the Boundary/Enrollment Study. Gerl said there have also been no closed meeting discussions about either of those things since she's been on the board. While some of the new board members had been heavily involved with providing public feedback on the Boundary/Enrollment Study in 2019 and 2020, they will have never discussed it with the whole school board before Wednesday and the proposed vote. The board could also decide not to take any action on Wednesday. Once the three hearings have been conducted, Illinois code doesn't require a decision be made within any set amount of time. Angry, upset, frustrated and defeated Jennifer Hoxsey's daughter is a fifth-generation Greyhound. Hoxsey's father taught at Sorento School, and she said she moved back to Sorento specifically so her daughter could graduate from the school. When Hoxsey first learned from social media about the hearings, she said it felt like a sucker punch and she had a surge of anger. "You're going to decide three days before Christmas to close our kids' school?," she said in an interview Saturday. While the notice provided by the district met legal requirements, Hoxsey said she felt it was unethical and disrespectful. The two hearings last week were held at 5:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Hoxsey, who commutes to her job in Edwardsville, had to take time off to get to Greenville in time for both of those meetings. The 4:30 p.m. meeting was so early, Hoxsey said two board members weren't able to make it, which WGEL also reported. Two years of attending school with COVID-19 have taken their toll on Hoxsey's daughter. Potentially closing her school is adding to her stress, Hoxsey said. "She is angry. She is upset," Hoxsey said of her 10-year-old. "She is frustrated. She kind of feels defeated." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DECATUR Cindy Ford heard such a clatter outside her Decatur home late Tuesday morning she sprang to the window to see what was the matter. This, however, was no early visit from St. Nicholas dropping in from the North Pole but a military jet punching it through the sound barrier with a sonic boom that jarred and concerned people throughout Central Illinois. Oh yeah, it shook the windows, it shook the house, I felt the floor vibrate, said Ford, whose home is located between South Shores and Mount Zion. I felt it was either a huge accident out front or something had blown up very near my house. But I think Tuesdays boom was even louder than that, she said. Emergency phone lines in Decatur lit up with calls from anxious families wondering what the noise was when it hit around 11:28 a.m. Deputy Decatur Fire Chief Dan Kline said the vibration was so prominent he even thought something had dropped onto the roof of Fire Station No. 1. It was a bang like someone dropped something heavy upstairs, he added. The actual explanation had arrived by early Tuesday afternoon, however, when officials confirmed it was the sonic boom of an F-15 fighter jet. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency said in a social media post that the noise had "kicked off an immediate collaboration between federal, state and local officials" to identify the source and impact. Further review found that the F-15 fighter jet had course-corrected above Central Illinois, creating a sonic boom. When the aircraft broke the sound barrier, the pressure wave created an audible noise and minor shaking in the region, the agency said, adding that no reports of damage were associated with the incident. But the mystery boom noise had so rattled nerves that some officials were getting personal calls about it. I live on the west side of town and I got calls from my neighborhood, and our administrative assistant lives on the east side of town and she got calls from her neighborhood, said Kline. So it was heard from east to west. Springfield police Lt. Jason Brands said officers received numerous reports from residents who heard a loud noise, and that other local communities received the same type of reports from the public. Other shocked listeners with some military experience said this sonic boom was louder and more resonant than other ones theyd heard before. Ellsworth Dansby, who lives south of Millikin University, said the sound was so intense he thought a train car had derailed near his home and blown up. I have prior service in the military and was occasionally exposed to that (sonic booms), he said. And that must have been one heck of an F-15 that did that; in fact, if that really was an F-15, Id eat my hat. Dansby, 70, has some theories it might have been some kind of high velocity spy plane or similar clandestine aircraft. And if it was, they wouldnt say it was a spy plane, he added. But it was loud. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Unsurprisingly, the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict exposed some fierce divisions among Americans. On one matter, though, there ought to be renewed consensus: It doesnt help to have guns displayed at political rallies and protests. Although the National Rifle Association likes to say that the only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun, the Rittenhouse incident shows how making such distinctions in chaotic or violent situations is impossible. Unfortunately, the fog of war is increasingly a reality on American streets. When the city of Kenosha was convulsed by violent protests last year, Rittenhouse was roaming the streets with an AR-15-style rifle. He said he was there to protect businesses. Others saw him as an aggressor. Tensions flared and Rittenhouse wound up shooting three people (one who was himself armed with a gun) and killing two. This month, a jury unanimously determined that Rittenhouse had defended himself lawfully. But if the encounter had turned out slightly differently, either of the victims couldve had legitimate self-defense claims. No one should expect this to be the last such incident. Armed demonstrators have become a disturbingly familiar sight at American protests in recent years. A study by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project and the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund documented 560 armed protests over an 18-month period in 2020 and 2021. It found that armed protests are nearly six times as likely to turn violent or destructive as unarmed ones. These incidents are taking a significant human toll. When armed militias descended on Louisville, Kentucky, during a protest over the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor, three people were injured after an accidental firearm discharge. In Portland last year, a pro-Trump demonstrator was shot and killed after a day of clashes between protesting groups. All told, about one in every 62 protests involving firearms results in a fatality. The National Rifle Association and its elected allies seem to think that this should be the new normal. They want civilians armed to the teeth in state after state, city after city. As awful as that prospect might be, it is nonetheless gaining traction. Twenty-one states now allow the open and concealed carry of firearms without a permit a status that gun activists call constitutional carry. Six states joined that list this year, most recently Texas in September (despite a majority of residents opposing the legislation). Absent government intervention, this trend suggests that more incidents like Kenosha are all but inevitable. Authorities should do everything in their power to enact commonsense reforms before the next protest leads to the next round of needless bloodshed. Bloomberg Opinion Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 As of last week, more than 200 million Americans had been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, constituting around 60% of the population. Its an important milestone, but so is the milestone of the nations 800,000th coronavirus death this week. With a new variant on the rise and a sizable minority of the country still holding out against the vaccines, infection rates continue to rise. What the U.S. is seeing now is what doctors are calling an epidemic of the unvaccinated. And its creating what psychologists call pandemic fatigue throughout society. As the crisis drags on, its important to remember that it is almost entirely those holdouts who are driving infection and death rates today. Its been said repeatedly, but it cant be said enough: They are risking their lives and prolonging the pandemic. According to The Washington Post, an average of more than 1.9 million vaccine doses per day were administered last week, an increase over the previous week by about 35%. Thats good news, but it doesnt change the fact that coronavirus deaths are up as well. That doesnt mean the vaccines arent working they absolutely do work; theres no ambiguity about that in the data. What it means is that, without the vaccines, the death rates would be soaring far higher. The data is also clear about who is dying: The dead consist almost entirely of those who refused vaccination. No vaccine is perfect, and vaccinated people can still catch the virus, but their cases tend to be less severe and far less likely to land them in the hospital or the morgue. A recent study in Texas found that unvaccinated people of all ages in that state are 40 times more likely than vaccinated people to die from the disease. How such a sizable number of Americans can look at these facts and still refuse vaccination is a mystery that psychologists and historians will ponder in years to come. The weird intersection of public health and politics throughout the pandemic has prolonged the crisis to the point that society is starting to suffer pandemic fatigue. With year three of the pandemic approaching, and the omicron variant now spreading through much of the country, the danger is real that even more exasperated Americans are going to give up on precautions like vaccination and masks. To those who feel that impulse, we would point out that this crisis could be all but over by now if not for the vaccination holdouts. They are the ones giving the virus new opportunities to spread, making it necessary for the rest of society to continue the precautions. They are the reason this isnt over yet. Frustration over this seemingly never-ending pandemic is understandable but thats where it should be focused. St. Louis Post-Dispatch Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Fidelity Bank Ghana organized a virtual networking forum for over 40 entrepreneurs to connect, share their business stories and provide feedback to Fidelity Bank and its partners on the benefits of the banks youth support programmes. The entrepreneurs, selected from different sectors of the economy, have benefitted from the Fidelity Young Entrepreneurship Program, which consists of the Fidelity Young Entrepreneurs Fund (FYEF) and Orange Corners Innovation Fund (OCIF). Fidelity Bank launched the Fidelity Young Entrepreneurs Fund (FYEF) to provide both financial and non-financial support to enable youth-related businesses to survive and thrive. Together with its partners, the bank will provide training programmes and up to GHC200,000 in financial support to strengthen and grow selected businesses. As part of the Banks long-term youth development strategy to support the related UN Sustainable Development Goals, Fidelity Bank joined other corporate partners and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN), to launch EKNs Ghana chapter of the Orange Corners programme. The programme runs an accelerator to build the capacity of youth enterprises and provides low cost financing where necessary, using a revolving fund mechanism developed and managed by Fidelity Bank. In his address at the maiden virtual networking forum, Julian Opuni, Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Ghana, said: it is heartwarming to see that these young entrepreneurs are working hard and so effectively to grow and sustain their businesses. These flagship youth initiatives, the Fidelity Young Entrepreneurs Fund and the Orange Corners Initiative, were established to give them the necessary support and our aim with this event is to solicit ideas on how to improve these initiatives to continue to meet the dynamic needs of young entrepreneurs. It is our hope that the SMEs that benefitted from our financial and training programmes will grow to become big businesses that will significantly impact Ghana and beyond, he disclosed. Some of the young entrepreneurs who attended the networking forum expressed their appreciation to Fidelity Bank and its partners for the ongoing assistance to grow their businesses. They were optimistic that the feedback that they shared with Fidelity Bank will be incorporated into the programmes to benefit participants. Under the Fidelity Young Entrepreneurship Program, Fidelity Bank has disbursed over GHS 3 million loans to beneficiaries. Fidelitys support of young entrepreneurs forms part of the Banks Together Were More brand promise that viewssuccess as a collaborative effort among key stakeholders working together towards a greater good. Fidelity has proven that by working together with entrepreneurs, they can help them realise their business dreams which ultimately contributes to the economic growth of the nation. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye has disclosed that the number of Covid-19 infections in the Greater Accra region is on the ascendency. In an interview on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', the GHS Boss said about 400 cases are recorded in the city daily. He has therefore asked Ghanaians to adhere to all the Covid protocols to avoid being infected. "People should not take things for granted because the numbers have started going up in Accrawere reporting about 400 cases a day now. The threat were facing is far far than last year Decemberwe need to apply all the protocols and get vaccinated" he urged. Ghana currently has 156 new cases and 1,301 active cases. Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video In 2019 and as part of the celebration of its 10th anniversary, End Point Homeopathic Clinic provided various items and monies to support children suffering from cerebral palsywhich is a group of lifelong disorders that affect a persons ability to move and maintain balance and posture. As part of End Point Homeopathic Clinics corporate social responsibility and the founder-Dr Adu Boatengs extensive philanthropic works, a promise was made to the parents of the cerebral palsy children of YOA Foundation that the clinic will provide continuous support to them. And yesterday, Tuesday, 21 December 2021, Dr. Adu Boateng and his End Point Homeopathic Clinic returned to the YOA Foundation founded by Bishop Dr. Yaw Owusu Ansah to donate various items to the children who are unfortunately affected by this lifelong condition. Timing of Donations The timing of the donation, being a few days to Christmas is remarkable, as it cushions the parents and the children to have a joyful festive season as other ordinary families would have. Dr. Adu Boateng, on behalf of End Point Homeopathic Clinic, donated several items including 100 bags of rice, 100 bags of sugar, 100 pieces of cloths for the mothers of the children, cartons of milk, washing powder, toiletries, diapers, drinks, and other items worth about 100,000 GHS to the families of the cerebral palsy children. Speaking at the donation event, Dr. Adu Boateng encouraged and urged the mothers of the cerebral palsy children who were present to continue providing the best care they can for these special needs childrendespite the obvious difficult circumstance they find themselves in. Beyond the words of encouragement, Dr. Adu Boateng also used the opportunity to advise and educate the persons present, mostly women, that cerebral palsy is caused by damage that occurs to the immature, developing brain, most often before birth. Hence, certain proper health checks such as screening as well as having any pre-existing medical problems under control before and during pregnancy could help in reducing the risk of cerebral palsy even though there is no foolproof way to prevent it. Items Donated by Dr Adu Boateng and End Point Homeopathic Clinic In receiving the donations, the delighted parents of these special needs children presented a citation to Dr. Adu Boateng and thanked him and his End Point Homeopathic Clinic for their love and support. Many of the mothers mentioned that the donated items will go a long way to lessen their burdens and make this Christmas a joyous one as they are unable to hold any proper employment as a result of the constant care their children requireand sadly, some of the fathers of these children have abandoned them compelling the mothers to become lone carers and providers at the same time. About Endpoint Homeopathic Clinic Endpoint Homeopathic Clinic is an award-winning provider of quality healthcare and unparalleled services in Ghana; promoting and advancing the science of homeopathy for the past 12 years. The clinic has branches at Spintex-Accra, Community 22 Tema, Takoradi, Kumasi and Techiman. As a forward-looking health delivery outlet, Endpoint Homeopathic Clinic provides the very latest research-based homeopathic treatments with a service that is second to none. The clinic is committed to patient satisfaction as the primary driver of its healthcare delivery. Endpoint Homeopathic Clinic has received several prestigious awards, including the Most Result-Oriented Homeopathic Clinic in West Africa, the Outstanding Homeopathy Hospital of the Year, Excellence in Social Responsibility, Excellence in Customer Service and Excellence in Innovationas well as the award for Excellent in Homeopathy Care of the Year. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A Madagascan government minister has said he swam for 12 hours to safety after his helicopter crashed at sea during a rescue mission. "It's not my time to die," exhausted Police Minister Serge Gelle said as he recovered on a stretcher. Two other security officials travelling with him in the helicopter also survived the crash. The team had been scouting an area in the north-eastern part of the country where a passenger boat had sunk. At least 39 people died in that accident, officials said on Tuesday. On Twitter President Andry Rajoelina mourned those who died and also paid tribute to Mr Gelle and the other two officers, who arrived in the seaside town of Mahambo separately. Cest avec une profonde tristesse que jai appris le naufrage dun navire au large dAntsiraka et son terrible bilan. Mes pensees vont aux victimes et a leurs proches endeuilles. Je prie solennellement pour le repos de leurs ames. pic.twitter.com/nZzJsaYMtL Andry Rajoelina (@SE_Rajoelina) December 21, 2021 It's unclear why Monday's accident happened but Mr Gelle, 57, said after the crash he swam from "7:30 last night, until 7:30 this morning," to Mahambo.He said he had no injuries but added that he was feeling cold."I would just like you to broadcast this video for my family to see, my colleagues to see, the government members to see. [I am] alive and well," Mr Gelle told villagers at Mahambo.Police chief Zafisambatra Ravoavy told news agency AFP that Mr Gelle had used one of the helicopter's seats as a flotation device."He has always had great stamina in sport, and he's kept up this rhythm as minister, just like a 30-year-old... he has nerves of steel," Mr Ravoavy said.Mr Gelle had served in the police for three decades before his August appointment as minister. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Cal Bank PLC has held its Annual End of Year Thanksgiving Service at the Forecourt of the Cal Bank Head office in Accra as part of efforts to express appreciation to God for His Protection and Favour to the staff and customers throughout the year. Delivering the sermon on the theme: "For Thou Art, Me", Senior Pastor at the Holy Hill Assemblies of God, Rev. Dr Kwadwo Bempah stressed on the importance of Thanksgiving and called for all to make the expression of Thanksgiving an integral part of their lives in order to attract the blessings of the world. He said that since Cal Bank has made the Thanksgiving Service an annual ritual, God will also show them mercy and cause the bank to grow in leaps and bounds. Managing Director of the Cal Bank PLC Mr Peter Owiredu, in his new year message, stated that in 2022, Cal Bank will reinforce all initiatives set for themselves in 2021. "We have to ensure that we stay ahead of the market; In 2022, we will reinforce all the initiatives we set for ourselves in 2021 especially we would be looking at our Culture Change program which we have started this year and which most of you have already been introduced to". He added that Cal Bank will also emphasize on its retail strategy in 2022 in order to ensure that the presence of the Bank is felt nationwide. He also said that the Bank further aims to improve on its technological drive and further applauded the technology and digital team for their support in developing applications that improved the operations of the bank. He charged all and sundry to put in their best to ensure that all strategic initiatives and targets, as well as financial performance, are achieved in 2022. Cal Bank PLC also donated 10,000 to Street Academy; a non Governmental Organization that works directly with vulnerable and less privileged children. The Bank also rewarded its long service staff as part of the occasion. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The KGL Foundation on Friday, December 17, 2021, donated two (2) incubators together with Kokrokoo Charities to the management of the Kyebi Government Hospital. In a presentation led by the founder of Kokrokoo Charities, Mr. Kwame Sefa Kayi, the Eastern Regional Minister, Honorable Seth Acheampong and other stakeholders, he indicated that the two (2) incubators will increase the total number of incubators donated to Hospitals across the country to 39 pieces in 2021 and was optimistic that more incubators will be donated in 2022. The donation was received by Dr. Richard Nii Darku Dodoo, Medical Superintendent on behalf of the management and staff of the hospital. He expressed gratitude towards both the KGL Foundation and the Kokrokoo Charities and assured both parties that the donation would be put to use for the benefit of the public. Dr. Dodoo went on further to state that the donation will lessen the pressure on the Eastern Regional Hospital because of the number of referrals sent to the institution. He indicated that an ongoing upgrade of the hospital includes a 10 bed NICU Unit and, when completed and handed over to management, will increase the total number of incubators to 12. The founder of Kokrokoo Charities, Mr. Kwame Sefa Kayi, also Management, expressed his pleasure about the partnership with the KGL Foundation, and lauded them for the good work they constantly embark on in the provision of prime healthcare to the average Ghanaian. In a related story, the Goaso Government Hospital in the Ashanti Region, also was presented with incubators to help lessen the rate of child mortality in the area. The donation, presented by Kokrokoo Charities was made possible by the KGL Foundation. In an interview, the CEO of the Foundation, Mr. Elliot Dadey stated the Foundations commitment to impacting and improving the lives of Ghanaians in the best possible way. About the KGL Foundation. The KGL Foundation is a corporate social responsibility initiative set up on behalf of the KGL Group. The Foundation focuses on youth empowerment, arts & culture and health & sports. Their approach is to collaborate, innovate and empower all local grassroots organizers working in these areas, ensuring they have the resources to improve and safeguard their own societies. Source: peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video With the turn of events at Parliament on Monday where the members turned the Legislative House into a wrestlemania by throwing punches at one another over the controversial e-levy, many Ghanaians have been expressing their disappointment in their elected Members of Parliament(MP). Some Ghanaians are ashamed that they participated in the election of the MPs in the 8th Parliament while others, on social media, have likened the Parliamentarians to kids having a squabble. Joining the criticisms is seasoned Journalist, Kwesi Pratt, who speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' on Tuesday, was unhappy with the behavior of the MPs. Kwesi Pratt, in his submissions on the morning show, raised concerns over the Parliamentarians' disregard for the COVID-19 protocols. "A lot of these Parliamentarians were not wearing masks . . . no masks and yelling. There was no social distancing as they tumble one another on the floor," he said. Also, he narrated that, although he doesn't have time to watch Television, he, however, stayed glued to his TV set to watch the Parliamentary wrestling where the Majority and Minority chose to exercise their muscles at each other. "As I was watching what was going on, I ask myself what sort of disgrace is this?'' He condemned the Parliamentary ''rambo style'' saying the MPs are giving Ghana a bad name as international media will be covering their fisticuffs. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Seasoned Journalist, Kwesi Pratt says he sees nothing wrong with the Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin absenting himself from Parliament which called for his First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, to take over the reigns resulting in a brawl between the Majority and Minority on Monday, December 20, 2021. Just before the Certificte of Urgency final vote on the controversial e-levy Monday night, proceedings in the House turned into violence as the Majority and Minority members threw punches at one another. What triggered the Parliamentary chaos was a decision by Hon. Joseph Osei-Owusu to exercise his original vote in his capacity as a Member of Parliament(MP) during a division to approve the bill. As critics slam the Parliamentarians for misbehaving in the House, the Speaker, Alban Bagbin has also been 'slapped' for not presiding over the proceedings. He is said to have absented himself without giving prior notice to his Deputy Speakers and the MPs. Some critics also smell something fishy about his absence as they claim it might have been a ploy to ruin the Majority voting. But Kwesi Pratt has bailed out the Speaker, stressing his absence is not shocking for any person to read meanings into it. He explained that he (Bagbin) has been incapacitated for awhile now, so might have stayed away from Parliament due to health reasons. He therefore doesn't see why the Speaker should be blamed for the Parliamentary brawl. ''I'm not surprised that Rt. Hon. Bagbin didn't sit in his Speaker's seat. Because we all know he is sick and recently did an operation or surgery. Yesterday, Parliament sat from morning continuous and around 11:45 pm, when I was retiring to my bed, they were still in there. I don't know the time that they closed. So, a person who just had a surgery, how do expect him to stay all that long as Speaker? It's not possible," he said during Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo'. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Member of Parliament (MP) for the Kwadaso Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Kingsley Nyarko says it is custom for MPs to accompany the President or Vice to the podium at any official function. He noted that it is wrong for anyone to say MPs are in support of the Vice Presidents flagbearership bid, especially at a time where nominations have not been opened for the partys internal contest. At the NPPs delegates conference held in the Ashanti Region over the weekend, MPs at the Heroes Park rose to escort the Vice President to the podium and this was interpreted as they (MPs) showing support for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumias candidature for flagbearer. In an interview with Don Kwabena Prah on Happy98.9FMs Epa Hoa Daben political talk show, Dr. Kingsley Nyarko said, You know MPs always rise to escort the President to the platform when he is coming for an event and I think this is not something new. The Vice President came to the conference and we rose to walk him to the podium and that is just what happened and nothing more. According to him, walking someone to the podium does not mean you support the individual or they will even win an election. The MP urged Ghanaians to rather focus on the positives of the delegates conference rather than focus on who walked Dr. Bawumia to the podium. We need to focus on the important things and leave the rest. It is not time to discuss who will lead the party in the next election yet. There are important matters at heart and those are what we need to focus on if we want the government to succeed, hence national development, he added. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Proceedings in Parliament towards the passage of the Electronic Transaction Bill, 2021 Monday night came to an abrupt end when a scuffle broke out between some Minority Members of Parliament (MP) and their colleagues from the Majority, leading to the failure of the House to approve the controversial bill. The chaos, which defined greater part of proceedings in the House, came after the Minority vehemently challenged the decision by the House to consider the e-levy bill under a certificate of urgency following the recommendation by the Finance Committee for the House to do so. Again, the decision by the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, to exercise his original vote during a division also escalated the confusion and disorder in the House. Mr Osei-Owusu had announced that once a division had been called for by the Minority, he reserved the right to exercise his vote as an MP for Bekwai. The agitated Minority MPs, who shouted on top of their voices and banged their hands on the table to register unwillingness to condone any illegality, contended that per Order 109 (3), a Deputy Speaker or any other member presiding shall not retain his original vote while presiding. Counting With the First Deputy Speakers insistence to ignore them, about 15 Minority MPs advanced from their seats towards the table, where the Clerks sat and were seen warning Mr Osei-Owusu to refrain from taking part in the counting process. When the counting started at 10:55 p.m., the First Deputy Speaker announced for the Second Deputy Speaker to assume the chair and he left his seat to go and exercise his vote, angry Minority MPs rushed towards where the Speaker sat. Fortunately, the timely intervention by some Majority MPs and security details in the House stopped the Speaker from being molested as he was escorted outside the Chamber, resulting in fisticuffs among some Majority and Minority MPs close to the Speakers seat. The maze was quickly whisked away as disorder and confusion became the order of the day in the Chamber, and security personnel from Parliament were called in to restore law and order at about 11.55 p.m. Outside the Chamber, quite a number of armed military and police men, who had also been called in to help calm matters, were also seen on the precinct of Parliament ready to be ordered to go into the Chamber once the confusion got out of hand. Why the confusion? The ensuing confrontation came soon after the Minister of Finance had moved the motion on e-levy bill be adopted by the House and it had been seconded. But the Minority sought the leave of the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Andrew Asiamah Amoako, who was then presiding, to arrest the process of suspending Standing Order 80 (1) for the purposes of doing away with the notice of 48 hours. Order 80(1) requires that no motion shall be debated until at least 48 hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the motion is given and the date on which the motion is moved. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Bawku Central, Mr Mahama Ayariga, contended that Articles 106 (13) and 103 (1) and Order 192, 197 and 191 made it inappropriate for the House to suspend the Standing Orders for the bill to be taken through a certificate of urgency. He said the point at which a bill was determined to be of an urgent nature was before its introduction in the House but the Finance Minister, at the point where he was laying the bill introducing, did not pray Parliament to consider it under certificate of urgency. Backing his argument with the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, December 16, 2021, he said the bill was referred to Finance Committee as a non-urgent bill. He argued that it was only when the Finance Minister appeared before the committee that he made an application to the committee to allow the bill to be considered under a certificate of urgency. And so the committee cannot, on its own at its meeting, arrogate to itself the power to make a determination as to the urgency or otherwise of the bill, and recommended to the House to consider the bill under a certificate of urgency. So, Mr Speaker, I rise to object to the consideration of this bill under a certificate of urgency on the basis of the on the Orders that I have sighted, and I urge this House to reject the motion on the grounds that it is a clear violation on the Constitution and the Standing Order of this House, he prayed. Dismissal Giving a ruling on Mr Ayarigas application, the Second Deputy Speaker dismissed the application on grounds that constitutional provisions and Standing Orders 119 were clear on such matters. He said it was not within the power of the Speaker to determine that a particular referral to be urgent but it was the committee that should determine that a referral was of urgent nature for a bill go through all the processes of approval without a publication. On that understanding, I think honourable member for Bawku Central your arrest can never be taken on board; so, we would go ahead with procedural motion, he said. When he subsequently put the question of those in favour and against of the procedural motion, there was almost equal Ayes and Nos but the Speaker pronounced the Ayes as having it, causing uproar by the Minority. Muntaka on Division The Speakers decision on the voice vote prompted the Minority Chief Whip, Mr Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, to rise to challenge Speakers decision, using Orders 113 and 114. He therefore called for a division of votes. But, the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, said while it was within the right of Mr Muntaka to call for a division, the application was rather too late in the day. You do not wait for Mr Speaker to finish his ruling and then when we are making progress you try to invoke the rules to frustrate government business. Mr Speaker, what you are trying to do is not to genuinely invoke a rule for the purposes of ensuring fairness but you are invoking this rule to obstruct Parliament and frustrate business and this must not be countenanced as we have to make progress, he prayed. Division Before calling for the division, the Second Speaker suspended the House briefly to the displeasure of the Minority members who shouted, sang and banged their hands on tables as the House descended into more disorder. When the sitting resumed, the First Deputy Speaker, who took the chair, said having adopted the bill to be taken under a certificate of urgency, it was not necessary for it to have come under 108 (1). To settle matters on Minority challenging the Second Deputy Speakers decision on the voice vote, Mr Osei-Owusu put to a question that all those in favour of suspending the Standing Order requiring 48-hour rule for the bill to say Ayes and those against to say NO. I think the Ayes have it, he announced, but the Minority Chief Whip, Mr Muntaka, based on Order 114, once again challenged the Speakers decision on the voice vote and called for division. Heeding, the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Osei-Owusu directed the Clerks at the Table to clear the lobby for the House to start with a division, instructing ministers who were not members of the House not to return to the House. Ahead of the voice vote, he told the House that he would exercise his original vote since he was a member of the House to the dismay of the Minority. Contravention of practice But the NDC MP for Bolgatanga East, Dr Dominic Ayine, drew Mr Osei-Owusus attention to Order 109 (3) which states that a Deputy Speaker or any other member presiding shall not retain his original vote while presiding. He said at the commencement of public business and the resumption after suspension, Mr Osei-Owusu, as the First Deputy Speaker, took the chair as the Deputy Speaker and in the words of Order 109 (3), you are not entitled to an original vote. And because you are not entitled to an original vote as the person presiding, it will be contrary to the practices, conventions of Parliament for you to hand over your seat and come down to engage in voting. The reason why practice of the Orders and the Constitution did not give the person presiding a casting vote is because they wanted to prevent a situation where you descend into the fray while you are presiding. So, I am pleading with you to stick to the rules and respect the Orders of this House, he pleaded. Rebuttal In a sharp rebuttal, Mr Afenyo-Markin said Dr Ayine, in mounting an application, relied solely on the Standing Orders of Parliament, and therefore contended there was no such constitutional provision that denied a Deputy Speaker of his original vote. Where there is the Constitution, which is the fundamental law, any Standing Order cannot stand in the way of the Constitution; so that argument he made did not survive. In our Constitution, it is only the Speaker who is prohibited because that Speaker is not a member of Parliament, he said. Source: Graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Dr Stephen Amoah, the Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso has said the police have tarnished his hard-earned reputation. Earlier this month, the Ghana Police Service (GPS) announced the arrest of the Member of Parliament for flouting road traffic regulations. Dr Amoah was arrested during a police operation around the Airport bypass to arrest drivers of V8 vehicles who were not complying with the Road Traffic Regulations. According to a statement from the police, Dr Amoah and some V8 drivers were arrested for the offences of careless driving, dangerous driving and causing road obstruction among others. However, speaking on Asaase Radio (December, 20), Dr Amoah said he believes the police have realized that the treatment meted out to him was not right, leading to the damage of his reputation. It is unfortunate that theyve tarnished my reputation, and they know that what they did to me was not right and that the whole thing was blown out of proportion. Stephen Amoah further noted that he has not yet considered the option of taking legal action against the police. Source: asaaseradio.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has apologised to Ghanaians on behalf of Members of Parliament (MPs) for the melee that ensued on the floor of the House on Monday night during deliberations on the Electronic Transfer Levy Bill, 2021. It is a very shameful and embarrassing moment for us in Parliament. And I think all of us must be bowing our heads down in shame for this gross deliration of responsibility and we must apologise to the people that we represent in Parliament, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated at a press briefing on Tuesday in Accra. He, however, expressed his disapproval over the way the First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu was unceremoniously called upon to preside even though he was not feeling well, adding that, it was the reason why he sat in briefly and he had to excuse himself. Giving his rendition of accounts that led to the fisticuffs, he said the First Deputy speaker assumed the chair upon resumption from a break and during a vote by division had wanted to go take his medication, to the distaste of the minority. I dont know of any constitutional provision or any standing orders that prohibit a Deputy Speaker, presiding from participating in the vote. There is no such provision he said. He urged members of Parliament to resist the urge of always getting physical and should rather have the emotional intelligence to deliberate on issues. He also explained that proceedings on Monday which were supposed to start at 1000 hours was delayed, as the Finance Committee was programmed to have a meeting at 1000 hours for us to be able to have a sitting at about 1200 hours. Subsequently, we got to know that the Minority was having a meeting and so the finance committee then elected to have their meeting at 1200 hours he said. Based on the happenings, he said he engaged the Speaker to have the Committee sit and finalise its work and have it printed and distributed to members with the proceedings proposed to start at 1500 hours. But when we went for the meeting, the meeting lasted from 1200 hours to beyond 1600 hours, he added. Touching on the E-Levy Bill, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said the adjournment of the House to January 18, 2021 was necessary to enable the Finance Minister to hold further consultations with stakeholders. If we take an adjournment, it would allow cooler heads to come back to this House and we can then come back to continue the transaction of business in a much more civil environment. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Russian President, Vladimir Putin has warned he is willing to take 'military measures' in response to 'unfriendly' Western action in Ukraine. Giving the warning during a meeting at the defence ministry on Tuesday December 20, Putin said Russia will 'react toughly to unfriendly steps' and stressed 'that we have every right to do so'. Referring to a Western bid to bolster Ukraine with weapons and military training, the Russian leader said; In the event that the clearly aggressive line of our Western colleagues continues, we will take adequate retaliatory military-technical measures, and react toughly to unfriendly steps. And, I want to emphasise, we have every right to do so, we have every right to take actions designed to ensure the security and sovereignty of Russia. Around 175,000 Russian combat forces are expected to be near Ukraines borders by January and pro-Russian separatists are attacking Ukraine troops daily. On the frontline in Donbas, Ukraine, Russian troops have been building up in support of pro-Russian separatists in the Donetsk and Luhansk region. Putin denies any Russian involvement in the region but it is feared he will use the conflict to justify an incursion deeper into Ukraine, threatening to bring war to Europes borders. Dmitry Kiselyov, a media mogul known as Putin's mouthpiece also threatened to 'put a gun to America's head' if NATO forces are stationed in Ukraine and warned the alliance to back off 'otherwise, everyone will be turned into radioactive ash.' Putin who also warned countries against taking America at its word, added; 'We need long-term legally binding guarantees. 'The United States easily withdraws from all international treaties that for one reason or another become uninteresting to them,' he added. 'What is going on, this tension that builds up in Europe, it is their fault, At each step Russia had to respond somehow. 'At each step the situation got worse and worse, degraded and degraded. And today we are in the situation when we need to decide something.' Russia 'cannot allow' the West to put its weapons so close to Moscow, he added. 'If this infrastructure moves, if the US and NATO missile systems appear in Ukraine, then their flight time to Moscow will be reduced to 7-10 minutes, and with the deployment of hypersonic weapons - to five,' Putin said. The Kremlin had also said that high-level talks between the US and Russia are underway over the list of demands, but said no agreements have yet been reached. The White House has said it will consult with NATO allies over the demands, but it was willing to make no promises. Asked about those demands by the BBC on Monday December 20, Mr Kiselyov responded: 'If Ukraine ever joins NATO or if NATO develops military infrastructure there, we will hold a gun to America's head. We have the military capability.' Russia is 'one hundred per cent' willing to use force to defend its red lines, Mr Kiselyov added, saying that it is a 'matter of life or death' for his country. He also warned of the risk of a repeat of the Cuban Missile Crisis if NATO deploys missiles in regions where they can quickly strike Moscow. Kiselyov said; 'It would be good to harmonise our interests and not put Russia in a position where missiles could reach us in four minutes. 'Russia is ready to create a comparable, analogous threat, by deploying its weapons close to decision-making centres. 'But we are suggesting a way of avoiding this, of not creating threats. Otherwise, everyone will be turned into radioactive ash.' Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former President John Mahama has revealed the details of a meeting he held with Mr Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). According to the former President, the discussions on Tuesday, December 21, 2021) focused on the desire of Ghanaians to see the two major political parties working together for the interest of the nation. Mr Mahama in Facebook post, however, stressed that at no time was there any discussion specifically about President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo requiring his intervention in the impasse on the E-levy. Read his entire post below; President Akufo-Addo did not seek my intervention on the E-Levy impasse. I received Mr. Gabby Otchere Darko, at his request, at my residence on Tuesday 21st December, 2021 Among issues we discussed was the desire of Ghanaians to see the two major political parties working together for the interest of the nation We discussed, also, how dialogue can be deployed to ensure Parliamentary issues are agreed consensually before coming on the floor to avoid what happened recently in the House. We further discussed opening channels of communication between the leaders of the two parties including a possible meeting with the President at a future date. At no time was there any discussion specifically about the President requiring my intervention in the impasse on the E-levy. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video An artists impression of a neutron striking a sample of superconducting uranium ditelluride in experiments at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Crystals of uranium (dark gray) and tellurium (brown) are suspected of hosting spin-triplet superconductivity, a state marked by electron pairs with spins pointed in the same direction (blue). In neutron scattering experiments, incoming neutrons disrupt pairs by flipping one spin in the opposite direction (red), revealing telltale evidence of the pairs quantum mechanical state. Credit: Jill Hemman/ORNL A Rice University-led study is forcing physicists to rethink superconductivity in uranium ditelluride, an A-list material in the worldwide race to create fault-tolerant quantum computers. Uranium ditelluride crystals are believed to host a rare "spin-triplet" form of superconductivity, but puzzling experimental results published this week in Nature have upended the leading explanation of how the state of matter could arise in the material. Neutron-scattering experiments by physicists from Rice, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of California, San Diego and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University revealed telltale signs of antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations that were coupled to superconductivity in uranium ditelluride. Spin-triplet superconductivity has not been observed in a solid-state material, but physicists have long suspected it arises from an ordered state that is ferromagnetic. The race to find spin-triplet materials has heated up in recent years due to their potential for hosting elusive quasiparticles called Majorana fermions that could be used to make error-free quantum computers. "People have spent billions of dollars trying to search for them," Rice study co-author Pengcheng Dai said of Majorana fermions, hypothetical quasiparticles that could be used to make topological quantum bits free from the problematic decoherence that plagues qubits in today's quantum computers. "The promise is that if you have a spin-triplet superconductor, it can potentially be used to make topological qubits," said Dai, a professor of physics and astronomy and member of the Rice Quantum Initiative. "You can't do that with spin-singlet superconductors. So, that's why people are extremely interested in this." Superconductivity happens when electrons form pairs and move as one, like couples spinning across a dance floor. Electrons naturally loathe one another, but their tendency to avoid other electrons can be overcome by their inherent desire for a low-energy existence. If pairing allows electrons to achieve a more sloth-like state than they could achieve on their ownsomething that's only possible at extremely cold temperaturesthey can be coaxed into pairs. The coaxing comes in the form of fluctuations in their physical environment. In normal superconductors, like lead, the fluctuations are vibrations in the atomic lattice of lead atoms inside the superconducting wire. Physicists have yet to identify the fluctuations that bring about unconventional superconductivity in materials like uranium ditelluride. But decades of study have found phase changeswatershed moments where electrons spontaneously rearrange themselvesat the critical points where pairing begins. In the equations of quantum mechanics, these spontaneous ordered arrangements are represented by terms known as order parameters. The name spin triplet refers to the spontaneous breakdown of three symmetries in these ordered arrangements. For example, electrons spin constantly, like tiny bar magnets. One order parameter relates to their spin axis (think north pole), which points up or down. Ferromagnetic order is when all spins point the same direction, and antiferromagnetic order is when they alternate in an up-down, up-down arrangement. In the only confirmed spin-triplet, superfluid helium-3, the order parameter has no fewer than 18 components. "All other superconductivity is spin singlet," said Dai, who's also a member of Rice's Center for Quantum Materials (RCQM). "In a spin singlet, you have one spin up and one spin down, and if you put a magnetic field on, it can easily destroy superconductivity." That's because the magnetic field pushes spins to align in the same direction. The stronger the field, the stronger the push. Rice University physicists (from left) Pengcheng Dai, Chunruo Duan and Qimiao Si co-authored a study that revealed puzzling results about uranium ditelluride, a material long suspected of hosting a rare spin-triplet form of superconductivity. Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University "The problem with uranium ditelluride is the field required to destroy superconductivity is 40 Tesla," Dai said. "That's huge. For 40 years, people thought the only possibility for that to occur is that when you put a field on, the spins are already aligned in one direction, meaning it's a ferromagnet." In the study, Dai and Rice postdoctoral research associate Chunruo Duan, the study's lead author, worked with Florida State co-author Ryan Baumbach, whose lab grew the single crystal samples of uranium ditelluride used in the experiment, and UC San Diego co-author Brian Maple, whose lab tested and prepared the samples for neutron-scattering experiments at Oak Ridge's Spallation Neutron Source. "What the neutron does is come in with a particular energy and momentum, and it can flip the Cooper pair spins from an up-up state to an up-down state," Dai said. "It tells you how the pairs are formed. From this neutron spin resonance, one can basically determine the electron pairing energy" and other telltale properties of the quantum mechanical wave function that describes the pair, he said. Dai said there are two possible explanations for the result: either uranium ditelluride is not a spin-triplet superconductor, or spin-triplet superconductivity arises from antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations in a way that physicists haven't previously imagined. Dai said decades of experimental evidence points to the latter, but this appears to violate conventional wisdom about superconductivity. So Dai teamed up with Rice colleague Qimiao Si, a theoretical physicist who specializes in emergent quantum phenomena like unconventional superconductivity. Si, a study co-author, has spent much of the past five years showing a theory of multiorbital pairing he co-developed with former Ph.D. student Emilian Nica explains contradictory experimental findings in several kinds of unconventional superconductors, including heavy fermions, the class that includes uranium ditelluride. In multiorbital pairing, electrons in some atomic shells are more likely to form pairs than others. Si recalled thinking that uranium had the potential to contribute paired electrons from any of seven orbitals with 14 possible states. "Multiorbitals was the first thing that came to mind," he said. "It wouldn't be possible if you only had one band or one orbital, but orbitals bring a new dimension to possible unconventional superconductor pairings. They're like a palette of colors. The colors are the internal quantum numbers, and the f electrons in the uranium-based, heavy-fermion materials are naturally set up to have these colors. They lead to new possibilities that go beyond the 'periodic table of pairing states.' One of these new possibilities turns out to be spin-triplet pairing." Si and Nica, who's now at Arizona State University, showed antiferromagnetic correlations could give rise to plausible, low-energy, spin-triplet pairing states. "Spin-triplet pairing states are highly improbable in the vast majority of cases because pairs will form as spin-singlets in order to lower their energy," Si said. "In uranium ditelluride, spin-orbit coupling can change the energy landscape in a way that makes spin-triplet pairing states more competitive with their spin-singlet counterparts." Si is the Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor in Rice's Department of Physics and Astronomy and director of RCQM. Additional co-authors include Andrey Podlesnyak of Oak Ridge and Yuhang Deng, Camilla Moir and Alexander Breindel of UC San Diego. Explore further Green information technologies: Superconductivity meets spintronics More information: Pengcheng Dai, Resonance from antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations for superconductivity in UTe2, Nature (2021). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04151-5 Journal information: Nature Pengcheng Dai, Resonance from antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations for superconductivity in UTe2,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04151-5 A new technology solution which will provide low-power systems for use in bionic eyes, has been developed by Professor Richard Fu. Credit: Northumbria University A new technology solution which will provide low-power systems for use in bionic eyes, has been jointly developed by academics from the Harbin Institute of Technology in China and Northumbria University. Working in partnership with a research group led by Professor PingAn Hu from the Harbin Institute, Northumbria's Professor Richard Fu described their newly developed method for controlling the artificial synaptic devices used in bionic retinas, robots and visual protheses, as a "significant breakthrough." The team discovered that injecting elements of the soft metal, indium, into a two-dimensional (2D) material called molybdenum disulphide (MoS 2 ), could improve electrical conductivity and reduce power consumption of the optical synapses used in the development of bionic eyes. The technology was then tested within the structure of an electronic retina and found to produce the high-quality image sensing functions required. The team's work has been published in a paper called "Ultralow Power Optical Synapses Based on MoS 2 Layers by Indium-Induced Surface Charge Doping for Biomimetic Eyes," in the scientific journal, Advanced Materials. Professor Fu, who is an expert in shape memory, piezoelectric thin films, nano-materials and nanodevices, explained: "The current visual systems are based on physically separated sensors, memories and processing units. These systems often have high power consumption and difficulties of performing complex image learning and processing tasks. Therefore, our newly developed method is of great significance for the next generation artificial visual systems." Bionic eye implants work inside the existing eye structures or in the brain. They are designed to achieve functional vision goalsas opposed to physical, cosmetic ones. Several bionic eye implants are in development, but currently very few are available, and are suitable only for blindness caused by specific eye diseases. However, as research continues, more and more people may soon benefit from high-tech bionic eyes. Professor Fu's innovative ideas have already contributed to advances in piezoelectric materials-based biosensing and diagnostic tools, cell patterning and manipulation. He also has an international reputation for his work around advancement of shape memory thin films and polymers used in microsurgery and drug delivery. He has developed nano-structured smart materials for gas sensing and renewable energy applications. A Professor in Smart Materials and Microsystems, Professor Fu, works within Northumbria's department of Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering. More information: Yunxia Hu et al, Ultralow Power Optical Synapses Based on MoS 2 Layers by IndiumInduced Surface Charge Doping for Biomimetic Eyes, Advanced Materials (2021). Journal information: Advanced Materials Yunxia Hu et al, Ultralow Power Optical Synapses Based on MoSLayers by IndiumInduced Surface Charge Doping for Biomimetic Eyes,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/adma.202104960 The UK has set ambitious net zero targets, but is overlooking its imported emissions. Credit: Digifly840/Pixabay Assessments of the UN climate conference COP26's success have been mixed, but none have been entirely positive. Achieving the Paris agreement's target of limiting global warming to 1.5 above pre-industrial levels is a goal described by UN secretary general Antonio Guterres as "on life support," while reports in the wake of the conference suggested that the world is on track for "disastrous levels" of global warming. The response in some quarters has been to call for tough new targets, yet as the chief executive of the UK's Climate Change Committee noted, this is likely to simply "widen the gap between ambition and delivery." This problem cuts to the core of rich nations' efforts to tackle climate change. The announcement of its sixth carbon budget in April 2021, for example, saw the UK commit to reducing carbon emissions by 78% compared to 1990 levels. As the government claimed, this "sets in law the world's most ambitious climate change target." But these targets will never be able to properly challenge the climate crisis without first tackling the implicit "carbon colonialism" that underpins the UK's approach to climate change. Here, carbon is measured according to a two-tier system: rigorously within UK borders and far less carefully outside them. This approach to the country's carbon footprint makes little sense in the face of the worldwide problem of climate change. Around 22% of global carbon emissions are caused by producing goods, like clothes and electronics, that are actually consumed in a different country. The UK is a notable consumerin fact, the third highest globallyof "imported emissions" like these. Nevertheless, climate targets set by the UK government focus on reducing emissions from within the country. Mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been investigated for exploiting workers and causing environmental damage. Credit: Fairphone/Flickr, CC BY-ND Currently, UK laws regulating emissions only apply to domestically produced products, whilst imported products are subject to voluntary standardsmeaning the companies that make them don't have to accurately report their emissions. This encourages "outsourcing" of emissions overseas. The dirtiest and most carbon intensive industries, such as fast fashion and construction, are transplanted to developing countries like India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Cambodia. UK companies that wish to appear green can then more easily make claims of "zero deforestation" or "zero waste to landfill" in their supply chainseven if they're untruesince lack of enforcement in these countries means many claims go unchecked. The human and environmental exploitation associated with cobalt mining for phone parts in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a chilling example. From the perspective of national targets, these industries' emissions have disappeared, contributing to the so-called success of the UK's decarbonisation strategy. But from the perspective of the planet, they haven't gone anywhere. Supply chains There's another complication. It's hard to assess the true extent of international supply chains because they're inherently murky. They cross borders, usually involve multiple companies, and are measured differently between countries. That makes calculating the emissions in these chains politically and technically challenging. Shipping is often part of the complex web of product supply chains. Credit: Marco Verch/Flickr, CC BY-SA However, UK laws don't offer any incentives for those involved in supply chains to detail the complex processes, and people, involved. This means that many supply chains are reported to both government and consumers in a highly simplified way, allowing companies to appear more compliant with emissions targets than they are. This practice hides the true distances traveled by raw materials in the chains, as well as the real environmental impact of what they're used to make. The clothing industry offers an example of this problemeven industry leaders such as Stella McCartney admit that tracing the provenance of material used to make their clothes is "extremely difficult." This system needs a serious overhaul, particularly in light of the government's announcement that emissions from shipping will form part of the UK's net zero commitments. In the case of the clothing industry, current assessments of the length of shipping supply chainsand therefore the emissions they produceare enormous underestimates. If the UK is to achieve its carbon commitments, there needs to be better regulation of its supply chainsand less reliance on voluntary reporting of what goes on within them. And to truly tackle the climate crisis, we need to address the carbon colonialism that continues to influence environmental policy. Our environmental footprint does not begin or end at our borders: neither should the way we measure it. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain New research shows that attending a Cathedral Christmas Carol Service has a positive impact on mental health and well-being. The research, by Professor Leslie Francis of the University of Warwick, The Very Revd Dr. Susan Jones, Dean of Liverpool Cathedral, and Dr. Ursula McKenna of Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln, is titled "The contribution of cathedrals to psychological health and well-being: Assessing the impact of Cathedral Carol Services." The study was designed to discover what effect special events, such as the Christmas services at Liverpool Cathedral, had on those attending, whether regular churchgoers or occasional visitors. It used the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, part of a family of well-being measures that have been used in a number of correlational studies exploring the association between religion and positive psychology. The research team tested 383 people before and after the Holly Bough Service, held on the Fourth Sunday in Advent, at Liverpool Cathedral in 2019, and then applied the same well-being measure to 802 people attending Christmas Carol Services in that same year. In the test, participants were asked to respond to the same 29 statements before and after the service such as: I do not feel particularly pleased with the way I am, I find beauty in some things, I do not have a particular sense of meaning and purpose in my life. The results showed real evidence that the Christmas carol services had a positive impact on those attending, with a robust difference between the scores between the first and second testmuch more than you would expect they would have increased by chance. There have been a number of recent reports highlighting the growth in cathedral visitor numbers or showing the social and economic impact cathedrals have on their local communities and beyond, but there has been less work done to assess the psychological benefit on visitors and participants at special events. This study is part of broader research into the positive impact of Anglican cathedrals on their local communities and the relationship between religion and happiness. Commenting on the findings, Leslie Francis, Professor of Religions and Psychology at the University of Warwick, and Canon Theologian at Liverpool Cathedral, explained: "Collaborating with my research group, Liverpool Cathedral is committed to using the best scientific tools to evaluate its mission and ministry and to use that evidence to shape its priorities for the future. "It is important to test research in peer-review journals before inviting the Church to take it seriously and I am pleased to say these findings can be taken seriously. "But, as a scientist, further research is always needed to test and build on findings and we look forward to examining Christmas in other cathedrals, as well as other highlight events and services at different times throughout the year in Liverpool Cathedral," he added. The Dean of Liverpool, the Very Revd Sue Jones, said: "I am really encouraged by these findings. We say that the cathedral is a place of encountera place to encounter the God who knows and loves us and a place in which people can feel affirmed and loved. And now we know that works; not just for churchgoers, but for all the people of Liverpool. "The Cathedral is adding something to Liverpool's sense of wellbeing. And I praise God for that," she added. Previous studies in this field include: the study of 814 visitors to four cathedrals in England (Coventry, Ely, Lichfield and Wells), Winter and Gasson (1996); a study of 514 visitors to St Davids Cathedral in Wales, Williams et al. (2007) and a study of visitors to Canterbury Cathedral, Bond, Packer and Ballantyne (2015). All reported that visitors identified the benefits of peace and quiet and of connecting spiritually and emotionally. Ysseldyk, Haslam and Morton (2016) looked at visitors to three environments (cathedral, castle and shopping center), and reported that for some, visiting the cathedral impacted their sense of self-esteem. Explore further New York cathedral to be used as field hospital More information: Leslie J. Francis et al, The contribution of cathedrals to psychological health and well-being: Assessing the impact of Cathedral Carol Services, HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies (2021). Leslie J. Francis et al, The contribution of cathedrals to psychological health and well-being: Assessing the impact of Cathedral Carol Services,(2021). DOI: 10.4102/hts.v77i4.6820 This undated photo provided by researcher Bryan Fry shows a Komodo dragon at Komodo National Park in Indonesia. In 2021, construction for tourism in Komodo National Park has raised concerns from the United Nations officials, environmental activists and residents about damage to habitat of the Komodo dragon. Credit: Bryan Fry via AP On a dirt path, forked yellow tongue darting from its mouth, a member of the world's largest lizard species lazes on an island in eastern Indonesia's Komodo National Park as tourists snap photos. And about 18 miles (30 kilometers) away on another park island that harbors Komodo dragons, trees have been removed and concrete poured for new tourist facilities that have aroused the ire of residents and environmental activists. The construction is part of an ambitious Indonesian initiative that has generated tensions between a government that wants to develop natural attractions for luxury tourism and conservationists who fear habitat for the endangered Komodo dragon will be irreparably harmed. United Nations officials have also voiced concerns about potential tourism impacts on this unique wildlife-rich park. Encompassing about 850 square miles (2,200 square kilometers) of land and marine area, Komodo National Park was established in 1980 to help protect the famed dragons. Indonesia's Ministry of Environment and Forestry estimates around 3,000 of the reptiles live there today, along with manatee-like dugongs, sea turtles, whales and more than a thousand species of tropical fish. Because of its biodiversity and beauty, the park became a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site in 1991. And it's one of Indonesia's crown jewels for tourism, typically drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world each year. This undated photo provided by researcher Bryan Fry shows young Komodo dragons at Komodo National Park in Indonesia. The predatory lizards, which can reach a length of 10 feet (3 meters) and more than 300 pounds (135 kilograms), were recently moved from "vulnerable" to "endangered" status on the IUCN list of threatened species. The organization cited the impacts of climate change and deterioration of the dragons' habitatincluding human encroachmentas reasons for the change. Credit: Bryan Fry via AP For years the government has been trying to figure out how to best capitalize on the park, most recently designating it part of the country's "10 New Balis" initiativean effort to draw more tourists, as the island of Bali did before border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. "We are embarking into a new era of tourism in Indonesia based on nature and culture, focusing on sustainability and quality tourism," Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno told The Associated Press. Part of that multimillion dollar tourism development is a project on Rinca Island, where more than one-third of the park's dragons are estimated to live on generally hot and dry terrain. The construction includes an expanded ranger station, viewing platform, boat dock, toilets and other infrastructure. In this undated photo provided by researcher Bryan Fry, a Komodo dragon walks past a water buffalo at Komodo National Park in Indonesia. Because of its biodiversity and beauty, the park became a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site in 1991. And it's one of Indonesia's crown jewels for tourism, typically drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world each year. Credit: Bryan Fry via AP The project worries local environmental activists and residents within park boundaries who say their livelihoods as tour guides, boat drivers and souvenir sellers depend on the draw of the area's natural beauty. "When we talk about the development in the conservation area, we have to think ... whether this is a wisely considered economic effect for the local peopleor the environmental effect," said Gregorius Afioma, a member of the local non-governmental organization Sun Spirit for Justice and Peace. "The situation now is like collective suicide. "We think that this kind of business will eventually kill others' businesses and even themselves because they destroyed the environment," Afioma said, adding that local residents also fear they won't get construction jobs for the luxury tourist destination the Indonesian government is promoting. This undated photo provided by researcher Bryan Fry shows part of Komodo National Park in Indonesia. Encompassing about 850 square miles (2,200 square kilometers) of land and marine area, the park was established in 1980 to help protect the famed dragons. Indonesia's Ministry of Environment and Forestry estimates around 3,000 of the reptiles live there today, along with manatee-like dugongs, sea turtles, whales and more than a thousand species of tropical fish. Credit: Bryan Fry via AP UNESCOthe United Nations body that designates World Heritage Site statushas also raised concerns about development in the park. "The state party did not inform us, as required by the operational guidelines," said Guy Debonnet, chief of the body's natural heritage unit. "This is definitely a project of concern, because we feel that the impacts on the universal value (of the park) have not been properly evaluated." During a meeting in July, UNESCO expressed other concerns, such as the project's reduction of the park's wilderness zone to one-third the previous area, addition of tourism concessions within the property, lack of an adequate environmental impact assessment, and a target to dramatically increase visitors. "Third-party information transmitted to the State Party indicates that a target of 500,000 annual visitors for the property has been proposed, which is more than double the pre-COVID-19 pandemic visitor numbers," said a report from the meeting. "This raises the question of how this tourism model fits (Indonesia's) vision of moving away from mass tourism to more sustainable approaches." In this 2008-2012 photo provided by researcher Bryan Fry people fish at a village on Rinca Island at Komodo National Park in Indonesia. Part of a multi-million dollar tourism development is a project on Rinca Island, where more than one-third of the park's dragons are estimated to live. Credit: Bryan Fry via AP At UNESCO's request, the country submitted more information about the project. But after reviewing it, the U.N. agency requested in October 2020 that Indonesia not "proceed with any tourism infrastructure project that may affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property prior to a review of the relevant environmental impact assessment" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. IUCN is an international, non-governmental organization that provides UNESCO's World Heritage Committee with technical evaluations of natural heritage properties. After multiple attempts to get permission from government authorities, The Associated Press was unable to gain access to the construction site, which has been closed to the public for months. But satellite imagery shows construction continued after UNESCO requested the project be paused. The government did not respond to an email last week seeking comment. This undated photo provided by researcher Bryan Fry shows a Komodo dragon at Komodo National Park in Indonesia. The predatory lizards, which can reach a length of 10 feet (3 meters) and more than 300 pounds (135 kilograms), were recently moved from "vulnerable" to "endangered" status on the IUCN list of threatened species. The organization cited the impacts of climate change and deterioration of the dragons' habitatincluding human encroachmentas reasons for the change. Credit: Bryan Fry via AP As of Dec. 6, UNESCO still had not received the requested revised assessment, said Debonnet, the world heritage unit chief. The Indonesian government also granted at least two business permits in Komodo National Park, including for projects on Rinca, Komodo and Padar islands, according to an email to the AP from Shana Fatina, president director at the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority, which helps coordinate government tourism efforts. Some experts fear tourism expansion in the park could lead to disturbance of Komodo dragon habitat. The predatory lizards, which can reach a length of 10 feet (3 meters) and more than 300 pounds (135 kilograms), were recently moved from "vulnerable" to "endangered" status on the IUCN list of threatened species. The organization cited the impacts of climate change and deterioration of the dragons' habitatincluding human encroachmentas reasons for the change. This undated photo provided by researcher Bryan Fry shows Komodo dragons at Komodo National Park in Indonesia. The predatory lizards, which can reach a length of 10 feet (3 meters) and more than 300 pounds (135 kilograms), were recently moved from "vulnerable" to "endangered" status on the IUCN list of threatened species. The organization cited the impacts of climate change and deterioration of the dragons' habitatincluding human encroachmentas reasons for the change. Credit: Bryan Fry via AP This undated photo provided by researcher Bryan Fry shows a beach at Komodo National Park in Indonesia. Encompassing about 850 square miles (2,200 square kilometers) of land and marine area, Komodo National Park was established in 1980 to help protect the famed dragons. Indonesia's Ministry of Environment and Forestry estimates around 3,000 of the reptiles live there today, along with manatee-like dugongs, sea turtles, whales and more than a thousand species of tropical fish. Credit: Bryan Fry via AP This undated photo provided by researcher Bryan Fry shows Komodo dragons at Komodo National Park in Indonesia. The predatory lizards, which can reach a length of 10 feet (3 meters) and more than 300 pounds (135 kilograms), were recently moved from "vulnerable" to "endangered" status on the IUCN list of threatened species. The organization cited the impacts of climate change and deterioration of the dragons' habitatincluding human encroachmentas reasons for the change. Credit: Bryan Fry via AP This undated photo provided by researcher Bryan Fry shows a Komodo dragon at Komodo National Park in Indonesia. The predatory lizards, which can reach a length of 10 feet (3 meters) and more than 300 pounds (135 kilograms), were recently moved from "vulnerable" to "endangered" status on the IUCN list of threatened species. The organization cited the impacts of climate change and deterioration of the dragons' habitatincluding human encroachmentas reasons for the change. Credit: Bryan Fry via AP In this undated photo provided by researcher Bryan Fry, park rangers stand a kiosk at Komodo National Park in Indonesia. For years the government has been trying to figure out how to best capitalize on the park, most recently designating it part of the country's "10 New Balis" initiativean effort to draw more tourists, as the island of Bali did before border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Credit: Bryan Fry via AP Unless carefully managed, tourism projects could "have a big impact, not just from the number of people disturbing the behavior of the dragons and disturbing their prey, but also how much freshwater is being siphoned off," said Bryan Fry, an associate professor at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia. "That could dramatically impact the very delicate balance of these islands." The opening date for the new Rinca Island facilities has yet to be announced. UNESCO's Debonnet said it is engaged in talks with Indonesian officials to arrange a monitoring mission to assess the impact of ongoing development on the park and review its state of conservation. And while World Heritage sites are usually discussed by the UNESCO committee on two-year cycles, Komodo National Park will be discussed in 2022, said Debonnet. "That is kind of an indication that we see there is some urgency in this issue," he said. 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain During the evening hours of Dec. 10, a flurry of tornadoes ravaged several states, claiming close to 100 lives and leaving whole communities in wreckage. According to the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the storms were at least the 19th weather or climate disaster to cause more than $1 billion in damage this year, coming on the heels of droughts, wildfires, severe cold snaps, hurricanes, and other severe weather that 2021 had already wrought. How communities prepare for and bounce back from such disasters is a focus of the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center. "A lot of what we're thinking about is motivated by the fact that climate extremes are changing," says Carolyn Kousky, executive director of the Risk Center. "Part of it is that extreme weather events are getting more frequent and getting more intense. But they're also changing in location, duration, and timing. That's been coming up with tornadoes, with people asking whether the tornado belt of this country is shifting. That raises a whole range of challenges for preparedness and response." Kousky spoke with Penn Today about these challenges and the Risk Center's work, particularly in light of climate change's role in fueling an increasing number of natural disasters. Here are five of her takeaways. The who, when, and where of disaster preparedness is shifting When a hurricane begins brewing and projections are levied about its course, homeowners and businesses along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of the Southeastern U.S. often know what steps they need to take, be it covering windows with plywood or lining garage doors with sandbags. Similarly, people who live in Oklahoma or Kansas may well know the parts of their home most resistant to a tornado's high winds and take warnings seriously. Building codes and flood insurance requirements may also offer some protection and reassurance against disaster. But what happens when strong storms happen in areas where, historically, they haven't? "Places that have been routinely dealing with climate extremes are going to be better adapted to dealing with them," says Kousky. "But as we're starting to experience events that are outside the ranges of normal, people are not going to be prepared." Adjusting building codes to make structures more resilient to winds and water is a low-cost solution, but is one that takes time to return results. "Infrastructure and buildings are very long-lived investments," Kousky says. "Even if we start implementing changes now, it's going to be some time before we start having an impact on risk reduction. And the risks are only escalating." Recovery costs go well beyond the cleanup Upon visiting the tornado-struck sites in Kentucky last week, President Biden pledged to meet 100% of the states' recovery needs. The asterisk on that statement? The federal government would pay but, thus far, just for the first 30 days of recovery. "The costs and the impact of recovery are often much broader than people anticipate before going through it," Kousky says. "And recovery takes much longer than people assume it will." Property destruction is what attracts news coverage and photographs. And, indeed, an influx of federal funding can begin to address the cleanup process. But disasters generally demand that people take time away from jobs and funnel their funds toward unplanned expenses, such as temporary housing and generators. Those costs are usually not covered by governmental funds. What's more, Kousky points out, the costs of rebuilding can surge after a disaster, with demand driving up prices for building materials and labor. Add in the supply chain woes of the COVID-19 pandemic and those victims of the tornadoes and other 2020 and 2021 disasters may be faced with housing costs that far exceed what any insurance may cover. Resources for recovery can vary widely Recovery-aid programs vary from local to state to national scales. While support from these programs is critical, it tends to be delayed and insufficient. Its disbursement is made available following particular guidelines and declarations that may not always be transparent to disaster victims. Households affected by smaller-scale but still damaging natural disasterssay, a hailstorm or localized floodingmight not be eligible for any governmental support and thus can rely only on their residential or business insurance, or perhaps a local charity. "Unfortunately, what we know is that a lot of disasters are not included on most homeowners' insurance policies," Kousky says, and they catch residents by surprise after a disaster befalls them. Larger-scale disasters, like the recent tornadoes and the extreme flooding and damage from this past summer's Hurricane Ida, for example, are more likely to trigger a major-disaster declaration by the president, which makes federal resources available. After issuing that declaration, the president can then authorize either a local government-level recovery program, which is almost always put into effect, says Kousky, or a household-level program, which is only authorized some of the time. Even the household-level program only meets a limited set of post-disaster needs. "Individuals can apply for cash grants," Kousky says. "The average is a few thousand dollars because they're not designed to bring you back to pre-disaster conditions; they're designed to make your residence safe enough to live in. So, for example, maybe they'll pay for a tarp for your roof but not a new roof. The aid is something, and it's important, but it does not make people whole by any stretch of the imagination." More extensive disasters can compel Congress to activate community development block grants for disaster recovery. "That's a bunch of money," Kousky says. "State and local governments can get huge amounts of money and have enormous flexibility in what they do with these dollars." But these dollars are incredibly slow to get to people, requiring federal processes and the creation of new local programs. "It can take around a year and a half," says Kousky. "This is not an imminent-recovery vehicle; it's more for long-term reconstruction." Disasters' impacts are not felt equally While some may consider natural disasters such as fires, storms, and droughts as the great equalizers, the effects ofand the recovery fromsuch events can expose inequities. "One thing we've been focusing on more recently is how a lot of low- and moderate-income households are disproportionately harmed and locked out of financial resources for recovery," says Kousky. "Disaster aid is more limited than one might assume." Not only might lower-income households have less savings to tide them over in the event of a disaster, but they're often less able to qualify for credit and loans to support them as they get back on their feet. They may also have more limited access to resources to apply for aid for which they might be eligible. In addition, the emotional and financial strain of recovery can lead to negative physical and mental health outcomes further down the line. "There are cascading impacts to well-being," Kousky says. Recent work by Wharton's Risk Center has focused on private sector and public sector solutions that address equity. A 2019 Risk Center Digital Dialogue, soliciting policy recommendations from experts across the country, for example, took up the topic of improving disaster recovery among low-income households. And the Center itself is starting from the basics, says Kousky, for example, how can risk communication reach all populations, regardless of socioeconomic standing? The Risk Center is helping test new tools to boost resiliency Knowing that innovative approaches will be needed to effectively prepare communities and individuals for disasters to come, the Risk Center has a policy incubator that is testing these innovations in real-world scenarios. In one project, they're working with New York City on improving recovery of low-income residents to escalating flood risk. "We're focusing in particular on extreme rainfall events, which are going up and which New York and Philadelphia saw prime examples of this summer," Kousky says. The program is piloting a new use of what's called parametric insurance. With this product, the insurer provides a payout as soon as a pre-defined event or metricsay, a certain rainfall amount or wind speedis met. Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation through the Civic Innovation Challenge, the Risk Center is working with the Mayor's Office of Climate Resiliency and the Center for NYC Neighborhoods to pilot a parametric flood insurance policy that will allow for emergency grants to be made to households in need. "The Center for NYC Neighborhoods would immediately get money to make resources available to people who have suffered as a result of the flooding," says Kousky. "The product is designed to solve two problems: One is the unmet needs problem, because even if someone has insurance it doesn't cover a lot of things. And the other is reducing the time between when a disaster hits and when dollars are made available. If you're talking about a low-income family that's already living on the edge, they can't wait for two months for recovery grants to come. This way they could get the money not two months after the event but two days after the event. That would be a huge deal." Explore further How could rising sea level impact the National Flood Insurance Program? Professor Sren M. Sindbk has directed the Northern Emporium project in the emporium Ribe, Denmark. The archaeological stratigraphy of the sites has secured an improved understanding of global trade flows in the Viking Age. Photo: The Museum of Southwest Jutland. Credit: The Museum of Southwest Jutland Mobility shaped the human world profoundly long before the modern age. But archaeologists often struggle to create a timeline for the speed and impact of this mobility. An interdisciplinary team of researchers at the Danish National Research Foundation's Centre for Urban Network Evolutions at Aarhus University (UrbNet) has now made a breakthrough by applying new astronomical knowledge about the past activity of the sun to establish an exact time anchor for global links in the year 775 CE. In collaboration with the Museum of Southwest Jutland in the Northern Emporium Project, the team has conducted a major excavation at Ribe, one of Viking-age Scandinavia's principal trading towns. Funded by the Carlsberg Foundation, the dig and the subsequent research project were able to establish the exact sequence of the arrival of objects from various corners of the world at the market in Ribe. In this way, they were able to trace the emergence of the vast network of Viking-age trade connections with regions such as North Atlantic Norway, Frankish Western Europe and the Middle East. To obtain a chronology for these events, the team has pioneered a new use of radiocarbon dating. New use of radiocarbon dating "The applicability of radiocarbon dating has hitherto been limited due to the broad age ranges of this method. Recently, however, it has been discovered that solar particle events, also known as Miyake events, cause sharp spikes in atmospheric radiocarbon for a single year. They are named after the female Japanese researcher Fusa Miyake, who first identified these events in 2012. When these spikes are identified in detailed records such as tree rings or in an archaeological sequence, it reduces the uncertainty margins considerably," says lead author Bente Philippsen. The Northern Emporium Project excavated parts of the main street and a plot with houses and workshops in the Viking-age emporium Ribe, Denmark. The excavations followed the stratigraphy of floors and waste deposits metriculously in order to trace the changing activities and arrival of trade goods at the site. Credit: The Museum of Southwest Jutland The team applied a new, improved calibration curve, based on annual samples, to identify a 775 CE Miyake event in one floor layer in Ribe. This enabled the team to anchor the entire sequence of layers and 140 radiocarbon dates around this single year. "This result shows that the expansion of Afro-Eurasian trade networks, characterized by the arrival of large numbers of Middle Eastern beads, can be dated in Ribe with precision to 79010 CEcoinciding with the beginning of the Viking Age. However, imports brought by ship from Norway were arriving as early as 750 CE," says Professor Sren Sindbk, who is also a member of the team. This groundbreaking result challenges one of the most widely accepted explanations for maritime expansions in the Viking Agethat Scandinavian seafaring took off in response to growing trade with the Middle East through Russia. Maritime networks and long-distance trade were already established decades before impulses from the Middle East caused a further expansion of these networks. A selection of imported glass beads from the late eighth and early ninth century CE found in the emporium at Ribe, Denmark. As the new study shows, local glass bead production was largely replaced by long-distance imports around 790 CE. Credit: The Museum of Southwest Jutland The construction of the new, annual calibration curve is a global effort to which the researchers from UrbNet and the Aarhus AMS Centre at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Aarhus University have contributed. "The construction of a calibration curve is a huge international effort with contributions from many laboratories around the world. Fusa Miyake's discovery in 2012 has revolutionized our work, so that we now work with annual time resolution. New calibration curves are recurrently released, most recently in 2020, and Aarhus AMS center has contributed significantly. The new high-resolution data from the present study will enter into a future update of the calibration curve and thus contribute to improve the precision of archaeological dates worldwide. This will provide better opportunities to understand rapid developments such as trade flows or environmental change in the past," says Jesper Olsen, Associate Professor at Aarhus AMS Centre. The Viking-age emporium Ribe, Denmark, has preserved an extremely detailed stratigraphy of housefloors, workshops and waste deposits from the period c. 700c. 900 CE. This has enabled the researchers in the Northern Emporium Project to chart the arrival of trade goods during the time when Viking-Age sea-trade emerged. The layers next to the hand of the archaeologist in the center of the picture is where the 775 CE Miyaki event is detected by radiocarbon dating. Credit: The Museum of Southwest Jutland The global trends revealed by the study are essential for the archaeology of trading towns like Ribe. "The new results enable us to date the influx of new artifacts and far-reaching contacts on a much better background. This will help us to visualize and describe Viking Age Ribe in a way that will have great value for scientists, as well as helping us to present the new insight to the general public," says Claus Feveile, curator of the Museum of Southwest Jutland. A selection among more than 3000 glass beads found at the Northern Emporium project's excavations in the emporium at Ribe, Denmark. The beads are sorted from oldest from c. 700 CE (bottom) to youngest from c. 900 CE (top). Segmented beads and other types imported from the Middle Eastern begin to appear in the middle rows, after c. 790 CE. Credit: The Museum of Southwest Jutland Background facts One of the most spectacular episodes of pre-modern global connectivity happened in the period c. 750-1000 CE, when trade with the burgeoning Islamic empire in the Middle East connected virtually all corners of Afro-Eurasia. The spread of coins, trade beads and other exotic artifacts provides archaeological evidence of the trade links stretching from Southeast Asia and Africa to Siberia and the northernmost corners of Scandinavia. In the north, these long-distance connections mark the beginning of the maritime adventures that define the Viking Age. Researchers have even suggested that it was the arrival of silver and other valuable objects via Eastern Europe which sparked the first Scandinavian Viking expeditions. It has proven difficult, however, to establish the time of arrival of the Middle Eastern beads and coins in relation to other developments in the Viking world, including the famous raids which shook Western Europe from c. 790. The research was published in Nature. Explore further Scandinavian trade 'triggered' the Viking Age More information: Bente Philippsen, Single-year radiocarbon dating anchors Viking Age trade cycles in time, Nature (2021). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04240-5 Journal information: Nature Bente Philippsen, Single-year radiocarbon dating anchors Viking Age trade cycles in time,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04240-5 Figure 1. Screenshots of the contact condition (a) and the no-contact condition (b) at 0, 920 and 3700 ms. (c) Time-series plot showing the dogs' median (black line) and mean horizontal gaze coordinates ( s.e. dotted line and dark gray shaded area) in the final familiarization trials and in the test trials. The shaded yellow and blue areas show the position of the launching and target ball. The dashed vertical line indicates the time when the target ball started moving (also in e). (d) Box plot showing the dogs looking times in the interest areas around the launching ball at the end of the video. The dots represent the individual looking times. (e) Time-series plot showing dogs' pupil size (in arbitrary units and baseline corrected). The orange and blue lines show the mean pupil size ( s.e.) in the contact and no-contact condition. (f) Difference curve derived from GAMM01. The dashed line shows the estimated difference between the no-contact and contact condition; the shaded area shows the pointwise 95% CI. Credit: DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0465 A pair of researchers at the Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna has found that dogs notice when objects in the world do not conform to the laws of physics. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, Christoph Volter and Ludwig Huber describe experiments they conducted with pet dogs looking at objects depicted on a computer screen. Prior research has shown that human babies and adult chimpanzees tend to notice if something they are looking at appears to violate the laws of physicsthings dropping upwards, instead of down, for example. In this new effort, the researchers have found the same is true for pet dogs. The experiments by the researchers involved first teaching 14 adult pet dogs to watch a video while resting their chins on a cushioned fixture. The cushion was situated in a way that allowed for conducting eye tracking and also measuring pupil dilation in the dogs. Once the dogs were trained, each was asked to watch a video that showed one ball rolling toward another. Eventually, the first ball collided with a second, forcing the first to stop moving as the second began to move in reaction to the collision. Next, each dog was asked to watch a similar video, only this time, the moving ball stopped rolling before it collided with the second ball. But the second ball behaved as if it had been hit, suddenly rolling into action anyway. The researchers then studied the data from the biosensors. They found that the dogs stared longer at the balls while watching the second video. They also found that their pupils became more dilated. The researchers note that both reactions are typical for dogs who are more alert to something unexpected happening. Dilated eyes, for example, also occur in people and other animals when they encounter something that requires more visual attention. In this instance, the researchers suggest the dogs became more alert and watched for a longer period of time because they were expecting something else to explain why the second ball started rolling. Explore further Dogs can tell when people are lying to them, study finds More information: Christoph J. Volter et al, Dogs' looking times and pupil dilation response reveal expectations about contact causality, Biology Letters (2021). Journal information: Biology Letters Christoph J. Volter et al, Dogs' looking times and pupil dilation response reveal expectations about contact causality,(2021). DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0465 2021 Science X Network Credit: CC0 Public Domain A team of researchers from the University of Udine and Istituto di Genomica Applicata, both in Italy, has found evidence that the wine grapes grown in modern times across Europe were first domesticated in the South Caucasus. In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the group describes their genetic analysis of a large number of grapes across Europe and in the South Caucasus. Wines made in Europe are famous the world over for their taste and quality, and include such varieties as sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, merlot and cabernet. It is generally believed that the grapes used to make such wines were slowly cultured versions of ancient European grapes. In this new effort, the researchers have found that not to be the case. In studying grape samples found across Europe and the South Caucasus (from 204 cultivated and wild varieties), the researchers found that their ancestors were domesticated grapes originally grown in the South Caucasus (a region straddling the Caucasus Mountains that includes Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia) for consumption, approximately 4,000 years ago. They also found evidence that the grapes slowly made their way westward into Europe, approaching the Mediterranean and then moving into southern Europeand once there, interbreeding with native grape varieties. The researchers suggest that such interbreeding helped the grapes survive the colder winters in Europe. And they further suggest that interbreeding with different native varieties in different parts of Europe led to the development of the different varieties that are known today. Once established, the grapes were bred for bigger size and tastier fruit. The researchers also found an enzyme in the wild grapes that was not present in domestic varieties. The enzyme is known to incite the production of a growth hormone. In wild grapes, the hormones work to make seeds proportionally largebut grapes that produce smaller seeds are preferable for use in both direct consumption and wine-making. Thus, its absence made the domestic grapes a better choice. More information: Gabriele Magris et al, The genomes of 204 Vitis vinifera accessions reveal the origin of European wine grapes, Nature Communications (2021). Journal information: Nature Communications Gabriele Magris et al, The genomes of 204 Vitis vinifera accessions reveal the origin of European wine grapes,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27487-y 2021 Science X Network The James Webb Space Telescope is expected to launch on December 24, 2021. Credit: NASA-GSFC Far above rain clouds, light pollution, and atmospheric distortion, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has a clear view of the universe. It has shown us distant galaxies, tracked interstellar objects as they soar through our solar system, and studied the atmospheres of planets that orbit other stars. In addition to its own stunning images and groundbreaking discoveries, Hubble uses its powerful vision to support many other past, ongoing, and future missions in space. These missions represent a vast array of sciencefrom planetary probes that get up close to study the intricate dynamics of the gas giants' atmospheres, to observatories that look beyond our solar system into deep space to study the early universe. An upcoming key example of support for such missions is Hubble's preparatory observations for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, a partnership with the European Space Agency and Canadian Space Agency, set to launch on December 24. Built to advance science goals motivated by Hubble's discoveries, Webb will have a head start on its mission to learn more about the oldest galaxies in our cosmos, mysterious planets beyond other stars, and much more. This type of mission collaboration has been an important part of Hubble's legacy. Uncovering our solar system Hubble has supported several of NASA's most important and compelling planetary missions. The science and images gathered from these missions have not only allowed us to further our understanding of our outer solar system but also provide us with a closer look. Hubble's observations of Jupiter have assisted several missions studying the atmosphere, moons, and cosmic objects surrounding the gas giant. Monitoring activity in Jupiter's atmosphere for decades, Hubble has seen massive storms burst forward from beneath the clouds, and watched its largest storm, the Great Red Spot, shrink as its wind speeds increase. Following up on these observations and working in tandem with Hubble, the Juno mission has continued to learn more about these cloud layers and what makes the storms stir. The New Horizons mission used Hubble observations to learn more about its target, the dwarf planet Pluto. Hubble discovered four additional Plutonian moons from its observations, two of which were found after New Horizons launched. Without Hubble's help, New Horizons would have discovered the tiny moons only a few months before its visit to Pluto, allowing for little time to properly plan all of the new observations. In June 2014, Hubble searched for and discovered another target for the New Horizons spacecraft, 2014 MU69, now called Arrokoth, the farthest and most primitive solar system object ever explored by humankind. New Horizons flew by Arrokoth in early 2019. Hubble will help study the compositional components of the Trojan asteroids in support of NASA's Lucy mission, which launched in October 2021. These asteroids orbit the Sun in tandem with Jupiter and are thought to be left over from the formation of the solar system. Because Hubble can detect a small, dim satellite orbiting a larger asteroidsomething an Earth-bound telescope might missthe Lucy team is using Hubble to search for Trojan satellites prior to Lucy's launch. They made their first round of observations in the fall of 2018. The next year they spotted something that might have been a satellite near Eurybates, a Trojan asteroid, and submitted an urgent proposal to use Hubble again. They were able to get their observations about a month later. Hubble discovered that Eurybates has a small satellite, subsequently named Queta. This discovery has become a "bonus" science exploration opportunity for the spacecraft as it will be visiting not seven but eight asteroids, targeted for a flyby in 2027. Though searching for satellites is one of the mission's central goals, finding these tiny worlds before Lucy launched gives the team the opportunity to investigate their orbits and plan for more detailed follow-up observations with the spacecraft. Exoplanets, stars, galaxies, and more When Hubble launched over 30 years ago, astronomers had no way to prove that planets existed outside our solar system. Today, thousands of exoplanets are known to exist. Hubble currently works alongside other space telescopes like TESS, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, which aims to find promising exoplanets orbiting our nearest and brightest stars. Hubble supports these TESS discoveries by obtaining ultraviolet spectra of the exoplanets' host stars to establish how radiation from stars affects their exoplanets' atmospheric chemistry and composition. Hubble also collects measurements of exoplanet atmospheres to search for evidence of clouds, hazes, and/or water. Among many other goals, the James Webb Space Telescope will observe exoplanets where Hubble provided a confident detection of water in the atmosphere and measure its abundance. Hubble is also supporting Webb through a series of preparatory science observations to identify potential targets for the telescope. Started in 2016, the program encourages astronomers to submit science proposals for Hubble observations to pave the way for Webb's observations. Once launched, the telescope will be able to immediately start probing deeper into stellar populations and building upon observations of galaxies and their forms. Recently, Hubble had its eye on a relic galaxy, NGC 1277, whose stars were born 10 billion years agobut it has undergone no further star formation. Galaxies like NGC 1277 are called "red and dead," and are typically too far away to be studied in detail. Webb will be able to measure the motions of the globular star clusters in NGC 1277 and potentially learn more about the dark matter it contains, providing new insight into this type of galaxy. NASA's Roman Space Telescope, set to launch in the mid-2020s, will observe many objects Hubble or Webb already studied. It won't focus on a single object, but rather build upon the large mosaics taken by Hubble due to Roman's large field of view and detectors. One example is the PHAT mosaic which covers a third of the Andromeda Galaxy and was created with over 400 Hubble images. Roman will capture this view in infrared light using only two images, opening a world of understanding about galaxies and their components. The future of astronomy in deep space The COSMOS survey began in 2002 as a Hubble program to image a wide and deep patch of sky, about the area of 10 full moons. Once Webb begins science observations in the summer of 2022, it will build on that legacy by surveying a half-million galaxies within that patch of sky, becoming the largest project Webb will undertake during its first year. Called COSMOS-Webb, this in-depth survey will allow scientists to learn more about dark matter and how it has evolved with galaxies and their stars over the universe's lifetime. Gravitational waves are 'ripples' in space-time caused by some of the most violent and energetic processes in the universe; these disturbances can be picked up with ground-based detectors like the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, which is funded by the National Science Foundation and operated by Caltech and MIT. Because signals from a gravitational wave only give astronomers a very brief signal of spacetime disturbance without much directional information, astronomers then use telescopes that can be pointed very quickly across the sky and cover a vast area to hone in on the region of space where the signals originated. Gravity waves and light waves are physically different ways to transmit information, and observations using both are called multi-messenger astronomy, a rapidly growing field of astronomy. Once astronomers have found the right galaxy where the cosmic event, such as the merging of two dense neutron stars, has occurred; Hubble is then focused on that area. Hubble can obtain a detailed spectrum of light and a sharp image of the galaxy to better understand the event, detecting radiation that is sometimes associated with the event producing gravitational waves. Once launched, Webb will also be used for in-depth study of these events. Over its lifetime, Hubble's powerful vision has "set the stage" for Webb and several other missions that aim to uncover fascinating facts about our universefrom our cosmic neighborhood to the farthest reaches of space. Explore further Image: Hubble views a galaxy with an explosive past People in London, United Kingdom. Credit: John Simitopoulos, Unsplash, CC0, (creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) British people tend to overestimate the prevalence of different minority demographics, beliefs, and behaviors among the public, according to a study publishing December 22 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE. Adrian Furnham at the Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway, and colleagues, asked 573 U.K. adults to make population estimates for the U.K. for each of 25 different characteristics, including socioeconomic, religious, health, and behavioral traits. Participants were also asked to complete an intelligence test and to rate their own religiousness, political beliefs, and optimism. They found that the accuracy of estimates was generally low, but respondents were most accurate for the prevalence of vegetarianism, car ownership, and voting. Estimates were least accurate for the proportion of the population who identify as homosexual, which was overestimated by 10% on average, while participants tended to underestimate the percentage of adults claiming state benefits. Accuracy was significantly correlated with respondents' religiousness, political orientation, and intelligence but optimism did not seem to play a significant role. Incorrect guesses were more likely to overestimate than underestimate the true size of minority groups, and the tendency to exaggerate was strongly related to religious and political attitudes. People were most likely to exaggerate estimates relating to minorities, whereas estimates of affluence and education were less associated with ideology. The researchers found that nationality, sex, religiousness, intelligence, number of children, occupation, and political views were significantly correlated with the magnitude of an individual's estimate; together these individual differences accounted for 12% of the variation between respondents. Although the study sample was not fully representative of the British population, the results suggest that the statistics people read and remember are biased by their existing beliefs. Perceptions of issues relating to welfare benefits and minorities appear to be particularly prone to bias, which the authors suggest may be related to feelings of social competition. The authors add: "The study shows that people are generally quite inaccurate about social and demographic statistics of their own society. There is a clear tendency, for example, to overestimate minorities. The tendency to overestimate is related to IQ levels and a sense of being threatened." Explore further Majority overestimates US gay population, could influence gay rights policies More information: Furnham A, Arnulf JK, Robinson C (2021) Unobtrusive measures of prejudice: Estimating percentages of public beliefs and behaviours. PLoS ONE 16(12): e0260042. Journal information: PLoS ONE Furnham A, Arnulf JK, Robinson C (2021) Unobtrusive measures of prejudice: Estimating percentages of public beliefs and behaviours.16(12): e0260042. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260042 The French sailing vessel Iris arrived in Woods Hole, Massachusetts after a three-week long journey across the Atlantic Ocean where 17 Argo floats were deployed in support of ocean, weather, and climate research and predictions. While in Woods Hole, the Blue Observer crew picked up the additional floats for the second leg of the voyage in the South Atlantic, towards the island of St. Helena, off the coast of Namibia. During what is one of the largest missions by a sailboat to deploy profiling floats, the crew will release Argo profiling floats to predefined GPS positions, to replace those at the end of their life and to deploy floats in under measured ocean regions. This low-carbon footprint research mission was made possible through a new partnership between the private oceanographic company Blue Observer and international Argo program partners from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, NOAA, Canada and Europe. Credit: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and partners have joined together to launch approximately 100 new Argo floats across the Atlantic Ocean to collect data that supports ocean, weather and climate research and prediction. These will bolster the international Argo Program, which maintains a global array of about 3,800 floats that measure pressure, temperature, and salinity of the upper 2,000 meters (1.2 miles) of the ocean. The French sailing vessel Iris arrived in Woods Hole, Massachusetts last week after deploying the initial batch of 17 Argo floats across the Atlantic. The Iris crew picked up the remaining floats, restocked its supplies, and departed Woods Hole this week for the second leg of the voyage in the South Atlantic, towards the island of St. Helena, off the coast of Namibia. The mission is one of the largest Argo float deployments in the Atlantic and is expected to last almost 100 days at sea, filling in crucial observing gaps. This low-carbon research mission using an 82-foot sailing vessel was made possible through a new partnership between the private oceanographic company Blue Observer and international Argo Program partners from WHOI, NOAA, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Europe. "Coming at a moment when we need meaningful action to tackle the climate crisis, this low carbon emission research mission sets a strong example for future ocean observing research," said Rick Spinrad, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. "This voyage is a model of global public-private partnership that is helping us improve data that drive life-saving weather and climate forecasts." During what is one of the largest missions by a sailboat to deploy profiling floats, the S/V Iris crew will deliver Argo floats to predefined GPS positions, replacing those at the end of their service, and deploying floats in some new, under-measured regions to strengthen the Argo array. The mission lifetime of each float is about five years. During a typical mission, each float reports a profile of the upper ocean every ten days, transmitting data to shore by satellite. "Argo has revolutionized our ability to detect and monitor how the global ocean is changing as climate changes," said Peter de Menocal, president and director of WHOI. "The whole ocean warming trends observed by Argo floats is proof positive that climate change is due to greenhouse gas emissions." Pandemic sparks innovative mission The S/V Iris crew deploys one of 17 European Argo floats over the North Atlantic. The mission lifetime of each float is about five years. During a typical mission, each float reports a profile of the upper ocean every 10 days. Sensors record fundamental physical properties of the ocean, including temperature and salinity, with measurements relayed back to shore via satellite Credit: Blue Observer The initiative was born during the international COVID pandemic, when deployment of Argo floats and other oceanographic instruments by research and commercial vessels was sharply curtailed by COVID-19 restrictions. "About 1,000 Argo profiling floats must be deployed every year to sustain the Global Ocean Observing System," explained Mathieu Belbeoch, a manager of the Global Ocean Observing System and partner. "Often, they are deployed opportunistically by research ships, but these are very costly, and their trajectories are tied to specific missions and are not able to fill all the gaps or work in all seasons. Collaborations with citizens allow us to reach remote and not yet well sampled areas of the ocean, filling critical observational gaps." The low-impact journey comes on the heels of the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, with its urgent message of curbing the planet's warming emissions. This innovative collaboration between intergovernmental, public, and private sectors also takes place within the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, and is funded by NOAA, WHOI, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Euro-Argo. Argo has transformed ocean science In more than two decades, the broad-scale global array of floats has grown to be a major component of the ocean observing system and has changed the way scientists think about collecting data and collaborating internationally on data management for the scientific and operational forecasting community. "Argo's impact on ocean research has been profound: at least one paper a day is published using Argo data. The voyage of Iris will help us track vast regions of the Atlantic over the next few years by replenishing the array in very hard to access regions," said Susan Wijffels, senior scientist of physical oceanography at WHOI and an Argo Steering Team co-chair. "The Argo program is a true demonstration of the value of international collaboration. Since 2001, Canada has launched over 600 Argo floats throughout the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This OCEANOPS Blue Observer Mission is another example of partners working together to provide ocean data to the world," stated Timothy Sargent, Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Explore further Climate change is making one of the world's strongest currents flow faster Image from the epifluorescence microscope: Methanoliparia cells (green) from the laboratory cultures. The oil droplet that the archaea colonize can be seen as a reddish glow. The red dots display rare bacteria that in the culture. Credit: Rafael Laso-Perez/Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology; from: Zhou et al., Nature, 2021 Microorganisms can convert oil into natural gas, i.e. methane. Until recently, it was thought that this conversion was only possible through the cooperation of different organisms. In 2019, Rafael Laso-Perez and Gunter Wegener from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology suggested that a special archaeon can do this all by itself, as indicated by their genome analyses. Now, in collaboration with a team from China, the researchers have succeeded in cultivating this microbe in the laboratory. This enabled them to describe exactly how the microbe achieves the transformation. They also discovered that it prefers to eat rather bulky chunks of food. Underground oil deposits on land and in the sea are home to microorganisms that use the oil as a source of energy and food, converting it into methane. Until recently, it was thought that this conversion was only possible in a complicated teamwork between different organisms: certain bacteria and usually two archaeal partners. Now the researchers have managed to cultivate an archaeon called Methanoliparia from a settling tank of an oil production facility that handles this complex reaction all by itself. Enzymes just in case This archaeon breaks down oil into methane (CH 4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). "Methanoliparia is a kind of hybrid creature that combines the properties of an oil degrader with those of a methanogen, i.e. a methane producer," explains study author Gunter Wegener from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology and the MARUMCenter for Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Bremen. Now that the researchers have succeeded in cultivating these microorganisms in the laboratory, they were able to investigate the underlying processes in detail. They discovered that its genetic make-up gives Methanoliparia unique capabilities. "In its genes it carries the blueprints for enzymes that can activate and decompose various hydrocarbons. In addition, it also has the complete gear kit of a methane producer," says Wegener. It doesn't look like much, but it's full of surprises: Bottles like these harbor the cultures of Methanoliparia. Credit: Lei Cheng New pathway of methanogenesis In their laboratory cultures, the researchers offered the microbes various kinds of food and used a variety of different methods to keep a close eye on how Methanoliparia deal with it. What was particularly surprising to see was that this archaeon activated all the different hydrocarbons with one and the same enzyme. "So far, we have only cultivated archaea that live on short-chain hydrocarbons such as ethane or butane. Methanoliparia, on the other hand, prefers heavy oil with its long-chain compounds," says co-author Rafael Laso-Perez, who now works at Spain's National Center for Biotechnology (CNB). "Methanogenic microbes that use long-chain hydrocarbons directlywe didn't know these existed until now. Even complicated hydrocarbons with ring-like or aromatic structures are not too bulky for Methanoliparia, at least if they are bound to at least one longer carbon chain. This means that besides our other exciting results we have also found a previously completely unknown pathway of methanogenesis. " In an oil field like this, Gunter Wegener and his colleagues found the microorganisms that now also live in their laboratory. Genetic information shows that they are widespread and even live in the deep sea. Credit: Yoshi Canopus/ CC-BY-SA-4.0 Detectable from the oil tank to the deep sea The Methanoliparia cells cultured for the present study originate from one of China's largest oil fields, the Shengli oil field. However, genetic analyses show that these microbes are distributed all over the world, even down to the deep sea. "Our results hold an entirely new understanding of oil exploitation in subsurface oil reservoirs. Both the wide distribution of these organisms and the potential industrial applications make this an exciting field of research in the coming years," Wegener concludes. Explore further All-in-one: New microbe degrades oil to gas More information: Lei Cheng, Non-syntrophic methanogenic hydrocarbon degradation by an archaeal species, Nature (2021). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04235-2 Journal information: Nature Lei Cheng, Non-syntrophic methanogenic hydrocarbon degradation by an archaeal species,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04235-2 A school of fish on a reef. Credit: Davide Seveso An international research team led by Associate Professor Giovanni Strona from the University of Helsinki has identified a general macroecological mechanism that calls for a reconsideration of global conservation strategies. "To truly understand how global change is affecting natural communities and to identify effective strategies to mitigate the ongoing dramatic biodiversity loss, it is fundamental to account for the overarching complexity emerging from biotic interactions. As we show in our new research, doing this might reveal important counterintuitive mechanisms," Giovanni Strona says. The researchers combined a massive dataset of fish distribution and ecological traits for more than 9,000 fish species. Using artificial intelligence techniques, they generated thousands of networks mapping the interactions between corals and fish and those between fish prey and fish predators in all reef localities worldwide. They quantified, for each locality, the degree of fish dependency on corals. This analysis confirmed what Strona and colleagues showed in another paper published earlier this year: coral loss might detrimentally affect, on average, around 40 per cent of fish species in each coral reef area. The researchers also found that the dependency between fish and corals becomes stronger the further away they are from humans. This means that fish communities in remote reefs might be the most vulnerable to the cascading effects of coral mortality. Areas of critical vulnerability Next, the researchers asked whether the increased risk that stems from the potential cascading effects of coral mortality might counteract the benefits that remote fish communities experience because they are far away from direct impacts of human activities. "For this, we devised a novel risk assessment framework that is applicable to any ecosystem. It combines local anthropogenic impacts such as overfishing and pollution and global impacts like climate and environmental change with the risk deriving from ecological interactions," explains Mar Cabeza, head of the Global Change and Conservation Lab at the University of Helsinki. The framework revealed that taking into account ecological dependencies flattens the expected negative relationship between extinction risk for fish communities and remoteness. "For example, the hotspots of risks for fish communities from local human-derived impacts and global change are almost perfectly the same as the hotspots of risk from fish coral dependencies. This produces a global map of risk for fish communities where no place is safe, regardless of distance from humans," Giovanni Strona says. "The validity and relevance of these findings might extend far beyond reef fish, depicting a world where remote localities, rather than safe havens for biodiversity, might be, instead, areas of critical vulnerability," Mar Cabeza concludes. The research was published in Nature Communications. Explore further A future ocean too warm for corals might have half as many fish species The new paper is the broadest study on the biodiversity of spiders of the Iberian Peninsula carried out using the DNA barcoding methodology. Credit: Cyclosa conica, Marc Domenech Populations of peninsular spiders that make aerial spider webs and move around the air by ballooning (using the silk threads as parachutes) present a more homogeneous genetics structure and are better connected between them. However, species of nocturnal spiders, which hunt on the ground and have a low dispersal capacity, show less genetically connected populations and are more vulnerable to local extinction processes due to environmental factors. This is concluded in an article published in the journal Insect Conservation and Diversity, led by Professor Miquel Arnedo, from the Faculty of Biology and the Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio) of the UB. Among the participants are the UB-IRBio experts Marc Domenecfirst author of the articleAlba Enguidanos and Cesc Murria, and Jagoba Malumbres-Olarte, from the University of the Azores (Portugal). Genetic diversity of Iberian spider populations In the context of the current biodiversity loss due to human activity, the use of genetic techniques to accelerate cataloging and identification of species for their preservation has become especially relevant. These techniques require databases that relate species to their genetic sequencing. The new paper is the broadest study on the biodiversity of spiders of the Iberian Peninsula carried out using the DNA barcoding methodology, a comparative genetics technique for the identification of species. With this genetic information, the team revealed the existence of a taxonomic diversity that had been unnoticed to date. The team provided more than 3,200 new sequences of spiders corresponding to 371 species that live in different oak woodlands of six national parks. Credit: Miquel Arnedo The team provided more than 3,200 new sequences of spiders corresponding to 371 species that is, a quarter of the total of registered species in the Iberian Peninsula that live in different oak woodlands of six national parks: Aiguestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici, Ordesa y Monte Perdido, Picos de Europa, Monfrague, Cabaneros and Sierra Nevada. Populations of Iberian spiders are characterized by an exceptionally high diversity and a high endemic level. This high level of endemismand a relatively reduced distributionmakes peninsular populations to be more vulnerable to potential local extinctions, compromising the viability of the species. "In other populations of the European continent, the endemicity level is lower and this involves a broader distribution which guarantees the permanence of the species despite the potential extinction of some of their populations," notes Professor Miquel Arnedo, from the Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences. As stated in the paper, some peninsular species show a high genetic homogeneity in the area but others present a high variability between populations. "In different cases, the delimitation of species based on genetic information has revealed the existence of well differenced lineages within the same species," notes Arnedo. "These lineages he continues could simply reflect populations that are less connected to each other. However, in some cases, this could indicate the potential existence of a hidden diversity that we had not found before, if we consider the morphological characters exclusively," adds Arnedo. "Therefore, we have found that species such as Eratigena montigena or Nuctenea umbratica have different lineages that had been unnoticed due to the strong morphological similarities between them. Future studies with these species will determine whether these lineages correspond to different species." The study shows that better connected and genetically homogeneous populations are associated to diurnal spiders that live among plants. Credit: Marc Domenech How to protect Iberian spider populations The genetic structure of peninsular spider populations is associated to their functional features, as noted in the paper. The correlation of the patterns of genetic diversity at a peninsular scale with different functional and environmental variables enabled the researchers to determine that better connected and genetically homogeneous populations are associated to diurnal spiders that live among plants, hunt preys with aerial spider webs and move by ballooning. However, those associated with the ground, which are active and nocturnal hunters, are more vulnerable to local extinctions due to a lower genetic connection between populations. Keeping the genetic variability in a population "is a fundamental factor to ensure the adaptation skills and deal with environmental changes since it is the substrate on which natural selection acts," says Marc Domenech (UB-IRBio), first signatory of the article. "Regarding the species with a low dispersal capacity, if a population disappears due to some external perturbation, it is even harder to repopulate the area it occupied at the beginning," notes Domenech. "The fragmentation of the habitats is one of the most negative effects derived from the alteration of natural environments. Therefore, it is important to ensure the existence of biological corridors that ease the connectivity among populations that are separated by altered environments and that are inhospitable by these species." The genetic structure of peninsular spider populations is associated to their functional features, as noted in the paper. Credit: Eratigena fuesslini, Marc Domenech DNA Barcoding: A revolution in taxonomic studies The DNA Barcoding methodology has changed the analysis of biodiversity yin several faunistic groups through new great-resolution bioinformatic tools to accelerate the classification and identification of species. Using this technology, it is possible to classify juvenile individualsmorphologically unidentifiableat a species and subspecies level. It is also an efficient technique to identify different life stages of the same species which are impossible to identify by other methodologies. In the study field of Iberian spiders, the team led by Miquel Arnedo is working on a DNA barcode library of all Iberian spiders. This task will enable the future implementation of automated and large-scale identification systems to facilitate the monitoring of communities and habitats of interest, and therefore establish an early warning system to detect potential perturbations on the populations. "Extrapolating these results to other natural habitats will allow us to see up to what extent our results are generalizable," conclude the experts. Explore further Environmental factors affect the distribution of Iberian spiders More information: Marc Domenech et al, What DNA barcodes reveal: microhabitat preference, hunting strategy and dispersal ability drive genetic variation across Iberian spider species, Insect Conservation and Diversity (2021). Marc Domenech et al, What DNA barcodes reveal: microhabitat preference, hunting strategy and dispersal ability drive genetic variation across Iberian spider species,(2021). DOI: 10.1111/icad.12552 Like bridges and tall buildings, large mountains are constantly vibrating, excited by seismic energy form the Earth. An international team of researchers has now been able to measure the resonant swaying of the Matterhorn and make its motion visible using computer simulations. Credit: Jan Beutel The Matterhorn appears as an immovable, massive mountain that has towered over the landscape near Zermatt for thousands of years. A study now shows that this impression is wrong. An international research team has proven that the Matterhorn is instead constantly in motion, swaying gently back and forth about once every two seconds. This subtle vibration with normally imperceptible amplitudes is stimulated by seismic energy in the Earth originating from the world's oceans, earthquakes, as well as human activity. Every object vibrates at certain frequencies when excited, like a tuning fork or the strings of a guitar. These so-called natural frequencies depend primarily on the geometry of the object and its material properties. The phenomenon is also observed in bridges, high-rise buildings, and now even mountains. "We wanted to know whether such resonant vibrations can also be detected on a large mountain like the Matterhorn," says Samuel Weber, who carried out the study during a postdoctoral period at the Professorship of Landslide Research at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and is now working at the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF. He emphasizes that the interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers at the Swiss Seismological Service at ETH Zurich, the Institute for Computer Engineering and Communication Networks at ETH Zurich, and the Geohazards Research Group at the University of Utah (U.S.) was particularly important for success of this project. High alpine measuring devices For the study, the scientists installed several seismometers on the Matterhorn, including one directly on the summit at 4,470 meters above sea level and another in the Solvay bivouac, an emergency shelter on the northeast ridge, better known as Hornligrat. Another measuring station at the foot of the mountain served as a reference. Extensive past experience from Jan Beutel (ETH Zurich / University of Innsbruck) and Samuel Weber installing equipment for measuring rock movements in high mountains made deployment of the measurement network possible. The data are automatically transmitted to the Swiss Seismological Service. The seismometers recorded all movements of the mountain at high resolution, from which the team could derive the frequency and direction of resonance. The measurements show that the Matterhorn oscillates roughly in a north-south direction at a frequency of 0.42 Hertz, and in an east-west direction at a second, similar frequency (see animation). In turn, by speeding up these ambient vibration measurements 80 times, the team was able to make the vibration landscape of the Matterhorn audible to the human ear, translating the resonant frequencies into audible tones. Amplified vibrations at the summit Compared to the reference station at the foot of the Matterhorn, measured movements on the summit were up to 14 times stronger. For most of the team's data these movements were small, typically in the range of nanometers to micrometers. The increase in ground motion with altitude can be explained by the fact that the summit moves freely while the foot of the mountain is fixed, comparable to a tree swaying in the wind. Such amplification of ground motion on the Matterhorn could also be measured during earthquakes, and the team notes this amplification may have important implications for slope stability in the event of strong seismic shaking. Jeff Moore of the University of Utah, who initiated the study on the Matterhorn, explains: "areas of the mountain experiencing amplified ground motion are likely to be more prone to landslides, rockfall, and rock damage when shaken by a strong earthquake." Such vibrations are not a peculiarity of the Matterhorn, and the team notes that many mountains are expected to vibrate in a similar manner. Researchers from the Swiss Seismological Service carried out a complementary experiment on the Grosse Mythen as part of the study. This peak in Central Switzerland has a similar shape to the Matterhorn, but is significantly smaller. As expected, the Grosse Mythen vibrates at a frequency around four times higher than the Matterhorn, because smaller objects generally vibrate at higher frequencies. The scientists from the University of Utah were then able to simulate resonance of the Matterhorn and Grosse Mythen on the computer making these resonant vibrations visible. Previously, the US scientists have mainly examined smaller objects, such as rock arches in Arches National Park, Utah. "It was exciting to see that our simulation approach also works for a large mountain like the Matterhorn and that the results were confirmed by measurement data," says Jeff Moore. Explore further Monitoring the Matterhorn with millions of data points More information: Samuel Weber et al, Spectral amplification of ground motion linked to resonance of large-scale mountain landforms, Earth and Planetary Science Letters (2021). Journal information: Earth and Planetary Science Letters Samuel Weber et al, Spectral amplification of ground motion linked to resonance of large-scale mountain landforms,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2021.117295 Credit: CC0 Public Domain A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket beat the rain and launched at 5:08 a.m. Tuesday from Kennedy Space Center to bring 6,500 pounds of cargo that includes a variety of medical experiments to the International Space Station. There was some doubt about the launch as weather reports gave only a 30% chance of favorable conditions, according to a Monday forecast from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's 45th Weather Squadron. But, the spacecraft lifted off almost exactly as scheduled. The mission capped off a busy week for SpaceX, which saw successful Falcon 9 launches from Vandenberg Space Force Station in California for its Starlink program on Saturday, and from Canaveral with a Turkish communication satellite on Sunday, a record turnaround with just over 15 hours between launches. The cargo mission is the 31st Falcon 9 launch in 2021, also a record, and the last planned for the year. It's the 24th resupply mission for the company to the ISS since it began the service in 2012. Among the experiments headed to space are a handheld bioprinter called Bioprint FirstAid that would use human skin cells to create a 3-D printed tissue Band-Aid of sorts. The experiment run for the German Space Agency looks to demonstrate how space travelers can use their own skin cells to create a tissue-forming patch to cover wounds and speed up healing, something that will be vital to long-term space missions to the moon and Mars, said project manager Michael Becker. "On human space exploration missions, skin injuries need to be treated quickly and effectively," Becker said. "The personalized and individual bioprinting-based wound treatment could have a great benefit and is an important step for further personalized medicine in space and on Earth." The experiment will also look at how the bioprinter could be used on Earth after the experiments are returned for study at Technical University Dresden in Germany. Also flying up will be experiments that look at making monoclonal antibodies, and the challenges they have dissolving easily in liquids. Used as treatments for many human diseases including COVID-19, because of their tendency to remain crystallized, the treatment requires a clinical setting. This experiment is for Merck Research Labs and focusing on cancer, with the ultimate goal of allowing the treatments at a doctor's office as opposed to having to head to a hospital. NASA's Student Payload Opportunity with Citizen Science program will send up a study on antibiotic resistance in microgravity from Columbia University and an experiment from the University of Idaho that looks at how microgravity affects bacteria-resistant materials. Other experiments headed to the ISS will look at heat-resistant alloys, potentially harmful microbe growth and human immunity, plant roots and shoots in microgravity in an effort to reduce stresses on their growth in space, and a commercial endeavor for Procter & Gamble's product Tide Infinity, a fully degradable detergent specifically for use in space. 2021 Orlando Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Male elephant. Credit: Connie Allen Male elephants are more aggressive when fewer older males are present, new research suggests. The research, by the University of Exeter, suggests that the removal of old male elephants, which are often the targets of trophy hunting, could lead to increased human-wildlife conflict. The study, in collaboration with Elephants for Africa, examined the behavior of 281 male elephants in an all-male area in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana, over a period of three years. The elephants were divided into four age groups, adolescents (10-15 and 16-20 years), and adults (21-25 and 26+ years). The results found that with fewer old bull elephants around, elephants were more likely to be aggressive towards non-elephant targets such as vehicles, livestock and other species. The adolescent elephants, in particular, were more aggressive and fearful to non-elephant targets when they were alone compared to with other males. This indicates that socially isolated adolescents may also be an increased threat to people. "Our research draws attention to what is often a rather overlooked area in animal behavior; that of the complex relationships and connections that occur between males in non-breeding all-male societies," said lead author Connie Allen of Exeter's Center for Research in Animal Behavior. Male elephants. Credit: Connie Allen "It appears the presence of more knowledgeable, older elephants in groups may play a key role in keeping the younger, less experienced males calm and lowering their perception of their current threat level, which means there's less risk of aggression towards humans and other species. "Alternatively, older bulls may police other males aggression directed toward non-elephant targets." Professor Darren Croft, of the University of Exeter, said understanding the causes of aggression in male elephants is essential for reducing human-elephant conflict. "Old male bull elephants are often thought of as redundant and are targeted for trophy hunting," he said. "These new results highlight the important role that old male elephants can play in shaping the behavior of younger males, which are more aggressive in the absence of old bullsincluding towards vehicles. Male elephants. Credit: Connie Allen "These findings provide an important message for wildlife managers and suggest that the removal of old male elephants from populations could lead to an increase in human-wildlife conflict." Associate Professor Lauren Brent, of the University of Exeter, said: "Elephants are highly social animals. This study clearly shows how wildlife management can be informed by how elephants interact and react to each other. "Future research on social behavior will continue to enhance conservation efforts of this iconic species." The paper, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, is entitled "Reduced older male presence linked to increased rates of aggression to non-conspecific targets in male elephants." Explore further Old males vital to elephant societies A bull moose stands at the edge of a wood on the Grand Portage Reservation. Credit: Tiffany Wolf, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine Twenty-three percent of collared moose that died in Northeastern Minnesota over the past 15 years were infected with Parelaphostrongylus tenuis, a brain worm parasite transmitted by white-tailed deer that is one of the biggest threats to adult moose mortality in Minnesota. A new study from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa published today in the journal Science Advances offers a new theory on the role of wolves in disease transmission among prey. The study was conducted in and around the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indian Reservation in Northeastern Minnesota and in the northern superior uplands forest along the northwest Lake Superior shoreline, where the UMN and Grand Portage team have for years been studying moose in an effort to understand and reverse a long-term moose population decline. Researchers captured and tracked 94 adult moose, 89 deer (65 adults) and 47 adult wolves during the 20072019 study period. The study found that: Most deer and moose performed seasonal migration, with different habitat selections by the two species. Deer and moose overlap increased during the spring migration and summer seasonsa time of greatest brainworm transmission risk. Wolf pressure was linked to greater segregation of deer and moose across habitatsand reduced brainworm transmission risk. "We often think of wolves as bad news for moose because they kill a lot of calves," said principal investigator Tiffany Wolf, DVM, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine. "But this suggests that wolves may provide a protective benefit to adult moose from a parasite-transmission perspective. Because brainworm is such an important cause of adult moose mortality in Minnesota, we can now see that the impact of wolves on moose is a bit more nuanced." The findings give state and tribal managers new information to consider in drafting and implementing herd and wolf management plans in Minnesota and beyond. Maintaining healthy moose populations is a central goal of tribal managers, as moose are an important subsistence species for the Grand Portage Band and important to cultural preservation. Key to the study were Seth Moore, co-principal investigator of the project. Edmund Isaac and Yvette Chenaux-Ibrahim, of the Grand Portage Band; Luiz Gustavo Oliveira-Santos, of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, who provided spatial ecology expertise; Virginia Tech assistant professor Luis Escobar, in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; William Severud and Tyler Garwood in the VPM department; and James Forester in the University's Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. Explore further Pandemic interrupts longtime Isle Royale wolf, moose study More information: L. Gustavo R. Oliveira-Santos et al, Spatial compartmentalization: A nonlethal predator mechanism to reduce parasite transmission between prey species, Science Advances (2021). Journal information: Science Advances L. Gustavo R. Oliveira-Santos et al, Spatial compartmentalization: A nonlethal predator mechanism to reduce parasite transmission between prey species,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj5944 FORT EDWARD The Cambridge man who police said sexually abused three children under the age of 11 has been sentenced to 23 years in state prison. Trevor D. Hunt was sentenced in Washington County Court on Friday. Hunt was sentenced to 23 years determinate in prison and 20 years post release supervision on his plea to first-degree criminal sex act with a victim less than 11 years old, a felony. He was also sentenced to seven years in state prison and 10 years post release supervision on his plea to felony first-degree sexual abuse. Both sentences will run concurrently, meaning the total sentence would be 23 years. Police said at the time of his arrest that it was believed that the abuse had taken place more than a decade ago when Hunt lived in the town of Cambridge and in the village of Hoosick Falls. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. GLENS FALLS A Queensbury woman has been arrested for filing a false report in connection with a stabbing incident that took place at a Union Street residence on Nov. 17, according to police. Michelle Marks, 28, has been charged with third-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury, making a punishable false statement, third-degree falsely reporting an incident, unlawful possession of noxious matter, second-degree menacing with a weapon and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon with intent to use, all misdemeanors. The Glens Falls Police Department responded to a potential domestic dispute between a man and a woman at around 1 p.m. on Nov. 17. Marks had suffered stab wounds to her lower abdomen that were severe enough to require treatment at the hospital. Police said that she made a report stating that she had been stabbed by the man involved in the dispute. Glens Falls Police later discovered that Marks had stabbed herself during the dispute. Police said she had also chased the man out of the residence, assaulting him with pepper spray. The man was exposed to the pepper spray, but had no other injuries and did not require medical treatment. Police said that Marks confessed that her original report was not accurate, and she was arraigned in Glens Falls City Court on Friday. She was released under her own recognizance and will appear in court on a later date. Detective Lt. Seth French said that the stabbing was an isolated incident and that there is no further threat to the public as a result. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Warren County Public Works Superintendent Kevin Hajos has been selected to serve on the Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force, an organization tasked to help find ways to reduce the use of road salt on highways. Hajos has led a team at the Department of Public Works that has begun a program to use salt brine on roads in the winter to minimize the impact of snow and ice, and to help supply towns in the county with salt brine. Brine is considered more environmentally friendly and less expensive than salt, He was nominated for the task force by state Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury. I am honored to have been chosen to sit on this task force as we work to ensure protection of the lakes and waterways that are such an important part of our lives and economy here in Warren County and the rest of the Adirondacks, Hajos said in a Warren County news release. The 15-member task force has been asked to create a three-year pilot plan for road salt reduction practices. A final report on that study will be due to state legislators in the summer of 2024. The task force will be chaired by the state Department of Environmental Conservation and state Department of Transportation. We are very proud of the work Mr. Hajos has done implementing new solutions to reduce the levels of salt that run off into Lake George and our other water bodies, Warren County Administrator Ryan Moore said. His knowledge and experience will be of great value to this important task force. Warren County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Rachel Seeber said Hajos has been a leader in the regions efforts to curb the use of road salt on our highways while continuing to keep our roads safe during winter weather, and she thanked Gov. Kathy Hochul for recognizing Hajos expertise. We are eager to see what steps this task force will recommend to further protect our environment from the impacts of road salt, she said in the release. A news release from the Governors Office identified 10 of the task force members, who, in addition to Hajos, include former state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens; Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board Executive Director Gerald Delaney; Adirondack Council Vice President for Conservation Megan Phillips; ADKAction Executive Director Brittany Christenson; Kristine Stepeneck, a member of the International Joint Commission the U.S. and Canadas watershed quality organization; Philip Sexton, the founder and managing director of WIT Companies, a sustainable winter management company; Robert Kafin, who chairs the Council on the Environment of New York City; and Hamilton County Superintendent of Highways Tracy Eldridge. The Adirondack Daily Enterprise contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Weis considers himself a storyteller. I look at sacred scripture and biblical authors and I try to teach those lessons. Some of those lessons relate to the best moments and the worst moments of people on the path of life, Weis said. It is not the story of perfect people; they are stories about people who are more like us with flaws and problems. But we can learn that if those people can rise above it, then so can all of us. Weis spoke of the importance of relationships he has fostered over the years at Beth Israel, with youth, with the community and with the Interfaith Council. It is all about relationships we share, he said. 1:21 Menorah lighting returns to Vineland VINELAND Main Street Vineland will join the Jewish Federation of Cumberland, Salem & G Asked if there was one thing he hoped the congregation would remember about his tenure, Weis said, I hope they remember that Judaism is aspirational. I hope that they aspire to live lives of honor and integrity and seeking justice. Better they forget about me and remember the Torah because if they remember the Torah, they will remember to be committed members of the congregation and the community. Weis will remain as rabbi emeritus while Beth Israel brings in a new rabbi. He and his wife plan to remain in Northfield. After 33 years, this is our home, said Weis. He will continue to teach at Stockton, and his wife, Susan Fischer Weis, will remain in her position as the director of the Board of Jewish Education of Atlantic and Cape May counties. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} But Pleasantville Councilman Tony Davenport, who lives in the neighborhood where the trash transfer station would be located, said he and many residents oppose the idea. I grew up in the area. Ive been there 57 years, since I was 4 years old, Davenport said. I have watched the impact of AE Stone (and other industrial companies) on vegetation. Now its another entity to pollute the area. Davenport said the decision should be based on quality of life, not just more ratables for the city. We need an environmental study, Davenport said. We want the DEP to look at it, said Commission Chair Maureen Kern, of Somers Point. I think as a taxpayer not having shared services is a bad move. Its going to hurt the taxpayers, said Fred Akers, of Buena Vista Township, an environmentalist and volunteer board member at the ACUA. Our view: Trash transfer station wont be easy to put in Pleasantville A property developer wants to set up a transfer station for construction debris on a rail li In May, Pleasantville City Council approved the transfer station by a 5-2 vote, but the proposed station still needs a long list of approvals from city and county entities and the DEP, ACUA Executive Director Rick Dovey has said. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} While approaching the back of the house in the 300 block of North Seventh Street, officers saw through the window what appeared to be a dead man sitting in a recliner. When they entered through the front of the house, they found a dead woman on the landing of the stairs, according to court documents. Both Enders and Pitoy suffered massive stab wounds and loss of blood, according to court documents. Investigators also observed additional injuries consistent with possible blunt force trauma. Through a search of Motor Vehicle Commission records, police found Heffernan drove a 2003 Ford Winnebago. Footage from various surveillance cameras showed a white RV seen heading east on the bridge onto Long Beach Island at 4:48 a.m. Sept. 29. At 4:58 a.m., a Ring doorbell camera captured the RV approaching Enders home, and at 5:49 a.m., the vehicle was seen driving east on Seventh Street with its headlights off, according to a court affidavit. At 6:42 a.m., another camera captured an individual, holding what appeared to be an orange garment or bag, in the backyard of Enders home. The individual jumped over the fence, walked between the two houses and cut through the property toward Sixth Street. The state Department of Consumer Affairs will be also tasked with establishing a winter termination program for the 2022-23 winter season, protecting eligible customers from Nov. 15 to March 15. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} This extension will provide a buffer for families that still have arrears and allow additional time for them to work out a payment plan, said Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, who oversees the DCA. No one should have to choose between paying their utilities and paying for other necessities such as food, housing and medication. Murphy previously replaced a shutoff moratorium with the Dec. 31 grace period in July while New Jerseyans statewide began pulling themselves out of financial descent triggered by pandemic-related shutdowns that forced thousands on unemployment. The grace period was intended to allow residents to acquire financial assistance to prevent shutoffs ahead of fall and winter. The six were identified as Tayron Brown, 25; Kavon Carter, 24; Brandon Clifton, 23; Javon Forman, 21; Kyree Weathers, 24; and Sylas Young, 19. Eight others also have been charged for their roles in helping a street gang called Gotti Boy Movement in the coronavirus-related fraud, Coffina said. Investigators alleged the pandemic scam yielded $124,996 in funds from Paycheck Protection Program applications that were filed in the name of gang members and their affiliates. Carter allegedly submitted an application claiming he was a barber with an annual income of more than $105,000 in 2019, even though he was incarcerated throughout 2019. Carter received a check for nearly $21,000, as did five of his associates, Coffina said. The alleged criminal actions that led to the racketeering charge started in September 2014, when shots were fired at a Pemberton Township police officer who was sitting in a cruiser in Sunbury Village, Coffina said. And Petal already has been spruced up at Laran Bronze Inc. in Chester. It didnt look as if it had been vandalized, but there were signs of age, and some cracks we had to fix. We found pennies lodged into crevices, said Lawrence Welker, whose father and uncle co-founded the business in 1984. All in all it just needed a little TLC to bring it back to what it used to be, Welker said. Its definitely a beautiful piece, a fun piece, very playful, and it tied into peoples lives in a certain way. The great thing about public artwork is, it can have that impact. Frudakis, for whom Petal was his first major public commission, said he had been wondering about Petals fate. +5 Tourists get final glimpse inside Lucy the Elephant before extensive renovation MARGATE Matt Correll decided to visit Lucy the Elephant on a whim Sunday. People were really trying to keep her from going down with the mall, and Im glad she is still viable, he said. Hopefully she will be somewhere kids can enjoy her. Owings, a retired teacher who lives with his wife, retired teacher Nancy Collier, in an early 19th century house in the heart of Burlington, is as bullish about the prospects for raising enough money to create a new home for Petal at the historical society as he is about the prospects of his historic river city itself. As a writer, podcaster and economist not necessarily in that order I receive numerous emails asking for advice. People ask for my opinion not only on economic questions, but also about what kind of job they should get, if they should return to school, whether they should marry a given person, how to plan a wedding, which books they should read and, yes, what is the meaning of life. I am reluctant to hand out advice, if only because a) I dont even know these people, and b) a proper answer is usually context-specific. Nonetheless, I think there are two pieces of advice that are appropriate for almost everybody, in response to almost any question. Here they are. Maybe I should just send all future requests for advice a link to this column. The first piece of advice stems from what has been dubbed in Silicon Valley the small group theory. It goes like this: When working on any kind of problem, task or question, embed yourself in a small group of peers with broadly similar concerns. Theres something missing from the discussion of legitimacy and Roe, though, something that the commission report gets admirably clear: The term has a lot of different, and sometimes incompatible, meanings. Before we ask what decision in the Mississippi case would be best for the courts institutional interest, we have to consider what sort of institution it is supposed to be. For much of U.S. history, the court played a role that was important but much more limited than the one it has performed during the last few decades. It set aside few laws only two federal laws in the first seven decades under the Constitution. As Americans struggled over monumental issues such as religious pluralism and the size of government, the court was mostly a bystander. Over the last century, and particularly since World War II, the court has read the Constitution as giving it a much larger role in superintending the policies of the federal and state governments. As it accumulated more power, its conception of itself changed accordingly, as did everyone elses conception of it. Atlantic County also has been in the hunt to diversify its economy with aviation industry investment. Its main draws are Atlantic City International Airport and the adjacent William J. Hughes FAA Technical Center. The county has had some success, creating the National Aviation Research and Technology Park, leasing the space in its first building and fielding strong interest in a second building under construction. In 2019, Atlantic County officials said they were negotiating with a charter plane maintenance and repair company, and the county would build a $4.5 million hangar for the company if it located at the airport. That airport is owned by the South Jersey Transportation Authority, which the county would need to pay to lease the ground for such a hangar. The financing, if the plan materialized, would have to be done by the Atlantic County Improvement Authority. Back in 2015, a major report from consultant AngelouEconomics identified the aviation industry as the regions best bet for bringing good paying jobs to the area. The county responded by creating the Atlantic County Economic Alliance to help pursue that opportunity. For Hua Yong, there was no option but to leave China. Because of my works of art, I was put in jail all these years and persecuted by the government. So, I had no choice but to leave my homeland, said Hua. The Beijing artist uses his work and social media to document and highlight the suffering of Chinese citizens. He says Chinese authorities threatened and arrested him multiple times and forced him into a re-education through labor program for 15 months. He is now seeking asylum in Canada. Canada has large immigrant communities, including in Vancouver where about 20% of the population is of Chinese descent. Many came here for educational and economic opportunities. But others, like Hua, moved to Canada in search of political refuge. In reality, even though people are from China, I feel we dont have human rights there (in China), said Hua. Critics say China has become more heavy-handed in recent years on the mainland and in Hong Kong. In 2020, China imposed a new national security law targeting people who it says are responsible for acts of subversion or terrorism, limiting speech and the ability to gather. Beijing state media claim the new law is needed to protect the people after months of violent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. In response to the law, Canada created a work permit and two new pathways to permanent residency for Hong Kong residents. Immigration consultants have seen a surge of interest from Hong Kong residents wanting to leave the territory for Canada. While the Canadian government has made it easier for Hong Kong residents to move there, Canada has yet to see a surge in new immigrants from Hong Kong. Canada received more than 3,000 applications for various visas from Hong Kongers in the first quarter of the program. In contrast, an estimated 335,000 Hong Kongers moved to Canada before the British government handed over its former colony to China in 1997. The expected tsunami of applications from Hong Kong to Canada in any category, including citizenship categories, just not there, said Richard Kurland, an immigration lawyer. And that means that theres no rush. One likely reason is that many Hong Kongers still living in the territory already have Canadian passports and can return to Canada at any time. While there may not be a tide of people migrating to Canada yet, Reuters reports Hong Kong residents moved record levels of capital to Canada, surpassing $40 billion last year. I feel very safe here. Its a heaven for freedom, says Hua. You can have free speech. One reason why Hua and people from Hong Kong choose to live in and be citizens of Canada. Mujahid is a 12-year-old Uyghur refugee in Turkey. I remember at home, we used to go to the pool with my father and have competitions, said 12-year-old Mujahid who is only using his first name for safety reasons. We would have fun with my dad. I was 4 years old then, very little. Sometimes I remember by looking at my mom and dads picture. Mujahid added, The last thing (my parents) said to me was, Even if you forget us, we will not forget you. Mujahid is one of dozens of Uyghur children who live in this Istanbul school, which teaches Uyghur language, math, religion and other subjects in the hours before and after public schools meet. Most of the students live with parents or relatives, but many, like Mujahid, live in this school. Their parents are all believed to be detained by the Chinese government. Amnesty International says a million or more mostly-Uyghur Muslims from Xinjiang, the autonomous region of China where most Uyghurs live, have been detained in centers like this since 2017. It is part of a systematic campaign Amnesty calls crimes against humanity that includes at least imprisonment, torture, and persecution. China has denied abuses against Uyghurs for decades and says the modern-day centers educate and teach vocational skills to reduce poverty. The government also says some actions against Uyghurs are meant to combat Islamic extremism and that foreign accusations of human rights abuses are attempts to destabilize China for political gain. As many as 50,000 Uyghurs work and live in Turkey, and the country is generally viewed as a haven for Uyghur refugees. But families and their lawyers say economic and security ties between Turkey and China have deepened in recent years, and so have threats to the Uyghur community. Enver Turdi reported news in Xinjiang and continues to speak out against human rights abuses in China, even after a year of detention in Turkey. Turkey holds and investigates people for months or a year and finds nothing, Turdi said. Once they have the correct information, they let people go. For me, its been three years, and they are still investigating. China cannot provide evidence. Lawyers say families increasingly fear detainees will be deported to China where they could face imprisonment or worse. If they stop abusing people and they leave us alone, I may go back some day, said Abdullah, 11, a Uyghur refugee at the school who is also using only his first name for safety reasons. The boys say while many children here have parents with them in Istanbul, everyone they know in the school has missing family members. Bugra Arkin owns a Uyghur restaurant in Los Angeles. He studied public policy in the United States and is an ethnic Uyghur Muslim from Xinjiang Province, China, where more than 1 million Uyghur Muslims, including his father, a publisher, have been held in re-education camps. The United States and human rights groups call Chinas suppression of Uyghurs and their culture a genocide. In 2018, my father and my uncle, my cousins, some of my friends, they disappeared. And then I heard they were taken to the concentration camp, Arkin says. But his family could get no information, and no Chinese lawyer would help. Now in Los Angeles, Arkin was granted asylum in 2018. His wife, also a Uyghur, is a U.S.-trained lawyer who has joined the U.S. Air Force. Yet the couple received two frightening phone calls from a Chinese-speaking caller earlier this year. She was threatening me, even death-threatening my 2-year-old daughter, Arkin said. She said, we are closely watching you; we will kill you. You are going to die. He was told to stay silent but says he will not. Even this can give me strength to speak up for my father and my Uyghur people, Arkin said. Another asylum applicant, Jie Lijian, has also received threatening phone calls saying China is watching him and insisting he keep quiet. In China, he was incarcerated repeatedly, burned with cigarettes and suffered beatings that cost him several teeth. All vivid memories, says this political activist from Shandong Province. He recalls two forced stays in psychiatric hospitals and torture in a police facility in 2009. When we arrived in a compound, they pushed my head into a big water tank, said Jie. I think theyve been through this kind of training. They wont let you die but wont let you feel good. They make you suffer, to where you feel like youre suffocating on the brink of death. Between 2015 and 2018, Jie took part in commemorations of the June 4, 1989, Tiananmen massacre in China. Again, he was detained and tortured after reentering the mainland. The Chinese government would torment its citizens using any method, said Jie. If you are killed, then you are killed. If you are disabled, then you are disabled. If you accuse them of wrongdoing, they will continue to arrest you, and whats waiting for you is prison (or) is a mental hospital. China denies mistreating those in custody, but human rights groups have documented the torture of criminal suspects and activists and mass incarceration of ethnic Uyghurs. Both men worry about the fate of their families in China, but say they feel compelled by their plights to speak out. Emily Pei moved to Canada 12 years ago. Her journey from southern China to Canada was a decision made out of love. My husband, hes Canadian, said Pei. He went to teach in China, and thats where we met. Peis husband wanted to return to Canada, took her to Prince Edward Island for a summer visit, and the rest is history. I just fell in love with PEI, so I said, Sure we can. Pei says there are several ways immigrants arrive on the island. You have mainly two pathways to come here, said Pei. One is through your skills. The other is through business. Depends on what kind of skill set you have. Emily Pei moved to Canada 12 years ago. (VOA News) Today, the former university instructor helps foreigners, including some from China, make a new home in Prince Edward Island with her company, Canada Ask. Pei says there is one main reason why someone from China would resettle on Prince Edward Island. Most of them, they say for the education, for my children, Pei said. Canada has been experiencing a labor shortage since before the pandemic. Immigration is one solution. From 2020 to 2021, even with the pandemic, 4% of new immigrants who are working or will soon arrive to work on the island are from China. Jeff Young, director at Prince Edward Islands immigration office, estimates more than 2,000 people from China currently live on the island. He says they are here for different reasons. They enjoy the fresh air, those sorts of things. The peace, the quiet, the tranquility. But the big reason they give us is for their kids, said Young. They want to come to Canada and come to PEI to build a better life for their children. Its a safe place. Its the work life balance. Theres activities for their kids to do. We do have a good educational system, which they appreciate for their kids. Overall, not all of the islands residents stay. Some move to other parts of Canada. As Canadas smallest province, with just over 164,000 people, there are some limitations, including fewer private schools and a limited number of family doctors. Pei is one who stayed to raise her family and has witnessed positive changes for the local Chinese community. Compared to things 10 years ago, its much better now, with Chinese supermarkets, you know, said Pei. Before, I think only one or two. But now, maybe more than five (or) six now. So, the Chinese community is growing. With an estimated 1.9% annual growth rate and a working-age population on the rise, in part because of immigration, Canadas smallest province is quickly transforming and becoming more diverse each year. Many people from mainland China and Hong Kong have found a haven south of the equator in Australia to work, study and seek refuge. Australia is (an) extremely beautiful, multicultural democracy, said Feng Chongyi. Originally from China, Feng is a university professor in Sydney. In 2020, Chinas state media Global Times accused him of being an Australia spy, alluding to a 2017 trip back to China when Feng was questioned by authorities. Feng refutes the accusation and told the South China Morning Post its part of Chinas propaganda machine. He describes Australia as a paradise for intellectual freedom. The 1980s generations like me were brought up to believe in democracy, he said. In 1989, he witnessed Beijings violent crackdown on the pro-democracy student movement at Tiananmen Square. I came here to escape China, Feng said. Feng Chongyi, a China studies professor in Sydney, describes Australia as a paradise for intellectual freedom. (VOA News) Fatima Abdulghafur also left China to seek freedom. She was born in the place she knows as East Turkistan. China calls it Xinjiang. When I left China, its definitely because I saw I could be forever a slave, said Abdulghafur. She is alluding to Chinas treatment of the Muslim Uyghur minority group, where human rights groups say more than 1 million Uyghurs have been detained in camps. My father was also taken to the camp, said Abdulghafur. My brother was taken to the camp. Abdulghafur says her father died in a camp. Marriage brought her to Australia after she lived in the United States. More than 650,000 Chinese-born immigrants live in Australia, making them the third most populous group behind people from England and India. That does not include people from Taiwan or Hong Kong, who also live in cities such as Sydney. Many are too afraid to speak to VOA. Because they (Chinese government) do have very strong leverage, leverage (because) their family members (are) still in China, said Feng. Theyre scared. For Hong Kong residents, Australia will provide pathways to permanent residency beginning next March. The new programs stem from an Australian commitment to Hong Kong shortly after Beijing implemented the national security law, which was a response to the 2019 pro-democracy protests, but critics say it limits free speech. Chinese state media say the law is aimed at protecting citizens. Feng says over the years in Sydney, hes seen differences of attitudes between older members of the Chinese diaspora, who support more Western views, and the more recent Chinese immigrants, who express strong, patriotic views about their home country. In 2008, its a sea change, change to opposite, said Feng. The Chinese students and Chinese immigrants again come out on the streets, but this time to support (the) Chinese government and suppress the Chinese democracy movement. But that may be part of the allure of Australia for immigrants like Feng and Abdulghafur it offers freedom for people to openly express their views. Fifty-one-year-old Kacey Wong is a contemporary visual artist. He was also a pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong. In the past decade, his protest art has appeared in many anti-government demonstrations. Wong says after China imposed a draconian national security law on the former British colony last July, Hong Kong became shrouded in fear. He checked social media every morning to see if friends had been arrested overnight. After finding himself on a list of cultural undesirables in a pro-Beijing newspaper, Wong accelerated his escape to Taiwan. I have to leave Hong Kong in order to have an independent voice, he said. Nobody wants to live in a city that constantly provides fear. Data from Taiwans National Immigration Agency show that the number of Hong Kongers relocating to Taiwan is on the rise. In 2020, the figure almost doubled from the year before to more than 10,000 people, a record. And in the first seven months of 2021, more than 5,000 Hong Kongers arrived in Taiwan. Lo Chih-cheng, a legislator with Taiwans ruling Democratic Progressive Party, says there are enough mechanisms in place to help those fleeing Hong Kong on a case-by-case basis. Lo says passing an asylum law would be a national security risk because it would open up the islands borders to passport holders from around the world, including those from China. When it comes to the people from mainland China, I think its more complicated and more sensitive, because it is very likely that there could be spies pretending to be refugees and wanting to come to Taiwan, said Lo. But human rights groups say the current policies make it too difficult for Hong Kongers to obtain permanent residency, especially those eligible for work permits. They say without an asylum law, the islands policy toward Hong Kong and China could easily shift, depending on which political party is in power. The DPP government has shown goodwill toward these Hong Kongers, but will the future government follow suit in lieu of an asylum law? said Taiwan Association of Human Rights Wang Si. Therefore, we think that a refugee law is important in institutionalizing a permanent asylum framework. Observers say Taipei lacks a law for refugees and asylum-seekers because it is afraid of provoking Beijing. The law will apply to none but foreigners, yet the idea of listing people from Hong Kong, Macau and China as foreigners will largely offend China, said Jacob Lin, a human rights lawyer in Taipei. This has become a highly controversial political taboo. Lin says Taiwan seldom denies entry to asylum seekers unless national security risks are present or the legal ground is weak. Taiwan is moving to relax restrictions for high school students from Hong Kong and Macau seeking to study in Taiwan, beginning in September 2022 a way to help teenage exiles. Court records show Gee was never served with the warrant and was unaware of its existence. Financial difficulties forced him and his mother to move out of their home during the pandemic and they had not yet found a permanent place to live, making it difficult for authorities to locate the teen. Gee said police officers told him not to worry about the warrant. He only needed to post $200 bond and hed be free to go. Its not like he would be spending the night in jail, he recalls them saying. The teen, however, knew it wouldnt be that easy. He didnt have that kind of money, and he doubted his mother did either. The bond amount would be needed to keep a roof over their heads. Gee called his mom anyway, and she confirmed his suspicions. I told him I would see if I could raise enough money, but I wasnt sure I could do it that quickly, Kiwanna Williams said. I told him that he might have to stay in jail until I could come up with it. In many cases, what officers may think of as an inexpensive, inconsequential ticket turns into a much larger ordeal for those who cannot afford to pay it, experts said. If youre looking for a family-friendly activity that will give your kiddos the chance to exercise their imagination and enjoy some time outdoors, consider a trip to Storybook Island in Rapid City. Part amusement park, part playground that brings beloved fairy tales to life, Storybook Island was founded in 1959 by Merle Gunderson (Rapid Citys parks superintendent at the time) with help from the Rapid City Rotary Club. Gunderson visited a park in Oakland, California, and after his visit he came home and decided that Rapid City needed a free-admission park, explains Jackie Laws, Storybook Islands executive director. So he enlisted the rotary club for donations and support to fund the park. Since then, Storybook Island has operated on sponsorships and donations from people and businesses in the Rapid City community. After starting with just a few plywood sets on 2 acres for children to play on, Storybook Island now has 8.5 acres that have been developed exclusively for fun. We continually update and add new sets when the funds are available, says Laws. We are excited for the summer of 2022 because we will be adding new sets and updating existing sets. In total, 12 pieces will be refurbished and 21 new pieces will be brought into the park. We can do this because of wonderful sponsorships and donations given this year. Here are the top five things to do and see at Storybook Island this year. 1. The Wizard of Oz set Walk the yellow brick road with Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Cowardly Lion on the Wizard of Oz set. "This set was put in the park in 1982 by the Brewick family, says Laws. "They put it in the park for their 5-year-old daughter who died of leukemia in 1980. The Wizard of Oz was her favorite story.'" 2. The Cat in the Hat set Visit the home of the Cat in the Hat and sit on his bench while he tells you a tale. This set was funded by Monument Health Rapid City Hospital, which gave $35,000 to place this set in the park in 2008, says Laws. Plus, while youre there you can enjoy scenes and characters from other beloved Dr. Seuss classics, such as Thing 1 and Thing 2 and Horton from Horton Hears a Who! 3. Ride the train The train was purchased in 2015 and has given over 500,000 rides since, says Laws. From the train, your little ones get the chance to see all the sets in the park. Rides cost $3 per person. This helps keep admission to the park free in the summer, adds Laws. 4. The carousel Our carousel was purchased in 2016 from the old Boondocks and has since been refurbished due to generous donations, says Laws. Always a crowd-pleaser, a ride on the carousel is fun for all ages even parents! And thanks to a carousel house that was added in 2019, the $3-per-person ride is open during the special events that take place in the park at Halloween and Christmas. 5. This years new sets Even if youve visited Storybook Island countless times in the past, be sure to stop by this year and see the many new sets that are being installed. We here at Storybook Island have turned our focus onto creating all-ability playground equipment so all children can play together, says Laws. For more information, visit StorybookIsland.org. This content was produced by Brand Ave. Studios. The news and editorial departments had no role in its creation or display. Brand Ave. Studios connects advertisers with a targeted audience through compelling content programs, from concept to production and distribution. For more information contact sales@brandavestudios.com. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The United States Department of Justice is no longer planning to appeal the Rosebud Sioux Tribes case against Indian Health Service, part of the U.S. Department Health and Human Services. Tim Purdon, one of the attorneys representing the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, tweeted on Monday that he and Brendan Johnson, another attorney on the case, were "just told by DOJ that the United States will not seek rehearing of the 8th Circuit's decision here." The case, along with this most recent decision, may help to focus attention on health inadequacies in tribal communities across the country, according to tribal leaders and attorneys on the team that represented the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe filed a lawsuit in 2016 against the IHS for inadequate health conditions, using the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty as a basis for legal action. A South Dakota federal court ruled in favor of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in 2020, but the U.S. Department of Justice, under the Trump Administration, appealed the ruling to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. The suit was filed after patients were diverted, in 2015, from the Rosebud Indian Health Service hospital emergency room to hospitals at least 50 miles away, said Lisa White Pipe, council representative for Rosebud Sioux Tribe. White Pipe said the emergency room was closed for months due to conditions that did not meet health standards as patients were diverted to hospitals at least 50 miles outside of the reservation. During that diversion we lost nine tribal members, she said. Bruce Finzen, one of the attorneys representing the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, said the emergency room closure was part of a longstanding problem with inadequate (health) service extending beyond the emergency room. The tribe based its argument on the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty, which included provisions for competent health care. Finzen said the treaty applied primarily to tribes of the Great Plains, but he said the effects could be felt elsewhere. Problems persist nationwide, he said. Other tribes are going to be able to look at this decision and then point to the language of Indian Health Care Improvement Act and for once get the attention of the Congress to start funding the quality and quantity of health care thats required. Finzen said that he, Johnson, Purdon and Tim Billion represented the Rosebud Sioux Tribe pro bono for Robins Kaplan LLP Law Firm. Johnson noted that all four have worked extensively on tribal issues. I think numerous tribes across the country sent letters to the Biden Administration, said A. Gay Kingman, executive director of the Great Plains Tribal Chairmens Council, in a telephone interview. Kingman also expressed thanks to South Dakota legislators who supported the Rosebud Sioux Tribes suit. Kingman said she hoped the decision not to appeal would focus attention on health conditions faced in many Native communities. She stressed that the implications of the case range beyond the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Were hopeful that now that attention has been called to it, Congress might put more money into the budget for Indian health care, she said. White Pipe agreed. Thats what we envision, she said, that we can pursue Congress for more health care funding so (people) wont have to be referred out to specialists and other appointments outside of the reservation. Kingman said she also hoped to see intensified attention on Native health from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under Secretary Xavier Bacerra. Wed sure like to see him come out and see the conditions, she said. Kingman, too, recounted rough health conditions on reservations. She described the health challenges at the Pine Ridge Reservation. You have people who live 80 miles away, 100 miles away, from a hospital, she said, adding that the reservation has only one hospital. They have to travel that distance, and the hospitals arent adequately staffed. Kingman noted particular needs for facilities to help with giving birth. Johnson, one of the attorneys representing the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, agreed that the upholding of the decision could yield far-reaching results. It strengthens the argument to fund Indian Health Service appropriately, he said. We hope that our Congressional delegation continues to push for funding for Indian Health Services. Johnson also called the case unusual. This one is different because it dealt so squarely with a treaty right that is vital to every member of the tribe, he said. Its rare that you see treaties being utilized. And it has been rare to get victories. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Three Sheriffs Office employees will retroactively receive a $4,000 signing bonus and more employees are eligible for the incentive following a Pennington County Commission vote on Tuesday. The commission voted to revise the incentive program designed to recruit more correctional officers. The commission approved the program in August to distribute the hiring bonus over 18 months. The commissions revision now makes new hires, rehires, employee transfers, reclassifications and employees promoted as eligible for the bonus, and distributes the hiring bonus to correctional officers hired, rehired, transferred, reclassified and/or promoted since Aug. 3. We had some unanticipated consequences in terms of people moving internally the way the motion was made, Sheriff Kevin Thom said. It was penalizing those that were already employees that had not been able to receive the bonus that were going from one position to be a correctional officer that we thought should be eligible. One employee was promoted on Oct. 5, one was rehired as a correctional officer Nov. 29, and the last transferred from the Care Campus to Corrections on Nov. 1. In August, the Sheriffs Office told the commission that there was a 62% decrease in qualified applicants for correctional officer positions and 32% of those hired left their jobs within the first year. A total of 19 correctional officers have received the hiring bonus since Aug. 3 13 for the jail and six with the Juvenile Services Center. Steph McCoy with the Sheriffs Office said the number of applicants has doubled since the program was approved. The money for the program comes from the Sheriffs Offices budget. Bridge project During the meeting, the commission also approved right-of-way and utilities certificates for Sherman Street bridge near Silver City. According to a memo from Highway Superintendent Joe Miller to the commission, the department contracted with KLJ Engineering to complete the design engineering to replace the bridge. The contract allows the department to have the project bid review ready prior to submitting the application for a Bridge Improvement Grant. The grant requires counties to have a wheel tax in place to help afford bridge improvement projects. Miller said during the meeting that through November, the county collected $1,338,790 in 2021 from the tax. He said the department has about $3.5 million budgeted for bridge improvements and reconstruction for 2022. Miller said of that, $2.15 million could be from the grants. The commission also approved right-of-way and utilities certificates for bridge rehabilitation projects on Neck Yoke Road, Lower Spring Creek Road, and two bridges on 161st Avenue. Miller said the county is planning to apply for the grants for these projects as well. Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Rapid City police saved Christmas for at least one family after officers recovered and returned their presents on Tuesday. The presents were among a number items, including firearms and a pickup, that were stolen, according to Brendyn Medina, spokesperson for the department. After some quick work by police officers, they apprehended several juveniles who are suspects in several burglaries and thefts. Medina said the department is still sorting out how many victims there may be from the crime spree. "We're still working through the investigation to make sure people get their property back," he said. The episode started when police were dispatched to the 6500 block of Wellington Drive around 7 a.m. Tuesday for a report of a vehicle burglary and stolen vehicle. The owner said a vehicle in the driveway had been burglarized and a pickup with a pistol and rifle inside stolen. The police found the pickup in the 200 block of Bald Eagle Lane, but the firearms were not in the truck. Police also responded to several other reports of vehicle burglaries on Enchantment Road and Wellington Drive where another rifle and pistol were reported missing and a number of Christmas presents stolen. Security footage from residents in the area showed a distinctive white SUV associated with the burglaries. The vehicle was later found at the 200 block of Bald Eagle Lane. The vehicle was registered to a resident of an apartment in the area. Police obtained a search warrant and found the four firearms reported missing as well as property associated with the burglaries. Later, two officers returned the Christmas presents. Medina said the Christmas season presents more of an opportunity for criminals. "It may be tempting to leave gifts in the car, but this is one of the reasons to take valuables inside and secure the car to avoid situations like this," he said. None of the vehicles showed signs of forced entry, police said. Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 3 Sad 1 Angry 3 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Nelson was called up by Tucson on Saturday and did not appear in a game during his time with the Roadrunners. Over 25 games played for Rapid City, he has tallied 31 points on nine goals and 22 assists. He is the league leader in assists and is second in the ECHL in points. Oral arguments from both parties involved in a federal lawsuit that will determine if fireworks will light up the sky above Mount Rushmore during the Fourth of July 2022 celebration will be heard Jan. 12 by a three-panel judge in St. Louis. The Clerks Office of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit said the case is the second on the docket for Jan. 12, where both sides will be allotted 15 minutes for oral arguments before a three-judge panel. Noem had asked the Biden Administration to uphold a Memorandum of Agreement between the National Park Service and the state regarding the Mount Rushmore Fireworks Celebration. After the permit for the 2021 celebration was denied, Noem sued in federal court. In June, a federal judge rejected Gov. Kristi Noem's efforts to force the National Park Service to grant the state permission to shoot fireworks from Mount Rushmore National Memorial to celebrate Independence Day this year. The state then appealed that judgement to the Eighth Circuit Court. Defendants in the case are Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and the National Park Service. Last September, 16 states attorneys general filed a brief in the lawsuit in support of Noem's efforts. A decision by the three-judge panel is expected at a later date following the oral arguments. If youre an elk hunter who likes to hunt the Bitterroots most popular hunting district, you wont want to miss the fine print in the proposed hunting regulations this year. The state is proposing a change in HD 270 elk hunting regulations that will impact many hunters who have automatically put in for one of the unlimited bull permits in the East Fork of the Bitterroot. Currently, all hunters give up by getting one of the permits is an opportunity to put in for other trophy districts around the state. Under the new proposal, hunters who get one of the unlimited HD 270 permits will no longer be able to hunt bull elk anywhere else in Montana. My concern is thats a major change and its not highlighted anywhere, said Steve Brown of Stevensville. It would change everything for a lot of hunters who put in for the 270 permit. Brown has been hunting the East Fork for decades. He also likes to hunt elk in other places in the state. Part of what makes Montana great is all the different kinds of opportunities hunters have to hunt elk, Brown said. If you want to hunt thick timber, you can find that in the western part of the state. Or you can go to eastern Montana and hunt the wide-open country. You will no longer be able to do that under this proposal if you put in for an East Fork elk permit, he said. The unlimited bull elk permits for HD 270 were implemented years ago after biologists saw a large decline in elk numbers in the neighboring West Fork of the Bitterroot. That decline in 270 never happened and the permit should have gone away, Brown said. There is no biological reason for it anymore. The states Bitterroot-based biologist, Rebecca Mowry, proposed doing just that earlier this year. Instead of that happening, HD 270 ended up being included in a statewide proposal that would require all bull elk permit holders to hunt exclusively in the districts where their permit is located. Brown said he would not have known about the proposed change if he hadnt reached out to Mowry and asked about the status of the HD 270 unlimited permit. After I spoke with her, I went looking for it in the proposed regulations, he said. I couldnt find it anywhere until I accidentally downloaded the district-specific regulations. The sentence outlining the change was under a column titled: Opportunity Specific Details and/or Restriction. A person reading the regulations for the first time wouldnt know anything had changed. I dont think they were trying to hide anything, but I do think for a change as major as this one, it needs to be highlighted and hunters need to be made aware of it, Brown said. Longtime Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association member Tony Jones said the group was also surprised to see the proposal. We just found out about it last week, Jones said. We have not met as a group to make any kind of recommendation. Jones said its hard to predict what would happen if the proposal was accepted by the Montana Fish and Game Commission. Some hunters use the HD 270 as a backup in case their hunting in other areas is unsuccessful. If that was going to be the only place they could hunt, its hard to know if they would still put in for it or if it would drive hunter numbers higher because people cant go anywhere else, Jones said. It wasnt one of those things that we saw coming. If hunters have opinions on the proposal, Mowry urges them to let the commission know. Initially, I tried to make the case to the commission that 270 was the only unlimited elk permit offered in the state and it functioned differently than limited permits, she said. I found out during the commission meeting that they are proposed unlimited permits in other regions and the change to 270 was happening because of that. Since the proposal isnt coming from the region, Mowry said people should consider commenting online to ensure that their concerns are captured by the commission. The hunting regulation proposals for the upcoming season were approved by the commission last week and are now out for public review and comment through Jan. 14. To review the proposals or comment online, people can go to fwp.mt.gov/regproposals Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will hold public meetings throughout the state to provide information and answer questions. Hamiltons meeting is Jan. 6 at 6 p.m. at the Bitterroot River Inn. The other new proposal coming out of Helena for elk hunting in the Bitterroot Valley is for HD 260, which is located mostly on private lands along the river bottom. The commission decided that any hunting district in the state that is 200 percent over the numbers in the state elk plan would automatically offer an unlimited antlerless elk permit. HD 260, which is archery or special weapon district, already offers hunters an unlimited antlerless elk B permit. Under this proposal, hunters would be able to harvest a bull elk and two cows from the district. The commission will make a final decision on the 2022/2023 hunting regulations at its meeting in February. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. U.S. population growth dipped to its lowest rate since the nations founding during the first year of the pandemic as the coronavirus curtailed immigration, delayed pregnancies and killed hundreds of thousands of U.S. residents, according to figures released Tuesday. The United States grew by only 0.1%, with an additional 392,665 added to the U.S. population from July 2020 to July 2021, according to population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The U.S. has been experiencing slow population growth for years but the pandemic exacerbated that trend. This past year was the first time since 1937 that the nations population grew by less than 1 million people. I was expecting low growth but nothing this low, said William Frey, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution's metropolitan policy program, Brookings Metro. It tells us that this pandemic has had a huge impact on us in all kinds of ways, and now demography. Montana, however, was tied for second in the country in terms of percent growth, increasing in size by 1.7%. Utah also grew by 1.7%, while Idaho topped the nation at 2.9%. According to the census, Montana reached 1,104,271 individuals this past July. That increase bumped Montana from 44th largest state to 43rd, prompting it to swap places with Rhode Island. While 2020 saw deaths outrank births for the first time in Montana, the population still grew by 18,087 people between July 1, 2020, and July 1, 2021, according to the census, due to migration to the state. Montana saw 10,502 births during that period, 12,022 deaths and 19,791 people move here in net migration. Once theres a handle on the pandemic, the U.S. may eventually see a decrease in deaths, but population growth likely wont bounce back to what it has been in years past because of fewer births. That will increase the need for immigration by younger workers whose taxes can support programs such as Social Security, Frey said. We have an aging population and that means fewer women in child-bearing ages, Frey said. We see younger people putting off having children and theyre going to have fewer children. The population estimates are derived from calculating the number of births, deaths and migration in the U.S. For the first time, international migration surpassed natural increases that come from births outnumbering deaths. There was a net increase of nearly 245,000 residents from international migration but only about 148,000 from new births outnumbering deaths. University of New Hampshire demographer Kenneth Johnson described the decline in natural population increase as stunning," saying it was the smallest spread of births over deaths in more than 80 years. Of course most of this is COVID, but not all of it," Johnson said. U.S. natural increase was already at a low ebb prior to COVID with the fertility rate hitting a new record low each year and deaths steadily rising due to the population aging." Between 2020 and 2021, 33 states saw population increases, primarily through domestic migration, while 17 states and the District of Columbia lost population. States in the Mountain West saw the biggest year-over-year growth, with Idaho growing by almost 3%, and Utah and Montana each seeing population increases of 1.7%. The District of Columbia lost 2.9% of its population, while New York and Illinois lost 1.6% and 0.9% of their populations, respectively. While the pandemic gave some the option of working remotely, data released last month by the Census Bureau shows there was no great migration in the U.S. because of it. Some did take advantage of the opportunity, however. Tired of the heat, hurricane threats and traffic in Houston, tech worker Heidi Krueger moved to a small town south of Knoxville, Tennessee, in September. She can see the Great Smoky Mountains from her front porch. Because I was working from home during the pandemic, it made it feasible to move and still keep my same job, Krueger said. As long as I have internet, I can still connect to our clients. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 I didnt really have this growing up, said Hicks. He grew up in Mosby. In fact, most folks know him by the nickname Little Mosby. He ran things here and not always for the better, he said. Earlier this year, he returned home from a four-year prison term revoked time from an earlier gun charge, according to court records and seeing the escalating gun violence, wanted to make a change. With the kids and females getting hurt, I couldnt stand by and do nothing, he said. So far this year, 99 lives have been cut short by violence in the city. Eight were children; 13 women or girls. Hicks said hes trying to set a better example. Not only for his own children he has a 20-year-old son and two daughters, both 16, and a baby on the way but to kids in the neighborhood. If they see me doing good, hopefully this will start a trend, he said. Tymesha Weston, pregnant with his fourth child, dressed as a reindeer in a brown onesie for the giveaway, said she was proud of Hicks. Hes come a long way, she said. If youre looking for a measure, if only symbolic, of legislative supremacy to the executive branch, look to the inaugural ceremony: Technically, it is a session of the General Assembly, which will have been at work for three days before the swearing-in. The presiding officer at the inauguration is the Speaker of the House. This time: Republican Todd Gilbert. More than pageantry, power and policy are yardsticks of legislative sway of which a governor must be mindful even a governor of the party that controls one chamber or both. Plus, the political calendar and redistricting can rapidly diminish a governors ability to bend the General Assembly to his will. This ultimately means that, for a governor, the opportunities to be productive in the legacy sense of the word are fleeting. The first year, a governor familiarizes himself with the job and is pretty much stuck with his predecessors budget. The second and third years can be ascendant, with a governor writing a budget thats all his and could be shaped for good or ill by mid-term elections to the House and Senate. The fourth and final year is about choosing a governors successor. Chickahominy Pipeline held a virtual public meeting this month to try to address concerns by landowners about the pipeline going through their properties. Beth Minear, a company spokeswoman, said at that meeting that the company had not done a good job with outreach about the proposal. The company began sending letters to property owners in the summer, and government officials along the route said they had little to no information about the proposal. Im delighted, but not surprised, with the ruling, said Lynn Peace Wilson of Henrico County, who owns property in New Kent County along the proposed pipeline route and is worried about the health of the Chickahominy River if its built. From a vigilant citizens perspective, I count on the SCC to scrutinize complicated business and energy situations within the context of Virginia law. The Southern Environmental Law Center issued a news release praising the decision. UVa Student Affairs will provide students and parents with additional information about the mandate after the holidays. With the holiday break on the way, we are optimistic that the Feb. 1 deadline will give members of our community adequate time to schedule and receive their booster shots and to upload the required document, the administrators wrote. We also strongly encourage all students and faculty who will participate in 2022 January term courses to get a booster vaccine before courses begin on Jan. 3. Students, staff and faculty who have medical or religious exemptions from the vaccine requirement will remain exempt from the booster requirement. They must continue to comply with testing requirements and other public health policies. The administrators said the booster requirement is based on several developments involving COVID-19, including a recent surge in delta variant cases and the arrival of the even more contagious omicron variant. Virginia educators faced staffing shortages before the pandemic, which only intensified them. Teachers have lost state-mandated planning time and, if they teach elementary school, have few if any workforce-covered breaks. To add insult to injury, many also are covering for absent colleagues without fair compensation. By not fairly compensating our educators or providing them with the working conditions they need, weve been asking them to devalue themselves. This tells our students, who are a largely underserved population in Richmond Public Schools, that such an approach is acceptable and discourages self-advocacy. Those are certainly not lessons we want our children to be learning. Strong collective bargaining rights will now allow Richmonds educational staff members to be fairly treated, and are a vital tool in recruiting and retaining the high-quality people our children deserve. And when we talk about compensation, were not just talking about money. Educators also need and deserve adequate lunch time and breaks, along with unencumbered time at work as prescribed by state law. A satisfied educator is a better educator. And isnt that what we want? Congressman Tom Rice said he should have voted to certify Joe Biden as the winner of the Electoral College votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania. Rice, the Republican representing most of the Pee Dee and Grand Strand regions, said that in retrospect he would not have been one of the 121 Republicans to vote in favor of an objection to Arizonas results and 138 Republicans voting in favor of an objection to Pennsylvanias results. Because President Trump was responsible for the attack on the Capitol, Rice said, according to Politico. In the wee hours of that disgraceful night, while waiting for the Capitol of our great country to be secured, I knew I should vote to certify. But because I had made a public announcement of my intent to object, I did not want to go back on my word. So yeah, I regret my vote to object. Arizonas results indicate that Biden received 49.36% of the vote in Arizona Trump received 49.06% to win the states 11 Electoral College votes. Pennsylvanias results indicate that Biden received 50.01% of the vote compared to Trumps 48.84%. If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). More timely new Prison Policy Initiative briefings on the many challenges of incarceration | Main | With new OLC memo allowing home confinement cohort to stay home, what now of Prez Biden's nascent clemency efforts? As reported in this CBS News piece, "Japan hanged three death-row inmates on Tuesday, its first executions in two years, amid growing criticism by human rights groups of the country's use of the death penalty." Here is more about those executed and unique way Japan goes about carrying out death sentences: One of the three, Yasutaka Fujishiro, was convicted of killing seven people and setting fire to their house in 2004, while the other two, Tomoaki Takanezawa and Mitsunori Onogawa, were convicted in the 2003 killings of two pinball parlor employees. Executions are carried out in high secrecy in Japan, where prisoners are not informed of their fate until the morning they are hanged. Since 2007, Japan has begun disclosing the names of those executed and some details of their crimes, but information is still limited. Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa said at a news conference that the three had committed "extremely ghastly" crimes and the punishment was appropriate. Furukawa declined to comment on the timing of the executions, often carried out during the year-end holiday season when parliament is in recess, which opponents say is an attempt by the government to reduce criticism. Japan's parliament had its final session of the year on Tuesday. "As justice minister, I authorized their executions after giving extremely careful considerations again and again," Furukawa said. Japan now has 107 people on death row at detention centers, instead of regular prisons. It has maintained the death penalty despite growing international criticism, saying the punishment is needed to take into consideration the victims' feelings and as a deterrence for heinous crime. Japan and the U.S. are the only two countries in the Group of Seven industrialized nations that use capital punishment. A survey by the Japanese government showed an overwhelming majority of the public supports executions, Furukawa said. He defended the short notice given to inmates about to be executed, citing a "serious mental impact" on them if they learn their fate way in advance. Two death-row inmates recently filed a lawsuit against the government saying the system causes psychological distress and seeking compensation over mental suffering from living in uncertainty until the last day of their lives.... The executions were the first since Dec. 26, 2019, when a Chinese citizen convicted in the 2003 killing of a family of four in Fukuoka was put to death. He was one of three hanged that year. In 2018, Japan executed 15, including 13 Aum Shinrikyo cult members convicted in a deadly 1995 nerve gas attack on Tokyo's subways. VATICAN CITY (AP) Pope Francis has greeted an Afghan family he met during a visit this month to a refugee camp in Greece and who he helped resettle to Italy because the youngest child needs medical care. Francis greeted the family at the end of his general audience Wednesday, during which he once again urged European countries to share the responsibility of welcoming in migrants. All you need to do is open a door. The door of the heart. Lets not miss doing it this Christmas, he said. Francis had stressed that message during his Dec. 2-6 visit to Cyprus and Greece, most poignantly when he met with refugees at a camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. It was his first trip back to Lesbos since he he brought back a dozen Syrian refugees aboard his plane at the end of a 2016 visit. While there, he learned of the health care needs of the 1 1/2-year-old Afghan boy. The Vatican didn't identify the family or say what medical care he needs. He had scrambled onto the steps of the Vatican audience hall and was sitting there when the pope arrived for the encounter Wednesday morning. The Vatican, working with the Rome-based Catholic charity SantEgidio charity, has also transferred to Italy the first dozen of an expected 50 asylum-seekers from Cyprus, mostly from Africa and Syria. Follow all AP stories on global migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DES MOINES -- While Iowans are gathering with loved ones and friends for the holidays, the state --- like so many others in the nation --- is experiencing yet another surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. The latest surge is fueled by the virus omicron variant --- which early research suggests is far more transmissible --- is once again putting severe stress on Iowas health care systems. Once again, hospitals are overflowing and health care professionals are over-worked. COVID-related hospitalizations in Iowa are higher than they have been since December 2020, when the state was just beginning to come back down from the worst surge of the pandemic, according to state data. Those hospitalizations are being driven by unvaccinated individuals. Those who are not fully vaccinated account for nearly 9 out of every 10 COVID patients in intensive care, and more than 4 out of every 5 COVID patients overall, according to state figures. In Iowa, 62.5% of people eligible to get the COVID vaccines --- those who are 5 years and older --- are fully vaccinated, which is the 26th-highest rate in the country, according to federal data. And 44.8% of Iowa adults who are fully vaccinated have also received a booster shot; thats the fourth-best rate in the nation, according to federal data. With COVID once again surging during the holiday season, the Des Moines Bureau asked medical experts from across the state to answer questions about how Iowans can be safe in the coming weeks. SHOULD UNVACCINATED IOWANS TRAVEL OR GATHER WITH FAMILY DURING THE HOLIDAYS? Dr. Jeremy Granger, medical director at UnityPoint Clinic in Sioux City: In order to keep our families and communities safe, it is not recommended that unvaccinated Iowans travel or attend in-person gatherings during the holidays. However, if folks who are unvaccinated decide to do these things, they should wear a mask around others and in public places and practice good hand hygiene. Dr. Timothy Horrigan, MercyOne Waverly Family Medicine: Unvaccinated adults place themselves at very high risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus (both the delta and omicron variants) anyplace they travel without a mask or by gathering in a crowd. Unvaccinated adults are particularly vulnerable to exposure of the COVID-19 virus when gathering indoors without a mask and participating in high-exposure activities, such as eating meals. IS IT SAFE FOR VACCINATED IOWANS TO TRAVEL AND GATHER WITH FAMILIES? Dr. Dustin Arnold, chief medical officer, UnityPoint Health in Cedar Rapids: The vaccine does protect against acquiring COVD-19 (by) reducing the risk of hospitalization and death. I would recommend masking and social distancing when possible while traveling. Dr. Russel Adams, UnityPoint Health Allen Hospital in Waterloo: Travel during these times is not 100% safe, but Iowans who are fully vaccinated coupled with having the booster injection if appropriate have less risk with air travel. Masking and social distancing when possible coupled with hand hygiene remain important, however. IS IT SAFE FOR VACCINATED IOWANS TO GATHER WITH UNVACCINATED INDIVIDUALS? Dr. Jeremy Granger, medical director at UnityPoint Clinic in Sioux City: Those who have been fully vaccinated, and received the booster if appropriate, definitely have an added layer of protection against COVID-19 this holiday season. The safest possible scenario would be that every person attending the family gathering is also vaccinated, and we should still consider keeping the gatherings on the smaller side this year. If members of the family are still unvaccinated, you may want to consider a virtual gathering. Dr. Timothy Horrigan, MercyOne Waverly Family Medicine: Breakthrough infections are always a possibility for vaccinated adults. These infections can include all the usual symptoms of fever, cough and body aches, which can result in time off work or time away from family. SHOULD IOWANS GET A COVID TEST BEFORE ATTENDING A GATHERING? Dr. Dustin Arnold, chief medical officer, UnityPoint Health in Cedar Rapids: Testing provides some reassurance. However, there are false negatives, so social distancing and masking and having good air movement is probably more efficacious in reducing transmission. Dr. Jeff Brock, MercyOne Infection Prevention in Des Moines: Those who are vaccinated do not need to test before gathering with family members unless they have had a recent close exposure to someone diagnosed with COVID-19, have any symptoms of infection, or just want to test to reduce the risk of exposing someone at high risk who has a weakened immune system. Testing is advisable for unvaccinated individuals before gatherings. WHAT OTHER MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR IOWANS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON? Dr. Russel Adams, UnityPoint Health Allen Hospital in Waterloo: Fully vaccinated with booster individuals still have risk of travel --- however the risk is less, but it remains important to wear a mask, social distance and hand wash frequently. Avoidance of exposure to individuals that are not vaccinated is very important. The safest plan is to not travel, but of course this option is difficult, especially during holidays and for the emotional and spiritual well-being. Dr. Jeff Brock, MercyOne Infection Prevention in Des Moines: The omicron variant is now the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the U.S. and it is spreading rapidly. While we still have a lot to learn about this new variant, we can help reduce transmission and slow this virus down through vaccination. Getting fully vaccinated, including the COVID-19 booster dose for those who are eligible, can help reduce the risk of becoming seriously ill. Dr. Jeremy Granger, medical director at UnityPoint Clinic in Sioux City: We recognize that its been a long 20 months and people are anxious to gather in person with their friends and families. Its extremely important at this time to remind the public that COVID-19 is still present in our communities, and that being fully vaccinated is your safest and most effective line of defense against this virus. Sarah Ekstrand, spokeswoman, Iowa Department of Public Health: Getting vaccinated is the best thing Iowans can do to protect themselves and their families from the risk of severe illness, hospitalization or death from a COVID-19 infection. Any Iowan who has questions about the vaccine should discuss them with their health care provider. Iowans should stay home if they are sick and seek testing if they have symptoms or are exposed to a COVID positive individual. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1 Editor's note: Leonard Pitts is on vacation. His column returns on Jan. 4. Today, we are substituting Mary Sanchez. The cadaver dogs were busy performing the grim duties of their training when the opportunists leapt into action. They couldn't let a catastrophic loss of human life get in the way of pitching a hefty dose of politically expedient, anti-science rhetoric. To which countless others shook our heads and asked, "Is nothing sacred?" The deaths and devastation by tornadoes across multiple states, but especially in Kentucky, are hard to comprehend. It's one thing to know the escalating number of fatalities _ more than 80 at this writing, with dozens still missing _ and to also assess the leveled blocks of homes and businesses. But to carry the grief, the economic consequences and simply the sense of helplessness of such a tragedy, well, that's impossible for anyone but the people living it. Coping with something of that magnitude is personal. That fact alone ought to make it somewhat sacrosanct. Which is why the easy takes, the slaps at old rivals, were so numbingly predictable and at the same time, disappointing. The attacks cut both ways; hard left and hard right. Fox News published an article under the headline "Biden uses tornado tragedy to push climate agenda, suggests storms are 'consequence of the warming" not even 24 hours after a tornado raced for 200-miles through six states. Note the word "suggests" in the headline. The first line claimed that Biden "used the tragedy to further his own beliefs on climate change." No, the president was nuanced and accurate. When asked by reporters if he could conclude that the tornadoes had been due to climate change, he'd said that it was too early to know for sure. He said that he planned to (gasp!) seek the advice of experts. Then there was those who rushed to social media to jeer at Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell, both Senators for Kentucky, for past stinginess when authorizing help for other communities in times of disaster also deserve chastising. NPR, among others, came out with the incredibly clearheaded, spot-on article, which was headlined: "The exact link between tornadoes and climate change is hard to draw. Here's why" Scientists say that it's far from clear how tornadoes might be, or if they are, directly affected by the human-induced warming of the planet. But they suspect that the intensity and frequency of the tornadoes might be impacted. Did the uncertainty of that statement make you cringe? Remember that feeling. It could be a reaction to guide how you absorb information. Scientists are constantly learning more about climate change and how it affects our weather. And for people who are extremely linear thinkers, sometimes shifting information means it's suspicious information. They're uncomfortable with differing answers all being correct, depending upon what was known at the time. Stir in a politicized read on an issue or headline grabbing event, and it's easy to see how quickly what should remain a scientific assessment, begins to morph. There's a path forward here. For the masses of the public who are neither adamant climate deniers, nor pounding the pulpit with tomes of irreversible apocalyptic doom. Simply become more thoughtful. Not conspiracy laden in the face of tragedy, not pitched toward a narrative that favors a political team. But simply seek to be informed with the most accurate information available at the time and remain open to the reality that this too, could shift. Then send a prayer, a donation if possible, to Kentucky. It's the right answer for now. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SIOUX CITY -- A Sioux City man was arrested Monday and charged with helping another man assault a Woodbury County Jail inmate they had accused of being a snitch. Dustin Dimmick, 32, is charged with one count of willful injury. He is charged in the Jan. 20 assault of Nicholas Thompson in the jail. According to court documents, Beau Gries began punching and kicking Thompson, and Dimmick joined the assault. When Thompson tried to get up, he was thrown onto a cement staircase. During the assault, Gries and Dimmick accused Thompson of being a "rat" and a "snitch." Thompson was taken to the hospital and was diagnosed with a concussion and some loose teeth. He also suffered cuts and bruises. Gries pleaded guilty in May to willful injury and was sentenced to five years in prison, a sentence he's currently serving concurrent with a 15-year sentence on a drug conviction. Thompson was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for selling methamphetamine and five years in state prison on one count of forgery for possession of counterfeit $100 bills. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. LINCOLN, Neb. -- A Sioux City man pleaded guilty Wednesday to attempting to steal thousands of dollars from a credit union at the Tyson Foods plant in Dakota City. Mike Obed, 22, entered his plea in U.S. District Court in Lincoln to one count of robbery of a federal credit union. Sentencing was scheduled for March 16. Obed was found in the ceiling of the Siouxland Federal Credit Union satellite branch at Tyson after authorities responded three times to burglar alarms at the credit union in the early morning hours of June 11. Dakota County Sheriff's deputies found a damaged virtual teller machine and a piece of ceiling removed from inside the vault with a ladder set up under the hole. They found Obed hiding in the ceiling and a bag containing $218,000 in cash. A review of surveillance video showed a male in the vault room attempting to access the vault. During questioning, Obed told authorities he was a former Tyson employee and had used his identification card to gain entry into the plant, court documents said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SPENCER, Iowa -- A Spencer man pleaded guilty Wednesday to attempting to slit a woman's throat and stabbing her numerous times. District Judge Nancy Whittenburg sentenced Matthew Young, 25, to 30 years in prison after Young pleaded guilty in Clay County District Court to attempted murder and willful injury resulting in bodily injury. He must serve at least 17.5 years before he's eligible for parole. A charge of going armed with intent was dismissed as part of a plea agreement. Young stabbed Cassandra Bicking, 26, on Oct. 24 at a home in the 300 block of Grove Street in Royal, Iowa. Sheriff's deputies responding to a call of a stabbing found Bicking with multiple stab wounds. Young was arrested later in the day at his Spencer home. Young admitted in his written guilty plea that he tried to kill Bicking by trying to slit her throat and stab her in the chest. He stabbed her several times, causing injuries to her arms, neck and torso that required staples, stitches and multiple surgeries. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- MercyOne physicians are advising all eligible people 6 months and older to get a flu shot. The health system said in a statement that flu vaccinations across the country and the state of Iowa are significantly lower than a year ago. With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations once again rising, controlling flu cases is expected to play a key role again in keeping health care resources available, according to the statement. "In 2020, we essentially had no influenza season because we were practicing COVID-19 mitigation measures, like masking, and had significant increases in influenza vaccinations," said Dr. Steven Joyce, a MercyOne Internal Medicine and Pediatrics physician. "This year, most mitigation measures are not being practiced and large gatherings have resumed. So far, influenza vaccination rates are woefully inadequate to provide community protection." Iowa Department of Public Health data shows Iowa flu vaccination is down. Presently, 28.7% of Iowans ages 6 months and older are vaccinated compared to 38.5% receiving flu shots for the 2020-2021 flu season. Breaking that down even more, 21.1% of Woodbury County residents are currently vaccinated compared to 36% for the 2020-2021 flu season. With holiday gatherings ahead, the statement said MercyOne is confident in the safety of the flu vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration. "Receiving a flu shot can help prevent getting sick with the flu. While a flu infection is still possible, the vaccine can help reduce symptoms and the need for hospitalization," the statement said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY Individual household in Woodbury County can apply for disaster assistance for damages caused by the Dec. 15 derecho. The storm that swept through Iowa caused damage to houses throughout the county and surrounding areas. Last week, Gov. Kim Reynolds added Woodbury County to the disaster proclamation. Individuals and households can apply for the Individual Disaster Assistance Grant Program and the Iowa Disaster Case Management Program through Community Action Agency of Siouxland in Sioux City. The Individual Disaster Assistance Program offers grants to families at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Qualifying households could receive up to $5,000 in lost property. Many items do have a maximum reimbursement amount. For example, there is a $700 maximum for large kitchen appliances, $500 per person limit on bedroom furnishings and $500 on vehicle repair. The program also covers loss of food, up to $50 for one person and $25 for each additional family member. The application is available at https://bit.ly/3IZ2f1c. Woodbury County Emergency Management is also still requesting all households in the county that received damage to report it at https://bit.ly/32hJCVs. "By doing so, officials will be able to better assess the total amount of damage caused by the storms," according to a Woodbury County emergency management press release. As part of the Disaster Case Management program, Community Action Agency of Siouxland will help connect individuals with resources needed as part of the recovery process. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. FULSHEAR, Texas (AP) Two people were killed after a small plane collided with a paraglider Tuesday morning near Houston, officials said. The single-engine Cessna 208 had taken off from Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston when it collided midair with the paraglider at around 9:40 a.m. about 50 miles (80 km) to the southwest near Fulshear, Texas, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. One person was on board each aircraft, the FAA said. The paraglider landed in the yard of a home while the plane crashed nearby, close to a shooting range, according to the Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Constable's Office. The names of the two individuals who were killed were not immediately released by the Fort Bend County Medical Examiner's Office. The plane had been headed to Victoria, Texas, about 140 miles (225 km) southwest of Houston. The FAA and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MIAMI (AP) Two travelers are facing charges following a brawl with police at Miami International Airport, authorities said. Mayfrer Serranopaca, 30, of Kissimmee, Florida, and Alberto Yanez Suarez, 32, of Odessa, Texas, were arrested in Concourse H following Monday evening's fight, according to Miami-Dade police reports. They were each charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest, while Serranopaca also faces six additional counts that include burglary and inciting a riot. MIA Director and CEO Ralph Cutie said in a statement that the airport is experiencing record-high passenger numbers this winter travel season. Unfortunately, that passenger growth has come with a record-high increase nationwide in bad behavior as well, such as the incident this evening at MIA, Cutie said Monday. Disruptive passengers face police arrest, civil penalties up to $37,000, being banned from flying, and potential federal prosecution. Monday's confrontation, which was captured on video by another traveler, began when Serranopaca hopped onto a cart driven by an airport employee and refused to move until the worker gave him information about his delayed flight, according to the arrest report. The employee said he didn't work for the airline and didn't have any information about the flight. The worker eventually called for airport police. Two officers responded and tried to calm Serranopaca, police said. Serranopaca attempted to incite the nearby crowd and began to fight with the officers, biting one of them on the head, authorities said. At one point, an officer broke free of the struggle and drew his firearm, though no shots were fired, police said. As additional officers arrived and attempted to take Serranopaca into custody, officials said Yanez Suarez intervened and attempted to pull the police off of Serranopaca, prompting officers to arrest him, as well. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue treated Serranopaca and the bitten officer at the scene, officials said. Serranopaca was being held on $29,500 bond, and Yanez Suarez was later freed on $15,000 bond. A defense attorney for Serranopaca didn't immediately respond to a message seeking comment from The Associated Press. Court and jail records didn't list an attorney for Yanez Suarez. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BELVIDERE, Ill. (AP) Police in northern Illinois are investigating the apparent shooting deaths of a man and his two young sons as a triple homicide and are searching for the man's missing vehicle. Officers found the bodies of Andrew Hintt, 31, and his two sons, 5 and 7, at their home in Belvidere on Sunday night, police said Monday. Autopsies are pending. Four shell casings were found at the scene, but no weapons have been recovered, police said. The bodies were found after the boys' mother contacted the landlord to say she had not heard from anyone in the family. The landlord called 911 and officers responded, police said. Belvidere Police Chief Shane Woody said the deaths are being investigated as a triple homicide. Whoever did this horrific act is truly evil, he said Monday during a news conference. Belvidere is about 70 miles (110 kilometers) northwest of Chicago. Officers are searching for Hintts vehicle, a silver or gray 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk with Illinois registration: CT92923. An online effort to pay for memorial services had raised more than $24,000 by Tuesday night. These boys were energetic, loving, and they brought a smile to those around them," the GoFundMe page says. Their passing has left their friends and families with a void that will never heal. Police asked anyone who knows anything about the vehicle's whereabouts or anything else regarding the case to contact the Belvidere Police Department at 815-544-2135 or Boone County Crime Stoppers at 815-547-7867. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BEIJING (AP) Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday endorsed Hong Kongs first legislative elections held under new laws ensuring that only patriots who have shown loyalty to Beijing could run as candidates. Sundays elections for the 90-seat Legislative Council were swept by politicians backed by Chinas ruling Communist Party. Just 20 seats were directly elected, and the turnout of 30.2% was the lowest since the British handed Hong Kong over to China in 1997. All candidates were vetted by a largely pro-Beijing committee before they could be nominated. Xi told Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie in Beijing on Wednesday that after the elections, he is certain Hong Kongers will join in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The execution of the new election system adheres to the one country, two systems principle," Xi said, referring to the increasingly threadbare framework under which Hong Kong was to retain its own political, social and financial institutions for 50 years after being transferred from British rule. Our fellow Hong Kong citizens will promote the glorious tradition of loving their country and Hong Kong," Xi said. The elections had been postponed for a year ostensibly due to a spike in COVID-19 cases after the opposition swept elections for district counselors. They followed widespread and increasingly violent anti-government protests in 2019 that prompted Beijing to impose a sweeping National Security Law on Hong Kong, followed by a reorganization of the electoral process and transformation of the makeup of the Legislative Council to stack it with pro-Beijing loyalists. The opposition camp criticized the elections, with the largest pro-democracy party, the Democratic Party, fielding no candidates for the first time since the 1997 handover. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Monday there were multiple reasons for the decline in voter turnout. It is not only the impact of the pandemic, but also the disruption and sabotage of anti-China elements in Hong Kong and external forces, Zhao said at a daily briefing. Some overseas pro-democracy activists, including London-based Nathan Law, had urged a boycott of the vote, saying the elections were undemocratic. Under the new election laws, incitement to boycott the voting or to cast invalid votes could be punished by up to three years in jail and a 200,000 Hong Kong dollar ($26,500) fine. Prior to her departure for Beijing, Lam, who is under a U.S. visa ban, said she expected to cover a wide range of issues on this particular duty visit because through two very decisive acts of the central authorities, Hong Kong is now back on the right track of one country, two systems.'" In a joint statement released by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the foreign ministers of Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States expressed grave concern over the erosion of democratic elements of Hong Kongs electoral system and growing restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly. Protecting space for peaceful alternative views is the most effective way to ensure the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong, they said. Responding to the criticisms following her meetings Wednesday, Lam called them groundless" and said Xi had refuted" them. The elections will serve Hong Kongs interests better and will be a very good start for Hong Kongs future democratic process, Lam said. She quoted Xi as saying the elections brought the territory more in line with the real status of Hong Kong as a special administrative region under the principle of one country, two systems,'" and would lead Hong Kong to a more democratic society. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) Bosnian officials and religious leaders on Wednesday denounced suggestions voiced by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his spokesman that the integration of Bosnia into the European Union will be challenging because of its large Muslim population. Orbans spokesman Zoltan Kovacs has tweeted that the challenge with Bosnia is how to integrate a country with 2 million Muslims. During his long speech on Tuesday in Budapest, right-wing populist Orban said Hungary supports Bosnias EU bid, adding that as an EU member, Hungary had to mobilize a lot of energy to overcome the enlargement fatigue that has taken hold of the European Union. I am doing my best to convince Europes great leaders that the Balkans may be further away from them than from Hungary, but how we manage the security of a state in which 2 million Muslims live is a key issue for their security too. Reaction in Bosnia was sharp, with some Bosniak parties asking for a ban on Orbans planned official visit to Sarajevo and the head of the Islamic community, Grand Mufti Husein Kavazovic, calling his statement xenophobic and racist. If such ideologies become the basis on which the policies of a united Europe are based, then it takes us back to the times when the European unity was to be build on similar fascist, Nazi, violent and genocidal ideologies that led to the Holocaust and other horrific crimes, he said in a statement. The Bosniak member of the countrys tripartite presidency, Sefik Dzaferovic, called Orbans statement shameful and rude. It is not a challenge for the EU to integrate 2 million (Bosnian) Muslims, because we are an indigenous European people who have always lived here and we are Europeans, he said. Bosnia, which is made up of Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats, is going through its gravest political crisis since the end of the civil war in the 1990s. With tacit support from Russia and Serbia, Bosnian Serbs are threatening to form their own army, judiciary and tax authority, reviving fears of another bloody breakup of the Balkan country. During his speech on Tuesday, Orban also said Hungary wouldn't support EU sanctions against Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik as threatened by Germany and some other member states because of his separatist stands. Sarajevo has lost its nerve, it is attacking everyone -- Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, now Hungary. Not to mention Russia, Dodik said Wednesday, referring to support he has allegedly received from those countries. Orban has been known for his anti-migration policies, claiming Muslim migrants are the greatest threat to Europes Christian values. He has also been supporting quick accession of Serbia into the EU despite the increasingly autocratic policies of his ally, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. More than 100,000 people were killed and millions were left homeless during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia when Bosnian Serbs tried to create ethnically pure territories in order to join them with neighboring Serbia. Associated Press writers Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade, Serbia, and Justin Spike in Budapest, Hungary, contributed to this report. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WASHINGTON (AP) Mitch McConnell is done with subtleties. The Senate Republican leader is putting his party's courtship of Joe Manchin on full public display after the West Virginia Democrat's fractious split with the White House over the presidents big social and environmental spending package. McConnell says Manchin feels like a man alone and if he were to switch parties, he would be joining a lot of folks who have similar views on a whole range of issues. Whether Manchin is open to McConnell's appeal he has consistently said he still sees himself as a Democrat is uncertain. But it is clear that if he were to switch it would fundamentally alter the balance of power in Washington as well as seriously threaten Joe Biden's legislative prospects for the rest of his presidency. McConnell dangled the prospect of Manchin retaining his prized Energy Committee chairmanship during an interview Wednesday and played up the West Virginian's growing distance from Democrats in his opposition to Biden's package. A flip by Manchin would give Republicans control of the Senate and effectively end any chance of Democrats being able to get legislation or nominations through on party-line votes. The rift escalated after Manchin said over the weekend that he couldn't vote for the social spending package that Democrats have pitched as their top domestic priority going into next year's elections. I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just cant. Ive tried everything humanly possible. I cant get there, Manchin told Fox News Sunday." That prompted a sharply worded response from White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who said Manchin had in person given Biden a written proposal that was the same size and scope as a framework for the bill that Democrats rallied behind in October and that he had agreed to continue talks. We will continue to press him to see if he will reverse his position yet again, to honor his prior commitments and be true to his word, Psaki said. The White House had basically called Manchin a liar, McConnell said in a radio appearance on the Hugh Hewitt Show. "It was astonishing. Usually when youve got a member who is a little bit out of sync with everybody else, you give them a lot of love. They did exactly the opposite," McConnell said. He said he's had conversations over the years with Manchin about his party affiliation. "If he were to join us, he would be joining a lot of folks who have similar views on a whole range of issues. One big obstacle to a party switch would be Manchins vote in February in favor of the impeachment of former President Donald Trump for his actions during the violent insurrection at the Capitol. West Virginia voted for Trump by more than 2-to-1, and Trump has called for defeating Republicans who voted for impeachment. But Manchin, the only Democrat in his state's congressional delegation, is popular back home. He was twice elected governor before his election to the Senate in 2010. He'll be up for re-election in 2024 should he decide to seek another term. West Virginia is still coal country, and Democrat Manchin is chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. If he were to switch parties, McConnell and the Republicans could choose a new chairman. Thats something we have talked to him about," McConnell said. "Obviously, I'm sure he enjoyed being a chair of the committee. It's important to West Virginia, and all of those things are things we have discussed. McConnell also addressed questions about Manchin in an interview late Wednesday on Fox News, saying he admired Manchin's stand on the social spending package. I think they will keep coming back to him. Ive suggested a good solution to his problem would be to come across the aisle and join us where he would be treated with respect," McConnell said. Manchin has long faced questions about his place in the Democratic Party, and the talk took on fresh urgency in October when a Mother Jones article said he had been telling associates he was seriously considering leaving the party. But six days after the article was published, while sitting down with the Economic Club in Washington, Manchin rejected the reports, saying I dont think the Rs would be any happier with me than Ds are right now. He added, So I dont know where in the hell I belong. The question has been posed to him repeatedly in the past few weeks, coming to a breaking point Monday morning, hours after he had publicly voiced his opposition to Bidens bill. I would like to hope that there are still Democrats that feel like I do," he said. Im fiscally responsible and socially compassionate. "Now, if theres no Democrats like that, then they have to push me wherever they want. Party switching in the Senate is rare but has been consequential. Republicans lost control of the Senate two decades ago when James Jeffords of Vermont quit the party to become an independent. Jeffords, upset with President George W. Bushs opposition to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, declared in May of 2001 that he would leave and caucus with the Democrats. McConnell said Jeffords had become very uncomfortable on our side." He said Republican lawmakers courted him because we were always fearful he would do exactly what he ended up doing. So, no, I mean, we certainly didn't do anything like the White House did to Joe Manchin the other day." While all this swirls, Biden is making clear that he believes he can still reach an agreement with the West Virginian on a social spending package. Senator Manchin and I are going to get something done," Biden declared at the White House on Tuesday. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 TRENTON, N.J. (AP) The bipartisan New Jersey commission charged with drawing the boundaries for congressional districts for the next decade voted Wednesday to approve a map put forward by Democrats. The vote was 7-6, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed. Former Supreme Court Justice John Wallace, the 13th and tiebreaking member of the commission, sided with Democrats. He said the decision came down to the Republican map winning 10 years ago and that, to be fair, Democrats should win this time. The new map could result in a nine to three Democratic advantage in the state's 12 U.S. House seats, according to the GOP, though the Democrats did not concede the breakdown. Currently, Democrats hold 10 seats to the GOP's two. Before Democratic pickups up in 2016 and 2018, the map was split evenly, with Democrats and Republicans each holding six seats. Democratic commission chairwoman Janice Fuller said her party was uncomfortably comfortable with the outcome. She said she didn't consider the map to unfairly benefit Democrats and suggested there was political risk for some incumbent Democrats. We did not go in with an extreme gerrymandered partisan Democratic map that we were gonna tweak at the edges, she said. Republican commission chairman Doug Steinhardt said he was disappointed with the vote which he said was the antithesis of empowering voters. Among the changes reflected in the new map is a reshuffle of the typically competitive 3rd District, which previously included Burlington and Ocean counties and is represented by Democratic Rep. Andy Kim. Ocean County was removed entirely from the district and replaced with parts of Mercer and Monmouth, which could help him in a reelection effort as Ocean County is a GOP stronghold. Kim's victory in 2018 was a Democratic gain from Republicans. Another change is the addition of all of GOP-leaning Warren County to the 7th District, which is currently represented by Democrat Tom Malinowski. Malinowski picked up the seat in 2018 for the Democrats, defeating Republican Leonard Lance. The 5th District, where Democrat Josh Gottheimer unseated a Republican incumbent in 2016, no longer has Warren County towns but added a few in Bergen County, the state's biggest county where Democrats have performed well recently. Wallace said he used a handful of criteria to guide his decision, including that boundaries should be geographically whole where possible, and that political subdivisions by town should be maintained. He also said to conform with the federal Voting Rights Act, the map must have sufficient numbers of majority minority districts or places where nonwhite voters are in the majority and that competitive districts should be favored. In the end I decided to vote for the Democratic map simply because the last redistricting map was drawn by Republicans, he said. Steinhardt said after the meeting that Wallace amounted to a 7th Democratic member instead of a true independent. Wallace was selected as the 13th member of the committee by the state Supreme Court under the constitution after the two parties failed to reach a consensus on the tie-breaking member. His name was put forward by Democrats. Republicans had submitted their own candidate for consideration. Micah Rasmussen, the director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, said it was hard to ignore the fact that Democrats have such a big registration advantage over Republicans. We have a million more Democrats than Republicans. There are only so many ways to mask the impact of that with competitive districts. You cant negate that kind of a profound disparity in registration. Youre gonna wind up with a map thats gonna have a Democratic advantage no matter what, he said. Wednesdays vote is a result of the federal census, which happens every 10 years, and the requirement that seats in the House be allotted to states based on their population. New Jerseys population grew from 8.8 million people a decade ago to 9.3 million, a nearly 6% increase. The number of House seats, though, remained unchanged at 12. The commission wrapped up its work early after holding 10 public hearings, some remotely and some in-person. The state constitution gives New Jersey until Jan. 18 to certify its map. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) An Iowa man charged earlier for his participation in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was arraigned Tuesday on a new federal indictment that includes a felony count that could carry up to 20 years in prison. Leo Christopher Kelly, 36, of Cedar Rapids, who has been free on pretrial release, appeared via video for his arraignment. His attorney, Kira West, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. The most serious of the seven charges Kelly faces is obstruction of an official proceeding. Two other charges of entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct in a restricted building carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. The remaining charges are misdemeanors carrying up to six months in prison. A plea agreement apparently is no longer under consideration, according to the information that prosecutor Michael Gordon James provided Judge Royce Lamberth during the hearing. The parties have discussed a negotiated plea but that will not occur in this case so this matter should be set for trial, James said. Lamberth said he will set at trial date later. He scheduled a status update hearing for Feb. 25. Kelly was arrested in Iowa on Jan. 18 after participating in an internet interview with members of an anti-abortion organization. Kelly said he followed the Jan. 6 crowd into the U.S. Senate chamber, where he said he remained for 30 minutes to an hour. Kelly said he was caught up in the moment, but that he wasnt armed and didnt vandalize anything. He was released Jan. 19 by a federal magistrate who noted his extremely limited criminal history. Federal prosecutors issued a new indictment on Dec. 3. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A jury pushed through its third day of deliberations with no verdict Wednesday at the trial of a suburban Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed Black motorist Daunte Wright. The court reported no questions from the jury at Kim Potter's trial, a day after jurors asked Judge Regina Chu what to do if they couldn't agree and she told them to continue deliberating. They got the case about midday Monday. Potter, who is white, said she meant to use her Taser on Wright rather than her gun. She is charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter. If convicted of the most serious charge, Potter, 49, would face a sentence of about seven years under state guidelines, though prosecutors have said they will seek more. The judge has ordered that the mostly white jury be sequestered during deliberations meaning the jurors remain under the courts supervision in an undisclosed hotel and cannot return home until they have reached a verdict or the judge has determined they cant reach one. However, Chu told jurors at the start of the trial that they would have time off on Christmas Eve and over the Christmas weekend. She has not indicated that she would change that plan if deliberations were ongoing. I think the holiday will put pressure on them to agree, Joe Friedberg, a Minneapolis defense attorney who is not involved in the case but is following it, said Wednesday. Jurors had also asked Chu on Tuesday if they could handle the officer's handgun, and she said yes. Prosecutors had told jurors they would be able to handle both Potter's gun and Taser, but the gun arrived in the jury room secured into an evidence box with zip ties. During closing arguments, prosecutors accused Potter of a blunder of epic proportions in Wright's death in an April 11 traffic stop but said a mistake was no defense. Potter's attorneys countered that Wright, who was attempting to get away from officers as they sought to handcuff him for an outstanding warrant on a weapons charge, caused the whole incident. Wright's death set off angry protests in Brooklyn Center just as nearby Minneapolis was on edge over Derek Chauvin's trial in George Floyd's death. Potter, who resigned two days after Wright's death, testified Friday that she didnt want to hurt anybody and that she was sorry it happened." Chu told jurors that the state doesnt have to prove Potter tried to kill Wright. The judge said for first-degree manslaughter, prosecutors must prove that Potter caused Wrights death while committing the crime of reckless handling of a firearm. This means they must prove that she committed a conscious or intentional act while handling or using a firearm that creates a substantial or unjustifiable risk that she was aware of and disregarded, and that she endangered safety. For second-degree manslaughter, prosecutors must prove she acted with culpable negligence, meaning she consciously took a chance of causing death or great bodily harm. Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin. Associated Press writer Kathleen Foody in Chicago contributed to this story. 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Jurors weighing the case of the suburban Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed Black motorist Daunte Wright asked the judge after a full day of deliberations Tuesday what they should do if they cant reach a verdict. Judge Regina Chu told them to continue working, as was explained in the initial instructions she gave them. The jurors resumed deliberations for about 90 more minutes, then ended for the day shortly after 6 p.m. The jury also deliberated for about five hours on Monday. Former Brooklyn Center officer Kim Potter, who is white, is charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter. If convicted of the most serious charge, Potter, 49, would face a sentence of about seven years under state guidelines, though prosecutors have said they will seek more. Potter said she meant to use her Taser on Wright rather than her gun, and the jurors also asked if they could remove zip ties keeping Potters gun in an evidence box so they could hold it. The judge said they could, overruling an objection from Potter attorney Paul Engh that the gun should remain in the box for safety purposes. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence on the differences between the gun and the Taser, including weight, feel, size, color, and that the gun was holstered on Potter's right side and the Taser on her left. Prosecutor Erin Eldridge said in her closing argument that the jurors would be able to hold both the Taser and the gun to compare them, to get a feel for the two, and to get a sense of all those differences that you heard about in court, and see for yourselves how different they really are. The jury's question about deliberating, read in court by Chu, said: If the jury cannot reach consensus, what is the guidance around how long and what steps should be taken? The judge then reread from the jury instructions, telling the jurors to continue to discuss the case with one another and deliberate with a view toward reaching agreement if you can do so without violating your individual judgment. Potter's attorneys objected to the judge rereading that instruction, arguing that doing so inappropriately emphasized that paragraph over the rest of the instructions. Chu overruled. Rachel Moran, a professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, noted that the jurors didnt say they were at an impasse. Judge (Regina) Chu is going to let them keep deliberating if they dont express concern or distress about how its going, Moran said. The judge has ordered that the jury be sequestered during deliberations meaning they remain under the courts supervision in an undisclosed hotel and cannot return home until they have reached a verdict or the judge has determined they can't reach one. Her order allows them to communicate with family members as long as they avoid discussing the trial. During closing arguments, prosecutors accused Potter of a blunder of epic proportions in Wright's death in an April 11 traffic stop but said a mistake was no defense. Potter's attorneys countered that Wright, who was attempting to get away from officers as they sought to handcuff him for an outstanding warrant on a weapons charge, caused the whole incident. The mostly white jury got the case after about a week and a half of testimony about an arrest that went awry, setting off angry protests in Brooklyn Center just as nearby Minneapolis was on edge over Derek Chauvin's trial in George Floyd's death. Potter resigned two days after Wright's death. Eldridge called Wrights death entirely preventable. Totally avoidable. She urged the jury not to excuse it as a mistake: "Accidents can still be crimes if they occur as a result of reckless or culpable negligence." Potter attorney Earl Gray argued that Wright was to blame for trying to flee from police. Potter mistakenly grabbed her gun instead of her Taser because the traffic stop was chaos, he said. Potter testified Friday that she didnt want to hurt anybody and that she was sorry it happened." Chu told jurors that intent is not part of the charges and that the state doesnt have to prove Potter tried to kill Wright. The judge said for first-degree manslaughter, prosecutors must prove that Potter caused Wrights death while committing the crime of reckless handling of a firearm. This means they must prove that she committed a conscious or intentional act while handling or using a firearm that creates a substantial or unjustifiable risk that she was aware of and disregarded, and that she endangered safety. For second-degree manslaughter, prosecutors must prove she acted with culpable negligence, meaning she consciously took a chance of causing death or great bodily harm. Associated Press writer Kathleen Foody in Chicago contributed to this story. Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin. 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A federal labor board is reviewing a decision by one of its regional officials to deny a union from trying to organize fewer than 100 of the thousands of employees at Nissan's auto assembly plant in Tennessee. A 3-2 decision Tuesday by the National Labor Relations Board now with a Democratic majority under President Joe Biden ordered a review of the June ruling that prevented a vote limited to 87 tool and die technicians at Nissans Smyrna plant, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) outside Nashville. The NLRB's new order says the decision by an acting regional director raises substantial issues warranting review. The regional official ruled against the smaller bloc vote after finding the few dozen workers share an overwhelming community of interest with the rest of the facilitys production and maintenance workers, and that the only appropriate unionized group through the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers campaign would be one representing about 4,300 plantwide production and maintenance workers. The union did not want the larger vote and didn't pursue it. Three Democratic NLRB members picked by President Joe Biden voted to review that ruling. Two Republican members selected by former President Donald Trump voted against it. The decision restores some hope for unions in what had been the latest failed foray in the uphill fight to gain traction at foreign-owned auto assembly plants in the traditionally anti-union South. The union has argued that the 87 employees sought for a bargaining unit have extremely specialized skills for a job that others at the plant cannot do and should be eligible for standalone representation. We are pleased to see the Board acknowledge the importance of this case, particularly within the scope of how employees choose to organize themselves under the NLRA," machinists union spokesperson DeLane Adams said. "Tool and Die Maintenance Technicians at Nissan Tennessee have fought hard for a union and deserve to have a voice on the job. Meanwhile, the company has contended that the employees are not sufficiently distinct from other plant workers to be eligible for their own small unionized subgroup. Nissan believes the Regional Directors decision is supported by the evidence," Nissan spokesperson Lloryn Love-Carter said. "Nissan remains committed to all of our employees before, during, and after the NLRBs process. Nissan does work with organized labor in the rest of the world, but votes to unionize broadly at the U.S. two plants have not been close. Workers in Smyrna rejected a plantwide union under the United Auto Workers in 2001 and 1989. The Japan-based automakers other U.S. assembly plant in Canton, Mississippi, rejected facilitywide representation by the UAW during a 2017 vote. The margin was much closer in 2014 and 2019 votes at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where workers twice rejected a factorywide union under the UAW. The year after the 2014 vote failed, a group of 160 Chattanooga maintenance workers won a vote to form a smaller union, but Volkswagen refused to bargain. The German automaker had argued the bargaining unit needed to include production workers as well. The dust-up led to the 2019 factorywide vote. Unions also have run into opposition from Republican politicians when they attempt to organize at foreign automakers in the South, including in Tennessee. Tennessee does have a big union presence at an American automaker: The General Motors plant in Spring Hill has about 3,000 production and skilled trades workers represented by UAW. There's also an open question about whether workers will unionize at four sprawling new factories planned by Ford in Kentucky and Tennessee by 2025, with an aim of hiring nearly 11,000 workers. Three of the plants two in Kentucky, one in Tennessee will be built with Fords South Korean corporate partner, SK Innovation, to produce electric vehicle batteries. A fourth, in Tennessee, will make electric F-Series pickup trucks. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CONCORD, N.H. (AP) The trial for a truck driver charged with causing the deaths of seven motorcyclists in northern New Hampshire in 2019 is now expected to start in July more than three years after the crash to give the defense more time to find and work with a crash reconstruction expert. Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 25, of West Springfield, Massachusetts, was days away from jury selection in November when his lawyers filed a motion saying they could no longer present their accident reconstruction expert at trial. Their decision was based on information prosecutors provided to them about the expert's prior employment with the Massachusetts State Police that referenced disciplinary actions. The expert had been working with the defense since August 2019. We've experienced significant difficulty in identifying an expert that's qualified, has appropriate resources and is willing to accept the case," defense lawyer Jay Duguay told Coos County Superior Court Judge Peter Bornstein during a status conference on the case Tuesday. Unfortunately, I learned this afternoon that one of our more optimistic prospects had indicated that they were not interested in taking the case. So I do have inquiries out, and we are waiting to hear back from some folks," Duguay said. Lawyers and Bornstein also talked about scheduling conflicts. Bornstein planned to issue an order Thursday with the new jury selection and trial dates. Another status conference was planned for January. Zhukovskyy pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of negligent homicide, manslaughter, driving under the influence and reckless conduct stemming from the crash that happened in Randolph on June 21, 2019. He has been in jail since the crash. The victims, members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club, were from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Spurred by social media posts about auto break-ins, a man confronted a couple in a suburban Omaha park this summer, shooting one of them on the mistaken belief that they were involved in the break-ins, authorities said. Manuel L. Mata, 25, has been arrested on suspicion of assault and weapons charges and is out on bail, according to court records. For the couple, Keelin Johnson and Shevaun Nelson, it was a terrifying experience wounded and injured, they knocked on multiple doors before getting help, all the while fearing that their assailant was hunting them. Court documents provide this account of what happened in the Aug. 22 shooting: Nelson told authorities that she and her boyfriend, Johnson, were test-driving his gold Honda Accord late on that summer Sunday night and stopped at a neighborhood park about 11 p.m. Within minutes of pulling into the parking lot of Stone Ridge Park, northwest of 156th Street and West Maple Road, the couple noticed a car a Dodge Challenger pull in behind them and block them in. A man got out of the passenger side, went to the trunk of his car and then approached the couple, coming up to Johnsons drivers side window. Nervous about what was to happen and watching the man approach his vehicle, Johnson put the car in drive. As the man asked Nelson and Johnson if they were from the area, Johnson saw that the man was holding a gun in his pants pocket. Believing that he was about to be shot or robbed, Johnson put his foot on the accelerator, drove over the curb and into the park. The man shot at the car, striking Johnson and causing him to crash the Honda into a tree. Johnson suffered a bullet wound in his upper back and a non-penetrating bullet wound in the back of his head. Nelson was bruised by the crash and had a long cut on her leg. Johnson and Nelson then fled their car and ran to neighboring houses seeking help. While they went to multiple homes, they could hear the mans loud car circling the neighborhood. Finally, they reached a home where someone agreed to call 911. Before the shooting, Mata had been following neighborhood posts about thefts from cars, including one that involved the woman he lived with. Those posts included video of a car that bore some similarity to the one Johnson and Nelson were in. But court documents say a close comparison of the video with the Johnsons car definitively demonstrated that Johnson and Nelson were not the depicted theft suspects. Through extensive detective work, authorities concluded that Mata was the person who fired on Johnsons vehicle, and they arrested him Dec. 10 without incident. None of those involved could be reached for comment. Matas next court date is a preliminary hearing in January. Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said Nebraska law restricts when deadly force can be used. The only time you can use deadly force is if youre in fear for your life or somebody elses, Kleine said, adding that he wasnt speaking directly about this case. You dont get to use deadly force even if its a theft situation, he said. If someone steals a bicycle off your front porch, you cant take a gun out and shoot them. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Joined by two members of Nebraska's congressional delegation, Gov. Pete Ricketts saluted the Nebraska National Guard on Wednesday during a celebration in the Capitol Rotunda marking its 167th birthday. "We would not have been able to get through this pandemic without the Nebraska National Guard," the governor said, pointing to its service in delivering supplies and assisting in early vaccination of Nebraskans. And during the year before that, Ricketts noted, the Guard mounted recovery missions that saved the lives of Nebraskans, often by helicopters, including delivering hay bales to stranded livestock during the record flooding disaster that swept across large portions of the state. Harrowing rescue missions were conducted in "wind, snow, rain and cold," he said. "Words cannot adequately express the gratitude and pride I have for the Nebraska National Guard," the governor said at the ceremony in a rotunda decorated at this holiday time with a huge Christmas tree that hovered over dozens of members of the Guard who attended the event in uniform. As governor, Ricketts acts as commander-in-chief of the Nebraska Guard. "These young people make us so proud," Ricketts said. "They volunteer to serve." "You just stand up and say 'I will,'" Sen. Deb Fischer said in adding her birthday greetings. Fischer, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said members of the Guard "helped Nebraskans recover in the aftermath of record flooding" and have provided vital services during the pandemic while also fulfilling missions all around the world. Rep. Don Bacon, who is a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general and former wing commander at Offutt Air Force Base, said the Nebraska National Guard has proven that it is "up to the task," whatever the mission. "Thank you for serving Nebraska and our country," he said. Bacon is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and represents metropolitan Omaha's 2nd District in the House. Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac, adjutant general of the Nebraska National Guard, said he is "very proud" of the members of the Guard and promised they will "always be ready." The Nebraska National Guard is composed of 4,600 soldiers, airmen and civilians and has 25 readiness centers in 23 communities across the state. Recent missions have taken members of the Guard to Cuba, Africa, the Middle East and the western Pacific along with disaster relief missions in the United States and border support activities. Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon OMAHA, Neb. (AP) A Nebraska man will spend the rest of his life in prison for sex trafficking a 15-year-old girl. The Omaha World-Herald reports that 57-year-old William J. Quinn of Oxford was sentenced to 177 1/2 to 304 years in prison on Wednesday by a judge in Furnas County. He isn't eligible for parole until serving at least half of the minimum sentence. Quinn was found guilty this summer of 13 felony charges. Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson said 18 other defendants with connections to Quinn's actions also have been arrested. Furnas County Attorney Morgan Farquhar said the victim suffered approximately six months of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse perpetrated by Quinn. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Omaha World-Herald. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 PIERRE, S.D. (AP) South Dakota legislators are set to meet next week to deliberate whether Republican Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg should be impeached for his conduct surrounding a fatal car crash last year. A select committee of nine House members will convene on Tuesday and Wednesday to develop a recommendation to the full body on whether it should impeach Ravnsborg, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported. Ravnsborg was driving home to Pierre from a politcal fundraiser on Sept. 12, 2020, when he struck Joseph Boever as Boever was walking on the side of the highway. Ravnsborg told a 911 dispatcher he wasn't sure what he hit and it might have been a deer. He said he didn't realize he had hit a person until he returned to the crash scene the next day and found Boever's body. He pleaded no contest this past August to making an illegal lane change and using a phone while drive. He was fined $500 for each count and had to pay $3,742 in court costs. The select committee will have access to investigators' evidence during its deliberations. Rep. Jon Hansen said he doesn't know what the committee might recommend but to him it matters where Ravnsborg was when he hit Boever. When he reported the collision he said he was driving in the middle of the highway but investigators believe he was driving on the shoulder. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Argus Leader. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 "Get off our front porch. Get out of our front yard. And stay out of our backyard." This might stand as a crude summary of two draft security pacts Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei A. Ryabkov delivered last week as Russia's price for resolving the crisis created by those 100,000 Russian troops on Ukraine's borders. Ryabkov's demands appear to be a virtual ultimatum, designed to be rejected by the U.S. and NATO and provide Moscow with a pretext for an invasion and occupation of part or all of Ukraine. Among the maximalist Russian demands: Written guarantees from NATO that it will not admit into the 70-year-old Cold War alliance any more ex-Soviet republics, specifically, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Offensive weapons are to be kept out of nations that border Russia. The U.S. and Russia should keep their warships and strategic bombers away from each other's territory. The U.S. should forgo planting military bases in any of the five "stans," the Central Asian nations that once were part of the USSR. NATO should withdraw military infrastructure it has placed in Eastern European states after 1997. That date is significant. For not until 1999 did Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic join NATO. And the accession of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Slovenia came only in 2004. Russia is calling for the creation of a security zone around its borders to include all of the former Soviet Union and beyond, where U.S. and NATO military bases would be prohibited. That Ryabkov's demands were specific and made public suggests they are to be taken seriously and Russian President Vladimir Putin is behind them. The deputy foreign minister is calling for immediate negotiations over these security pacts to begin in Geneva. Before dismissing these Russian demands outright, the U.S. should look closely to see if there are not some issues on which compromise is possible and common ground can be found so the Ukraine crisis might be defused. One senior U.S. official has been quoted as indicating such: "There are some things in those documents that the Russians know will be unacceptable ... but there are other things that we are prepared to work with and merit some discussion." The U.S. has already signaled, with President Joe Biden's warning to Putin about "severe ... economic sanctions" should Russia invade, that we are ruling out war and confining any U.S. response to nonmilitary means. British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said that the U.K. is also unlikely to send troops to defend Ukraine if Russia invades, as Ukraine is not a member of NATO. Nor is the U.S. or NATO going to war for Georgia to validate its claims to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as we showed in 2008. That August, President George W. Bush sat immobile as Putin's Russia threw the invading Georgians out of South Ossetia. Again, America is not going to war for Georgia or Ukraine. We have demonstrated that with our inaction in the Russian-Georgia war of 2008, in the Crimea and Donbass crises in 2014, and in the Ukraine crisis of 2021. So, why not find a way to convey this reality, to avert a Russian invasion of Ukraine and war Kyiv would surely lose? If Ukraine and Georgia are not going to be admitted to NATO or given Article V war guarantees, why not say so publicly now? What is happening today is that, after decades of moving NATO east from the Elbe River to the Baltic states and borders of Russia itself, the chickens of NATO expansion are coming home to roost. Since the end of the Cold War, NATO has doubled in size. We now have outstanding U.S.-NATO war guarantees to 28 nations on the other side of the Atlantic, some of them tiny nations deep inside Eastern Europe, in the very shadow of Russia, the largest nation on earth. The day cannot be far off when the U.S. is going to have to review and discard Cold War commitments that date to the 1940s and 1950s, and require us to fight a nuclear power such as Russia for countries that have nothing to do with our vital interests or our national security. Ryabkov's call for U.S.-Russia negotiations at Geneva may be the place to begin a public reappraisal of our Cold War commitments. For any concessions we make on not expanding NATO into Ukraine and Georgia, we can demand reciprocal Russian concessions. New arms agreements to limit U.S. and Russian missiles in Europe and to restrict the number of U.S. and Russia air and naval operations near the borders of our respective countries seem negotiable. A Russian-Ukrainian war, which Kyiv would almost surely lose, would prove a disaster for both nations. The winner would be China. For such a war would leave Russia no place else to turn for an economic, political and strategic partner. And U.S. interests are not served by the cementing alliance between Beijing and Moscow. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Good news about COVID in December 2021 is hard to find, but Defense One published some of it on Tuesday, writing that scientists at the Armys Walter Reed Institute of Research in Maryland say theyve developed a vaccine which proved effective against all strains of the virus, including omicron, in Phase 1 (human) trials. (It still must go through two more trial phases before being approved for widespread use.) Even before Tuesdays report, the possibility that the military might be on the verge of concocting a super-vax had begun attracting attention. Its vaccine, like some others in earlier stages of development, is produced by attaching the all-important spike proteins from a variety of coronaviruses, not just the one that causes COVID-19, to a nanoparticle. Preliminarypreliminary!results suggest that this technique might create antibodies that work against COVID and some seasonal colds and against known coronavirus strains that have not yet even appeared in humans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. If the Army could help Americans prevent COVID, Future COVID, and some common colds at the same time, it would be, in this writers opinion, a pretty cool deal. But could it also increase vaccine adoption across the United States? Consider: A significant chunk of the countrys anti-vax sentiment is generated in right-wing and libertarian communities by people who frequently identify themselves as patriots and position themselves in opposition to what they see as elitist liberal institutions. Patriotism is traditionally identified with support for the military. The Army is the military. The Army is not typically thought of as liberal or elitist. On the other hand: Another pocket of vaccine skepticism exists among people who believe in, to put it simply, healing crystals and so forth. Advertisement Advertisement These types of individuals typically live in Santa Fe, New Mexico (possibly some other places too, we havent done the research), and typically dont care for gun culture or the Army. [Editors note: Los Angeles, Ben. Crystal people live in Los Angeles. Come on.] What youd make up in Tom Clancy dads, in other words, you might lose in Marianne Williamson moms. Whats more: The crystals culture increasingly overlaps with the right-wing patriot culture in some fascinating ways. Podcaster Joe Rogan, for example, is a muscular MMA bro who is also very into alternative medicine. Advertisement The people who attacked police officers at the Capitol on Jan. 6 were also patriots who theoretically supported law and order institutions like the police. Nanoparticle sounds like something Bill Gates would put in your head to control your thoughts. (Its not. Its just a tiny friggin particle. But people have freaked out about their use in the mRNA vaccines.) Ultimately its our guess, then, that the cultural concepts of free thinking and rejecting narratives would be more powerful than the concept of a patriotic vaccine. Weve reached out to representatives for Rogan and to the Lions Not Sheep apparel company for comment, though (really!), and will update this post if they respond. For years, if you wanted to fix your own iPhone, Apple would refuse to sell you the spare parts or provide any service manuals. If you actually successfully repaired something, you might find a software lock preventing you from regaining the full functionality. But starting in January, Apple will make spare parts, repair instructions, and repair software tools available to customers. The new Self Service Repair program is a stunning reversal of the companys longstanding policy of closely controlling repair. Advertisement It is a big win for the plucky gang of advocates, fixers, DIYers and tinkerers who campaign for the Right to Repair so people can fix their own stuff. (Im proud to say that my organization, PIRG, was a leader in the fight.) Its also a huge course correction from one of the worlds biggest companies and includes its most valuable product, the iPhone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not only a win for consumers but also a win for the planet. PIRG found that if Americans used their phones for one year longer on average, it would have the same climate benefits as taking 636,000 cars off the road. I see this as a win for democracy as well: proof that the public can mobilize, take on issues that need to be fixed, and make positive changes to how society is run, despite powerful opposition. That should give us hope we can fix other problems technology causes us, too. Advertisement Advertisement The goal of Right to Repair campaigns is to make sure that users and independent repair providers can access the parts, service tools and repair software needed to fix our modern gadgets and other equipment. Over the last 20 years, manufacturers have increasing locked out repair access by refusing to sell necessary materials like parts, or locking repairs with proprietary software tools. Independent repair technicians and consumers are fighting back. In 2012, Massachusetts passed rules to make sure independent car mechanics had access to what they needed to fix cars, and after that breakthrough, advocates have been working to extend those rights to consumer electronics and other types of equipment. The Right to Repair isnt the only campaign to make changes to how tech companies operate. The growing resistance to how the largest tech companies behave has been dubbed the techlash. These companies actions have raised a host of concerns about privacy, market concentration, labor rights, and their ability to manipulate public opinion (all while seemingly avoiding taxes that other, often much less profitable, companies pay). Advertisement Advertisement In May, Axios declared that the techlash is a bust, citing that Big Tech profits were surging despite additional scrutiny. When a $5 billion fine for a company causes the stock prices to go upas was the case when the U.S. Federal Trade Commission fined Facebook for widespread violations of its customers privacyit can make you wonder if these companies are immune to our criticisms. As the Verges Nilay Patel wrote at the time, the biggest FTC fine in United States history increased Mark Zuckerbergs net worth. What lesson would you learn from that? Advertisement Advertisement Big Tech continues to inspire to a lot of saber-rattling in both houses of Congress about getting tough. Somehow, unlikely bedfellows as Elizabeth Warren, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Josh Hawley, and Ted Cruz have all aired similar criticisms. Yet, to date, Congress has done little to rein in Big Tech. Maybe thats why a Pew poll from this summer found that 68 percent of Americans feel that the tech companies have too much power and influence. Advertisement Advertisement According to John Ray, senior political analyst with YouGov, this attitude fuels the extraordinarily high polling support for Right to Repair: In 2019, 71 percent supported and only 7 percent opposed. Ray told me in a phone interview after his 2019 poll that more and more Americans across the political spectrum have come to the conclusion corporations have too much power in the modern economy. Advertisement Advertisement A similar portion of Americans support Right to Repair as believe big companies have too much power. What does it take to turn polling support into positive action? Apple isnt the only company that has made changes as a result of Right to Repair campaigns. Microsoft agreed to release more parts and service information publicly and has redesigned its products to be easier to fix. Google has made phone repair software for Pixel 6 publicly available. Advertisement These companies opposed Right to Repair efforts for years, so clearly these actions are not out of the goodness of their hearts. In every state where we press for repair-friendly reforms, we run into a cavalcade of opposition lobbyists. I calculated that $10.7 trillion worth of companies, including each of the Big 5, have taken part in the fight against Right to Repair reforms. When you take on opposition like that, you need a couple of special tools in hand. Advertisement First, you need a campaign that regular people can relate towhere they understand both the problem and the solution and how it can impact their life. If regular people cant understand the problem, or what your solution is, you cant expect them to respond in droves. Advertisement Advertisement Then you need to use facts to make a clear case as to what is happeningand bring the receipts. Some of our key supporting documentation includes iFixits detailed product teardowns showing how repair is made overly difficult, PIRGs many reports on the topic outlining how much money consumers could save or the scope of the environmental benefits, and most recently, the FTCs landmark Nixing the Fix analysis, which reviews and debunks all the major industry justifications for restricting repair. You need to organize political power. Weve always had sky-high polling for Right to Repair, but most people werent very familiar with the idea (and a large portion likely still arent). The Right to Repair movement has been building momentum by informing a wide variety of Americans of whats in it for themincluding many small businesses, like repair shops that form the backbone of many of our communities. We also helped widen the base of support by organizing farmers to speak up about repairing equipment like John Deere tractors, building champions in rural America. Advertisement Finally, you need to repeat your message and raise your visibility until the people powerful enough to effect change are forced to contend with your arguments. We started by running campaigns in a few states, and then watched the enthusiasm for our cause snowball over the years until Congress, the FTC and the Biden White House took notice. Shareholders for some of the worst-offending companies, seeing the regulatory risks for companies which are unprepared to function under new Right to Repair rules, have started pushing corporate boards to get ahead of the issue. Together, these forces have resulted in recent progress. We arent done, of course, but it does feel like weve crossed a threshold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its been somewhat of a wild ride organizing support among repair shops, which are not staffed with political advocates. But these shop owners and workers who are most directly affected by the problem can best speak to the urgency of a solution. We spent long hours convincing them of the power of their story and getting them to share their stories and concerns with decision makers, the media, and the world. Advertisement Some of the worlds most urgent problems come at the intersection of technology and society. Technology fuels climate change and inequality, all while undermining our ability to combat these problems by fanning the flames of social discord and sectarianism. Conversely, technology also has the potential to solve those same problems. For instance, we could be rebuilding our energy systems with clean power and using efficiency gains to end poverty and work less. As some have dubbed it, we are at the Star Trek or Mad Max crossroads. But our approach to these issues cant be abstract or academicespecially in the face of organized corporate campaigns to maintain the status quo, no matter how apocalyptic the results may be. We need to be disciplined to make our case in ways that people can relate to, and dedicated enough to build a movement for change. If the techlash can evolve to do those things, it wont be a bust. It might just save the world. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. In the new movie Dont Look Up, available on Netflix on Friday, astronomers played by Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio try to tell the world that a comet 9 kilometers wide will collide with the Earth in six months, utterly destroying most life and ending human civilization. This is decidedly not Armageddon but a dark comedy. When the astronomers appear on a talk show to get the message out, one host asks if the comet can land on his ex-wifes house, and the other chides the astronomers for not being light enough for their morning segment. Media training is recommended. Advertisement Its a cliche that every disaster movie begins with someone ignoring a scientist, because our real-life disasters start the same way. Dont Look Up is a thinly veiled critique of societys feeble response to scientists warnings about the existential threat of climate change, and has special relevancy now because of the inability of many of us to understand and act on what scientists tell us about how viruses work. As an astrophysicist, I have felt sympathy for scientists trying to convey these dangers: Climate change is happening on scales too large to perceive easily; viruses are too small to be seen directly. I have also smugly assumed that if a mountain-size comet, plainly visible in the sky, were barreling to Earth at 25,000 mph, my colleagues and I could communicate the dangers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dont Look Up has made me seriously question that. No one in the film grasps what must be done, the astronomers included. Like anyone watching this movie, I rooted for the astronomers trying to save the world and booed the talking heads and other idiots who couldnt see the danger. But as a scientist, too, I also found myself shaking my head and asking: Are we just as unteachable? Scientists are expertly trained to imagine and quantify what might have happened in the past and how the future might unfold, and to plan accordingly. As depicted in the movie, there really is a Planetary Defense Coordination Office at NASA that plans and sponsors telescope surveys in Hawaii, Arizona, and around the world. Its congressional mandate is to find at least 90 percent of the estimated 25,000 near-Earth asteroids at least 140 meters in size (each capable of destroying a city with the energy of an H-bomb). Based on the rate of discovery, about half have probably been found; none found so far are on a collision course in the next century. Our ability to deflect any hazardous asteroid we discover is limited, but NASA is preparing for the eventuality. In November, it launched the Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission. In September 2022, as one spacecraft watches, another will collide with a small asteroid to see how much momentum can be transferred to it (just the momentum of the spacecraft, or extra momentum from ejected surface rock?). We are probably safe for centuries to come. But when astrophysicists extrapolate from familiar examples like the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor or Meteor Crater in Arizona, the math tells us that planet-killer impacts are inevitable over hundreds of millions of years. Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, they have happened, and the impact of a 10-km-wide asteroid near present-day Chicxulub, in Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula, precipitated one of the largest mass extinctions on Earth, including the demise of all (non-avian) dinosaurs. The death of the dinosaurs had been an unexplained mystery until geologist Walter Alvarez and physicist Luis Alvarez in 1980 discovered traces of asteroidal iridium in a worldwide clay layer deposited about 66 million years ago.* They predicted an impact crater 100 miles wide and 20 miles deep. Incredibly, just such a crater was later found, buried under 2,000 feet of sediment in the Gulf of Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Planetary scientists studying craters on other planets and moons, with paleontologists, have pieced together and widely publicized the events surrounding this impact, and how it led to massive loss of life on Earth. Today, everyone knows an asteroid killed the dinosaurs. And yet its easy to believe Dont Look Ups premise that the public has not internalized how destructive this would be. As someone working in this field, I found myself wondering, as I watched the movie, what I would say if I were in the place of Lawrences and DiCaprios characters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would want to remind people that there was no warning. Until the instant the asteroid entered the Earths atmosphere, coming in at a steep angle from the northeast at 25,000 mph, it was probably a perfectly normal night in the Cretaceous. Everything changed in a blink of an eye. No triceratops had time to gaze at a space rock hurtling through the air, trailed by smoke, and contemplate its imminent demise; rather, literally one second later, the asteroid the size of Mt. Everest had buried itself most of a mile beneath the seafloor. The Earths crust stopped the planetary bullet, but tremendous energy was released in an instant, as much as 100 million H-bombs exploding simultaneously. More than 1 million billion tons of rock were launched into ballistic orbits. Seismic waves raced through the Earths crust outward in all directions. Much of the Earth would have experienced ongoing magnitude 9 earthquakes, stronger than any felt by any living person. Then came the fall of all the ejected rock back through the Earths atmosphere. One shooting star glowing from the heat of its reentry is pretty; the unrelenting glow from trillions of shooting stars turned the sky into an oven, and fern forests around the world into ash. Finally came the winds generated by the explosion, scouring every continent at hundreds of miles per hour, and then tsunamis taller than skyscrapers that would have crashed onto every shoreline across the world. In the years it took for the ash from the impact and the forest fires to settle out, no sunlight reached the ground. Would that convince the public of how unsurvivable a comet impact would be? Or would the media consultants explain to me that those numbers are just too unimaginable and meaningless? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maybe I could evoke a response by telling the story of what happened to the creatures in one place, like the Tanis site in North Dakota, the location of a remarkable discovery announced by paleontologists in 2019. Sixty-six million years ago, a river flowed there into the shallow sea intersecting North America, 2,000 miles from Chicxulub. The seismic waves from Chicxulub generated 30-foot-high surges of water called seiches, that piled up local freshwater fish and saltwater fish from miles away into heaps on the shore. There are hints of a triceratops carcass in the mess of tangled bones. As the fish lay there gasping for breath, the rock reentering Earths atmosphere fell as white-hot molten glassy beads. As the fossils at Tanis reveal, these glass beads got stuck in tree sap, filled ants nests, and collected in the gills of the dying fish. At this one site, the death tableau was buried and preserved in sediment soon after, before the hurricanes and forest fires, but this destruction was repeated everywhere around the world. Nearly everything was killed, including almost all four-legged animals over 50 pounds. Only 25 percent of all plant and animal species managed to leave any descendants at all. Would hearing that spur people to act? Or would the media consultants admonish me for being too doom-and-gloom? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Im honest with myself, I doubt I would fare better than the astronomers in Dont Look Up. Denialism is just too strong. Mammals are just lucky creatures whose ancestors happened to survive the Chicxulub impact, but its human nature to blame the dinosaurs for their own demise and believe our own rise was destined or deserved. If they really wanted to live, maybe the dinosaurs should have developed social media and a space program. (How would a tyrannosaur hold their smartphone anyway, with those tiny arms?) We forget what an evolutionarily perfect killing machine T. rex was. It was the largest predator in the Americas, and when it evolved, all medium-size predators went extinct. It was the master of its environment, and mammals were notuntil that environment disappeared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Astronomers, planetary scientists, and paleontologists have studied the Chicxulub impact and know what a comet impact today would entail. This is not the bailiwick of nonscientists. In Dont Look Up, the politicians calculate exactly how the comet will affect their midterm chances, the billionaires build business plans to profit off the comet, and the media analysts test how well the comet is polling. Their denialism is the dark joke that bleakly rings true. But the scientists denial is equally tragic. Their own lives depend on them getting politicians and the public to recognize what to do, yet they have no clue how to craft and market-test a message. They are constantly admonished to get some basic media training, but they seem to blow it off, oblivious to its importance, They figure the message is enough; it never seems to register with them that they need to learn how to reach people. They do try their best to engage the public, but they arent very smart about it. Advertisement Advertisement Scientific training prepares us to have excellent clarity of thought about the physical world; we are masters of understanding the physical environment. But the power to alter the physical world depends on collective effort, and therefore on changing hearts and minds in the human sphere. Politicians, industrialists, the media are masters of that human environmentuntil that environment disappears. Im not prepared to say that the uneasy alliance of these factions we call human civilization will go the way of the dinosaurs. But as Dont Look Up reminds us, our inability to act effectively on threats from climate change to pandemics means we are a civilization of dinosaurs, each of us perfectly evolved to work with impressive efficiency within an environment that could disappear overnight. Correction, Dec. 23, 2021: This piece originally misidentified Walter Alvarez as a physicist and Luis Alvarez as a geologist. Walter is the geologist, and Luis was the physicist. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. https://sputniknews.com/20211222/acting-combat-style-uk-soldiers-were-ordered-to-pretend-to-be-busy-amid-army-chief-visit-1091707653.html Acting, Combat Style: UK Soldiers 'Were Ordered to Pretend to be Busy Amid Army Chief Visit' Acting, Combat Style: UK Soldiers 'Were Ordered to Pretend to be Busy Amid Army Chief Visit' British soldiers were ordered to pretend they were very busy during a surprise visit by the new head of the Armed Forces on Monday, The Sun has reported. 2021-12-22T05:44+0000 2021-12-22T05:44+0000 2021-12-22T05:44+0000 estonia troops soldiers uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/105521/82/1055218249_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_d219d6d246ad9656838682c317c504c9.jpg British soldiers were ordered to pretend they were very busy during a surprise visit by the new head of the Armed Forces on Monday, The Sun has reported. According to the tabloid, Royal Artillery troops stationed in Estonia were told to play-act, and bring special checklists with them, pretending they were performing Commanders' Functional Tests, when Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the new chief of defence staff, paid an unexpected visit to their base.What happened next, a source described to The Sun is "a pantomime". R Bell Furry Bear Balls.What happens when the Russians turn up? 0 1 estonia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg estonia, troops, soldiers, uk https://sputniknews.com/20211222/alex-jones-michael-flynn-launch-separate-suits-to-dodge-january-6-committee-subpoenas-1091706089.html Alex Jones, Michael Flynn Launch Separate Suits to Dodge January 6 Committee Subpoenas Alex Jones, Michael Flynn Launch Separate Suits to Dodge January 6 Committee Subpoenas InfoWars host Alex Jones and Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser to Donald Trump, have filed lawsuits attempting to avoid subpoenas for their phone records by a House committee probing the riot at the US Capitol. 2021-12-22T01:06+0000 2021-12-22T01:06+0000 2021-12-22T01:00+0000 alex jones us michael flynn subpoena congressional probe /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107949/29/1079492931_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_8cd0e607fde3ae4cc1001cbc6859c0b7.jpg The House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the US Capitol has been gathering information on the planning process behind the events on that day, subpoenaing dozens of phone records from people connected to the Stop the Steal rally that immediately preceded the riot.In a lawsuit filed in a District of Columbia federal court on Monday, Jones argued that the courts subpoena of phone records from AT&T violates his First Amendment rights as a journalist and that the committee itself is improperly composed according to House regulations.According to the committee, Jones helped organize the Stop the Steal rally outside the White House, including reportedly soliciting a massive donation that provided 80% of the events funding."Mr. Jones has stated that he was told by the White House that he was to lead a march from the January 6th Ellipse rally to the Capitol, where President Trump would meet the group and speak," the committee said in a November 22 release announcing the subpoena. "Mr. Jones has repeatedly promoted unsupported allegations of election fraud, including encouraging individuals to attend the Ellipse rally on January 6th and implying he had knowledge about the plans of the former President with respect to the rally."Flynn, a longtime senior US military intelligence officer, was briefly a member of the Trump administration before resigning just three weeks into Trumps presidency. His resignation followed revelations he had concealed the nature of his communication with Sergey Kislyak, then Russias ambassador in Washington, DC. He later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about that conversation, but was pardoned by Trump in November 2020.In July 2020, Flynn posted a video replete with references to the QAnon conspiracy theory, which holds that Trump is locked in a secret battle with a cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophile Democrats who run the globe. The ideology was a major motivating factor for many of the thousands of people who stormed the Capitol on January 6, believing it was the beginning of a prophesied Storm that would sweep away Trumps enemies.The attack on the Capitol came while Congress was convened in a joint session to certify the election results. While the rioters gained entry to the national legislature and sent lawmakers running for safety, they failed at their ultimate goal of overturning the results, and police and National Guardsmen soon cleared them from the building.Five people died in the violent upheaval, including a US Capitol Police officer and a female rioter who was shot by a USCP officer outside the House chamber as she attempted to break through a door.In the aftermath, Washington, DC, was garrisoned by tens of thousands of troops, who remained for months amid reported threats of further violence that failed to materialize. Trump was impeached on charges of inciting the insurrection, but acquitted by a minority of senators in a trial after he left office. vot tak Excellent article. It is obvious these 2 israeli quisling played a role in fomenting the riot they now wish to conceal to avoid criminal prosecution. 1 1 us Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg alex jones, us, michael flynn, subpoena, congressional probe https://sputniknews.com/20211222/chris-noths-comments-about-rape-resurface-as-actor-faces-sexual-assault-allegations-1091721615.html Chris Noths Comments About Rape Resurface as Actor Faces Sexual Assault Allegations Chris Noths Comments About Rape Resurface as Actor Faces Sexual Assault Allegations Three women have come forward with accusations against the 67-year-old, who has categorically dismissed them. A fourth woman, actress-director Zoe Lister-Jones has accused the Golden Globes nominee of predatory behaviour 2021-12-22T14:01+0000 2021-12-22T14:01+0000 2021-12-22T14:03+0000 society sexual assault rape sexual harassment chris noth /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0c/11/1091591220_0:108:2049:1260_1920x0_80_0_0_3beb4f9c5de0ecd398cdaacaa6c8506c.jpg Chris Noths comments about rape have resurfaced as the Sex and the City star faces sexual assault allegations. In 2016, the actor gave an interview to Esquire, where he discussed his role in the movie White Girl. He portrayed a lawyer who helps drug addict Lea to get her boyfriend out of jail. Spoiler alert: Noth rapes the girl from behind when she falls unconscious after getting high on cocaine.The actor said he first rejected the part, thinking it was "too ugly", but then reconsidered saying he realised he was afraid of playing villains after years of playing heroes and nice guys. Noth then went on to say that the instinct of predator is firmly entrenched in the male psyche.Social media users drew attention to the similarities between the scene in the film and the statements made by women who have accused Chris Noth of sexual assault and rape.Last week, The Hollywood Reporter published an interview with two women who described in detail how the actor had allegedly raped them. One woman, going under the pseudonym Zoe, said she became acquainted with Noth in 2004 while she was working "in an entry-level position at a high-profile firm where Noth and other celebrities regularly had business". The actor, who was at the height of his popularity thanks to his role as Mr Big in Sex and the City, began flirting with her, she claims. Zoe alleges she was raped by Noth from behind while facing a mirror after she went to his apartment in Los Angeles to return a book.During the sexual assault, the actor didnt use protection, the woman alleges.The description of an incident given by the second woman, Lily, matches Zoes. She claims the incident occurred in 2015, when she was 25 and Noth was 60. The Sex and the City star invited her to "sample his collection of whiskeys". Lily alleges that the actor raped her from behind in front of a mirror.After the article was published, actress and director Zoe Lister-Jones, who worked with Chris Noth on Law & Order, posted a statement on her social media accusing the actor of predatory behaviour. On 18 December, a third woman accused the actor of sexual assault, which reportedly occurred in 2010 when she was 18.Chris Noth has categorically denied the accusations, saying the sexual encounters described in The Hollywood Reporters story were consensual. The actors publicist said Noth has no idea who the third woman is.The accusations follow the recent premiere of Sex and the City's reboot "And Just Like That", which came out on HBO earlier this month. The first two accusers said the publicity around the series, where Noth reprises his role as Mr Big, brought back "painful memories" of encounters with the actor.The LAPD said no formal charges had been brought against the 67-year-old, but that law enforcement was looking into the report the woman under pseudonym Zoe filed. Ladyshadow Because the flaky women say something with no actual proof and he is declared guilty, where have these supposed vitcims been since the alegged events, before you destory someones life do some fact checking of both side of this story. 1 Ladyshadow Guilty until proven innocent, that's the new game the WOKE kids are playing. 0 4 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Max Gorbachev Max Gorbachev News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Max Gorbachev society, sexual assault, rape, sexual harassment, chris noth https://sputniknews.com/20211222/delhis-environment-minister-calls-for-joint-action-plan-to-curb-pollution-1091710481.html Delhi's Environment Minister Calls For Joint Action Plan to Curb Pollution Delhi's Environment Minister Calls For Joint Action Plan to Curb Pollution Sputnik contacted Delhis environment minister Gopal Rai to talk about the deteriorating air quality in the city and find out what the city government is planning to do to control it. 2021-12-22T12:12+0000 2021-12-22T12:12+0000 2021-12-22T12:12+0000 new delhi elections environment delhi politics politics environment protection air pollution environment elections /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/0d/1089882054_0:320:3073:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_9569a71494fef7daa7450877c56dcfa2.jpg Delhi is not only fighting the latest strain of COVID-19, the so-called Omicron variant, it is also faced with the problem of air pollution at this time of the year.The pollution menace has become so serious that the Supreme Court of India decided to intervene in the matter recently.Sputnik contacted Delhis environment minister Gopal Rai to talk about the prevailing situation and find out what the city government is planning to do to control it.Sputnik: Despite government efforts, Delhi continues to face air pollution problems. Have the cause of pollution and solution for it have been figured out? What is being done to get rid of this problem?Gopal Rai: According to a report by Delhi-based think-tank, the Centre for Science and Environment, the city's (total) contribution to air pollution is only 31 percent and the remaining 69 percent comes from outside Delhi.The main reason air pollution is worsening in the capital city, especially during the winter, is because the stubble is being burnt, and firecrackers have been let off during Diwali. We have come up with a two-pronged strategy to curb the menace of pollution one long-term and the other short-term.As regards the long-term strategy, in the past three to four years we have managed to convert around 1,500 factories that were operating on polluted fuel to Piped Natural Gas (PNG). Then our government is committed to providing electricity 24/7 - but we are ensuring that the generator sets which run on diesel are not used in commercial centres.We have also introduced an e-vehicle policy to ensure that pollution from vehicles can be controlled. All the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses are already running on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and from next month we will introduce electric buses also.In addition to this, we are working on increasing the capital's green belt. For this, we have adopted a tree transplantation policy by which we are not only planting new drives but also transplanting old trees to other places.The national average of the green belt is 20 percent of the area of the city or state but eventually Delhi will have a 22 percent green belt which is more than the national average.As regards the short-term, we have come up with a winter action plan under which Delhi is the first to start a green war room. This works with several agencies in the capital, monitors the pollution and implements the plan.The Delhi government has also launched the Green Delhi App so that the people of Delhi can help to fight pollution. People can report any activity that is causing pollution and our agencies will take action against it.Several other campaigns such as Red Light On, Gaadi Off (Red light on, Vehicle Off), the anti-dust campaign, anti-open burning campaign have been launched to control the pollution from vehicles, construction activities and burning of coal or other things during the winter season.As far as stubble burning is concerned, last year with the help of the Pusa Institute of Technology we launched a bio-decomposer for the stubble, which is left after the harvest. It not only helped to decompose the stubble but also helped to increase the produce in the next harvest. It was so successful that this time more farmers have asked for bio-decomposer capsules.We even suggested that the federal government get other states to use bio-decomposers so that the stubble burning can be stopped and the after-effects of it can be controlled.Apart from all these plans, we have also asked the federal government to form a joint-action plan so that we can work with other states also to control the pollution because this menace cant be fought alone.Sputnik: Despite curbing building, the air quality has not improved. Do you think construction activities and use of diesel vehicles are still contributing to pollution?Gopal Rai: The studies show that the main sources of pollution in Delhi are vehicles and construction activities. So, as far as construction activities are concerned, we earlier introduced 14-point norms but as conditions got worse we had to stop building work across the city. Now, as the situation has eased a bit, the Commission for Air Quality Management in Delhi NCR, and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has lifted the ban from construction activities. It allows work on the condition that the construction firms follow dust-control norms.Sputnik: The Delhi government will deregister 10-year-old diesel vehicles from 1 January 2022. Do you think this is a good way to curb the pollution?Gopal Rai: As I said earlier, there are many causes of pollution and we can only control it by curbing one source at a time.As far as the decision to deregister 10-year-old diesel vehicles, everyone knows that the old vehicles spread more pollution and this decision was handed down by the Supreme Court of India itself. So, the decision has been taken considering all the studies and analysis.Sputnik: What kind of support is being given by the federal government?Gopal Rai: It has been really unfortunate that, despite several requests, the Federal Minister of the Environment [Bhupender Yadav] didnt call for a joint meeting of state environment ministers to coordinate a joint action plan. I have written to him three times but there has been no response from him.I think that the role of the federal government is crucial because we have to work in harmony as this is a common problem especially in the states adjoining Delhi. I can only say that the federal government should actively work on it so that we can control pollution faster and in a much more effective way.Sputnik: Pollution of the Yamuna river is also a big concern. Delhi state chief Arvind Kejriwal vowed that the river would be cleaned but no significant progress has been made to date. Dont you think that the Delhi government has failed in keeping its promises?Gopal Rai: I dont think the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government has failed in fulfilling the promise. Yes, there has been a delay in cleaning the Yamuna river but everybody is aware that because of COVID-19 several works were put to a halt.Delhi state chief Arvind Kejriwal is committed to cleaning the Yamuna and we have even announced a six-point plan for it. The implementation of the plan has started and we are sure that in the next three years the Yamuna will be clean.Sputnik: Your party - Aam Aadmi - is contesting elections in other states, with Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Goa the most prominent. What is the partys strategy apart from providing free electricity and free water?Gopal Rai: We have a single-line strategy: we are going to the people with the work done by the AAP in Delhi. We are asking people to give the AAP a chance, as they have already given a number of chances to other political parties in all the states. https://sputniknews.com/20211103/diwali-night-may-plunge-delhis-air-quality-to-severe-level-study-warns-1090433718.html https://sputniknews.com/20210625/as-algae-ammonia-level-rise-in-river-yamuna-delhi-households-strive-for-clean-drinking-water-1083239785.html new delhi delhi india uttar pradesh Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Rahul Trivedi https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926121_0:-1:627:627_100x100_80_0_0_d882e1a63f627c25b7a534fb8b8234d7.jpg Rahul Trivedi https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926121_0:-1:627:627_100x100_80_0_0_d882e1a63f627c25b7a534fb8b8234d7.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Rahul Trivedi https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926121_0:-1:627:627_100x100_80_0_0_d882e1a63f627c25b7a534fb8b8234d7.jpg new delhi, elections, environment, delhi, politics, politics, environment protection, air pollution, environment, elections, india, environment, elections, politics, uttar pradesh, air pollution, elections, politics, environment, india https://sputniknews.com/20211222/dhs-to-redirect-trump-era-border-wall-cash-to-close-us-mexico-barrier-gaps-fix-erosion-issues-1091705739.html DHS to Redirect Trump-Era Border Wall Cash to Close US-Mexico Barrier Gaps, Fix Erosion Issues DHS to Redirect Trump-Era Border Wall Cash to Close US-Mexico Barrier Gaps, Fix Erosion Issues DHS announced Monday it plans to use Trump-era border wall funds to undertake various activities, including the closure of gaps in the US-Mexico barrier and the installation of erosion control measures, among other initiatives. 2021-12-22T00:46+0000 2021-12-22T00:46+0000 2021-12-22T00:41+0000 us alejandro mayorkas department of homeland security (dhs) border wall trump administration biden administration /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0c/15/1091705201_0:32:3073:1760_1920x0_80_0_0_f950b883d8b4f20d08f592bf64225cbf.jpg The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Monday that it plans to use Trump-era border wall project funds to undertake a number of activities, including the closure of gaps in the US-Mexico barrier, the installation of erosion control measures, and the completion of prior construction on nearby patrol, maintenance, and access roads. A number of incomplete US Department of Defense projectsprimarily in Tucson, Arizonawill be completed to address a variety of safety concerns, the release detailed. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas authorized the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a subsidiary of the DHS, to carry out activities originally proposed in April. Shortly after Biden assumed office, his administration took swift action against Trump-era border wall efforts, issuing a proclamation on January 20 that suspended all US-Mexico barrier efforts and ordering the development of a plan to redirect funds and repurpose wall construction contracts.Biden's suspension of Trump's US-Mexico border wall efforts triggered a backlash from some Republicans, primarily those hailing from the southern US, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who inaugurated his first stretch of state-funded barriers on Saturday. Per CBP data, US authorities encountered more than 1.7 million migrants at the US-Mexico border during fiscal year 2021. Additionally, US border agents apprehended an estimated 1.66 million migrants at the southern border, exceeding the previous record-high of 1.64 million apprehensions in 2000. TruePatriot How about installing all the parts that are laying on the ground that have cost more in maintenance so far than if they had been installed originally? 1 1 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead us, alejandro mayorkas, department of homeland security (dhs), border wall, trump administration, biden administration https://sputniknews.com/20211222/dutch-prosecutors-demand-life-imprisonment-for-defendants-in-mh17-crash-case-1091719626.html Dutch Prosecutors Demand Life Imprisonment for Defendants in MH17 Crash Case Dutch Prosecutors Demand Life Imprisonment for Defendants in MH17 Crash Case The District Court of The Hague later suspended hearings in the MH17 crash case until 7 March 2022, when the floor will be given to the defence team. 2021-12-22T11:53+0000 2021-12-22T11:53+0000 2021-12-22T11:53+0000 netherlands mh17 europe russia mh17 crash /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/102849/86/1028498689_0:0:3056:1719_1920x0_80_0_0_80c8a956ef289ec5419ba264f1f2be99.jpg The Dutch prosecutor's office is demanding life imprisonment for all four defendants (Russian citizens Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky, and Oleg Pulatov, as well as Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko) in the case of the MH17 plane crash, prosecutor Manon Ridderbeks said on Wednesday.He also asked that the court issue an arrest warrant for all of the defendants.Earlier in the day, prosecutor Thijs Berger said that they all deserve long-term punishment for destroying the plane and killing 298 passengers.Commenting on the trial, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the court is making attempts to put responsibility for the incident on Moscow.Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, en route to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam, crashed on 17 July 2014 in eastern Ukraine amid military clashes between the Ukrainian government and local self-proclaimed republics. All 298 people on board (most of them Dutch citizens) died. After the incident, Kiev and the self-proclaimed republics in Donbass blamed each other for the crash. At the same time, the EU and the US immediately put the responsibility on Russia and slammed Moscow with several rounds of sanctions.The Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was established to probe the case; however, Russia was denied any access to the investigation. Russia launched its own investigation and provided the JIT with evidence, including radar data showing that the plane had been shot down by a Ukrainian Buk missile that had been stored in Ukraine since 1986 and never went back to Russia after the break-up of the Soviet Union.However, all of that information was ignored by the Dutch investigators, who insisted that the Buk missile had come from the Russian military. netherlands Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg netherlands, mh17, europe, russia, mh17 crash https://sputniknews.com/20211222/eu-satellite-operator-takes-rts-german-tv-broadcast-off-air-1091714248.html Moscow Vows Response to Berlin Forcing EU Satellite Operator to Take RT DE TV Channel Off Air Moscow Vows Response to Berlin Forcing EU Satellite Operator to Take RT DE TV Channel Off Air RT DE, which started broadcasting last week, immediately faced pressure from Berlin, as its YouTube page was deleted, while German authorities have launched an investigation into the broadcaster. 2021-12-22T08:46+0000 2021-12-22T08:46+0000 2021-12-22T09:37+0000 europe germany rt /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/104641/68/1046416821_0:0:3081:1734_1920x0_80_0_0_9e6e303935ca1ead9a15832b93c181e1.jpg Moscow has vowed to respond to Berlin forcing the European satellite operator, Eutelsat, to take RT's German TV broadcast off air. In an exclusive for RT, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov didn't rule out Russia coming up with a mirror response to the RT DE channel being excluded from broadcasting in Europe. At the same time, the minister emphasised that Moscow has no desire to put pressure on media in the same way.Eutelsat has been forced to remove RT's 24-hour German-language channel from its platform due to a demand by the media regulator MABB (Medienanstalt Berlin-Brandenburg).RT expressed confidence that a court will annul the German regulator's decision, and RT DE will again become available to Eutelsat clients.RT launched a 24-hour news service in German last week, broadcasting live news, talk shows, and documentaries from studios in Moscow and Berlin. Before that, RT DE proved to be number one among German-language media platforms by interactions on Facebook, bypassing Bild, Spiegel, ZDF, and other outlets.The broadcaster, however, is facing pushback from the German authorities. In August 2021, RT DE was refused a broadcasting license in Luxembourg after reportedly receiving a recommendation from Berlin. In September, YouTube also removed two RT DE channels without the right of recovery, citing alleged "violations of community rules". discoversci Someone just doesn't want the truth to get out The people should hear all voices, not just the particular ones. EU's hypocrisy at its peak Of course, they have powerful masters from States behind them. 12 discoversci Invading Ukraine ? What's wrong with you dude ? What are you smoking ? Maybe booster jab for covid done you wrong ? How much are you getting payed for this B.S. trash online ? If anything, Russia is defending its borders as it always was. Imagine, if rockets were set up miles away from American border... American regime would be in total alert. But, now, that the same thing is happening on Russia's border, Russians should be just quiet now ? How about NO, huh ? 9 8 germany Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg europe, germany, rt https://sputniknews.com/20211222/going-to-lenins-country-experience-of-foreign-graduates-of-russian-universities-1091721377.html 'Going to Lenin's Country': Experience of Foreign Graduates of Russian Universities 'Going to Lenin's Country': Experience of Foreign Graduates of Russian Universities Foreign alumni of Russian universities took part in an online conference at the Rossiya Segodnya news agency and described how their education in Russia has affected their lives. 2021-12-22T13:38+0000 2021-12-22T13:38+0000 2021-12-22T13:38+0000 russia students university /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/106462/07/1064620781_0:245:2048:1397_1920x0_80_0_0_805395a57e67f1199925d57c9277bcdb.jpg According to Kotchofa, the main advantage of a Russian education is its fundamental nature, with the foundation reinforced by practice. "We have internships with students every year, people have the opportunity to 'feel' the oil and the fields", he said, adding that during a global pandemic, it is important for Russia not to lose these traditions, to get international students back into the classroom, and give them a chance to practice.Furthermore, he believes that universities should not just train specialists in demand, but people who will then promote the Russian language around the world.Since 1960, over a million foreign students from 170 countries have graduated from Russian (Soviet) universities; there are associations of graduates of Russian universities in more than 80 countries. The objectives of these associations are to assist graduates in protecting their professional interests and rights, including problems of recognition of documents (diplomas) and academic degrees obtained in the USSR, Russia, and other CIS countries, assistance in further training or continuing studies, the establishment of business and partnership contacts.First Secretary of the Embassy of the State of Palestine Abdulla Issa told the conference how he became a graduate of the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute. For his part, MAX Innovation Capital CEO Liu Xin (China) said that 1,400 Chinese students are currently studying in Russia, whereas China fully recognises Russian diplomas. "There is a huge amount of trade turnover between the two countries, and I, as someone involved in international business, need such people who know Russian and Russia", Xin stressed. According to him, one in five employees at one of the American companies he runs knows Russian.Liu Xin himself found the language difficult to understand.Associate Professor at the Department of Theory and History of International Relations at RUDN University Adu Yao Nicaise (Cote d'Ivoire) came to Russia and enrolled at RUDN by chance; he had no relatives or acquaintances in Russia. Yet, his "impressions of this chance" were nothing but positive: he got his bachelor's, master's, and post-graduate degrees with honours and stayed on to teach at RUDN University, where he has been working at the Department of International Relations for 10 years now.Chairman of the Council of Alumni and Friends Association at RUDN (PFUR) Alamgir Jalil (Bangladesh) is also proud of having studied in Russia. His late father told his son a lot about the USSR, a country that helped in the war for the independence of Bangladesh. "We will always be grateful to Russia", he said.Vice President of the Lebanese-Russian Friendship Association Riad Najm (Lebanon) said that there are no problems with recognition of Russian diplomas in Lebanon, so Lebanese students are happy to go to Russia. "They come back without any problems, and the level of education received in Russia allows them to work and hold high positions", he said, adding that 150 Lebanese students are currently studying at RUDN University. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 russia, students, university https://sputniknews.com/20211222/harvard-professor-convicted-in-us-for-making-false-statements-about-links-to-china-1091711866.html Harvard Professor Lieber Convicted in US for Covering Links to China Harvard Professor Lieber Convicted in US for Covering Links to China The United States has convicted Harvard University professor Charles Lieber of concealing his affiliation with China's Thousand Talents Programme and the Wuhan University of Technology, the US Department of Justice said. 2021-12-22T07:47+0000 2021-12-22T07:47+0000 2021-12-22T08:06+0000 us china harvard /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/03/1080353278_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_6321bbb83c6b2a7901df18df451fd99a.jpg China's Thousand Talents Programme was established by the Chinese government in 2008 in order to recognise and recruit outstanding international scientists and entrepreneurs. Washington has accused Beijing of trying to gain an economic and military advantage through the use of scientists involved with this programme.Lieber was convicted of making false statements to federal authorities, filing a false income tax return and failing to disclose foreign bank and financial accounts.According to the department, the professor lied to federal investigators in an attempt to hide his ties to the Chinese government while conducting research for the US Department of Defence.Lieber will later be sentenced later by a US Senior District Court. The date has not yet been announced.Lieber was arrested in January 2020 on charges of attempting to smuggle biological research to China. According to the Justice Department, the professor failed to provide the required information about his work at China's Wuhan University of Technology and other Chinese organisations from 2011-2017 and lied about his involvement in these organisations in 2018 and 2019.In June 2020, Lieber was indicted. In July 2020, he was subsequently charged in a superseding indictment. Hess Jews are the world's worst traitor. For them, money above every thing. 0 1 china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 us, china, harvard https://sputniknews.com/20211222/idfs-former-intel-chief-hayman-admits-israel-was-involved-in-soleimanis-assassination-1091705234.html IDFs Former Intel Chief Hayman Admits Israel Was Involved in Soleimanis Assassination IDFs Former Intel Chief Hayman Admits Israel Was Involved in Soleimanis Assassination In a recent interview, a former leading Israel Defense Force official admitted for the first time that Israel played a role in the assassination of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani in Iraq, which was carried out by a US drone. 2021-12-22T00:13+0000 2021-12-22T00:13+0000 2021-12-22T00:08+0000 middle east iran assassination israel tamir hyman qasem soleimani /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0b/09/1081104413_0:0:1280:721_1920x0_80_0_0_ede99cd215b030aa8ad3471065b982d7.jpg In the early morning hours of January 3, 2020, an SUV and a minivan were driving away from the tarmac at Baghdad International Airport carrying a number of dignitaries, including Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the head of the Shiita militia Kataib Hezbollah and deputy commander of Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). However, the cars were being stalked by an MQ-9 Reaper drone owned by the US Air Force, which moments later fired a Hellfire R9X missile, destroying the SUV and killing both men.Just days after the strike, NBC reported that Israeli intelligence had participated in the operation, tipping off the Americans about Soleimanis airplane leaving Damascus airport in Syria for Baghdad. Last week, Donald Trump, who was US president at the time of the airstrike, griped in an Axios interview that he had felt pressured by Jerusalem to take the initiative on the operation.However, the admission of participation by Maj. Gen. Tamir Hayman, former chief of the IDF's Military Intelligence Directorate, in a recent interview with Israeli media, is a first by an Israeli official.Hayman noted there had been two significant and important assassinations during my term, which ended in October.The first, as Ive already recalled, is that of Qassem Soleimani - its rare to locate someone so senior, who is the architect of the fighting force, the strategist and the operator - its rare, he said. He called the Iranian commander the engine of the train of Iranian entrenchment in Syria, where Israel has carried out airstrikes for years against what targets it claims are Iranian facilities preparing to attack Israel.Israel has claimed the right to attack Iran in other ways, as well, including a series of espionage operations against the countrys nuclear program, which Israel claims aims at building a nuclear weapon to attack them with. These have included sabotage, as well as assassinations like the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a top Iranian nuclear scientist, in November 2020.Tehran has repeatedly rejected claims that it pursues a nuclear weapon, which the countrys supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ruled in 2009 is a violation of Islams moral strictures. Instead, Iran says it wants to use the refined uranium to fuel power plants and for use in medical research facilities, but has increased the quality and quantity of uranium its producing in order to pressure the United States to return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal that it unilaterally withdrew from in 2018, reimposing crushing economic sanctions against Iran."To the best of our knowledge, the directive has not changed and they are not heading toward a breakout, he told Israels Walla News. They are not heading toward a bomb right now: It may be in the distant future."*A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries ASmith_ Why would the purported ZOG Gov's Israel and USA assassinate the renowned destroyer of ISIS across the Middle East? Seems obvious ISIS was recreated by Obama and Hillary Clinton after Clinton met with relatives of the former ISIS Caliphate's family in exile in Europe for their green-light. Gadhafi had defeated and exiled the depraved ISIS Caliphate from its capital in Benghazi, Libya in a bloodless coup. The faustian bargin appears to be the USA Gov assassinate Gadhafi and give the Benghazi Central Bank $500 Million in cash plus Gadhafi's stockpiles of weapons to ISIS. 11 Wayne Gabler Is that supposed to surprise anybody, or are they just bragging again about what you seem to be able to get away as far as being a terrorist and nobody can do anything about it? 10 12 iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg middle east, iran, assassination, israel, tamir hyman, qasem soleimani https://sputniknews.com/20211222/indian-tax-sleuths-launch-massive-raids-against-chinese-mobile-manufacturers-1091718330.html Indian Tax Sleuths Launch Massive Raids Against Chinese Mobile Manufacturers Indian Tax Sleuths Launch Massive Raids Against Chinese Mobile Manufacturers India's tax department is carrying out massive raids on Chinese mobile manufacturing entities such as Xiaomi, Oppo, and OnePlus, which have a combined market share of over 46 percent in India. 2021-12-22T11:28+0000 2021-12-22T11:28+0000 2021-12-22T11:30+0000 tax evasion china huawei xiaomi mobile phone border tensions india /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/101640/40/1016404085_0:58:3500:2027_1920x0_80_0_0_2badeb097353f8b3cc81e559e89b6cf4.jpg India's tax department is carrying out massive raids on Chinese mobile manufacturing entities such as Xiaomi, Oppo, and OnePlus, which have a combined market share of over 46 percent in India. The operations are underway in at least 24 premises related to senior executives and offices of these companies in Delhi, Gurugram, and Bengaluru.These Chinese firms allegedly produced illicit purchase bills to reduce their tax liability.In April, the Bombay High Court ordered ByteDance, the developer of the video-making platform TikTok, to deposit $11 million in India's leading state-owned banks as part of a case related to tax evasion. In 2020, shortly after a violent border clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley, the income tax department searched a dozen premises linked to Chinese individuals, claiming more than 40 bank accounts were created in various dummy entities to evade more than $133 million in taxes. The Chinese Embassy in New Delhi urged the Indian government and relevant departments to enforce the "law impartially to ensure Chinese citizens and companies' safety and legal rights". https://sputniknews.com/20200908/after-tiktoks-ongoing-efforts-india-banned-mobile-game-pubg-cuts-ties-with-chinas-tencent-1080395949.html china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Rishikesh Kumar https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/04/1080055820_0:0:388:389_100x100_80_0_0_40018ee210946d65d49ffba4f4c008e1.jpg Rishikesh Kumar https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/04/1080055820_0:0:388:389_100x100_80_0_0_40018ee210946d65d49ffba4f4c008e1.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Rishikesh Kumar https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/04/1080055820_0:0:388:389_100x100_80_0_0_40018ee210946d65d49ffba4f4c008e1.jpg tax evasion, china, huawei, xiaomi, mobile phone, border tensions, india https://sputniknews.com/20211222/iran-nuclear-deal-talks-to-end-within-weeks-sullivan-tells-israeli-paper-during-jerusalem-visit-1091734183.html Iran Nuclear Deal Talks to End Within Weeks, Sullivan Tells Israeli Paper During Jerusalem Visit Iran Nuclear Deal Talks to End Within Weeks, Sullivan Tells Israeli Paper During Jerusalem Visit After meeting with US allies, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan has said the time for returning to the JCPOA would soon draw to a close. The US left the deal in 2018, claiming without proof that Iran was violating it. 2021-12-22T23:15+0000 2021-12-22T23:15+0000 2021-12-22T23:09+0000 jake sullivan middle east iran israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/02/1083512342_0:0:2677:1506_1920x0_80_0_0_354c3d3d10baa9af4fbd0696d7f4c499.jpg "There is still room for a diplomatic effort," Sullivan told Israeli daily paper Haaretz in a Wednesday interview, adding that within weeks, the US would know "whether Iran is ready for the diplomatic solution.The comments come as Sullivan traveled to Jerusalem to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to discuss Washingtons commitment to Israeli security. Jerusalem has long been opposed to the 2015 deal between Iran, the US, UK, Germany, France, Russia, China, and the European Union, which lowered economic sanctions against Iran in exchange for Iran accepting strict limitations on the nuclear fuel it could produce.The US pulled out of that deal in 2018, claiming alongside Israel that Iran had been secretly violating its terms and was still in pursuit of a nuclear weapon, even though that program had ended 15 years earlier and the countrys clerical leadership had denounced the use of all weapons of mass destruction as violations of Islam.As a consequence, Iran began increasing the purity of uranium-235 it produced and the volume it stored, backing away from the terms of the deal in a bid to pressure Washington to remove its sanctions and return to the deal.After US President Joe Biden took office in January, talks on reviving the deal began, with the seventh round in Vienna, Austria, concluding earlier this month without resolution.Israel and Saudi Arabia, two close US partners in the Middle East, have opposed reviving the deal without stronger limitations being placed on Iran, and the US and its allies have considered attempting to add them to the deal as well - a suggestion Tehran has balked at.Earlier on Wednesday, Axios published an article based on the testimony of four senior Israeli officials who met with Sullivan, reporting that the US laid out three possible near-term scenarios for what could happen with Iran.The Israeli officials also told Axios that the door to reaching a deal would close by the end of January 2022.Also on Wednesday, Israel Defense Forces Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, who is preparing to assume command over the Israeli Air Force, told Israeli daily Yediot Acharonot on Wednesday that the IAF was ready to attack Iran tomorrow morning if necessary.In October, the Knesset approved a special $1.5 billion budget for preparing such a strike. However, the Times of Israel reported, citing an anonymous source, that contrary to Bars comments, planning the strike would take nearly a year.Israel has developed a reputation for being willing to carry out such operations, not the least of which was the 1981 airstrike on Iraqs unfinished Osirak nuclear power plant. As with Iran, Tel Aviv feared Iraq intended to use the plant to further its nuclear weapons program, although at the time, Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein actually had a nuclear weapons program. Ironically enough, the fledgling Iranian Islamic republic, which was fending off an Iraqi invasion of Khuzestan Province and thus the most likely target for an Iraqi nuclear weapon, secretly helped Israel destroy the reactor.However, unlike Iraq, Iran has an extensive air defense system, most of its nuclear facilities are deep underground, and has no active nuclear weapons program, as Israeli military intelligence has admitted. mandrake Probably better with no jcpoa deal since that will improve the chances that the jews will be gone into extinction, something the entire world, including the white trash in the us fly over states, will cheer and celebrate endlessly! 5 vot tak Excellent article. Very obvious the israeloamericans have no intention of returning to the JCPOA, and negotiating in bad faith. They will add terms impossible for Iran to accept, then claim the failure to reach an agreement was all Iran's fault. Standard israeloamerican bs. The sullivan quisling is in israel getting his marching orders. 5 6 iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg jake sullivan, middle east, iran, israel, joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) https://sputniknews.com/20211222/israel-could-attack-irans-nuclear-programme-tomorrow-if-needed-says-air-force-future-head-1091726758.html Israel Could Attack Irans Nuclear Programme Tomorrow If Needed, Says Air Force Future Head Israel Could Attack Irans Nuclear Programme Tomorrow If Needed, Says Air Force Future Head Earlier this week, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan arrvied in Israel to hold detailed discussions with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Irans nuclear program, which Israel claims is used to develop nuclear weapons. 2021-12-22T17:37+0000 2021-12-22T17:37+0000 2021-12-22T17:37+0000 p5+1 middle east united states iran nuclear program israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) nuclear weapons /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0c/0d/1091498200_0:122:1590:1016_1920x0_80_0_0_fb87c617bbd2d69a49116a1f3e478064.jpg Israel has the wherewithal to attack Irans nuclear programme successfully tomorrow if needed, major-general Tomer Bar, incoming commander of the countrys Air Force, has said. Speaking to Yediot Aharonot, Bar, who commands the Force Design Directorate, suggested Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) will attack Tehrans nuclear facilities should talks between the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 group of negotiators fail.The major-general has dismissed reports that a lack of funding was hindering IDFs missions. "We equipped ourselves with F-35s. We procured thousands of Iron Dome interceptors for multi-layer defense", Bar said.The commander also touched on last weeks report from The New York Times, which said that the United States had rejected Israels request to speed up supplies of Boeings KC-46 Pegasus refuelling aircraft. The jets were to be delivered under the $2.4 billion deal the United States and Israel signed last year. According to the newspaper, Israel considers the aircraft is "critical to striking Irans nuclear facilities". KC-46s characteristics allow the plane to refuel three jets at once in four minutes.Bar said that he doesnt know why the White House rejected Israels request, but stressed that he has not "yet exhausted the possibility of getting at least two [jets] in advance".His interview comes a week after media reports said that Israels Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had allegedly stated that Israel is preparing for a military option to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.Israel and Iran have had a tense relationship since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran. At the time, the supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini adopted a sharp anti-Israeli stance and cut off all ties with its neighbour. Over the years, both sides have engaged in tit-for-tat incursions, but have avoided a direct military conflict.Relations between the two sides have further deteriorated because of Iran's nuclear programme, which Israel considers poses a threat to its existence. In 2015, Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal. Under the agreement, the Islamic Republic curbed its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions and an arms embargo.Israel strongly opposed the JCPOA, with the country's former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arguing that the deal "doesn't block Iran's path" to [developing a nuclear] bomb, but instead paves Iran's path to it.Donald Trump, who was president of the United States in 2017, harshly criticised the deal too and in 2018 withdrew the nation from the accord despite warnings and criticism from other signatories. Upon taking office, new US President Joe Biden voiced his intention to revive the JCPOA. However, the personal desires of Democrat Joe Biden, have been somewhat hampered by the White House's pushing for more restrictions to be included in the agreement.Israel has voiced opposition to attempts to restore the deal. Iran has insisted that its nuclear programme is intended only for peaceful purposes, citing the 2009 ruling of Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who condemned the use and development of weapons of mass destruction describing them as a violation of Islams moral structures.Earlier this week, US national security advise Jake Sullivan arrived in Israel to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on the Iran nuclear deal. mandrake Which is amlie of course. The friggin slimy jews can do squat vis a vis Irans nukes. Best to shut them up by extinction planning by the worlds long term strategist! The jews have forfeited the right to be part of mankind and should be brought onto the list of extinct species, asap! 13 Hajj Qassem Seeing as they have been claiming it's been needed for the past 20 years, why don't they do it? They don't even have the tankers need to get close enough, and by such time Iran would shoot both tanker and jet out of the sky and then proceed to light Israel up. 12 15 iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Max Gorbachev Max Gorbachev News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Max Gorbachev p5+1, middle east, united states, iran, nuclear program, israel, joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa), nuclear weapons https://sputniknews.com/20211222/madagascar-minister-survives-helicopter-crash-swims-for-12-hours-after-flying-to-shipwreck-site-1091714726.html Madagascar Minister Survives Helicopter Crash, Swims for 12 Hours After Flying to Shipwreck Site Madagascar Minister Survives Helicopter Crash, Swims for 12 Hours After Flying to Shipwreck Site The official and his team were searching the area after a deadly boat accident when their aircraft suddenly crashed at sea. 22.12.2021, Sputnik International 2021-12-22T09:06+0000 2021-12-22T09:06+0000 2021-12-22T09:59+0000 madagascar africa shipwreck helicopter crash /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/15811/46/158114602_0:0:467:264_1920x0_80_0_0_7abbbaf94e57f56f7b61dce097f25ae5.jpg A Madagascar minister managed to survive a helicopter incident during a rescue mission, as he was searching for passengers from the sunken vessel Francia near the northeastern shore of the island. Secretary of State for Police Serge Gelle self-ejected from the aircraft when it crashed into the ocean and swam about 12 hours to shore.In a video, published on Wednesday, he can be seen exhausted, but without any major injuries, saying "it's not my time to die".Gelle, as well as two other police officers, who survived the accident, reached land in the seaside town of Mahambo separately on Tuesday. According to Police Chief Zafisambatra Ravoavy, Gelle used one of the seats as a flotation device.The crash occurred while the minister was on his way to visit the site of a shipwreck off the coast of Madagascar. The vessel (a cargo ship, which was not allowed to carry passengers) sank on Monday with at least 138 people on board, according to the Maritime and River Port Agency (APMF). The official death toll has risen to 64, while 24 people still remain missing. The search operation is ongoing as some 20 people remain missing. STABOU Youssef Alors les G.I's, pas besoin de captagon pour garder la Forme, juste un peu de banane plantain et l'aide du DIVIN !!! 0 1 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg madagascar, africa, shipwreck, helicopter crash https://sputniknews.com/20211222/pacific-collective-vows-to-oppose-japan-dumping-fukushimas-nuclear-waste-in-ocean-1091723668.html Pacific Collective Vows to Oppose Japan Dumping Fukushimas Nuclear Waste in Ocean Pacific Collective Vows to Oppose Japan Dumping Fukushimas Nuclear Waste in Ocean In April, Japan announced that it would dump over a million tons of wastewater from Fukushimas crippled nuclear reactors in the Pacific Ocean from 2023. Soon... 22.12.2021, Sputnik International 2021-12-22T15:18+0000 2021-12-22T15:18+0000 2021-12-22T15:18+0000 fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant pacific ocean international atomic energy agency (iaea) fukushima fumio kishida japan china nuclear waste pacific wastewater /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/0d/1082622078_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_04c3ab36476bf83bc66aa248e9c93d23.jpg The Pacific Collective on Nuclear Issues, a group of civil society and student organisations, has categorically denied the veracity of a report released by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO), vowing to oppose Japan's planned mass disposal of wastewater stored at the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant.The strong objection comes a day after TEPCO submitted a detailed plan to the nuclear regulation authority seeking the release of accumulated wastewater into the sea. TEPCO said it would use an underwater tunnel to dispose of 1.28 million tons of contaminated water of the plant at a depth of 12 metres in the sea.The group said that the Radiological Impact Assessment violates several issues, including laws and international nuclear treaties that protect the Pacific peoples and environment.The collective accused Japan of wrongly prioritising convenience and costs over the short term and long term environmental and human cost of their planned actions. The group urged the Japanese government to develop alternatives to TEPCO's plans for using an Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) method to "treat highly radioactive wastewater to safe levels" for discharge into the Pacific Ocean. TEPCO claimed radioactive contamination would be removed from wastewater under the ALPS method, except toxic tritium.The Fukushima nuclear plant suffered a triple meltdown in 2011 following a massive earthquake and tsunami. In October, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida assured people and foreign governments that Japan would address the concerns. However, the Japanese politician emphasised that the disposal of contaminated water in the ocean is the most realistic option. Nonyank Serve it to the government as drinking water and see just how safe it is! 3 Wayne Gabler They should run a pipeline to the trench just offshore. Have it so the end is in the deep part as that part is alreadt 'dead water' and the trench is getting deeper. It could be the world's dump for toxic waste. The place where the plastic is would be suitable fore organic waste, that water also sinks and become food for fish. 1 3 pacific ocean fukushima japan china pacific Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Rishikesh Kumar https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/04/1080055820_0:0:388:389_100x100_80_0_0_40018ee210946d65d49ffba4f4c008e1.jpg Rishikesh Kumar https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/04/1080055820_0:0:388:389_100x100_80_0_0_40018ee210946d65d49ffba4f4c008e1.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Rishikesh Kumar https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/04/1080055820_0:0:388:389_100x100_80_0_0_40018ee210946d65d49ffba4f4c008e1.jpg fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant, pacific ocean, international atomic energy agency (iaea), fukushima, fumio kishida, japan, china, nuclear waste, pacific, wastewater https://sputniknews.com/20211222/pla-reveals-details-of-z-10-attack-helicopter-superior-to-foreign-counterparts-1091720612.html PLA Reveals Details of Z-10 Attack Helicopter, 'Superior to Foreign Counterparts' PLA Reveals Details of Z-10 Attack Helicopter, 'Superior to Foreign Counterparts' The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) revealed many details of the country's domestically developed Z-10 attack helicopter in a recent programme aired by... 22.12.2021, Sputnik International 2021-12-22T12:43+0000 2021-12-22T12:43+0000 2021-12-22T12:43+0000 asia & pacific china helicopter attack helicopters /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0c/16/1091720480_0:67:1280:787_1920x0_80_0_0_25857439309b9ff8c0f1bea84bd35912.jpg As the first type of attack helicopter domestically developed by China, the Z-10 has been commissioned by the PLA in large numbers in recent years, including an aerial assault brigade affiliated with the 83rd Group Army, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Monday.With a range of 1,120 kilometres, the Z-10 has an empty weight of about 5,100 kilograms. It has four external hardpoints that can carry air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles as well as rockets, plus a 23-millimetre calibre revolver gun, according to CCTV's report.The helicopter can be armed with up to 16 anti-tank missiles, four 7-barrel multiple rocket launchers or two 32-barrel multiple rocket launchers. For different missions, different configurations will be used. For example, missiles will be used against armoured vehicles and tanks, and rockets and the gun will be used against infantry targets, Zhang Zhengfei, an ace pilot at the brigade, told CCTV.When attacking a hostile tank group, the Z-10 will usually carry eight air-to-ground missiles and two multiple rocket launchers, Zhang said, explaining that the missile has an accuracy of 85 percent and each Z-10 sortie can at least destroy six enemy tanks.A standard group of four Z-10s can carry 32 anti-tank missiles, eight 57-millimetre calibre multiple rocket launchers and four guns, and this is enough to wipe out three tank companies, CCTV said.The Z-10 can also launch the 50 kilogram-class TY-90 air-to-air missile against hostile helicopters, the report mentioned.For defence, the helicopter is also equipped with armour made of composite materials that have a protective capability that far surpasses the strength of titanium alloy or steel, CCTV reported, noting that the materials are also lighter.The pilot of the Z-10 uses a specially made helmet that can display all key parameters and battlefield dynamics directly onto the visor. The pilot can even use the helmet to aim, as the weapons will point to wherever the pilot is looking to through the helmet, according to the report.Thanks to its good aerodynamic design, domestically-made engines, excellent handling and manoeuvrability, the Z-10 is easier to control, has a longer range and has a better multi-tasking capability than its foreign counterparts, like the Eurocopter Tiger, CCTV mentioned.In October, the Z-10 helicopter was spotted in PLA exercises near the island of Taiwan for the first time.Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times that the Z-10 has very strong firepower and world-class avionics systems, and it can attack both ground, sea and air targets.The Z-10 can play a unique role in amphibious landing missions, Fu said.Having a record of operations in Northwest China's high-altitude desert regions and Southwest China's Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, the Z-10 can also handle China's high-elevation border regions, observers said.This article was originally published by the Global Times. china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 asia & pacific, china, helicopter, attack helicopters https://sputniknews.com/20211222/published-papers-show-us-asked-japan-for-military-aid-during-1990-gulf-war-reports-say-1091716032.html Published Papers Show US Asked Japan for Military Aid During 1990 Gulf War, Reports Say Published Papers Show US Asked Japan for Military Aid During 1990 Gulf War, Reports Say Uncovered Japanese government documents show that in the wake of the 1990 Gulf War then-US President George W Bush asked Japan for logistical aid from its Self Defense Forces, Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday. 2021-12-22T10:02+0000 2021-12-22T10:02+0000 2021-12-22T10:02+0000 operation desert storm us japan kuwait iraq /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/103666/90/1036669036_0:45:1201:720_1920x0_80_0_0_395dae2eb6790e821bd8f55c9c4c3fda.jpg The request was made to then-Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu who did not follow through, the Japanese news outlet said, citing the documents.The agency added that Japan did, however, deploy minesweepers to the Persian Gulf as a contribution to the end of the war.On 2 August 1990, the Iraqi army invaded Kuwait with the aim of acquiring the nation's largest oil reserves that would cancel a debt Iraq owed Kuwait. Bush deployed US forces to Saudi Arabia and asked other countries to join the effort. On 16 January 1991, Bush announced the start of Operation Desert Storm that was aimed at expelling Iraqi forces from Kuwait. The US-led coalition had positioned over 900,000 troops in the region, most near the Saudi-Iraqi border. A five-week bombardment of Iraq began after the country failed to withdraw its troops from Kuwait before the United Nations declared January 15 deadline. Iraq was driven out of Kuwait by February 24. japan kuwait Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 operation desert storm, us, japan, kuwait, iraq https://sputniknews.com/20211222/rafale-deal-india-imposes-11-mln-fine-on-french-missile-maker-over-delay-in-offset-commitments-1091708724.html Rafale Deal: India Imposes $1.1 Mln Fine on French Missile Maker Over Delay in Offset Commitments Rafale Deal: India Imposes $1.1 Mln Fine on French Missile Maker Over Delay in Offset Commitments India has imposed and collected a penalty of nearly $1.1 million from French missile maker MBDA for delays in fulfilling its offsets commitments in the $8.7 billion Rafale fighter jet deal, The Times of India reported on Wednesday. 2021-12-22T07:06+0000 2021-12-22T07:06+0000 2021-12-22T07:06+0000 france narendra modi india dassault aviation rafale mbda /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107546/71/1075467172_0:54:1025:630_1920x0_80_0_0_bb5c4f00ea73aa3eb0565dc16d7bedbc.jpg India has imposed and collected a penalty of nearly $1.1 million from French missile maker MBDA for delays in fulfilling its offsets commitments in the $8.7 billion Rafale fighter jet deal, The Times of India reported on Wednesday.Under the offset obligations agreed upon by India and France in the Rafale deal, nearly 50 percent of the deal's worth (almost $4.3 billion) has to be channeled into India in a bid to boost the country's domestic defence capabilities, the media reported.Matra BAE Dynamics Alenia (MBDA) entered into a joint venture with India's Larsen and Toubro (L&T) in February 2017, months after the Rafale deal was signed between Paris and New Delhi. The joint endeavour is manufacturing an advanced suite of weapons to be deployed in the Rafale jets.According to the report, Indian officials claimed that MBDA "slipped in discharging" its offset obligations for the first year between September 2019 and September 2020, leading to the government imposing a penalty on the manufacturer.MBDA has reportedly lodged a protest with the government over the fine.The fine over the delay in fulfilling the offset obligations comes months after India's federal auditor blasted the government's offset policy.According to a report by India's Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), it is mandatory for foreign original equipment manufacturers (OEM) to spend 30 to 50 percent of the total contract value in India, through the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) route, or buying related goods and services from Indian suppliers or by transferring advanced technologies.The report claimed that only 59 percent of the overall offset contracts signed between India and foreign suppliers from 2007 until 2018 have been discharged to date.Since assuming office in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been actively pushing to "achieve self-reliance and promote defence exports" under his "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (Self-reliant India) initiative. The Indian Defence Ministry has since August of last year issued two "Positive Indigenisation Lists" which call for an embargo on imports of certain defence systems and weapons so that they can be manufactured domestically.A total of 209 defence systems and weapons, including helicopters, next-generation corvettes, airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) systems, and tank engines, feature in the two federal lists. https://sputniknews.com/20211217/france-ready-to-provide-additional-rafale-jet-to-india-defence-minister-parly-says-1091595216.html Rot Hchild Since Napolean French Empire lost to Britain in the Battle of Waterloo, the Rothschild bankers took over France, then aimed their target at the German Empire. The rest is history. The French is still controlled by the City of London despite appearances to the contrary. It is the reason why France bombed Syria and not Israel, during the Syrian war with ISIS. 1 Dang! This should be a lesson to India not to trust the west when it comes to buying overpriced mediocre non technology transfer arms from France. Better to buy cheaper better Russian arms! 1 4 france india Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Dhairya Maheshwari Dhairya Maheshwari News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Dhairya Maheshwari france, narendra modi, india, dassault aviation, rafale, mbda https://sputniknews.com/20211222/recs-foreign-outlets-share-experiences-with-counterparts-from-russian-regions-1091724924.html REC's Foreign Outlets Share Experiences With Counterparts From Russian Regions REC's Foreign Outlets Share Experiences With Counterparts From Russian Regions Moscow (Sputnik) - Foreign outlets of the Russian Export Centre JSC (part of VEB.RF Group) in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan conducted internships for the Export... 22.12.2021, Sputnik International 2021-12-22T15:59+0000 2021-12-22T15:59+0000 2021-12-22T15:59+0000 russian export center jsc (rec) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0c/16/1091725173_1:0:1125:632_1920x0_80_0_0_284a7600689dd3f369f15cbe1c0e3697.jpg This year we have launched internships for regional Export Support Centres at REC overseas offices for the first time. We are grateful to Export Support Centres for participating in this initiative. In one month of the internship, the staff of Export Support Centres, with the support of REC overseas offices, organised business missions for export companies in their regions and achieved a certain success," Ksenia Tagirova, REC Senior Managing Director for Non-Financial Products and Foreign Network Development, said.According to Tagirova, the cooperation between REC and regional Export Support Centres has developed excellently. Considering that many Export Support Centres are interested in exchanging experience, we plan to organise more internships in 2022, Tagirova noted. Based on the results of the meetings, the participants discuss specific terms of transactions and deliveries for 2022. Furthermore, the Belgorod company Unicorn Ltd has already concluded an export contract with the Azerbaijan company GreenStream to deliver sanitary and engineering products worth almost $800,000.Business meetings for regional exporters were organized by the staff of Export Support Centres together with REC overseas offices. A total of more than 20 companies took part in the events.In Baku, as a result of the work done jointly by Yekaterina Basheva and Ivan Chebotarev, specialists from Export Support Centres in Nizhny Novgorod and Belgorod, the business mission of four export companies from Nizhny Novgorod (KETON, which produces paint and varnish materials, Drobmash, which makes crushing and screening equipment, the lumber producing business Borskaya Lesnaya Companiya, and the decking material company Rentcar) has been achieved.Furthermore, business missions of nine Belgorod companies from a variety of industries (construction industry, food production, agro-industry, light industry, production of medical and dental equipment) have been conducted. Among the companies were Unicorn Ltd, Mega Toys, and Belgorod Hydromechanical Plant.In Tashkent, the joint work of the RECs representative office and Ilia Ryzhova, the lead foreign trade manager of the Tula Regional Fund Business Support Centre, has resulted in a business mission for nine companies from Tula Oblast. Among the companies were the producer of wooden poles for agriculture, Vinprof, the manufacturer of heat exchange equipment, Individual Entrepreneur Yemelyanov EO, Tula Mining Equipment Plant, Yasnogorsk Pumping Plant, food producer, Belev Pastila, consumer goods producer, Hozsfera, high-pressure pipe systems producer, Energomash, cosmetics company, Krasivoye Nachalo, and the producer of industrial robots and automation technologies, TOZ-Robototechnika. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 russian export center jsc (rec) https://sputniknews.com/20211222/russian-ambassador-says-rt-de-under-pressure-in-germany-1091729126.html Russian Ambassador Says RT DE Under Pressure in Germany Russian Ambassador Says RT DE Under Pressure in Germany The RT DE broadcaster is under pressure in Germany to make it difficult to launch broadcasting to local audiences, this contradicts the principle of freedom of speech, Russian Ambassador to Berlin Sergei Nechaev said 2021-12-22T17:21+0000 2021-12-22T17:21+0000 2021-12-22T17:21+0000 germany rt /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0c/10/1091560948_0:0:3070:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_98714e9ebd2224b74d502b5a3920170e.jpg According to him, "attempts to eliminate a strong competitor in the media field and restrict access to an alternative and at the same time exclusively professional point of view on world events are clearly discordant with statements about the inadmissibility of censorship, protection of freedom of speech, press and the right to information".Also on Wednesday, the federal German government said it had no role in the decision to take the RT DE broadcaster off air in Berlin and the surrounding state of Brandenburg.German regional media authority Mabb has started an investigation into RT DE for allegedly airing programmes in German without a broadcasting license soon after launch. The move was followed by European satellite operator Eutelsat taking the channel off the air on Wednesday, with RT branding the step illegal. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova suggested that Russia might retaliate.The launch of RT DE has been surrounded by controversy in the European Union, with German media and politicians accusing the broadcaster of manipulations with facts targeting Germans of Russian origin. germany Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 germany, rt https://sputniknews.com/20211222/top-hindu-groups-international-president-forced-religious-conversion-is-a-crime-against-humanity-1091719184.html Top Hindu Group's International President: 'Forced Religious Conversion is a Crime Against Humanity' Top Hindu Group's International President: 'Forced Religious Conversion is a Crime Against Humanity' Founded in 1964, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) aims to organise and consolidate Hindu groups and serve and protect Hindu religion. The organisation, which... 22.12.2021, Sputnik International 2021-12-22T14:54+0000 2021-12-22T14:54+0000 2021-12-22T14:54+0000 religion muslim politics politics muslim bharatiya janata party (bjp) muslim india politics religion /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0c/16/1091725001_0:97:1280:818_1920x0_80_0_0_045cc41a667f968c665b48a1c37d6eab.jpg India's top Hindu organisation Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has recently launched a nationwide public awareness campaign about religious conversions in the country. The 11-day campaign will last until 31 December.A VHP delegation recently met 329 Members of Parliament (MPs) of all parties during the Winter Session of Parliament. It told them that illegal conversions are threatening national security.It also urged that the constitutional provision of reservation should be denied tribal people who convert to other religions. The VHP has also demanded that the Narendra Modi government make a law against unlawful conversions.Sputnik contacted the VHP's international president Alok Kumar to talk about the ongoing campaign and the organisation's future plans.Sputnik: What prompted the Vishva Hindu Parishad to launch a public awareness campaign against religious conversion at this time of the year?Alok Kumar: In India, there are always elections in [this or that] state. Every election is crucial. In 2022, assembly polls will be held in eight states. So, whenever we held this campaign there would be an election going on somewhere. But honestly, this campaign is not related to any state polls.During the pandemic and thereafter, there has been a serious spurt in the number of religious conversions and establishment of churches and other activities. Therefore, we thought we should intensify our campaign.Almost none of these religious conversions are brought about by a change of conscience but rather are forced or the result of deception. And a conversion that is the consequence of deception or force is a crime against humanity and a crime against the constitution of India.So, we wish to make people aware of what the missionaries and the extremists are doing, their methods, including Love Jihad (an alleged phenomenon where Muslim men lure Hindu women for conversion to Islam through marriage). We wish to stop conversion of Hindus to these communities and also to bring back our brothers who converted in this generation or a few generations ago.Sputnik: Is there any data about conversions that may have happened during the pandemic which inspired the VHP to launch this campaign?Alok Kumar: The exact numbers may be difficult to obtain because in many areas Christians dont change their names because then the Scheduled Castes (SCs) might lose the reservation benefits.But we have made a district-wise study of the trends. We have done an analysis of the areas where the conversions are happening more intensely. We are working on countermeasures in those areas.Sputnik: Dont you think such a campaign will be actually politically beneficial for the Hindu-inclined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)?Alok Kumar: First of all, I am not sure about it, and secondly, I am not much concerned about it. Religion is a spiritual matter, and we have not started this campaign to benefit any party.Apart from this, most of the conversions have occurred in the southern part of the country, and no elections are going on there.I also think at this time that everybody is trying to showcase themselves or their party as pro-Hindu in comparison with the BJP - be it the Congress or the Aam Aadmi Party or any other one.So, Hinduism has become a matter [of significance], for whatever reasons, which all the political parties are adopting. Therefore, [our campaign] is not designed to benefit any particular political party.Sputnik: How has the campaign been strategised to ensure people become aware of the illegal religious conversions?Alok Kumar: We have decided to hold several meetings in all the areas, run the campaign on social media, and also spread awareness through media organisations.We met 329 Parliamentarians during the Winter session of the Parliament. These lawmakers were from all political parties and belonged to every religion. For Odisha and other states, we will do it during the Budget Session.For the rest of the country, we have sought appointments with other parliamentarians too. We are happy that most of them have given us time for the meeting and we have conveyed the problems to them.Sputnik: As the VHP delegation met so many parliamentarians, what views do they share in general since they belong to parties driven by different ideologies?Alok Kumar: When we had a one-on-one talk with the lawmakers, an overwhelming majority of them agreed with what we said or suggested about religious conversions. Even Muslim MPs said that one of the ways to maintain peace in the country is that Hindus should follow their faith while Muslims should follow theirs and nobody converts.But I believe in public, they will have to toe their party line.Sputnik: The VHP has also put forward a demand to pass a law against unlawful conversions. Has the federal government responded to your demand?Alok Kumar: We have passed our resolution on to the federal government. We have passed a resolution over it for a central law. We have also forwarded a resolution to the party president and I believe the party will consider it.Sputnik: What is the VHP's plan for the future?Alok Kumar: As of now, we are focusing on this 11-day campaign and after this, we will take stock of the situation and then adopt our future strategy. india Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Rahul Trivedi https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926121_0:-1:627:627_100x100_80_0_0_d882e1a63f627c25b7a534fb8b8234d7.jpg Rahul Trivedi https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926121_0:-1:627:627_100x100_80_0_0_d882e1a63f627c25b7a534fb8b8234d7.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Rahul Trivedi https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926121_0:-1:627:627_100x100_80_0_0_d882e1a63f627c25b7a534fb8b8234d7.jpg religion, muslim, politics, politics, muslim, bharatiya janata party (bjp), muslim, india, politics, religion, hinduism, religion, politics, conversion, hindus, religion and politics, india https://sputniknews.com/20211222/trump-manchin-is-saving-biden-from-himself-by-opposing-build-back-better-1091729252.html Trump: Manchin is 'Saving' Biden 'From Himself' by Opposing Build Back Better Trump: Manchin is 'Saving' Biden 'From Himself' by Opposing Build Back Better On Sunday, Democratic Senator Joe Manchin publicly announced that he will not vote for Joe Biden's sweeping "Build Back Better" plan, potentially tanking the legislative future of the bill. 2021-12-22T17:32+0000 2021-12-22T17:32+0000 2021-12-22T17:32+0000 joe biden donald trump us sen. joe manchin (d-west virginia) build back better /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/03/1083792772_0:0:2485:1398_1920x0_80_0_0_0d2c738bf7d45fba3e07d29aed8af08a.jpg Former US President Donald Trump suggested that Senator Joe Manchin is "saving" President Biden "from himself" by blocking the Build Back Better bill, according to Fox News.According to Trump, the Build Back Better package, should it be passed despite Manchin's current opposition, "would blow this country up".Bill Killed?Manchin's "no" on Sunday made waves across the Democratic Party, with fellow lawmakers lashing out at him for failing to uphold his "commitments" to Joe Biden. POTUS himself, however, assured reporters on Tuesday that he doesn't "hold a grudge" and remains determined to "do something" about the bill.Other Democrats, among them House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, vowed to hold more votes on Build Back Better in early 2022, refusing to "give up" on the president's ambitious social spending agenda. The bill's legislative fate has been tough: already trimmed several times in order to satisfy every Democrat in the House, it may be curtailed even more to win Manchin's vote. Initially, Biden's aspiration was to designate trillions of dollars for social benefits, expanded healthcare, a massive infrastructure overhaul, and climate goals. The president has been pushing the ambitious package since before his inauguration, touting his plan as a way to "heal" and "unify" America.Republicans, meanwhile, appear to be rejoicing over the potential legislative misfortunes on Biden plan's way through Congress, saying that Manchin's opposition to it is "exciting news" and calling to "kill the bill". https://sputniknews.com/20211222/dems-struggling-to-get-something-done-on-bidens-bbb-plan-amid-senator-manchins-opposition-1091721920.html USSuxRuskyNuts Like Trump ever did anything to help fix US infrastructure that's been degrading since the 60's! Trump is only interested in how him and his friends can enrich themselves more by getting those infrastructure dollars instead of using them to fix their highways, water systems, electrical systems and ports! His only interest is pandemic profiteering! 4 USSuxRuskyNuts Trump is nothing but a two bit conman! 4 7 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Daria Bedenko Daria Bedenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Daria Bedenko joe biden, donald trump, us, sen. joe manchin (d-west virginia), build back better https://sputniknews.com/20211222/us-navy-seizes-1400-ak-47s-from-stateless-vessel-in-north-arabian-sea-1091733453.html US Navy Seizes 1,400 AK-47s From 'Stateless Vessel' in North Arabian Sea US Navy Seizes 1,400 AK-47s From 'Stateless Vessel' in North Arabian Sea The US Navy confirmed on Wednesday that, earlier this week, the 5th Fleet had seized some 1,400 AK-47 assault rifles and at least 226,000 rounds of ammunition from a stateless fishing vessel traveling in the North Arabian Sea. 2021-12-22T23:04+0000 2021-12-22T23:04+0000 2021-12-22T22:59+0000 arabian sea us us navy ak-47 /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0c/16/1091733424_0:320:3073:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_c5472e5cad7b6a3e467988d4091c4a8d.jpg The US Navy confirmed on Wednesday that, earlier this week, the 5th Fleet had seized some 1,400 AK-47 assault rifles and at least 226,000 rounds of ammunition from a stateless fishing vessel traveling in the North Arabian Sea. The weapons and ammo were discovered by Navy forces amid a flag verification boarding "in accordance with customary international law in the North Arabian Sea." The vessel's five-man crew were all identified as Yemeni nationals, and will be returned to their country of origin, according to US personnel. Although described as a "stateless vessel," the service noted in its Wednesday release that undisclosed findings suggested it had "originated in Iran."This comes several months after guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) seized what are reported to be illicit shipments of weapons and weapons components from two stateless dhows off the coast of Somalia. The seizure, conducted between February 11 and February 12, resulted in the confiscation of a cache of weapons, including thousands of AK-47-style assault rifles, light machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and heavy sniper rifles. vot tak The couch their piracy in legal terms, but is still criminal piracy. 9 TruePatriot More US piracy on the open sea. 9 8 arabian sea Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead arabian sea, us, us navy, ak-47 The Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey (SBOANJ) has issued a notice informing horsepeople that Manalapan Township Committee is planning to redevelop Gaitway Training Center and Farm, which is located in the New Jersey township. The notice states that it is very important that all horsemen and horsewomen affected by this change and Manalapan residents view the Redevelopment Plan listed below and please attend the meeting to have your voice heard. The Manalapan Township Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021 at 4 p.m. It will be a hybrid meeting attendees can come in-person to the courtroom, or sign in using the information provided here. Click here to view the Redevelopment Plan. (With files from SBOANJ) Hundreds of area residents turned out Saturday to honor the men, women and children who rest in Culpeper National Cemetery, during the communitys Wreaths Across America observance. After a brief cemetery near the cemeterys administration building, they flooded across the historic landscape to place wreathsall donated to the causeon 6,858 graves of U.S. military personnel and their loved ones. Created in 1867, the cemetery holds the remains of 11,000 people. We are here because someone gave their life, event coordinator Sharon Croushorn told participants during the solemn ceremony. ... The freedoms we enjoy have not come without a price. U.S. military men and women have sacrificed so Americans can worship as we sit fit and raise their children with the right to succeed no matter what ideal they pursue, Croushorn said. The country they defend upholds justice and equality, and stands as a shining beacon of freedom and liberty to the world, she said. Every branch of the U.S. military is represented in the people interred in Culpeper National Cemetery, Croushorn said. Saturdays ceremony included people representing each of the armed services. He never feared taking chances or facing the unknown: "I am a gambling soul. Even as a small boy if someone say to me, 'Oh, I know you won't do that or you can't do this,' I look them in the eye and just do it. I take everything life give me and throw it in fate's face." Mahmood's ill-fated story picks up in Tiger Bay, a port town where he hopes to reunite with his estranged wife and their three young sons. It's a bustling place, blasted, polluted, bruised by World War II, the kind of town where "you can have chop suey for lunch and Yemeni saltah for dinner." The town is multiracial but also plenty racist, with Blacks from the West Indies and Africa working as laborers and living in slums. More prosperous but also emigres are the Volacki sisters, whose Jewish father moved there from Russia 50 years earlier and became a successful merchant. By the 1950s, Violet Volacki is running the family store. One night, answering the door after closing hours, she is killed, purportedly by a Black man. Without much in the way of evidence or witnesses, Mahmood soon becomes the chief murder suspect. "The Fortune Men" revels in the sensual details of its life-and-death tale, from the starry Somali desert of Mahmood's youth to the smell of cooked food threading the air of Tiger Bay. Over the years, Santa has arrived in different ways: a horse-drawn wagon, a convertible, and even a hot air balloon one time. Im gonna have him in my snow tractor if I ever get the chance, Sandberg said. Santa is not the only famous guest of the village, as the National Christmas Tree passed by on its way to Washington D.C. in 2018. The village predates the citys Christmas parade, but the parade did spawn a unique event. On that Friday night, plus the Friday night before Christmas, the buildings are lit up and decked out. Friday night at the parade is the only night where people can come in and see all the lights ... so then this one, the Friday before Christmas, you just feel like its so much more Christmas-y, Mitchell said. ...That first time that we had it on a Friday night, those lines were as long as they were for the parade. Attendance usually varies depending on the weather, but when its warm and sunny, hundreds of people can stop by the village in a day. People even visit it when Santas not around. During that public hearing, constituents can speak in favor of selling the property, opposing the property or even question the value proposed by the county. After that hearing, the county can opt to sell the building within the next two months, selling to the highest bidder. Rien encouraged the commissioners to consider timelines for selling the building and opening bids or taking offers in an auction-type format. From her understanding, Rien said, people could verbally make offers rather than them having to be in a written bid. Commissioners discussed having different replat options of the properties available, as potential buyers may not want to purchase both buildings and adjoining parking lots. Options for establishing a market value were also discussed by commissioners. Since the state notified the county that it would be vacating the property, the two properties have been negotiating since then about arrangements as DHHS remains at the property. Rien outlined that though DHHS has been making its previously agreed upon lease payment, it had not paid utilities since October. GLADE SPRING, Va. Marilou Preston was just 21 when she started playing the piano at church. Now shes 86 and still making a joyful noise to the Lord on Sundays. For the past 64 years, most of the morning worship services at Rock Spring Presbyterian Church in Glade Spring have included the piano and organ music of Preston. She will retire at the end of the month as a volunteer who has served as organist perhaps longer than anyone at the church. Its meant a lot to me. The church has depended on me, and Ive tried to be reliable and arrive on time, said Preston, who has rarely missed a Sunday worship service all these years. The longtime organist became a member of Rock Spring Presbyterian Church in 1957, a year after she and her husband, Bob, were married. At the time, the church only had a piano, but after the death of a well-loved member of the congregation, Charles Brown Snodgrass, the church dedicated a new organ to his memory. That was two organs ago. Preston now plays on the third organ the church has purchased. Other helpers for the project include Lisa Quigley of the Virginia Creeper Trail Conservancy, Emily Mayo of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and residents Richard Smith and Susan Coleman. Erinn Linkous, a teacher at the school, worked with Highlands Fellowship Church to donate 70 lunches for the students. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Virginia Creeper Trail Conservancy provided desserts and drinks. Mike Reid, who serves as deputy for the Washington County Sheriffs Office and a resource offer at the school, arranged for the use of a side-by-side to help students haul gravel to the trail work site. I appreciate the students coming here with lots of energy and focus on getting the work done, said Smith, who is a leader in getting the towns new dog park built. We cleared out part of the large dog and older dog areas that we hope to have open by May 1. Ahn said 90 students actually signed up for the service day, but there was room for only 58 students to participate. Students tend to get excited about service projects, said Ahn, who takes his biology students on a coastal adventure each year to Duke University Marine Lab in Beaufort, North Carolina, where they live on campus for a five-day learning experience. Thats when Ellis realized a store front would offer her greater visibility in the community. Word of mouth from customers has already helped with sales. I didnt think about a store front until I drove through the town square in Glade Spring this summer and saw this building. I noticed there was a for rent sign in the window, and I thought the building would be so cute for a boutique. Ellis took the plunge and opened her downtown store. She made a few cosmetic changes to the building, converting one room into two rooms so that she could have an office and a fitting room. Now that she has a store front, she also offers curbside pickup for customers who want to order online and pick up at the store. Business is looking good now, said the storeowner. Ellis has shipped merchandise to locations as far away as Alaska. Ellis said the store front has allowed her to meet so many new people. Were a friendly store. People are welcome to bring their children and even their fur babies. Wed love to see you. A 43-year-old President of three Puyallup tribal smoke shops was sentenced Dec. 10 in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 14 months in prison for a sophisticated money-laundering scheme designed to evade state taxes on smokeless tobacco products, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Anthony Edwin Paul was ordered to pay $1,764,818 in restitution to the Washington State Department of Revenue, plus a $5,000 fine. U.S. District Judge James L. Robart told Paul, "Money laundering is an integral part of criminal activity. You turned the key that starts this conspiracy. "This sophisticated scheme to avoid state tobacco taxes harms all our residents by cutting into state funds used to pay for healthcare and treatment for tobacco related illnesses, said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. "The scheme allowed non-tribal tobacco vendors to have a sales advantage over other retailers encouraging tobacco use and boosting their profit while they avoided paying state taxes. "Mr. Paul conspired to defraud the state for his own greed, cheating Washington State residents out of millions of dollars that otherwise would have been invested into services for the community, said Bret Kressin, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. "Financial fraud and tax evasion are not victimless crimes, and IRS-CI will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who choose to commit these offenses. According to records filed in the case, between 2009 and 2017, Paul was President of three smoke shops on the Puyallup reservation that sold significant quantities of tobacco products to TK Mac, a non-tribal tobacco distributor. Most of the sales were in cash, and TK Mac failed to report the purchases to the state, thus avoiding millions of dollars in excise taxes. When TK Mac then resold the products for cash, the company had a problem, since large deposits of cash would have triggered state scrutiny of its tobacco business. So beginning in 2013 and continuing until 2017, Paul and his coconspirators engaged in a money-laundering scheme: The tribal smoke shops wrote checks to TK Mac as if the tribal smoke shops had purchased tobacco products from the non-tribal store. In fact, TK Mac simply provided the tribal smoke shops with large amounts of cash equal to the checks. No tobacco products changed hands, but TK Mac received an excise tax credit. As a result of this cash-for-check scheme, Washington State suffered losses of roughly $3.86 million. The overall scheme caused the state to incur several more million dollars worth of losses. Paul had an interest in the success of TK Mac, as he had made loans to the owners of the non-tribal retail business, TK Mac, of nearly $2 million. The owners of TK Mac, Hyung Il Kwon and Tae Young Kim, have also entered guilty pleas for their roles in the scheme. One of the employees in the tribal smoke shops, Theodore Kai Silva, has also pleaded guilty. Judge Robart will sentence Kwon, Kim, and Silva in January 2022. Following the indictment of Pauls coconspirators, the government seized more than $5 million from Kwon and Kim. The amount of restitution left owing from the cash-for-check scheme is $1,764,818. Judge Robart ordered Paul to pay that amount as restitution (joint and several with Kim and Kwon), along with the $5,000 fine. The case was investigated by IRS-CI, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James Oesterle and Jonas Lerman. TRIBES SHADY PAST The Puyallup tribes history of run-ins with the law reaches back to the mid-1970s when tribal member Robert Satiacum established himself as an entrepreneur with his cigarette-liquor-gambling empire. It wasnt long before he became more and more entangled in lawsuits and allegations of serious crimes resulting in frequent raids, arrests and lawsuits. Much of his legal troubles came from selling items like bootlegged cigarettes without taking in or paying taxes. On May 5, 1976, Satiacum and four of his employees were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of operating an illegal gambling business. In April 1982, he was ousted as Puyallup tribal chairman for allegedly arranging a contract murder attempt on his fellow tribal member, and political rival, Ramona Bennett. A single shot from a passing car narrowly missed Bennett, and Satiacum was arrested along with three other men and charged with racketeering, extortion, arson and conspiracy to murder. With these legal problems, and more, facing him, Satiacum fled to Canada. He remained there as a fugitive for nearly nine years before being arrested in 1991 for failing to appear for sentencing in a child molestation conviction. Satiacum died that same year from a heart attack after being transported to a hospital from a Vancouver prison. More gaming intrigue occurred in the late 1970s when Puyallup Tribal Chairwoman Bertha Turnipseed and two others were sentenced to 60 days in jail on charges of operating a gambling casino in Fife before gaming was legalized on the Puyallup reservation. The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs had its eye on the tribe as well, rescinding the tribes line of credit in 1982 due to the tribes failure to provide required reports, invoices and other financial documentation of how monies were spent. The same occurred with the federal Department of Health and Human Services following an audit on the tribes health facilities that found $650,000 in federal health funds spent but not accounted for. Former tribal council member and chairman David Bean has also not been without scrutiny concerning issues tied to his ownership of a smoke shop, resulting in him cutting a deal with the federal government and Internal Revenue Service. After his then-fellow council members Sylvia Miller, Roleen Hargrove and Larry LaPointe filed a formal complaint against him with the FBI, they met with FBI agents to express their suspicion of Beans alleged drug activity. Members of Beans family were among six people in Pierce County arrested in October 2009 following a lengthy investigation of prescription drug dealing from the Indian Smoke Shop on Puyallup tribal trust Land in Milton, and the Lil Red Smoke Shop on tribal trust land in Tacoma. During the investigation, tribal members were busted with grocery bags full of pain medication bottles bearing labels from the Puyallup tribal clinic. In February 2011, following a two-week jury trial, Billy Miranda Flores was convicted of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, three counts of distribution of oxycodone, possession of methadone with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The evidence at trial revealed that Flores was selling hundreds or even thousands of pills of Oxycontin (oxycodone), along with methadone, each day. He received 20 years in prison.Bill Celeya Flores, 60, of Tacoma, father of Billy Miranda Flores, was sentenced to 57 months in prison; Jay Timothy Morehead, 24, was sentenced to 18 months in prison; and Shelbie Ingham, 19, served a nine-month prison sentence. Tiny Bean-Flores, 29, of Tacoma, and Danny Sherwood also received sentencing. Despite Covid-19, the Turks & Caicos Islands has been ranked as the 6th fastest growing vacation destination amongst American tourists. Although many would expect the Coronavirus pandemic, and the news of new variants emerging worldwide to trigger a reduction in travel demand, nothing could be further from the truth for the Turks & Caicos Islands. A new study by ParkSleepFly.com extrapolated Google search data for flights, vacations and hotels in popular tourist destinations around the world to discover the fastest growing vacation hotspots for US tourists. The US travel site revealed that the Turks and Caicos Islands placed 6th in the top 10 countries increasing in popularity amongst American travelers. It further disclosed google searches for flights to the TCI in 2020 were 196,900 compared to 451,700 in 2021, while vacation searches were 38,400 in 2020 compared to 35,600 in 2021 and some 216,400 searches for hotel stays were recorded for 2020 compared to 227,800 in 2021. Turkey came in 5th and Puerto Rico 4th, following in third place is Indonesia, home to iconic destinations such Bali and Lombok, there has been a 61% increase in searches for flights, vacations and hotels in Indonesia this year. Ranking in second place are the Maldives, the tropical South Asian island, famous for its crystal blue waters and idyllic landscape, is one of the most popular travel destinations for Americans, and Maldives holiday searches increased by 72.32% over the last year. Gorgeous white beaches and deep blue waters line the coasts of the US Virgin Islands, which may explain why the destination is growing in popularity amongst US tourists, seeing a 98.64% increase in the total number of Google searches for flights, vacations and hotels in the US Virgin Islands, in 2021 compared to 2020. The research also revealed the top 5 countries decreasing in popularity amongst American tourists. The biggest decline in vacation popularity amongst Americans can be seen in China. There has been a 75.03% decrease in Google searches for flights, vacations and hotels in China this year following the emergence of Covid-19 China imposed strict border policy, and suspended all visas on-arrival. Puerto Rico is the most popular country for Americans searching for vacations with 1.6 million searches in the last 6 months. Cancun, Mexico is the most in-demand city destination with US tourists. On the other hand, Frankfurt, Germany is the city decreasing in popularity the most amongst US tourists, experiencing a decline of 61.38% between 2020 and 2021. You can view the research in full at https://parksleepfly.com/fastest-growing-vacation-hotspots or https://www.money.co.uk/mortgages/relocation-report. Customers at a traveling Cowlitz County food truck dont supersize their order, they double it. Double Js has specialized in gourmet single and double burgers for nearly three years after longtime chef Jason Forster, 51, left his stationary Vancouver restaurant job to open a roving food truck with his wife, Jennifer, 46. Together, the J-name couple opened Double Js food truck in 2019, and Jason Forster traded fine dining for comfort food, Jennifer Forster said. He wanted to cook the food he likes to eat, she said. A dream realized At Double Js, topping-stacked burgers, and upgraded vegetarian or meat-lovers grilled cheeses, come prepared in minutes and served in to-go containers. Double J's Food Truck Signature Fare: The Double J, featuring two beef patties, pepper jack cheese, American cheese, bacon, pickles, cream cheese, jalapenos and Double J sauce. Cost: $13. Address and hours: Tuesday afternoons at Central Welding Supply on Talley Way in Kelso; Thursday afternoons at Western World on Industrial Way in Longview; and Friday evenings at Explorer Brewing Company on Ash Street in Kelso. Info: 360-430-9411 or www.facebook.com/doublejsfoodtruck. But dont let the convenience fool you. Behind the drivers seat, sandwiches are made with melted brie, sliced pears, tomatoes, basil and balsamic on white French bread. Jennifer Forster said her husband was the chef at Vancouvers DuckTales Kitchen for years before the daily drive from their Rose Valley home north started to grow old. It was time for him to make a change, she said. Weve dreamt about this for years. Keep it simple Each week local businesses request Double Js to set up shop in their lots during lunch or dinner, she added. They typically park Tuesdays at Central Welding Supply in Kelso, Thursdays at Western World in Longview, Friday mornings at NORPAC in Longview for workers and Friday evenings at Explorer Brewing Company in Kelso for the public, she said. Customers can view www.facebook.com/doublejsfoodtruck for weekly schedules. Most weekends are reserved for private catered events. While the food truck specializes in sandwiches, Jennifer Forster said catered events have included salmon filets, Hawaiian cuisine and barbecue. We cater to them, whatever their wants are, she said. On the regular Double Js menu, the eaterys namesake is a stand-out signature dish, she added. The Double J stands high with two -pound beef patties; pepper jack, American and cream cheese; bacon; grilled jalapenos; pickles; and the eaterys signature sauce. A side of crinkled fries comes topped with Double Js special seasoning a recipe invented by Jason Forster, and only used at the food truck and his previous Vancouver job, Jennifer Forster said. On Thursday, customers made sure to grab ramekins of fry sauce a mayo and red relish mixture with some returning for seconds. We just keep it simple and thats what worked for us, Jennifer Forster said. Signature Fare New and longtime Lower Columbia restaurant owners and food producers share their signature dishes that defining menu item that creates the b Signature Fare is a series featuring local restaurants signature menu items and prints every other Wednesday. Contact Daily News reporter Hayley Day at 360-577-2541 or hday@tdn.com for possible inclusion in the series. Love 4 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 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. Fraud A Woodland man reported $57 worth of sandwiches was fraudulently charged on his daughters credit card at an Illinois Subway. Assaults 100 block of Sparks Drive, Kelso. Monday. Report of assault involving juveniles, one with a Glock handgun. The suspects are juvenile gang members, states the police report. 400 block of Pacific Avenue, Kelso. Monday. Report of two men assaulting another man after they exited a vehicle. 100 block of Morse Park Way, Longview. Monday. Report of juvenile assaulting another minor during a sleepover, then returning the next morning once the parent left and assaulting the minor again. 1500 block of Third Avenue, Longview. Monday. Report of the husband of an ex assaulting a man and taking his phone. Burglaries 2700 block of Mount Pleasant Road, Kelso. Monday. A woman reported her car alarm sounded, then she found a light on in her basement, which is only accessed from outside the home. 3100 block of Hazel Street, Kelso. Monday. Report of commercial burglary. 900 block of Willow Street, Kelso. Monday. Report of burglary to a garage. 3100 block of Dover Street, Longview. Monday. Report of garage broken into and tools taken. 1800 block of First Avenue, Longview. Monday. Report of urine in bottles and lights on inside a commercial building. 200 block of 17th Avenue, Longview. Monday. Report of residential burglary. 600 block of Scott Avenue, Woodland. Monday. Report of fence cut and catalytic converter sawed off an RV in the North Fork Motors lot. Thefts 5400 block of Pacific Way, Longview. Monday. Mail. 1100 block of 17th Avenue, Longview. Monday. Red power scooter parked under carport. 1200 block of 15th Avenue, Longview. Monday. Shopping cart. 1900 block of Belmont Loop, Woodland. Monday. Report of seeing someone possibly stealing catalytic converters. Vandalism/malicious mischief 300 block of 16th Avenue, Longview. Monday. Report of about 13 people breaking a home window and trying to jump a person in what the caller called a fake gang. 1400 block of Cypress Street, Longview. Monday 100 block of Janice Avenue, Longview. Monday. Report of person driving into callers yard and peeling out. 1000 block of A Street, Woodland. Monday. Report of someone drilling a hole in a vehicle gas tank and collecting gas in a trash can. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 5 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. After discussing the Meals on Wheels program for more than an hour, Cowlitz County commissioners Tuesday approved contracts for the program despite Arne Mortensens objections. In a 2-1 vote, the commissioners approved a $67,360 contract with the state Department of Commerce and a corresponding agreement with Lower Columbia CAP for the senior meals program covering unincorporated areas of the county. The difference covers county administration costs. Gena James, Health and Human Services deputy director, said during the last contract period, volunteers delivered about 9,450 meals to 99 low-income senior citizens. Like the past four years, Mortensen opposed the agreement, arguing the program is emotionally driven and does not benefit the county overall. Commissioner Dennis Weber said an economic argument for the program is that it helps keep people living at the edge of their resources in their homes, rather than paying through Medicaid for people to live in assisted living or a nursing home. A handful of citizens spoke in favor of churches or community volunteers providing meals to seniors in need instead of a government-funded program. Commissioner John Jabusch said he was conflicted about the program because he agrees with some of what people expressed, but that money wont be spent in the citizens best interest if turned over to another county to administer. James said the grant is required to go to an areas community action program, but could be used for something other than Meals on Wheels. The commissioners can discuss other options as the grant process begins later this winter, she said. The commissioners also approved an agreement not to exceed $50,000 with Awakenings to provide substance use disorder treatment and recovery services for Drug Court participants. The contract is funded by money the Legislature sets aside in the states Criminal Justice Treatment Account. Earlier this year, the commissioners approved the contract with the state accepting about $587,000 for July 2021 through June 2023 and approved agreements with Columbia Wellness and Cowlitz Family Health Center for services. In other business, the commissioners approved a $60,150 grant from the Washington State Military Department to help fund wages and benefits for county Department of Emergency Management personnel through September 2022. The grant makes up about 15% of the departments budget and subsidizes two of its three full-time employees, said Director Ernie Schnabler. The commissioners tabled several items until their Jan. 11 meeting to get more information, including: Two amendments to the consolidated contract with the state Department of Health that would add funding for several programs, including Emergency Preparedness and Response, Foundational Public Health Services, Office of Drinking Water Group A, Maternal Child Health and COVID-19 Coordinated Response. The new consolidated contract with the Department of Health for 2022-2024 A $9.4 million contract with the Department of Commerce for the Eviction Rent Assistance Program. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. In the iPhone 14 Pro series, Apple is aiming to put a 48MP sensor behind the main shooter, an analyst claims. American tech giant Apple has been relying on 12MP sensors for the main cameras in its iPhones for the better part of a decade now. According to GSM Arena, this is finally about to change in the iPhone 14 Pro series, as the company is aiming to put a 48MP sensor behind the main shooter, an analyst claims. The 48MP sensors still output 12MP images after pixel-binning, but allows more data to be gathered for computational photography. Kuo stated that Apple might add a '48MP' feature that takes pictures in 48-megapixel resolution for when total resolved detail is key. The company will then move to introduce another widely used smartphone tech, the periscope lens. It will make its way to the iPhone 15 series, scheduled to arrive in 2023. As per GSM Arena, sadly, the analyst did not have any more info on the matter. Right now, the telephoto camera of the iPhone 13 Pro Max caps out at 3x, but anything longer wouldn't fit in a modern slim smartphone without the use of folded optics. Apple supplier Foxconn's India plant shut this week after protests -sources (Reuters) - Apple supplier Foxconn's plant near Chennai in southern India will remain shut this week following protests sparked by a food poisoning incident, three government sources told Reuters on Tuesday. The factory looked deserted on Tuesday, with a few cars including a police vehicle parked outside. No workers were seen at the site, which was manned by two guards and a few other security officials. Foxconn and Apple were not available for comment. The disruption comes as Apple, like other consumer products companies, is dealing with supply chain bottlenecks that have hit production. In October, the company warned that the impact of these supply chain problems would worsen during the holiday quarter. "The factory has been shut since Saturday and will be shut till coming Sunday," said a senior official at the directorate of industrial safety and health in Tamil Nadu, of which Chennai is the capital. Two more senior state officials confirmed the suspension of activities at the factory. All three declined to be identified because they were not authorised to speak with the media. Police in India on Monday released dozens of those detained for blocking a key highway after the food poisoning incident last week at the plant that led to 150 employees being admitted to hospital. The plant makes iPhone 12 models. Local media reported on Tuesday, citing sources, that Apple has started trial production of its flagship iPhone 13 at the factory recently. The decision to suspend activities at the plant is the management's, a police officer from the office of the Superintendent of Police in Kancheepuram, a district in Tamil Nadu, told Reuters. Employees at the plant who complained of food poisoning and other problems in recent months have been asked to register their problems with the state labour ministry, the officer said. PRODUCTION IMPACT "The impact on Apple is expected to be low as it is a lean period ... until at least February," said Navkendar Singh, India research director at market research firm IDC. "In (the first half of 2022) we expect sales to pick up from new product launches and much needed easing of supply chain issues." The factory also makes Amazon Fire TV sticks and some Xiaomi devices. The unrest at Foxconn is the second such involving an Apple supplier factory in India in a year. In December 2020, thousands of contract workers at a factory owned by Wistron Corp destroyed equipment and vehicles over the alleged non-payment of wages, causing damages estimated at $60 million. Cupertino, California-headquartered Apple has bet big on India since it began iPhone assembly in the country in 2017. Foxconn, Wistron and another supplier, Pegatron, have together committed roughly $900 million over five years to make iPhones in India. Apple is also planning to bring the assembly of its iPad tablets to India, which is among countries including Mexico and Vietnam that are becoming important to contract manufacturers supplying American brands as they try to reduce their reliance on China amid rising Sino-U.S. tensions. TAG Heuer and Porsche, Hublot and Ferrari, Bentley and Breitling: These partnerships are renowned and documentedand highly profitable. If theres one thing that unites car people, its watches. The intricate mechanisms driving the movements of a tourbillon or chronograph look like tiny, cleaner versions of the engines that power the worlds most legendary cars like the Porsche 911 or Bugatti Bolide. Its mini mechanical fascination at its finest! The relationship between car brands and watch brands goes back to the very dawn of the auto itself. Jaguar, Bugatti, and Bentley used set clocks in the dashboards of their cars to monitor progress on the track; Oldsmobile was adding its own branded clock to cars back in 1915. TAG Heuer and Porsche, Hublot and Ferrari, Bentley and Breitling: These more contemporary partnerships are renowned and documentedand highly profitable. Not all watches inspired by the love of cars are as great as the cars they accompany. Most, it must be said, are not. They often look outre or just plain infantile. Serious watch collectors tend to dismiss such pairings as hardly more exciting than a Happy Meal prize. I wouldnt ask Rolex to design a car, and I dont want a watch designed or styled by a car company, is how Dave Corey, a horological and automotive enthusiast based in Philadelphia, puts it. Still, a few watches inspired by the automotive life are truly iconic. Steve McQueens Heuer Monaco watches come to mind, as does the Rolex Daytona made famous by Paul Newman. This year saw dozens of new entries to the category. Here are the good, bad, and ugly of 2021s new wristwatches inspired by the love of cars. IWC Pilots Watch Chronograph Edition AMG IWC and Mercedes-AMG have worked together since 2004, but this is the first time the Pilots Chronograph has been offered in titanium. Thats important because along with the carbon-fiber dial, the watch contains two of the most prominent, feather-light materials found in the F1 cars that inspired it, especially the life-saving halo safety cage. Call it an aesthetically safe offering for a straightlaced collector with a secret flair for carbon-fiber. Price: $9,100 Breitling Premier B21 Chronograph Tourbillon 42 Bentley Limited Edition Bentley and Breitling parted ways in August, so this watch, announced in April 2021, is one of the final products of their nearly 20-year partnership. It features a 42mm case in 18k red gold and a striking British green dial. A tourbillon sits in the 12-oclock position. The strap is golden-brown alligator; the sapphire caseback reveals a 22-karat gold oscillating weight. It is limited to 25 pieces. Price: $52,000 Bremont Jaguar E-Type 60th The watch celebrates 60 years of the car Enzo Ferrari famously declared the most beautiful car ever made. It comes with a bezel and a strap of gray or green; the black dials on its face mimic the gauges set in the cars dashboard; the functional and diverting winding crown has a tire tread that matches the Dunlop tires the E-Types of the 1960s raced in. Price: $14,495 Girard Perregaux Tourbillion with Three Flying Bridges Aston Martin Edition This is the first watch created in partnership between the two brands. It is made of titanium with black carbon, an open-work barrel body, and a movement that sits between the sapphire crystal front and back of the watchit looks like it floats between them. The strap design, in black calf leather and an innovative rubber insert injected with white gold, is meant to evoke the Aston Martin racing cars of the past. Only 18 will be made. Price: $146,000 Richard Mille RM 40-01 Speedtail Automatic Richard Mille has long been obsessed with fast cars; the brand has supported multiple Formula 1 teams (Haas, Ferrari, and McLaren) and at least four star drivers including Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris. This heavy-handed automatic tourbillion honors McLarens fastest hypercar, the Speedtail. It is made from titanium, platinum, red gold, and carbon, with a contoured case and bezel. Just 106 will be made. Price: $992,500 Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Countach DT/X The twin-tourbillon watch commemorates the new modern version of Lamborghinis classic Countach, though it fails to capture the timeless classic elegance and passion of the original car itself. It has super-lightweight titanium tourbillon cages and replicates on the dial the engine bay vents of the car itself. Red and black details carried throughout the watch further reference the interior of the car. Just eight will be made. Price: $815,000 Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Annual Chronograph This elegant specimen comes in a pocket-watch style that appears through the entire Torpilleur series from UN, but the annual chronograph design specifically echoes the clocks lodged in the dashboards of race cars from the 1930s and '40s. The timepiece comes in stately blue or crisp white on the dial. Price: $12,100 Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921 These charming Historiques have been around a long time, but this year, Vacheron is celebrating the 100 years with a novel threesome of precious-metal models: two new in white-gold and one limited edition in platinum. Its a droll tribute to the vintage art deco cars Gatsby would have driven. The Arabic-style numbers are oriented oblong on the white dialperfectly set to maximize ease of reading with just the slightest turn of the wrist, hands kept on the steering wheel. Price: $30,400-$51,000 Alsta Motoscaphe 120 This handsome, straightforward watch from the obscure Swiss maker comes in collaboration with motorcycle enthusiast Allen Farmelo, who founded the watch-blog Beyond the Dial. It comes with what is known as the destro crown orientation, a time-honored term that means the watch is styled for the left-handed user. For the motorcycle rider, this means that the crown of the watch wont dig into your wrist when youre winding on the clutch at, yes, 120 mph. Price: $895 TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph Special Edition Partners since 1963, Porsche and Tag Heuer debuted this watch to honor the 911 Carrera race cars that Porsche has made since 1964. The 44mm-watch comes with a black leather or steel band, a gray dial, and a black ceramic bezel with subtle colorations that match Porsche Motorsports signature racing colors. Price: $5,850 (leather), $6,050 (steel) Bovet 1822 Rolls Royce Boat Tail The 200-year-old Swiss watchmaker partnered with Rolls-Royce this year to make two timepieces to accompany the $28 million Rolls-Royce Boat Tail. The his-and-hers watches come in white gold cases with matching dials and a wood veneer that looks like the top of a vintage wooden boat. Each comes engraved with the name of the owner; some have an image of the car or the image of the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament in the dial of the watch. It's a bit on the nose, no? The timepiece can be set into the dashboard of the car (thanks to a titanium holder on the dash) or used as a wristwatch, desk clock, or pocket watch. Price: Included with the car Chopard Mille Miglia Bamford Edition The Mille Miglia is a decades-old car race that runs through the open public streets of Italy, traveling from Brescia to Rome and back and breakneck rate. Having been run since 1927, it is considered the most prestigious car rally in the world. The watch, made by Englands George Bamford, commemorates the race with a stainless steel case and diamond-carbon finish. The dial is dark gray with vibrant orange accents. The strap is rubber with sporty contrasting orange stitching and an orange calfskin lining. Just 33 will be made. Price: $7,970 Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon The watch is one of a few in a series resulting from the multiyear partnership Jacob & Co. and Bugatti started in 2019. The latest of the lineup contains a miniature reproduction of the W-16 cylinder engine used in the Chiron, but the real insanity comes from the 190 baguette-cut white diamonds, 109 black sapphires, and 42 baguette-cut orange sapphires set into the white-gold case. Gaudy enough? This may take the cake for the worst car watch of the year. Price: $560,000 Porsche Design Chronograph 911 GT3 Porsche unveiled the new GT3 this year, so its only fitting the design house founded in 1972 by Ferdinand Porsche makes a watch to accompany it. The chronograph comes encased in titanium and shark blue or black versions. The strap comes with blue or silver stitching, and the winding rotor visible in the rearit looks like the wheels of the 911 GT3comes in six colors. Price: $8,050 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain With new major spending packages investing billions of dollars in electric vehicles in the U.S., some analysts have raised concerns over how green the electric vehicle industry actually is, focusing particularly on indirect emissions caused within the supply chains of the vehicle components and the fuels used to power electricity that charges the vehicles. But a recent study from the Yale School of the Environment published in Nature Communications found that the total indirect emissions from electric vehicles pale in comparison to the indirect emissions from fossil fuel-powered vehicles. This is in addition to the direct emissions from combusting fossil fuelseither at the tailpipe for conventional vehicles or at the power plant smokestack for electricity generationshowing electric vehicles have a clear advantage emissions-wise over conventional vehicles. "The surprising element was how much lower the emissions of electric vehicles were," says postdoctoral associate Stephanie Weber. "The supply chain for combustion vehicles is just so dirty that electric vehicles can't surpass them, even when you factor in indirect emissions." Weber was part of the study led by Paul Wolfram '21 Ph.D.now a postdoc with the Joint Global Change Research Institute at the University of Marylandand that included YSE economics professor Ken Gillingham and Edgar Hertwich, an industrial ecologist from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and a former YSE faculty member. The research team combined concepts from energy economics and industrial ecologycarbon pricing, life cycle assessment, and modeling energy systemsto find if carbon emissions were still reduced when indirect emissions from the electric vehicle supply chain were factored in. "A major concern about electric vehicles is that the supply chain, including the mining and processing of raw materials and the manufacturing of batteries, is far from clean," says Gillingham. "So, if we priced the carbon embodied in these processes, the expectation is electric vehicles would be exorbitantly expensive. It turns out that's not the case; if you level the playing field by also pricing the carbon in the fossil fuel vehicle supply chain, electric vehicle sales would actually increase." The study also considered future technological change, such as decarbonization of the electricity supply, and found this strengthened the result that electric vehicles dominate when indirect supply chain emissions are accounted for. The research team gathered data using a National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) created by the Energy Information Administration, which models the entire U.S. energy system using detailed information from the current domestic energy system and a forecast of the future of the electric system. Wolfram completed a life cycle assessment that provided outputs of indirect emissions, which were then plugged into the NEMS model to see how a carbon tax on these indirect emissions would change the behavior of consumers and manufacturers. Weber assisted in modifying the NEMS code. According to Wolfram, the study shows that "the elephant in the room is the supply chain of fossil fuel-powered vehicles, not that of electric vehicles." He notes that the faster we switch to electric vehicles, the betterat least in countries with a sufficiently decarbonized electricity supply, like the U.S. Gillingham, whose research has focused extensively on alternative energy adoption in transportation, says this research provides a better understanding of how comprehensive carbon pricingwhich includes the full supply chaincan shift consumers toward electric vehicles. Explore further Carmaker Stellantis secures supply of battery-grade lithium More information: Paul Wolfram et al, Pricing indirect emissions accelerates lowcarbon transition of US light vehicle sector, Nature Communications (2021). Journal information: Nature Communications Paul Wolfram et al, Pricing indirect emissions accelerates lowcarbon transition of US light vehicle sector,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27247-y Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Driven by legislators, automakers and growing consumer demand, electric vehicles are poised to rule the road over the next decade, and Illinois may be a key manufacturing hub in the auto industry's transformation. Newly public EV startup Rivian is flush with cash and scrambling to keep up with orders for its electric truck, SUV and Amazon delivery vans at a former Mitsubishi plant in downstate Normal. Meanwhile, industry analysts expect Stellantis to convert its nearly dormant Belvidere Assembly Plant, which makes the Jeep Cherokee, into the automaker's first EV factory in the U.S. by 2024. There's even an electric school bus factory being built in Joliet. But with charging infrastructure lagging and new models just beginning to trickle out, there are still miles to go before EVs supplant gas-powered vehicles in many garages. "We're not there yet," said Jessica Caldwell, executive director of insights for car shopping website Edmunds. "I think in the broader market we're still in early adopter phase. Until we see more production roll out, we'll probably still be at that phase for a while." Rivian, which launched production of its R1T electric truck in September, raised $13.7 billion through a massive initial public offering last month and is now worth more than Ford or General Motors. Buying stock in Rivian may be easier than getting your hands on the actual trucks. The California-based startup has produced only 652 vehicles in its first three months of operation, according to its third quarter earnings report Thursday. The first two R1S SUVs rolled off the line this month, and Rivian is expected to deliver the first of 100,000 EV vans to Amazon, an investor in the company, before the end of the year. In total, Rivian is projected to come up a "few hundred vehicles short" of an initial 1,200-unit production target it set for 2021, CEO R.J. Scaringe said during the earnings call. "Launching and ramping production of three different vehicles within a few months is an incredibly tough challenge," Scaringe said. Rivian has 71,000 preorders for its R1T and R1S models, which means anyone who puts money down now on the $70,000 EVs will have to wait until 2023 to take delivery, Scaringe said. The company announced Thursday it is building a second $5 billion assembly plant in Georgia to keep up with anticipated future demand. Electric vehicle sales gained traction in 2021, making up 2.5% of the U.S. auto market through November, up from 1.6% for the same period in 2020, according to Edmunds. Tesla accounted for nearly two-thirds of the EVs sold in the U.S., with Volkswagen at about 8%, followed by GM and Ford at about 7% each. Edmunds projects the U.S. EV market share will climb to 4% in 2022, surpassing 600,000 vehicles sold, with Tesla's market share dropping to 46% as new players enter the segment. New federal and state legislation is designed to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles. The Biden administration released its EV charging action plan Dec. 13, outlining the steps federal agencies are taking to boost infrastructure, manufacturing and consumer adoption. The $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, signed into law in November, includes $5 billion in funding for states and a $2.5 billion competitive grant program for rural and disadvantaged communities to put the U.S. "on the path" to a national network of 500,000 charging stations. A measure for increasing the maximum federal tax credit for EV buyers from $7,500 up to $12,500 is part of Biden's $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act, which was approved by the House in November and is now in the hands of the Senate. In November, Pritzker signed the Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois Act, which incentivizes EV manufacturers to locate in the state through tax credits, including up to 100% of income tax withheld for new jobs created. The legislation also allows local municipalities to abate property taxes for EV projects. President Joe Biden has set an ambitious target of a 50% market share for EVs by 2030, while Gov. J.B. Pritzker wants to see 1 million registered EVs on Illinois roads by thenpreferably built at Illinois plants. Founded in 2009 by Scaringe, a 38-year-old MIT grad, Rivian has nearly 3,900 employees working at its sole production facility in Normal, a college town about 130 miles south of Chicago. Rivian said Thursday it plans to expand the plant's capacity from 150,000 to 200,000 vehicles per year. Rivian, which has more than 10,000 employees overall, plans to break ground on the Georgia plant next summer and begin producing the "next generation" of EVs by 2024. The plant will employ 7,500 workers with an eventual production capacity of 400,000 vehicles per year, Scaringe said. Until then, Rivian's ambitions to become the Tesla of trucks will depend entirely on the production output at the Normal plant. Stellantis, which was created by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot of France in January, is projecting more than 40% of its U.S. sales to be electric vehicles by 2030. Illinois could be at the center of those plans, with the Belvidere Assembly Plant near Rockford slated to build new electric versions of the Dodge Charger, Challenger and a crossover beginning in January 2024, according to industry analysts. The sprawling plant, which has been laying off employees for several years amid dwindling sales for its only productthe Jeep Cherokee SUVcould be buzzing again with an all-electric future, said Sam Fiorani, vice president global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, a Pennsylvania-based research firm. "The plant is a relatively large plant, and the Cherokee was supposed to fill it. But it is not anymore," Fiorani said. "Instead of having just one, they'll have at least three models built in Belvidere, so that will fill up capacity a little better." Fiorani said Stellantis is expected to retool the Belvidere plant to launch its EV production, while moving production of the Cherokee to another plant outside of Illinois. "While we won't comment on rumor or speculation about the future of any of our facilities, we can say that Stellantis is committed to bringing consumers an electrified future, investing $35 billion through 2025 on electrification and software," Stellantis spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said in an email. Biden's infrastructure bill also includes $5 billion for zero- and low-emission busses, with the White House saying it will "replace the yellow school bus fleet" with thousands of electric school busses nationwide. Canadian EV truck manufacturer Lion Electric announced in May it was investing $70 million to convert a Joliet warehouse into a factory to produce up to 20,000 electric trucks and busses a year. Construction to repurpose the 900,000-square-foot building is finishing up and Lion will begin moving its manufacturing equipment into the plant early next year, company spokesman Brian Alexander said. The Joliet facility will produce up to 15 different models in the next two years, including 11 trucks and four school busses. Lion, which is in line to receive $7.9 million in state tax credits if it meets investment and job creation goals, plans to hire 745 workers over the next three years, with recruiting efforts getting underway early next year, Alexander said. "We're still planning to have vehicles rolling out of there by the second half of next year," Alexander said. While EV manufacturing is gearing up, consumer adoption has a long way to go to hit Pritzker's goal of 1 million EVs by 2030. There are currently 33,390 electric vehicles registered in Illinois, or less than 1% of the state's 10.3 million vehicles, according to Dave Druker, a spokesman for the Illinois secretary of state's office. The biggest obstacle may be building a charging infrastructure. There are 46,341 public charging stations in the U.S., including 943 in Illinois, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's alternative fuels website. The network is far less developed for fast-charging stations, where drivers can fully charge their vehicles in 15 to 45 minutes, with 5,682 stations in the U.S. and 110 in Illinois. Most public stations use Level 2 chargers, which generally take hours to recharge an EV. The lack of a robust charging network may make EVs more costly to refuel than gas-powered cars, according to a recent study. Patrick Anderson, a Michigan automotive industry economist, became a lightning rod for criticism with an October report challenging the widely accepted notion that EVs are cheaper to operate than gas-powered vehicles. The study found the "real world" cost of driving 100 miles was $12 to $15 in an EV, compared with $8 to $12 in a gas-powered vehicle. "A midpriced or luxury EV is going to cost an amount of fuel that is not significantly less and may be more than for an ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle," Anderson said. Anderson's study calculates the EV cost with home charging equipment and installation costs, "deadhead" miles spent driving to public stations and the higher cost of commercial charging. It also adds $200 per year for higher EV registration fees, which some states charge to recoup lost gas taxes used for road repairs. In 2019, Illinois lawmakers briefly flirted with jacking the annual EV registration fee up to $1,000 before settling on the current $251 per yearwhich is $100 higher than gas-powered car owners pay. The rising price of gas has already thrown a wrench in Anderson's numbers. At the time of the study, regular gas was calculated at $2.81 per gallon, while the current national average price is $3.30 per gallon, according to AAA. In Chicago, gas prices are much higher, averaging $3.84 per gallon, according to AAA. Recalculating current costs for a Chicago driver using Anderson's methodology, the midpriced gas-powered car and midpriced EV using mostly commercial charging both cost about $12 per 100 miles of driving. While a number of EVs get 300 miles or more on a full charge, reducing so-called range anxiety, Caldwell said the spotty public charging network may deter some buyersparticularly in less urban areasat least until Biden's infrastructure build out starts filling in the gaps. "Automakers need to convince people this is something that can fit seamlessly in their lives," Caldwell said. "People have to think about an electric vehicle and where to charge it. That is probably going to be a big barrier to entry that we don't really talk about too muchjust change of behavior." Caldwell said EVs will remain mostly the province of EAsearly adoptersthroughout 2022, but the introduction of electric trucks and SUVs will likely provide a significant bump to sales, and a glimpse of the road ahead. Light trucks and SUVs are far more popular than sedans across the entire auto market and are projected to account for 73% of the 15 million new vehicles sold this year, according to Edmunds. In addition to Rivian, the Ford F-150 Lightning is set to launch in the spring, starting at just under $40,000, offset by a $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles. Ford recently stopped taking reservations on the EV truck after reaching nearly 200,000 preorders, the company said. "The key to growth is meeting consumers where they want to buy, which in this country is SUVs and pickups," Caldwell said. "So I think the introduction of a lot of those products in the coming year will probably let us gage a bit more in terms of how fast we can get to that 50% target." 2021 Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. At Texas A&M, the increase is partially a result of planned growth in the College of Engineering and Mays Business School, according to a press release from the university following the first day of classes in August. Were not trying to grow enrollment dramatically or anything like that, Joseph Pettibon, vice president for enrollment and academic services told The Eagle in September. But the intent is targeted and planned growth in some areas. He said the College of Engineering has been aiming to have 25,000 engineering students by the year 2025, working toward that goal for nearly a decade. He also said that business is one of the majors in the highest demand so officials decided to increase the number of freshmen they were enrolling since the school had the capacity to teach a slightly larger number of students. Pettibon said the university has been able to meet the demand of increased interest across the state in a degree from Texas A&M. In some respects the number of students that apply to A&M continues to increase year over year, Pettibon said. And as that number has increased, weve also been able to continue to provide that opportunity to more students. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. We were accepting donations and this little girl, who was about 11 or 12, had a couple questions about the theatre and if it would be for children as well, Sale said. Her grandmother said she had a jar with all her babysitting money and wanted to donate all of her money. I burst into tears and never forgot that. Sale said their efforts in the community were always done with others and appreciated everyone who contributed with them along the way. Nelson said they are one of many people in the city who want to volunteer and have a great time doing so while finding ways to keep the downtown alive and beautiful. They dont see a dilapidated eye sore (in the community) that wont change, they see an opportunity to create something charming and historic, Nelson said. They have volunteered throughout the whole community and have made an impact in downtown, both in business and in community development and they are just very special people. Abigail Noel, the public relations manager and communications manager for Destination Bryan, said Singleton and Sale have been involved in the revitalization of Downtown Bryan for many years. RICMOND Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin announced Monday he has chosen Aimee Rogstad Guidera to serve as his secretary of education, turning to the former head of a nonprofit that promotes use of data to improve student achievement. Guidera is the first Cabinet secretary Youngkin has announced, underscoring the importance of the issue to the governor-elect, who ran on claims that Virginias schools are underperforming and teaching left-leaning content. He also has promised to increase the number of charter schools in the state. Her leadership, intellect, and talent will be tremendous assets as we ensure Virginia kids are the best prepared in the country to succeed, and that they are taught how to think, not what to think, Youngkin said in a statement. She will help us recharge a system that has settled for too long. The president of Guidera Strategy, she was founder and chief executive of the Data Quality Campaign. She led the national organization for over a decade, advocating for improved quality, accessibility and use of education data to increase student achievement. Guidera previously served as the director of the Washington, D.C., office of the National Center for Educational Achievement. She started her career working on education policy at the National Governors Association. Through her work, Guidera has supported charter schools, which are publicly funded but privately run. Youngkin promised to vastly expand the number of charter schools in Virginia, which now has just seven. Youngkin said his goal is to bring up the number in Virginia to match North Carolina, which has more than 200. Aimee will be a critical partner in restoring expectations of excellence; overseeing a record education budget to invest in teachers, facilities and special education; rolling out innovation lab and charter schools; and standing for a curriculum that prepares Virginias children for a dynamic future and removes politics from the classroom, Youngkin said. Youngkin appeared to gain traction late in the contest for governor with Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe by pushing education issues, particularly emphasizing parents role. Parents matter became a mantra for Youngkins campaign after the second debate, in which McAuliffe said: I dont think parents should be telling schools what they should teach. The Republican called on every school in the state to have a law enforcement officer on its campus, or face losing state education funding. Heated school issues COVID-19 restrictions on students, whether teachers should talk about systemic racism, rules around transgender students, school choice and, school safety appeared to boost Youngkins popularity among the swing voters he needed to overcome McAuliffe in a state that had favored Democrats in recent years. A Monmouth University survey late in the race found that education and schools had become one of the two issues voters cared about most, along with jobs and the economy; moving past COVID-19. Guidera, who is originally from Maryland, moved to Virginia in 1995 with her husband and daughter, who attended Fairfax County public schools. Youngkin takes office Jan. 15. Guidera, like other Cabinet nominees, will face confirmation by the General Assembly during its regular session, which starts Jan. 12. Retailers big and small may run sales on Super Saturday, the final Saturday before Christmas. Prepare to shop or pick up orders in-store to get discounted gifts in hand by the holidays. Cancel or return the item You can usually cancel an order that hasn't processed or shipped and get a full refund. But even if you miss the cancellation period, you can likely return the item after it arrives. Many retailers have extended holiday return policies. However, certain items or categories may be excluded. For example, Macys has a 90-day return window for most items, but a 14-day window for Apple products and tech accessories. Check retailers websites for policy details. Read the fine print carefully to make sure you understand the conditions and deadlines. Take a 14-day return policy, for instance. Does it mean the day that it leaves their warehouse? Is that when the clock on 14 days for returns starts ticking? Is it the day that it leaves there, or is it the day that it shows up at your doorstep? Thomas says. A domestic assault Tuesday morning escalated to a man fleeing law enforcement and using a child as a shield against officers, according to Grand Island Police Department media report. Just after midnight, an alleged assault by Miguel Samaniego, 39, of Grand Island against the mother of his child was reported. The GIPD release states the assault occurred in the presence of the child. But by the time officers arrived, Samaniego fled with the child. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} GIPD tried to stop Samaniego, but he fled and the pursuit was discontinued as the vehicle exited Grand Island eastbound on Highway 34. According to a release from the Nebraska State Patrol, troopers picked up the pursuit, and made contact with Samaniego after he lost control of his vehicle at the junction of Highway 34 and Highway 2. Troopers gave verbal commands to the driver of the Jeep, but Samaniego did not comply and began driving south on Highway 2, then east onto Interstate 80. The Jeep reached speeds up to 100 mph as it fled eastbound. Gordon said, The spawn was wood particles that already had the mycelium in it. We basically took bags of that that we had that I had made and we had stored under refrigeration and we dumped those into the mold. Essentially what they did is the mycelium reconnected all of those pieces of wood in the shape of our mold. Mushrooms started to spring outside the mold within a week, Gordon said. The resulting structure measuring 7 feet, 6 inches after drying, floats and works like a traditionally constructed canoe. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The path to Guinness history started when Guinness Book of World Records reached out to CCCs senior director of college communications Scott Miller, Ayers said. I hadnt even considered getting it in the book. The Guinness Book of World Records people reached out to him. They wanted to start a new category, so (Miller) got me connected with them. We were able to fast track this whole new category. This isnt the first mycelium fungi boat ever constructed, however, Ayers said. There was another girl who made one she works with Ecoactive out of New York. She was able to make a much smaller boat that she called the USS Mycelium. You can actually watch her first trip out on that on YouTube. A Nebraska man will spend the rest of his life in prison after being sentenced Wednesday for 13 counts of sexual assault and sex trafficking of a 15-year-old girl. William Billy J. Quinn, of Oxford, was sentenced to 177 to 304 years in prison by Furnas County District Court Judge James E. Doyle IV. Under state sentencing guidelines, the 57-year-old Quinn must serve at least half of his minimum sentence before being eligible for parole. Following a two-week trial this summer that was prosecuted by the Nebraska Attorney General's Office, a jury found Quinn guilty of 13 of 14 felony charges. Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson said 18 other defendants have been arrested for crimes associated with Quinns actions. Todays sentence is essentially a life sentence imposed on Billy Quinn," Peterson said. "The sentence issued by Judge Doyle sends a strong message that those who traffic children for sex will pay a substantial penalty for their acts." Peterson said the investigation that began in 2019 involved many other agencies, including the Nebraska State Patrol, sheriff's offices in Furnas, Sarpy and Douglas counties and police departments in Norfolk and Kearney. YORK Robbie Lovejoy, Jr., 20, who is now a former York College student and lives in Walthill, has been sentenced to probation in a case that began with the beating of a man on the college campus, stealing his property and breaking into multiple vehicles in York last March. Lovejoy was one of four men who were college students here at the time of the crime. All four are no longer students at the college in York. The other men accused were Isaiah Hernandez-Jasso, 20; Fernando Servin Jr., 20; and Prosper Gilpin, 20. The victim told police he was on a walk, listening to music, around 5 a.m., and was in the area of the colleges prayer chapel when someone grabbed him from behind and pushed him to the ground. Two individuals punched and kicked him while he was on the ground. He attempted to fight back but could not. He sustained superficial abrasions to both knees. He stated that being punched and kicked caused him pain. The two individuals began going through his pockets but he did not have anything in them. The individuals took the hat he was wearing, which was then on the ground, and ran away. KEARNEY Council chambers were packed Tuesday evening as Chief Jim Tacha recognized 10 members for their tenure and service to the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department. I couldnt do what you do. You guys are running into places where people are running out, said councilman Randy Buschkoetter, who was among council members expressing their appreciation to the volunteers. Collectively, the 10 members honored Tuesday represent 175 years of service. One KVFD member was honored posthumously Emmett Maul served 45 years as a Kearney volunteer fire fighter. I want to thank the families who support them, council member Tami Moore said to the many spouses, children and loved ones in the room. Tacha told the council members he appreciates the support they provide the volunteers in the form of equipment, training and encouragement. Robinson was initially charged with delivery of a controlled substance, a Class 2A felony, which carries a possible maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; possession of more than one pound of marijuana, a Class 4 felony, which carries a possible maximum sentence of two years in prison with 12 months of post-release supervision; and no drug tax stamp, also a Class 4 felony. In York County District Court, Robinson was sentenced to a term of three years of traditional probation. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, to be served immediately, with credit for eight days already served. He was also sentenced to two more 30-day stints in jail, in the future, which can be waived if he is found to be in compliance with the terms of his probation. He was also ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution/fine. Urbina had the opportunity to use her ESL endorsement in the third grade classroom, which included children from many ethnic backgrounds, including Vietnamese, Hispanic and African American. Teachers came from many different backgrounds, as well. Being from a different culture, I walked in there and literally cried. Oh my God, I feel like I actually belong here, Urbina said. You dont see very many teachers that look like you, especially growing up. Being in a very diverse school with so many teachers of different ethnicities really touched me. Under the guidance of her cooperating teacher, Jung Banh, Urbina taught English to Spanish- and Vietnamese-speaking children. That was a rewarding experience. I was little once and I came here not knowing any English at all, Urbina said. Now Im older and can give back to the little kids. I was once in their shoes. I know how they feel. Additionally, Urbina taught math, science, grammar, reading and writing to the third graders. Banh taught her how to be a better teacher. STEM Education Resources Nevada Commits $4M from American Rescue Plan Funds to Expanding K12 Robotics Programs Statewide The Nevada Department of Education on Wednesday announced that $4 million of federal American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds will go toward expanding access to STEM and robotics programs statewide. The money will be invested in FIRST Nevada to help move the state education system closer to its goal of securing a robotics program in every school that serves K-12 students in Nevada, the governors office said in a news release. FIRST Nevada is a nonprofit working within public schools to promote robotics programs and STEAM education initiatives across Nevada. Providing access for our students to emerging technologies and STEM programs is essential as we recover from COVID-19 and redefine education in Nevada, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jhone Ebert said. We are excited and grateful to have FIRST Nevada as a forward-thinking partner in moving us closer to our goal of ensuring each and every Nevada student is future-ready and globally prepared! The investment in robotics expansion aligns with the departments Statewide Plan for the Improvement of Pupils value of Access to Quality, as well as its stated goal that All students graduate future-ready and globally prepared for postsecondary success and civic life. Inspiring Nevadas young people to develop technology-based skills and interests will ensure not only success for our next generation, but economic vitality for the future of our State, Gov. Steve Sisolak said in the announcement. I commend the Nevada Department of Education for establishing innovative programs and partnerships which will provide critical STEM and STEAM opportunities to our students and look forward to the expansion of FIRST Nevada programs Statewide. FIRST Nevada offers a number of inclusive, team-based PreK-12 robotics programs to engage students, including FIRST LEGO League, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST Robotics Competition. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, FIRST Nevada programs were active in half of Nevadas school districts and with more than 3,000 Nevada students and teachers participating in 270 robotics teams across the state. The funds will help support robotics team retention post-pandemic and enable FIRST Nevada to increase the number of robotics teams in Nevada, the organization said, including providing tools, equipment, and resources to offer equitable access for students and teachers statewide. Students who participate in FIRST programs are 2.9 times more likely to show interest in STEM, research shows, and they are 2.3 times more likely to be interested in a STEM career and 2.7 times more likely to show gains in STEM understanding. FIRST participants develop skills to become the innovators of tomorrow, such as improved problem-solving skills, conflict resolution, cooperation, time management, and strengthened communication skills. Nevada school leaders are invited to contact Angela Quick at FIRST Nevada via email at [email protected] for information about starting a robotics program at their school. Don't forget my "Mike's Miniatures" sale is only a three-day sale. It ends tomorrow at 11 a.m. Pacific Time, or 2:00 Eastern Time. [UPDATE: Sale has ended now.] That's 7:00 p.m. Thursday in London, UK, and 6:00 a.m. Friday in Sydney. Oed' und leer das Meer Oed' und leer das Meer (it's a line from "Tristan und Isolde" used by T.S. Eliot in The Waste Land) is my favorite picture I've ever taken with a phone. An iPhone 4s. I had the most wonderful late-life fling a number of years ago which took me from Wisconsin to New York StateI moved here to be near her, which turned out to be a bad idea. The romance was all-in, too intense to last I suppose. It didn't end well, and my year of heartbreak was intense as welltoo much soalthough I'm over that now. The woman is Sara, who I used to refer to as "S." here on the website. The picture was taken on a remote beach of the Pacific Ocean north of the Marin Headlands near San Francisco. We had gone to California so I could meet her parents, and she showed me around all the places she loved when she was growing up. On that particular day it was cold, even though it was in June, and the clouds were low and dense. The beach was deserted. Sara just loved lonely places. I remember sitting with her for an hour on a couch on the top floor of the Johnson Art Museum in Ithaca, where we could see for many miles up the magnificent Cayuga Lake, and once she took me to a grotto underneath a monastery where we sat in silence, meditating in the darkness. She had a secluded little hideaway spot in the Frick Gallery on the Upper East Side of New York City where she used to go and sit, and she took me there too. Of course you know what a motif is. A lone figure looking out to sea is a motif; Google "woman looking out to sea" and hit "Images" and you'll see dozens of examples, or hundreds if you have the patience. Including both photographs and figurative artworks. I'd put my lowly phone snap up against any of them. Maybe that's because it's mine, I don't know. The print is lovely. The picture to me seems to encapsulate our relationship; it's wild and romantic but somehow lonely too, and she has her back to me, which turns out to have been fitting. And of course you can't see her. She didn't like being seen. She was private, overly so. She didn't like having her picture taken, and I have very few pictures of her despite all the time we spent together. I was happy that whole year. She betrayed me badly in the end, but I'm over my anger now. I knew her for 22 years, more or less, although our romance lasted only a year. All too literally the woman of my dreams. Curiously, my feelings about her never really changed, and haven't even now. She moved back to California six months after we broke up, and I haven't seen her since; I doubt I ever will again. The title means "Desolate and empty is the sea." I'm glad I had my phone with me, on that beach. Mike The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. The weekend before taking the reins as president of John A. Logan College almost a year ago, Kirk Overstreet walked through the quiet campus. The walk gave him an up-close feel for the institution that he would begin leading after New Years Day. Like most institutions, the college was in the midst of the COVID-19 shutdown. As he walked the corridors, he also saw evidence of ongoing remodeling and repair work necessary because of a fire a few months earlier. On his self-guided tour, he noticed walls in need of a fresh coat of paint and made mental notes of subtle changes he would suggest ones that would give the college and its campus more flexibility. Those two words change and flexibility have marked Overstreets first year as president of the college. In fact, the flexibility he preaches is evident the minute you step into his office on the Carterville campus. Flexibility and change Do you mind if I stand while we talk? he asked, pressing a button to raise his desk to a comfortable level for working while standing. He said he likes the flexibility the desk gives him. In his initial year at the helm, he has worked to make the college more adaptable and responsive just like his desk. If you want the college to be successful, we cant be stagnant and sit in place, saying, This is how we do it; it is how we have always done it. That doesnt work. I like the idea of being flexible and willing to change. That is something I want to instill in everybody here the idea of constant change and that it is a good thing, he said. Working with the colleges board of trustees, Overstreet has adapted his leadership team his cabinet to restructure roles and duties to make the college more effective and efficient. Several outreach programs including the annual Hunting and Fishing Days and Autumnfest events have been modified. Overstreet is even talking of expanding course and degree offerings at John A. Logan College. A big piece of what we will do is to give more opportunities to our adult population so that they can come back to school and get the training they need to be successful in roles and develop the economic generation we need for long-term sustainability in Southern Illinois, he said. He stressed the importance of college degrees to people, explaining a $500,000 difference in lifetime average earnings between those with associate degrees compared to high school diplomas. For those looking to earn additional degrees, he stressed continuing efforts in strengthening relationships with nearby Southern Illinois University Carbondale. We are looking to partner more with them, so that our students will have a chance to stay in Southern Illinois and put dollars back into the local economy, he said. Looking forward Overstreet explained that he wants to see the college expand its catalog, offering more weekend and evening courses to give people a way to earn certificates and degrees while working full-time. He also is exploring the possibility of adding a hospitality program that potentially could include an on-campus laboratory hotel, and proposing the establishment of a police academy to train law enforcement officers for the region. We are a long distance from other police academies in the state, so we have a lot of people here that could benefit from that, he explained. We could be an anchor for these programs and an anchor for the economy and for education in the region. Big Piece of the Community Overstreet said one of the focuses of the college must be the region. The word community is not in our name, but we are a big piece of the community and when I say that, I mean everything: Williamson County, Randolph County, Jackson County. We are not just a Carterville institution, we are part of a larger piece, he said. Overstreet stressed outreach efforts to businesses and high school districts in the area as well as work with other community colleges in the region and collaboration with SIU. The fun thing about being at the community college is it is not just teaching history or math, but it is having a presence in all of our communities so that they know we are here for them, Overstreet added. He said community colleges can adapt quickly to the needs of business, industry and the region. Community colleges can be more agile and flexible than many educational institutions. We can build programs and get them up and running very quickly, he said. Overstreet said despite the challenges stemming from the pandemic and recovery from the on-campus fire, he likes the direction of the college. Its an exciting time to be here. I think is that there any that came of this year is that we are on the precipice of change positive change, he said. Sometimes it can be scary, but with what we are doing and with our collaborations with our sister colleges in the area and our affiliation with SIU, we have some great opportunities and that is exciting. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CARBONDALE Several Southern Illinois University Carbondale graduate students have been chosen for the highly competitive Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois Program, a fellowship program designed to increase the number of minority full-time tenure track faculty and staff at higher education institutions in the state. The seven Salukis selected are: Evelyn Aden, Dakota Rose Discepolo, Quianya Enge, Steven Gear, Jeffrey Payne, Olivia Slater and Daniel VanOverbeke. State diversity program Established in 2004 by the Illinois General Assembly, the program is open to any Illinois graduate student who is a member of an underrepresented group. The program dovetails with the Illinois Board of Higher Educations strategic plan, A Thriving Illinois: Higher Education Paths to Equity, Sustainability and Growth. After an extensive application process, the IBHE selected 47 new fellowship recipients and 56 continuing students. Fellowship recipients receive a tuition waiver and monthly stipend. The fellows enjoy networking and conference opportunities as they prepare for careers in higher education. They agree to seek positions in Illinois higher education institutions, governing boards or education-related positions in a state agency after completing their graduate education. Paul Frazier, vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion, said having seven graduate students selected for the fellowship program speaks to the quality of SIUs programs. The DFI program is a wonderful initiative by the Illinois Board of Higher Education to keep its best and brightest students in academia within the state of Illinois after they complete their graduate education, Frazier said. We are very proud to have these seven fellows representing SIU and are looking forward to seeing their continuing positive impact in higher education for many years to come. New SIU fellows Aden, of Carbondale, Illinois, is a first-year MBA student who is already a double alumna of the university, having earned her masters degree in professional media and media management studies and her bachelors degree in art history at SIU. She has been involved in Photogenesis, a registered student organization, as well as Professional Photographers of America while a student. Aden is a photographer, videographer and graphic artist. Her goal is to work in an Illinois university or college that will allow her to continue to explore her multi-faceted creative pursuits and help others find theirs while also continuing to build her business. Discepolo, a first-year doctoral student in animal science from Chicago, is a double SIU alumna with a masters degree in animal science and a bachelors degree in animal science with a focus on pre-veterinary science. She has been involved in a variety of research projects during her undergraduate career due to her involvement with the McNair Scholars Program, through which she participated in various projects including the Student Research and Creative Activities Forum and the Illinois Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program. She was also president of the Native American Student registered student organization and active in the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science chapter. She rode on the SIU equestrian team for several years as well. After completing her doctoral degree, she plans to become an animal science professor, promoting opportunities in agriculture for minority students and those from urban areas with a goal of making careers in agriculture, and especially animal science, accessible to all students. Enge, of Chicago, is a second-year doctoral candidate in educational administration and higher education. She earned a masters degree in workforce education and development at SIU and also a bachelors degree in inner city studies from Northeastern Illinois University. She is the chapter counselor for SIUs Delta Chi chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, the international education honors society, and serves as a teaching assistant for the Chancellors Scholars Program. As a research assistant for the universitys Illinois Small Business Development Center, she has focused on developing ways to help people who have had encounters with the criminal justice system break down barriers they face when starting up a small business. Her goal is to become the director of a community college office of equity and inclusion. Gear, of Kankakee, Illinois, is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in rehabilitation counseling and administration. He earned his undergraduate degree at SIU in criminology and criminal justice. Gear is active in the Graduate and Professional Student Council, Graduate Assistants United, the NAACP and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. He will work in higher education after graduating and his eventual goal is to create his own non-profit program to help people who suffer from substance abuse and mental illness. Payne, of East Saint Louis, Illinois, is a masters student in counseling and rehabilitation education and expects to graduate in May 2022. He earned his bachelors degree in psychology at SIU. Payne is serving an internship with the Union County Counseling Services in Anna. He plans to become a licensed clinical professional counselor and after working in higher education, plans to open a private practice. Slater, of Bloomington, Illinois, is a first-year doctoral student in pharmacology and neuroscience. She earned a masters degree in pharmaceutical sciences from the SIU School of Pharmacy and holds a bachelors degree in chemistry from SIU Edwardsville. She is involved in research investigating small molecules that have the potential to help patients who have sepsis. She plans to pursue a post-doctoral fellowship working in higher education before deciding on her chosen career path. Returning fellow VanOverbeke, of Lake Villa, Illinois, is doctoral student in economics and was initially chosen for the 2020-2021 academic year. VanOverbeke is a multiple SIU alumnus with bachelors degrees in economics, finance and business economics. He has also earned masters degrees in accounting, economics, agricultural economics and media in mass communication and media arts. He plans to continue his work in economic development research after graduation. VanOverbeke hopes to become an economics professor and initially to teach in Israel for a year after graduation Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Illinois state Sen. Kimberly Lightford and her husband were carjacked Tuesday night in suburban Broadview, police said. No one was hurt, but at least one of the suspects fired gunshots at Lightfords husband, according to police. Lightford, a Democrat from Maywood, and her husband were in a black Mercedes SUV and were in the near west suburb to drop off a friend, according to Broadview police Chief Thomas Mills. Three masked individuals in a Dodge Durango SUV blocked the couples Mercedes in the 2000 block of South 20th Avenue about 9:45 p.m. The suspects ordered Lightford and her husband, who was driving, out of the Mercedes, said Mills. The suspects drove off in the Mercedes and the Durango, police said. Mills said the Mercedes has since been recovered by police. Broadview police were also trying to retrieve surveillance video to aid in the investigation. Lightford, the second highest-ranking member of the state Senate, could not be reached for comment. The carjacking occurred about 30 minutes after a Christmas event hosted by Broadviews village officials took place close to the scene of the crime, Mills said. He said the number of carjackings in the town have been minimal, but other parts of Cook County have been struggling to contain them. In Chicago, carjackings were up by about 32% through Sunday with 1,781, up from 1,352 during the same time last year. The Cook County Sheriffs Department earlier this month acknowledged the steep rise in carjackings, with Sheriff Tom Dart sending letters to major automakers, asking them collaborate on addressing the crime. Dart has suggested automakers create a 24/7 hotline for motorists and law enforcement to contact if they need to track a stolen vehicle, His office has also created a consent form that car owners can submit to the sheriffs office, granting them permission to have their vehicles tracking information in case it gets stolen. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A series of school threats allegedly made by 12- and 13-year-old students in Niles, guns confiscated from Evanston Township High School during a lockdown of the school and a nationwide warning of violence promoted on a social media app have made for a troubling December for area children, families and educators. The perceived anonymity of social media, mental health challenges and the challenges of the pandemic all play a part in the uptick of student-generated threats against schools that have been reported across the country, a group of Illinois social workers say. "The behavior is a way of students communicating that they need help or support," said Maria Sinkule, a school social worker in Addison and past president of the Illinois Association of School Social Workers, a statewide organization that provides professional development to school social workers. "The pandemic has exacerbated a lot of mental heath conditions in some of these individuals." Tiffany Nelson, president of IASSW, agreed that students may make threatening statements as a call for help, particularly when they do so with anonymity. Limits in socialization that are a result of the pandemic may have caused some underlying mental health issues to resurface or make them more apparent now, she said. "Yes, this pandemic has put a strain on everyone's mental health, but we're really seeing it in students," said Tom Tebbe, a retired school social worker and executive director of IASSW. "What we're hearing from social workers across the state is they are overwhelmed with the need that is out there this year and the amount of services students require in order to function in school." Tebbe suggested that remote learning, which occurred for much of the previous school year, slowed down the maturation of many children because they did not have the same social interactions. At the same time, social media has changed the way people of all ages communicate, he said. "Generally, the trend over the last several years has been that most of the filters have been removed from people's interactions with one another," Tebbe said. When asked if recent threats of school violence are real signs that a student will be violent or destructive, Nelson acknowledged that it is a difficult question to answer. "I think there are some students acting out, but we have a serious mental health crisis we need to address," she said. "On our end, we need to continue to teach students how to appropriately use social media," Nelson added. Over the course of a week, police in Niles investigated three reports of threats made against three different schools by middle school-age students. The first threat involved a Snapchat post from a 12-year-old at Gemini Middle School threatening a school shooting, police said. The other two threats were verbal, with a 13-year-old Culver School student threatening to commit a school shooting and a 12-year-old Emerson Middle School student, who was found in possession of a lighter, threatening to start a fire in the school, police said. The children in the Gemini and Culver incidents have been petitioned to Cook County Juvenile Court on disorderly conduct charges, police said. In November, Park Ridge police arrested a 17-year-old Maine East High School student for alleged threats she made on social media that were described by the school's principal as "hateful," and "racist and homophobic." In all four cases, the incidents were reported to school officials, police said. Last week, police departments and schools across the country shared that a post circulating on Tik Tok threatened school violence on a certain day that week, though no specific schools were named. In a letter to parents regarding the Tik Tok post, Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 Superintendent Eric Olson urged parents and students to report "any concerning message" to an adult, school official or the police, and to avoid promoting social media rumors. Parents were advised to "set rules for social networking, instant messaging, emailing, online gaming and using webcams." State legislation passed in 2019 requires public schools to develop a Behavioral Threat Assessment Procedure for determining the type of resources that are needed, Tebbe said. One of the best ways of preventing school violence and helping students in need of support is for students and parents to "speak up and say something," Sinkule said. Many school districts have anonymous tip lines for reporting concerning behaviors and social media messages, she said. Parents must also monitor their children's social media accounts and communications and talk to their children about the importance of reaching out if they are feeling a certain way, Nelson said. "Those conversations need to continue," she said. "They need to happen between parents and children." School social workers can also continue to make parents aware of local resources, particularly when it comes to the mental health of children, Tebbe said. "Part of our job is to point parents to the resources available to them," he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BAMBERG Bamberg County Council gave final, third reading approval to its redistricting plan during its regularly scheduled Dec. 6 meeting. What'll happen now at this point in time is it'll be sent to the state... and it's official as of tonight," County Administrator Joey Preston said. The county has redrawn council districts to reflect changes in population, as noted in the last U.S. Census. The countys population dropped from 15,987 in 2010 to 13,311 in 2020, a 16.7 percent decline. The administrator explained that the county adhered to the constitutional requirement of one person, one vote, with all seven council districts having a population in compliance with the requirement. The mean district size based on the new census data for the county is 1,902 people. The individual district populations were: District 1 - 1,899 District 2 1,871 District 3 1,837 District 4 1,950 District 5 1,908 District 6 1,862 District 7 1,984 Preston has said the plan also adheres to the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Under that act, the county has to work toward a plan with no retrogression, or reduction in the voting strength of a racial or ethnic group. Districts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 remain majority-minority districts as before, he said. Districts 5 and 6 remain anchored in the Denmark area and Govan remains in District 6. Preston has noted that because of population shifts, District 4, while remaining anchored in the Denmark area, grows toward Bamberg. Districts 1 and 2 remain anchored in the Bamberg area, with District 2 seeing no change at all because of its only slight population shift. Districts 3 and 7 remain mostly rural, with their shared boundary shifting only slightly to ensure the town of Olar will be in District 7. The town of Ehrhardt remains in District 7. No one spoke during a public hearing held during the Dec. 6 meeting. Attorney Joey Opperman explained that the county's redistricting plan no longer has to go through the U.S. Justice Department for preclearance, which had once been a requirement under the federal Voting Rights Act. The preclearance requirement mandated that states or localities with a history of racial voting discrimination get federal approval for election policy changes, including the maps that are redrawn every 10 years. Because of the Shelby County v. Holder case in 2013, Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act is not enforceable in the same way that it was previously ... until Congress fixes that. So nothing goes to the Justice Department this year, Opperman said. I don't mean to say that the Voting Rights Act is not in effect. It most certainly is. It's just the piece of the Voting Rights Act that used to require parts of the country and all of the state South Carolina to submit any plans to either the Justice Department or the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ... is not in effect," he said. He continued, But what the law says you have to do to be compliant, that's all in effect. So if a local government or a state failed to do that in their plan, then they could be sued in federal court, and that law still has plenty of teeth on that. ... We've been very careful to ensure that the map that's been presented to council and adopted is compliant with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Contact the writer: dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5534. Follow "Good News with Gleaton" on Twitter at @DionneTandD Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The newly redrawn state Senate map could cost Orangeburg County some influence, a local lawmaker says. S.C. Senate District 39 has been redrawn to reduce the number of Orangeburg County voters and increase the number of Berkeley County voters. The district is currently represented by Sen. Vernon Stephens, D-Bowman. I am just concerned Orangeburg County has lost some of its power in some sense, Stephens said. That will maybe be a detriment as we continue looking at economic development. Stephens believes the Orangeburg County legislative delegation has been one of the most pro-education delegations in the state. There seems to be a very bright future, economic development-wise, and we want that to continue, he said. Districts are redrawn following the U.S. Census to ensure each district has roughly the same number of people. Gov. Henry McMaster has signed the new House and Senate districts into law. The newly redrawn District 39 now has about 27,943 residents in Orangeburg County and 65,208 residents in Berkeley County. About 12,832 residents are in Dorchester County. There are a total of 105,983 residents in the new District 39. The Black voting age population for District 39 has also changed under the new map. The Black voting age population is now 39%, with a white voting age population of 50%. Stephens said the current district is the complete opposite in terms of population breakdown. In 2010, the Black voting age population was about 49% and the white voting age population was about 39% for the district. It made a complete flip, Stephens said. The addition of a large portion of Berkeley County could also be a challenge for a Democratic candidate. The county has historically voted Republican. During the 2020 election, Stephens did win the portion of Berkeley County he represents by about 261 votes. Berkeley County had about 3,500 people who voted in the 2020 election from District 39. The district, as redrawn, has lost about 13,267 Orangeburg County residents, including residents of Eutawville, Santee, Vance, Providence and Elloree. Senate District 36, represented by Manning Democrat Sen. Kevin Johnson, has gained those areas. Stephens also lost about 5,000 individuals in eastern Calhoun County. In total, District 39 lost about 18,300 individuals to Johnson. District 36 also has about 56,422 residents in Sumter, and about 31,144 people in Clarendon County. There are 105,832 residents in the newly redrawn District 36. Stephens was joined by Sen. Mike Fanning, D-Great Falls, as one of only two senators opposed to the Senate's maps. The Senate voted 41-2 to approve the maps Dec. 8. The new Senate District 39 still includes the eastern portion of the City of Orangeburg, such as the Wilkinson Heights, Brookdale and Nix communities. The district also includes Four Holes, Bethel, Bowman, Whetsell, Holly Hill, Rowesville and Branchville. The district also reaches down into Dorchester County to include cities like St. George and Harleyville and into Berkeley County to include areas as far southeast as the western suburbs of Goose Creek. The district no longer includes Colleton County. Stephens noted District 39 was historically created as a minority district with a heavy Orangeburg County population. You talk about regression, but I didn't want to go back to where the district came from some years ago, Stephens said. Another concern with the new maps is the large Berkeley County population. Looking at historical data, the portion of Berkeley County that District 39 picked up did vote Democratic during the 2020 presidential election, but Stephens said that is not a given with the growing population at Cane Bay and Nexton. Stephens also said the remapping broke up communities of interest by taking Elloree, Santee, Providence, Vance and Eutawville away from other Orangeburg County towns like Holly Hill, Bowman and Rowesville. He also noted Calhoun County has shared interests, such as the Regional Medical Center, with other areas that are traditionally part of the district. Stephens noted District 36 will now cross Lake Marion and wonders how Clarendon and Sumter counties are connected to Orangeburg County I have issues with that, he said. Despite the redrawing of District 39, Stephens said he will continue to serve. We are not going to give up, he said. While he has not fully made up his mind about running in 2024, Stephens said, I probably will. Johnson said he believes the remapping was fair. I don't think everyone was 100% pleased with it, but most people are satisfied with how the lines are drawn, he said. I was surprised to be a part of Orangeburg County and Calhoun County. I am excited about it. I have many friends and acquaintances over there. Johnson says he will strive to bring progress to the area and says he is no stranger to Orangeburg County. I have worked with some of the Orangeburg delegation in the past, he said. Johnson said he recently collaborated with Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, on funding Highway 15 improvements. When asked if he believes any of communities of interest were fractured by joining Clarendon and Orangeburg counties, Johnson said he believes the interests are the same. The issues are what they have been for years, such as public education, health care, expanding broadband, he said. We will continue to work on those and make sure we can represent the people well and bring the needed resources into the area. What benefits the north side of the lake benefits the south side, he said. I will continue that great working relationship. Johnson said a number of individuals have already reached out to him from Orangeburg and Calhoun counties who have pledged their support. It is like a coming home experience, he said. Orangeburg County's other resident senator Hutto saw relatively little change in his district in The T&D Region. The newly drawn Senate District 40 now includes the western suburbs of the city of Orangeburg, including Pecan Way Terrace, Orangeburg Country Club and Rivelon. The district stretches to include Cordova, Norway, Neeses, North, Wolfton, Woodford and Springfield. The district continues to include all of Bamberg County. The district stretches to include all of Allendale County and all of Barnwell County. The new district has gained the northern portions of Aiken County from Salley down to Mount Beulah all the way to Monetta. The newly drawn district is no longer representing the northwest portion of Hampton County and has slightly less representation in Colleton County. Looking at the numbers, District 40 has 43,013 residents from Orangeburg County; Barnwell, 20,589; Aiken, 18,138; Bamberg, 13,311; Allendale, 10,419; and Colleton, 3,683. There are a total of 106,773 residents in the new District 40. I think in many ways, it is the same community of interests, Hutto said about picking up Aiken County. There is a lot of farming and rural areas. He also said like Allendale and Barnwell counties, Aiken County also shares the Savannah River site as an interest and the Lower Savannah Council of Governments. Overall, Hutto said the Black voting age population may have fallen slightly lower, but the change is minor. Although his district has not changed significantly, Hutto hopes are that the changes to District 39 will not mean the loss of a resident senator in the county. It is just about growth, he said. A lot of districts were shifted to the coast and District 39 was one of those. He noted Lake Marion and Interstate 95 were cited as commonalities between Clarendon and Orangeburg counties. Hutto said it is not uncommon for a senator to live in a county that is not the dominant one of his or her district. District 36's dominant county is Sumter, but Johnson lives in Clarendon County. Hutto said Stephens is a strong candidate with a good track record and a good campaigner, saying Stephens can hold his own in Berkeley County. Rounding out the Senate remapping is Senate District 26, which is represented by Sen. Nikki Setzler, D-Lexington. The new Senate District 26, which has not drastically changed its boundaries, consists of the western part of Calhoun County from St. Matthews to Sandy Run. The district has about 9,120 Calhoun County residents, 69,412 in Lexington County and 29,614 in Richland County. There are 108,146 residents in the new District 26. One significant change is that the remapping resulted in a Columbia-based district being moved to Charleston. This means Setzler and Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Richland, are in the same district, anchored by downtown Columbia and the areas just west of the Congaree River. The changes in district lines happened due to the fact that many rural and more Democratic districts either lost population or grew at a slower rate than the state as a whole from 2010 to 2020. South Carolina added nearly 500,000 people over the decade, its population growing 10.7% to more than 5.1 million, according to the new U.S. Census population count. Growth was concentrated in areas like Horry County, Charleston County and the rest of the coast; York and northern Lancaster County near Charlotte, North Carolina, and around Greenville and Spartanburg. Fourteen of the 16 districts represented by Democrats in 2021 either lost population or failed to gain people as fast as the state average. Such districts have had to expand to cover larger areas. The new maps would likely not significantly change the Republicans 81-43 advantage over Democrats in the House and 30-16 advantage in the Senate. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Bamberg School Districts 1 and 2 are sharing key personnel as they move toward consolidation to become Bamberg County School District. The targeted school year for consolidation is 2022-23. Bamberg County's two school boards named a single superintendent and deputy superintendent to lead the two districts as they prepare for consolidation during a joint meeting of the boards at the Bamberg School District 2 administrative office on May 3. Dottie Brown was named superintendent of Bamberg-Ehrhardt School District 1 and Denmark-Olar School District 2. Dr. Deonia Simmons was named the deputy superintendent of both school districts. Brown and Simmons assumed their new positions on July 1. Brown served as the interim superintendent for District 1, and Simmons had served as the interim superintendent for District 2. The boards also unanimously named Devon Furr as director of finance for the two school districts and Ricky Padgett as director of technology for the districts. During the meeting, the trustees said in a statement that both districts have been preparing for consolidation with the intention of reducing the decline in student population and creating opportunities for academic success for every student in the county. Brown said in an email on Dec. 14 that the path is already being laid toward that goal. To date, Bamberg Districts 1 and 2 have begun sharing key district office personnel such as finance, technology, superintendent and assistant superintendent, and federal programs. We have also begun the work of aligning curricula and textbook choices across the two districts, she said. She continued, Once the consolidated board is seated -- and we hope that will be early in the new year -- we will be able to move forward with the nuts and bolts of consolidation. She said a new website domain and new district logo -- and finalizing the merger of pupil data, finance systems and other technology platforms -- are among the things that will have to be worked on. Additionally, we will begin work immediately on new board policies and school procedures, Brown said. Expanding educational services is among the things she is most excited about with consolidation. Im most excited about now being able to expand educational services, curricula and career program opportunities to all students in both districts. Im excited to bring staff and students and community together! she said. She is least looking forward to what may be some of the toughest elements of consolidation, including the restructuring of personnel. The parts that may be most challenging will be restructuring personnel and salary schedules, along with financial and pupil accounting database systems. But I have no doubt in our ability to tackle these challenges, Brown said. There are other details that she said will decided at a later date, including whether a new centralized district office will be built. That is something that will be decided by a new consolidated board, Brown said. BSD2 Chairperson Beverly Bonaparte said she is most looking forward to students having more options for a quality education from a countywide district. The transition has gone well. The administration and staff are working well to make consolidation work. I look forward to our county coming together to support our children, Bonaparte said. BSD1 Chairperson Janeth Walker said, I am looking forward to our administration team and faculty members demonstrating to our community and others their commitment to developing our students. Walker said the transition has gone fine. It is impressive to see educators from different districts come together to work on common matters. This is another opportunity for Bamberg County schools to come together and work on something that will define us as a community, she said. Walker continued, Education is important and working together as a community on education or other community-wide matters define successful communities. I believe our community will rise to the challenge. Contact the writer: dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5534. Follow "Good News with Gleaton" on Twitter at @DionneTandD Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Wyomings 33 airports will receive $15.1 million in the first round of funding through the infrastructure package signed into law last month. Airports can use the money to pay for runway, taxiway and terminal projects, among other things, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The states airports will be able to submit projects to the FAA in the coming weeks. The agency is encouraging projects that focus on safety, equity and sustainability. The Casper/Natrona County International Airport will receive the second-largest share of the funding in Wyoming $1.34 million. The airport anticipates receiving roughly that amount each year for the next five, said Airport Director Glenn Januska. Specifically, the initial round of funding will help to pay for airfield electrical work, Januska said. That includes upgrading to LED lighting on a taxiway and putting in a new lighting control panel at the air traffic control tower. The infrastructure money will also help fund design work associated with an upcoming runaway resurfacing project. Casper is one of nine commercial airports in the state to receive infrastructure money. Jacksons airport the states busiest as far as passenger traffic is earmarked to receive $3.38 million. The other seven, including airports in Cheyenne and Rock Springs, will each receive roughly $1 million. An additional 24 reliever and general administration airports around the state will get funding through the infrastructure law. The law is ultimately expected to funnel roughly $1.9 billion to infrastructure projects in Wyoming. The vast majority of the money $1.8 billion is earmarked to pay for highway improvement. Another $335 million is intended to pay for water infrastructure projects, with $225 million aimed at bridge replacement and repairs. All three of Wyomings congressional delegates voted against the bill. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. It will soon cost you at least a dollar or two more to enjoy a Carib or Stag beer as bar owners say a price increase by Carib Brewery has left them with no other alternative but to charge customers more. Carib Brewery, in a statement on Monday, announced a $1 retail price increase per bottle or can would apply to its Carib, Carib Pilsner, Stag, Carib Blue, Royal Extra Stout, Coors, Heineken, Guinness, Smirnoff Ice and Blue Moon products. Korea Village is celebrating one of its sons for his academic achievements. Dr Kiran Nandlal, who is no stranger to academic success, has a bachelors degree in petroleum geosciences at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St Augustine, but the Presentation College alumnus didnt stop there. After he was awarded a second scholarship which led him to Edinburgh, Scotland, to pursue his masters degree at the Heriot-Watt University in reservoir engineering, the scholar returned home to put his knowledge to use at the Ministry of Energy as a stipulation of his service to the country for being awarded the national scholarship. As the Covid-19 death toll nears 3,000, many are still questioning what is considered a Cov Tucson-based Raytheon Missiles & Defense has won a contract worth up to nearly $600 million through 2026 to produce hundreds of ship-defense missiles for the U.S. Navy and seven allied nations. The Navy awarded a $578 million contract to produce 54 Standard Missile-2 Block IIIAZ upgraded rounds for the Navy, and 215 complete Standard Missile-2 variants for Chile, Denmark, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, Spain and Taiwan. The Navy has obligated about $37 million in fiscal 2021 funds under the contract. South Korea is the top foreign buyer with $232 million committed, followed by Denmark ($98 million) and Taiwan ($58 million). With options, the contract could be worth up to $586 million, and 45% of the work is expected to be performed in Tucson, according to a Pentagon contract notice. Raytheon Tucsons largest private employer with about 13,000 local employees restarted its SM-2 production line last year after multiple allied countries pooled resources to make a bundle purchase. The company says it reconfigured and modernized its SM-2 missile factory to increase production efficiencies, and signed new agreements with several suppliers. For each one of those milestones, her parents, her sister and all of us were cheering her on, Fregosi said. We didnt know what the end was, but we were going to shoot for the stars, and look at her now. After going live on Facebook, Brylee started receiving donations from a handpicked list of toys specifically targeted to help patients at the pediatric therapy center. Out of a list of 100, Brylee received 91 toys. As parents, we were very excited and very humbled that our daughter would think about giving back to others, Binger said. All of these things are toys and tools that are going to help other kids at TMC. Were just one family that has been helped in the last 10 years, theres thousands and thousands of others and this is just going to help. When Brylee told Fregosi about her big birthday plan, Fregosi couldnt help but shed some tears. She takes everything in that has been given to her and turns it into something better, Fregosi said. She is going to do something in this world. Neuberg has not disputed that, but said it has to do with a fundamental difference that we have in terms of interpreting our constitutional mandate. That includes Neubergs argument that while the panel is required to create as many politically competitive districts as possible, that is only to the extent that it does not interfere with other guidelines including following political and geographic boundaries as well as what she interprets as communities of interest. That explanation didnt wash with Lerner. She pointed specifically to how draft maps sought to create a legislative district that encompassed the Tucson suburban communities of Marana, Oro Valley and Casas Adobes. As crafted, that would have been a politically competitive district. She said it kept the district within specific school districts, reflecting the requirement for honoring communities of interest. But what emerged in the final map as Legislative District 17 excluded Casas Adobes and instead extended a line around the Catalina Mountains to pick up Republican areas of east Tucson and Tanque Verde. Even that, Lerner said, is misleading. Of the three that were listed as Democratic wins in CD6, one was the 2020 U.S. Senate race where Mark Kelly beat Republican Martha McSally, but only with 50.5% of the votes. The other was a win for Joe Biden in the presidential race, who got just a hair over 50%. The newly approved CD6 stretches from midtown Tucson through Graham and Greenlee counties and most of Cochise County and up into Casa Grande. The situation is similar in CD1, the other supposedly competitive district, which encompasses parts of northeast Phoenix and Scottsdale. This is not the map I would like, Lerner said. She said it is a deviation from the current political situation where Arizonans have elected Democrats to five of the states nine congressional seats. But Erika Neuberg, the independent who chairs the panel, dismissed the current breakdown of the congressional delegation as irrelevant to the commissions goals of drawing districts that represent communities of interest, geographic boundaries, federal voting rights laws and competitiveness, with the last factor allowed only to the extent it does not interfere with the others. As it turns out, designing the main camera for NASAs new $10 billion space telescope is a little like that Tom Petty song. The waiting is the hardest part. University of Arizona astronomer and regents professor Marcia Rieke first began working on the James Webb Space Telescope in 1998, when the project was in its infancy. Since 2002, she has led the development team for the Near InfraRed Camera NIRCam for short which will allow Webb to peer into the deepest reaches of the universe in search of light made by galaxies more than 13.5 billion years ago. Rieke and company handed over the finished camera to NASA in 2013. Theyve been waiting for it to be sent into space ever since. We knew we would deliver well before the project launched, but there were a few extra launch delays that none of us had counted on, Rieke said recently from her office at UAs Steward Observatory. You just have to be patient. Her long wait may finally end on Christmas morning. An Ariane 5 rocket carrying the Webb telescope had been scheduled to blast off from a South American spaceport on Dec. 24. But NASA announced Tuesday that another last-minute delay, this time due to weather, has bumped the launch back to 5:20 a.m. Tucson time Dec. 25 at the earliest. Rieke said she feels enormous relief that were finally getting there, but she isnt exactly holding her breath. About a month ago, a digital display was installed in the lobby of Steward Observatory so people could follow along with the countdown to liftoff. The clock had been reset twice before the new delay announced Tuesday. Bah humbug! Rieke said with a grin. Crafted on campus The successor to the 31-year-old Hubble Space Telescope has a much bigger primary mirror 6.5 meters (21.3 feet) in diameter, versus 2.4 meters (7.9 feet) for Hubble. It is the largest telescope mirror ever flown into space, so it has to be folded up to fit inside the launch vehicle. Then there is NIRCam, a $460 million package featuring two identical imaging systems that can scan different areas of space at the same time. The light sensors at the heart of the camera were designed and largely fabricated, assembled and tested on the UA campus. They are made from titanium, molybdenum, silicone and a thin layer of the chemical compound mercury cadmium telluride. The Astronomy Department has a machine shop downstairs thats certified by NASA to work with exotic metals and a clean room with a special vacuum chamber where parts can be tested in the simulated cold of space. When the development process required work by one of the UAs design partners in California, the sensors would be packed into special shipping containers and sent via FedEx white glove service, Rieke said. Occasionally, she would book a Southwest Airlines flight so she could hand deliver the sensors each weighing between 5 and 8 pounds to Lockheed Martins Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto or Teledyne Imaging in Camarillo. It was always a little bit of an exercise going through security, because we didnt want them X-rayed, she said. I got to know some of the TSA people. All told, Rieke estimates about 50 people at the UA had a hand in the development of NIRCam. Today, she said, the team includes about 20 professional scientists and a fair number of students and postdoctoral researchers all of them eager to start using the roughly 900 hours of observing time they are guaranteed from Webb through 2025. Most of the team is still in Tucson, though a few moved on to other universities while they waited for Webb to launch. When people get faculty offers, they go, Rieke explained. But theyre still members of the team, and weve gotten very good at Zooming. Designer pair Webb also carries a camera and spectrograph designed by Riekes husband, fellow UA astronomy professor George Rieke. The Mid-Infrared Instrument, or MIRI, is designed to complement discoveries made by NIRCam and study the formation of stars and galaxies and the atmospheres of planets beyond our solar system, among other things. George Rieke and Gillian Wright from the Royal Observatory in Scotland are the science leads for that instrument. The entire space telescope is a joint project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. The original rationale for the whole project was to discover the light from the first galaxies to form after the Big Bang, Marcia Rieke said. If you had told me when I was a graduate student that I would be studying galaxies that are so far away that were seeing them only about a hundred million years after the Big Bang, I would say, Im not going to live that long. But the new space telescope is anything but a one-trick pony. Its going to get used for lots of things, she said. Webb is designed to be quite general purpose, which it better be if it costs $10 billion. Rieke has been searching the universe for the most distant galaxies since the early 1980s, back when she had to manually scan the sky to find things without the aid of todays advanced sensors. That was really hard work, and the galaxies that we studied then are ones that we will view as weeds in the (Webb) pictures, she said with a laugh. They are too close to be interesting now. Rieke grew up reading science fiction in Michigan and majored in physics at MIT, before coming to Tucson to use a telescope on Mount Lemmon for her graduate thesis. Thats where she met George, who was the keeper of that telescope. He hired her as a postdoctoral researcher in 1976 and they married in 1982. The UA has been home to infrared astronomys biggest power couple ever since. Flight delays Back when NASA was soliciting design proposals for NIRCam in 2001, the Webb mission had a preliminary launch date of 2009, though we all knew that was a joke, because it didnt seem feasible to build everything that quickly, Rieke said. Since then, the project has been slowed by cost overruns, design changes, manufacturing flaws and a few mishaps during assembly. The first believable launch date to come and go was in 2014, she said. And then that became something like 2016, and that became 2018, and that became 2020 and that became 2021. Rieke previously worked on NASAs Hubble and Spitzer telescopes, so she was used to the occasional setbacks that come with space flight. Other members of the team were not. The last two-year launch delay was really a psychological blow to the younger people on the project, the 70-year-old said. In around 2014, I started hiring postdocs to work on the data that were going to get (from Webb). Most of those people are still here. For them, a two-year launch delay is like half of their professional careers so far. Luckily, theyve had plenty of work to do while they waited. NIRCam has undergone a barrage of preflight tests over the past eight years to make sure it will survive the shaking during blastoff and the unforgiving conditions in space. In 2017, Rieke and company hooked their instrument up to the rest of the telescope and tested it at Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston as Hurricane Harvey raged outside. More recently, telescope team members have been rehearsing what they will need to do during the six-month commissioning stage that will follow Webbs launch and deployment. Weve also been preparing for our own science program. So weve actually ended up being quite busy in spite of the delays, Rieke said. Whenever the launch finally happens, students and faculty from the Department of Astronomy are slated to gather in the main lecture hall at Steward to watch NASAs live stream of the big event. For Rieke, it will be a moment of excitement and resignation. A rocket launch is always scary, because its a controlled explosion, but theres nothing I can do about it. I just have to hope that everyones done everything right, she said. If it blows up, well all go home crying. Very cool camera The waiting wont end at liftoff, of course. Once in space, it will take Webb about a month to reach its final destination roughly 1 million miles from Earth, where it will enter a parallel orbit around the sun. Assuming it unfurls as designed, a heat shield made from five layers of delicate film, each as thin as a human hair, will protect the spacecraft and allow the instruments inside to cool down to about minus 370 degrees Fahrenheit, the optimal temperature for observing in infrared. Rieke said they wont even be able to activate NIRCam until its nearly as cold as the vacuum of space, a process thats expected to take about 33 days. It will take several days more after that before the instrument can begin collecting test images. Well get reports on how all the different unfoldings and so on are going, she said, but it wont be until roughly the third week in January before we really spring into action. Rieke said switching NIRCam on for the first time will be the scariest moment for her. By then, Webb will be parked in space roughly three times farther away than the moon is from the Earth, well beyond the reach of any potential repair mission from home. If anything goes wrong out there, it is very likely to stay that way. Thats the reason for all the preflight testing, the redundancies, the checks on top of checks and, yes, even the delays. You cant go fix it, Rieke said, so youve got to be sure everythings right. She wont know that for sure until NIRCam is up and running sometime next year. For now, all she can do is wait. I probably will withhold the celebrations until we get some light through (the telescope). Once we start getting some star images, Ill feel much better, Rieke said. Then well uncork the champagne bottles. Contact reporter Henry Brean at hbrean@tucson.com or 573-4283. On Twitter: @RefriedBrean Contact reporter Henry Brean at hbrean@tucson.com or 573-4283. On Twitter: @RefriedBrean Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Everything to the east is in CD6, the one that, depending on whose calculus you use, is either politically competitive or leaning Republican. It was Republican David Mehl who pushed to keep that line as far to the east as possible. Mehl said he was ensuring that CD7 included not just downtown Tucson and the University of Arizona but also neighborhoods he said had a strong university connection, saying that even UA President Robert Robbins lives east of the campus. That didn't impress Lerner, who said Michael Crow, president of Arizona State University, lives nowhere near the that campus. "We're not going to make a whole district around ASU,'' she said. "Where the president lives is not a community of interest.'' And Lerner said she saw a less altruistic reason for what Mehl was trying to do, saying the aim was to pack as many Democrats as possible into CD7 where Republicans have little chance of winning. But it wasn't just in Tucson where Democrats were moved out of CD6. The final map extends an arm of CD7 the district that runs from Yuma to Tucson and then up to Phoenix suburbs into Cochise County to pick up the largely Democratic areas of Bisbee and Douglas. A former Tucson insurance agent is headed to federal prison for more than four years for stealing a total of more than $1 million from her elderly clients. Koreasa Kory Williams was sentence to 51 months behind bars and three years of supervised as part of a plea deal in U.S. District Court in Tucson, the Justice Department announced in a news release. Williams, 46, who founded a Christian counseling service in Tucson earlier this year, was described by a prosecutor in a sentencing memo as a serial defrauder and thief on an enormous scale. Initially charged with 65 counts of wire fraud and eight counts of aggravated identity theft, she agreed to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud. The other charges were dropped, and a hearing will be held next month to discuss restitution to Williams victims. A 2019 indictment said Williams targeted clients with annuities held by life insurance firms. For seven years from 2011 to 2018, she forged their signatures and submitted false paperwork to withdraw money from annuity accounts without their knowledge, then transferred it to her personal bank account, it said. MIAMI (AP) Two travelers are facing charges following a brawl with police at Miami International Airport, authorities said. Mayfrer Serranopaca, 30, of Kissimmee, Florida, and Alberto Yanez Suarez, 32, of Odessa, Texas, were arrested in Concourse H following Monday evening's fight, according to Miami-Dade police reports. They were each charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest, while Serranopaca also faces six additional counts that include burglary and inciting a riot. MIA Director and CEO Ralph Cutie said in a statement that the airport is experiencing record-high passenger numbers this winter travel season. Unfortunately, that passenger growth has come with a record-high increase nationwide in bad behavior as well, such as the incident this evening at MIA, Cutie said Monday. Disruptive passengers face police arrest, civil penalties up to $37,000, being banned from flying, and potential federal prosecution. SCHIPHOL, Netherlands (AP) Dutch prosecutors on Wednesday demanded life sentences for four suspects in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014, saying they caused deep and irreversible suffering to relatives of the 298 people killed. Prosecutors said the four recklessly used a Russian missile to bring down the passenger jet, killing all 298 passengers and crew. Public prosecutor Manon Ridderbeks made the sentence demand on the third day of a presentation of evidence supporting the indictment. The suspects are being tried in absentia. The downing of MH17 with a Buk missile brutally ended the lives of all 298 people on board. Incredibly deep and irreversible suffering has been caused to the next of kin, Ridderbeks told the court. Anton Kotte, who lost his son, daughter-in-law and his 6-year-old grandson when MH17 was shot down, said the sentence demand felt like a new start, but he added that with prosecution arguments and the deliberation of judges still to come, and the possibility for appeals, justice still felt a long way off. We just started coming in the right direction ... but the outcome will be in the future," he said outside court. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) An Iowa man charged earlier for his participation in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was arraigned Tuesday on a new federal indictment that includes a felony count that could carry up to 20 years in prison. Leo Christopher Kelly, 36, of Cedar Rapids, who has been free on pretrial release, appeared via video for his arraignment. His attorney, Kira West, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. The most serious of the seven charges Kelly faces is obstruction of an official proceeding. Two other charges of entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct in a restricted building carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. The remaining charges are misdemeanors carrying up to six months in prison. A plea agreement apparently is no longer under consideration, according to the information that prosecutor Michael Gordon James provided Judge Royce Lamberth during the hearing. The parties have discussed a negotiated plea but that will not occur in this case so this matter should be set for trial, James said. The decision restores some hope for unions in what had been the latest failed foray in the uphill fight to gain traction at foreign-owned auto assembly plants in the traditionally anti-union South. The union has argued that the 87 employees sought for a bargaining unit have extremely specialized skills for a job that others at the plant cannot do and should be eligible for standalone representation. We are pleased to see the Board acknowledge the importance of this case, particularly within the scope of how employees choose to organize themselves under the NLRA," machinists union spokesperson DeLane Adams said. "Tool and Die Maintenance Technicians at Nissan Tennessee have fought hard for a union and deserve to have a voice on the job. Meanwhile, the company has contended that the employees are not sufficiently distinct from other plant workers to be eligible for their own small unionized subgroup. Nissan believes the Regional Directors decision is supported by the evidence," Nissan spokesperson Lloryn Love-Carter said. "Nissan remains committed to all of our employees before, during, and after the NLRBs process. Bench, 30, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to die in 2015 for killing Braylee Henry after she bought gas at the Tee Pee Totem convenience store in Velma where Bench worked. Bench argued among other things that the state lacked jurisdiction because he is a Choctaw Nation citizen and the killing took place within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation reservation. He also argued that the trial court erroneously handled jury selection, that the death penalty was cruel and unusual punishment because of his age at the time of the crime, 21, and that both his trial and appellate attorneys were ineffective. Carl Lafata, a professor of criminal justice at Minnesota State University in Mankato, said such stops can erode community trust if they're used too aggressively. The Wright stop could have been a chance for Potter to teach Luckey the art of the job," he said. "How do you do it in such a way that is safe, that is professional, that leaves that person with a good taste in their mouth? he asked. After Potter and Luckey discovered that Wright had an outstanding warrant on a weapons charge, body camera video recorded them making a plan to arrest Wright. Im just going to get him out and then cuff him up. I mean hes got a warrant, so Im going to get him cuffed up, Luckey said. That should have been a point at which the officers' level of caution went up, especially in the midst of field-training a new officer, Higgins said. Learning how to correctly handcuff and control someone is a basic but critical process for police officers. If a trainee struggles to the point of risking someone's safety, a field training officer should step in, he said. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) The trial for a truck driver charged with causing the deaths of seven motorcyclists in northern New Hampshire in 2019 is now expected to start in July more than three years after the crash to give the defense more time to find and work with a crash reconstruction expert. Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 25, of West Springfield, Massachusetts, was days away from jury selection in November when his lawyers filed a motion saying they could no longer present their accident reconstruction expert at trial. Their decision was based on information prosecutors provided to them about the expert's prior employment with the Massachusetts State Police that referenced disciplinary actions. The expert had been working with the defense since August 2019. We've experienced significant difficulty in identifying an expert that's qualified, has appropriate resources and is willing to accept the case," defense lawyer Jay Duguay told Coos County Superior Court Judge Peter Bornstein during a status conference on the case Tuesday. Photo editor Rick Wiley is the photo editor of the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson. From 1995-2004, he was director of photography at the East Valley Tribune in Mesa. From 1988-94 he was a photographer at the Tucson Citizen. He is a graduate of ASU (yes, that ASU). Compelling stories of immigrants many of whom settled in Minnesota are told in powerful words and illustrations in this graphic novel. "Our Stories Carried Us Here," edited by Julie Vang, Tea Rozman and Tom Kaczynski; Green Card Voices (201 pages, $24.99) The American dream is alive, with a twist, in "Our Stories Carried Us Here," which offers 10 stories of young people who cross cultural barriers to make a new life in the Midwest. The anthology includes a range of stories narrators come from familiar immigration points such as Mexico, Liberia, Guatemala and Vietnam, and less familiar destinations including Chad, Kazakhstan and Pakistan and an unexpected range of immigrant experiences. We're introduced to Craig Moodie, a gifted student who emigrates from Jamaica to study at Macalester, the University of Minnesota, and later launch a career in neurogenetics, despite microaggressions along the way. And Ruth Mekoulom, whose parents left Chad and Cameroon for North Dakota, to give her more educational opportunities as a deaf student. After winning a temporary reprieve, a death row inmates challenge of his conviction and sentence was rejected Wednesday by an appellate court. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ruled Wednesday that Miles Sterling Bench, 30, should remain on death row in connection with the 2012 Stephens County death of Braylee Henry, 16, despite his claims that the state did not have jurisdiction to try him. The appellate court ruling is a reversal of its May ruling when it threw out Benchs murder conviction and death penalty based on the U.S. Supreme Courts McGirt ruling. Rather, the Court of Criminal Appeals never let its May ruling become final and ended up vacating the decision after determining in another case that McGirt did not apply retroactively beyond someones direct appeal. Bench claimed the state of Oklahoma did not have jurisdiction to try him because he is a member of the Choctaw Nation and the crime occurred within the Chickasaw reservation under the courts McGirt-related rulings. As a result of the McGirt ruling, crimes involving American Indians that occur within much of eastern Oklahoma are not the jurisdiction of the state, but rather federal or tribal authorities. A man charged in a 2019 fatal stabbing after fighting over a bicycle will receive mental health treatment after a judge declared him incompetent to stand trial. U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine D. Little issued the order Monday for Lance Dylan Gatzman, 24, following a competency hearing in Tulsa federal court. Based on the information provided, the Court finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Mr. Gatzman is presently incompetent to stand trial in these federal criminal proceedings, as he is suffering from a mental disease or defect rendering him mentally incompetent to the extent that he is unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against him or to assist properly in his defense, Little wrote in a three-page order. Gatzman faces one count of first-degree murder in Indian Country in connection with the Oct. 24, 2019, stabbing death of Christian Isaiah Jones, 21. Jones was killed in the 1000 block of East Third Street in what is now considered to be Indian Country for purposes of federal enforcement of major crimes, thanks to the U.S. Supreme Courts McGirt ruling. A man shot by a Tulsa police officer is suing the city of Tulsa and the officer who shot him, who has since faced a criminal charge himself. Michael Delaney claims in a lawsuit filed Friday in Tulsa federal court that the city of Tulsa Police has a pattern of using unnecessary and excessive force on civilians, especially those who are not suspected of serious crimes. Delaney was shot in the shoulder by Tulsa Officer Aaron Russell, 31, about 1 a.m. March 21, 2020, near 2800 S. Pittsburg Ave. Delaney had just driven away from Russell when he was shot. He claimed later he feared he might be shot when he drove away from Russell after the officer had just ordered Delaney to exit his vehicle. After he was shot, Delaney abandoned his vehicle several blocks away and was found hiding under a house by K9 officers. He was arrested on complaints of possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, assault with a deadly weapon, one felony warrant and three misdemeanor warrants. He made statements to police that he ran because he knew he had warrants and didnt want to go to jail, a police spokeswoman said at the time. Health and safety have always been core components of the Head Start program, Futrell said in the letter. Taking this step of getting vaccinated by January 2022 is another way to make sure our children, families and colleagues remain safe. A vaccinated workforce is a key component to building the Head Start program back and preparing for stronger, more vibrant opportunities ahead. In the news release, OConnors office states the mandate will cost jobs and programing. The states allege that the Head Start Mandate is not only beyond the Executive Branchs authority, contrary to law, and arbitrary and capricious, but it also violates the APAs Notice-and-Comment Requirement, the Congressional Review Act, the Nondelegation Doctrine, the Tenth Amendment, the Anti-Commandeering Doctrine, the Spending Clause, and the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act of 1999, according to the news release. Tom Colbert became the first black person to serve as chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court when he was sworn in on this day in 2013. Stewart said permit applicants are still required under state law to visit a DPS examiner in person to at least undergo a vision exam and be entered into the system. We thought if we could push it off to another location it could help out in the appointment arena, as well, she said of the written exam. Also, proof of school enrollment and the proof of an eighth grade reading proficiency test are no longer required. We waived those during the pandemic, but that got passed in an emergency clause in the last (legislative) session, so they wont have to worry about that again. But Scott said that Even if you look at parent-taught drivers ed, the parents still need the kids to get their permit so they can drive on city streets, even in a neighborhood. Weve only got so many driving instructors, but the real issue is them not being able to get their permit at the DPS, he said. The pandemic, he said, only amplified an already-increasing problem with appointment delays. Over the summer, appointments were being booked up to 60 days in advance. Despite arriving in far worse condition than a typical transplant patient and the extraordinary amount of inflammation in his chest caused by COVID-19, Blakes transplant in late January was a success. From being hospitalized for nearly four months, Blake lost 55 pounds of muscle, and his hospital recovery was lengthier than for a typical transplant patient because he needed therapy to retrain his muscles for basic tasks. But on Friday, Blake walked out of the Phoenix hospital breathing on his own, amid cheers and high-fives from the many doctors and nurses who treated him. He will spend the next three to six months close by, completing rehabilitation. I just feel incredibly blessed and incredibly grateful for all the care that Ive received, for God watching over me, all the doctors and nurses who poured themselves into me, for the lungs that were donated, Blake said in a telephone interview mere hours after his release. I could write a book with all of the near-misses where they didnt think I was going to make it and all of that added up and here I am getting discharged from the hospital. Its a series of miracles. Bodden, of Owasso, a military publication editor, first learned about the massacre, which happened during the Battle of the Bulge, several years ago while leading tours of WWII sites in Europe. He began including the site, located in Wereth, Belgium, on his tours. But what Bodden didnt realize then, he said, was the story had a tie much closer to home. A few years ago, he was surprised to learn that one of the Wereth 11 is buried at Fort Gibson. I knew I had to go, he said of visiting the grave of Mager Bradley. After so many annual visits to the massacre site, it was sobering to stand at the final resting place of one of the victims, he said. It brought a whole new experience for me to grapple with, he said. It was an experience he didnt want to keep to himself. Something to prove Because the military was still segregated by race, Black troops often were grouped together in their own units under the command of white officers. The 333rd Artillery Battalion was one such unit. Republican incumbents mostly got what they wanted in their Christmas stockings when Oklahoma City-based Amber Integrated delivered solid poll numbers. AIs Dec. 15-19 survey of 500 registered Oklahoma voters show Gov. Kevin Stitt leading likely 2022 Democratic opponent Joy Hofmeister 47%-32%, and the two best-known GOP primary challengers to U.S. Sen. James Lankford in single digits among Republican voters. In a head-to-head-to-head matchup, Lankford was given the nod by 56% of Republican voters surveyed, compared with state Sen. Nathan Dahms 9% and Jackson Lahmeyers 8%. Among all voters, Lankfords job approval stood at 48%, including 65% among Republicans. That compared to an overall 51% approval rating for Stitt and 42% for U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, who is not on the 2022 ballot. Opinions on Stitts performance were sharply divided by party, with 69% of Republicans giving him a thumbs-up and 29% of Democrats agreeing with that. Independents were evenly divided on Stitts performance, 37%-37% with 25% noncommittal. Focusing mainly on the development of stationery, Thien Long has transformed from a small workshop producing ballpoint pens into a national brand with millions of products after 40 years, accompanying generations of young Vietnamese on the journey to conquer the power of knowledge. From the dream of a ballpoint pen made in Vietnam John Loud from the U.S. created the world's first ballpoint pen in October 1888. Nearly a century later, the first made in Vietnam ballpoint pen was produced in 1981 by Co Gia Tho founder and chairman of Thien Long Group. At that time, most ballpoint pens were imported from Thailand in such small quantities that some people had to pump ink into them for reuse. Co Gia Tho, then a pen dealer, was craving for producing his own ballpoint pens in Vietnam, bringing a greater supply to people. The Thien Long TL-08 ballpoint pens, also the first ballpoint pens made in Vietnam, were churned out in a small factory in District 6, Saigon. Photo: Supplied by Thien Long At that time, few were well aware of the concepts of a distributor or retailer. Thien Long, with the desire to expand the market throughout Vietnam, took the initiative to offer ballpoint pens to small merchants in wholesale markets to get greater access to Binh Tay Market, Kim Bien Market, and Phung Hung Market. However, not all markets supported Vietnamese goods. Small businesses at Le Loi Stationery Market the largest stationery wholesale market in Saigon at the moment preferred selling foreign commodities. In order not to depend on the market, Tho and his first colleagues brought their Vietnamese-made ballpoint pens to all the provinces and cities in the southwestern, central, and even northern parts of Vietnam. Thien Long not only leads the stationery industry in Vietnam but it also ranks 17th among the worlds stationery brand. The company maintains a presence in 67 international markets. Photo: Supplied by Thien Long By 1997, Thien Long had completely dominated the ballpoint pen market, becoming a name familiar to generations of students in Vietnam. "Back in middle school, I could forget to bring along my books, but the Thien Long ballpoint pen was always with me, Phuong Nga, born in the 1990s, recalled. My mom used to buy a whole big box of the pens and split them up among me and my two sisters. To use the pen was to feel good. I remember that I once carved some marks or wrote my name on my pens to prevent them from getting lost. Now when Im at work, I dont use pens as often as before; however, sometimes seeing those familiar pens in the bookstore strangely makes me feel very happy and suddenly remember my childhood!" to the leading brand of stationery in Vietnam After four decades of development, Thien Long still persists with stationery even though the Vietnamese society has changed and the market has altered the way people receive information and knowledge. With the advent of digital technology and a series of new means of exchanging and recording information such as phones and desktop computers in the 2000s, or the introduction of tablets and laptops now, Thien Long has firmly stuck to its choice. One of the reasons why Thien Longs ballpoint pens have stood the test of time is the determination of the management board and the creativity and dynamism of their team. To increase competitiveness, Thien Long has worked with experts in the region, inviting them to Vietnam to cooperate and exchange the most advanced ballpoint pen production technology. However, given their foresight, Thien Long's management has said that it is impossible to revolve around the pen but the company needs to expand its product lines. By 1997, Thien Long had completely dominated the ballpoint pen market, becoming a name familiar to generations of students in Vietnam. Photo: Supplied by Thien Long Thien Long's strategy of exploring the market with new products in addition to pens in 2008 was appreciated for the caution to find out about the needs and tastes of new-age customers. As a result, the stationery products the Vietnamese brand later launched besides the pen quickly won over the hearts of both office workers and a new generation of students. The products in the stationery group have achieved sustainable growth over the past decade, as recorded since it became a public company. Until 2016, Thien Long had become the No. 1 stationery brand in Vietnam with a 60-percent market share and the firm has continuously expanded its export markets as well. To date, Thien Long products have been available in 67 countries worldwide. Journey of broadening Vietnamese knowledge in four decades From the founding-day to today, Thien Long has always believed in the power of knowledge and youth. Besides corporate activities, Thien Long Group also puts its heart in social programs to spread knowledge. The most typical is the Supporting Candidates in Exam Season program that Thien Long has been persistently accompanying for more than 20 years. Supporting Candidates in Exam Season has become a symbol of noble volunteerism and been an integral part of important university entrance exams in Vietnam. On its accompanying journey, Thien Long is proud to have worked with the Central Committee of the Vietnam National Union of Students, the Ministry of Education and Training, and Tuoi Tre (Youth) Newspaper to fire up nearly 20 million candidates and their family members across the country as well as deploy 58,618 volunteer squads at all levels, with the participation of 1,018,231 young people and student volunteers. The total resources mobilized have neared VND200 billion (US$8.7 million). "Over 20 years of extensive implementation on a national scale, the Supporting Candidates in Exam Season program has made a good impression while promoting the development of the Vietnamese youth and creating a useful activity for young people to contribute to and share with the community, said Le Tuan Anh, Deputy Chief of the Central Office of the Vietnam National Union of Students. On that basis, the young are growing and living more meaningfully." JERUSALEM -- Israel announced on Tuesday that it will offer a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to people older than 60, amid concern about the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. A Health Ministry expert panel recommended the fourth shot, a decision that was swiftly welcomed by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett as "great news that will help us overcome the Omicron wave that is spreading around the world." Although the decision is pending formal approval by senior health officials, Bennett urged Israelis to get the dose as soon as possible, saying: "My message is - dont waste time, go get vaccinated." The decision follows the first known death in Israel of a patient with the Omicron variant. An Israeli hospital on Tuesday confirmed the death but said he had suffered from a number of serious pre-existing conditions. The Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba said the man, in his 60s, died on Monday, two weeks after he was admitted to the coronavirus ward. A hospital statement said the patient suffered from a variety of serious illnesses. "His morbidity stemmed mainly from pre-existing sicknesses and not from respiratory infection arising from the coronavirus, it said. On Tuesday, the Health Ministry said there were at least 340 known cases of Omicron in Israel. Israel has already this week expanded a travel ban to countries including the United States, Germany, Italy, Turkey and Canada to try to curb the spread of the virus. Bennett's office said it had also approved reducing office attendance by 50% for public sector employees to encourage more remote work. And Defence Minister Benny Gantz ordered the militarys Homefront Command to prepare for the eventuality of 5,000 new cases per day, his office said. Novavax said on Tuesday the World Health Organization's (WHO) panel of experts had recommended a third dose of its vaccine, NVX-CoV2373, for immunocompromised persons. The WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, known as SAGE, issued a series of recommendations, including the use of the vaccine in persons with comorbidities, breastfeeding women, and those living with HIV. After reviewing Novavax data the independent experts said the vaccine could be used in pregnant women if the benefits of vaccination to the pregnant woman outweigh the potential risks. On Friday, the WHO issued an emergency use listing to Novavax's vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India, the world's biggest vaccine maker, paving the way for its use in low- and middle-income countries where rollout has been much slower than in Europe. Novavax said on Monday it had received the WHO's emergency use listing for the company's own version of the vaccine, which it will distribute in Europe and other markets. The company also said on Tuesday it had begun administering its first booster doses of NVX-CoV2373 in a late-stage trial. Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) of Cambodia Heng Samrin on Tuesday attended the groundbreaking ceremony of a project to construct its new administrative building, which is funded by a US$25 million donation from Vietnam during the formers state visit to the kingdom. Before the groundbreaking ceremony, the two leaders had a meeting, during which they emphasized that Vietnam and Cambodia are two close neighbors with a tradition of solidarity, mutual support, and assistance that constitutes the pride and invaluable assets of the two peoples. Future generations of the two countries need to maintain, preserve, and promote that tradition, like the way both sides have supported each other in the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. The two sides agreed to maintain regular high-level contacts and exchanges via all channels in the future, promoting the role of the National Assembly of the two countries in strengthening bilateral relations, especially in institutional building, perfecting the legal system for the connection between the two economies, and creating a favorable legal framework for improving the efficiency of cooperation in all fields. Senior leaders attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Cambodian National Assembly administrative building in Phnom Penh, December 21, 2021. Photo: N.A. / Tuoi Tre At the groundbreaking ceremony of the new administrative building project, Cambodian NA Chairman Samrin said he gratefully acknowledges and highly appreciates the Vietnamese Party, state, and people for donating $25 million to build such a meaningful project. Construction on the project will be implemented in four phases, according to Leng Peng Long, secretary general of the Cambodian National Assembly. The 12-story building will be constructed on an area of 27 meters wide and 49 meters long. Secretary Long expressed his hope that the new building will become a symbol of friendship between the two peoples. Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc lays a wreath at the statue of the late King Norodom Sihanouk in Phnom Penh, December 21, 2021. Photo: N.A. / Tuoi Tre Earlier, after meeting with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, State President Phuc, together with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, had visited and laid a wreath at the Independence Monument, the statue of the late King Norodom Sihanouk, and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Monument. Phuc began his two-day state visit to Cambodia at the invitation of King Norodom Sihamoni on Tuesday and will conclude it on Wednesday before returning to Vietnam. Photos of Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and King Norodom Sihamoni are on display on a street in Phnom Penh, December 21, 2021. Photo: N.A. / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnam's State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc joined talks with King of Cambodia Norodom Sihamoni and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh on Tuesday, as part of his state visit to the neighboring country on Tuesday and Wednesday. This trip, marking Phucs first official visit to Cambodia in his role as state president, is among a series of activities to celebrate the Vietnam - Cambodia Year of Friendship and the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The meeting between President Phuc and King Sihamoni followed a welcome ceremony on Tuesday morning. During the dialogue, the Cambodian leader believed that the visit will make important contributions to the two nations neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability. The king congratulated Vietnam on its achievements in both internal and external affairs, which have elevated the countrys position in the region and the world. Both sides vowed to give the top priority to fostering the two countries bilateral relationship. They also expressed their delight at the activities to be held during the 2022 Vietnam - Cambodia Year of Friendship on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) meets with King of Cambodia Norodom Sihamoni in Phnom Penh, December 21, 2021. Photo: Vietnam News Agency During his talks with PM Hun Sen, which took place later the same day, President Phuc congratulated Cambodia over the great accomplishments in socio-economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control. The two leaders expressed their appreciation for the comprehensive development of the Vietnam-Cambodia ties over the past 55 years. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, both nations have made efforts to maintain mutual visits and high-level discussions as well as optimize bilateral cooperative mechanisms. Two-way trade topped US$8.63 billion in the first 11 months of 2021, up 84 percent year on year. The leaders agreed on further deepening cooperation in security and defense, and promoting connectivity between the two economies, especially in transport, telecoms, trade, investment, finance and banking, agriculture, tourism, and energy. The two sides will speed up negotiations on mutual recognition of each others vaccine passports. They reached consensus on the implementation of border treaties and agreements. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Read what is in the news today: Politics -- Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chairman of the National Assembly of Cambodia Heng Samrin on Tuesday attended the groundbreaking ceremony of a project constructing a new administrative building of the Kingdom of Cambodia NA, which is funded by a US$25 million donation from Vietnam during the formers state visit to the kingdom. -- State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc spoke with King of Cambodia Norodom Sihamoni in Phnom Penh on Tuesday as part of his two-day official visit to the kingdom at the kings invitation. Society -- An explosion caused by a homemade firecracker killed a 13-year-old child and injured two others, who are five and seven years old, in northern Bac Giang Province on Monday, local police said on Tuesday. -- The Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association announced the sponsorship for 682 children orphaned by the COVID-19 pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City in a program that costs more than VND100 billion (US$4.3 million) during a ceremony held on Tuesday afternoon. -- Strong cold air will cause a cold spell in the northern and north-central regions from December 26 to 27, with mountainous areas in the north likely to experience frost, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. -- Residents of Alley 778 down Tan Ky Tan Quy Street in Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City have complained about a cow raising household for causing environmental pollution in the neighborhood for a long time. Business -- The number of tractor-trailers carrying China-bound farm product shipments that have been stuck at three border gates in northern Vietnam over the past weeks have mounted to 6,198, according to an official at the General Department of Vietnam Customs. -- The Ho Chi Minh City Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on Tuesday issued safety assessment criteria to allow spas and massage parlors to resume operations under strict coronavirus-safe protocols. Sports -- Singapore will take on Indonesia in their first-leg semifinal at the 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup at 7:30 pm on Wednesday (Vietnam time). Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A bridge under construction in southern Vietnam was partially submerged on Tuesday after one of its piers tumbled down into a river. Residents near the bridges construction site in Cai Doi Vam Town, Phu Tan District, Ca Mau Province heard a loud noise past 8:00 am on Tuesday as the structures main pier began to slowly collapse into the river below. The gradual fall lasted for hours and only stopped after the column had sunk four meters lower than its original height, bringing two middle spans tumbling down with it. One of the fallen spans was partially submerged, blocking the Cai Doi Vam River beneath. No casualties or damage to vehicles were reported. Local authorities fenced off the area and warned residents against approaching the site for their own safety. The publicly funded project to construct Cai Doi Vam Bridge has a total investment capital of more than VND54 billion (US$2.3 million). Construction began last year and was close to completion with only railings left to be installed when the accident happened. TPM, the construction company hired to build the bridge, is looking into explanations for the incident and solutions to repair the damage. Ho Hoan Tat, director of Ca Maus transport department, told Vietnamese news site VnExpress he was working with relevant units to examine the incident scene. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Ministry of Health logged 16,555 new coronavirus cases across Vietnam on Wednesday, together with 13,394 recoveries and 210 virus-related fatalities. The latest infections, including 33 imported and 16,522 domestic transmissions, were reported in 60 provinces and cities, the ministry said, noting that 10,938 patients caught the virus in the community. Hanoi documented 1,646 of the newest local cases, Ca Mau Province 1,193, Ho Chi Minh City 979, Khanh Hoa Province 798, Can Tho City 757, Hai Phong City 449, Thua Thien-Hue Province 351, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province 297, Lam Dong Province 295, Dong Nai Province 265, Binh Thuan Province 259, Bac Ninh Province 246, Da Nang 171, Binh Duong Province 149, Quang Ninh Province 134, Ha Giang Province 100, and Quang Nam Province 85. Vietnam had reported 16,316 locally-acquired infections on Tuesday. The country has detected 1,582,783 community transmissions in all its 63 provinces and cities since the fourth virus wave erupted on April 27. A combined 1,170,667 of them have recovered from COVID-19. Ho Chi Minh City leads the caseload with 497,162 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 289,613, Dong Nai Province with 95,761, Tay Ninh Province with 66,823, Long An Province with 39,831, Dong Thap Province with 37,976, Can Tho City with 35,682, Tien Giang Province with 31,851, An Giang Province with 30,165, Hanoi with 29,229, Khanh Hoa Province with 25,906, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province with 24,619, Binh Thuan Province with 23,942, and Da Nang with 9,787. Vietnam recorded a mere 1,570 locally-transmitted infections in total in the previous three waves. The health ministry registered 13,394 recovered patients on Wednesday, bringing the total to 1,173,484. The toll has increased to 30,251 fatalities after the ministry announced 210 deaths on the same day, including 46 in Ho Chi Minh City, 27 in An Giang Province, 17 in Binh Duong Province, 15 in Tien Giang Province, 13 in Tay Ninh Province, and the remaining in 16 other provinces and cities. Vietnam has logged 1,588,335 patients since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the country early last year. Health workers have given more than 141 million vaccine doses, including 1,037,045 shots on Tuesday, since vaccination was rolled out nationwide on March 8. Over 76.2 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while above 63.3 million have been injected twice. The number of third doses including additional primary shots for immunocompromised people, boosters, and third jabs of Cubas Abdala vaccine has jumped to 1,553,348. Vietnam aims 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. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Police in Vietnam have broken up a gambling ring that transacted approximately VND2.15 trillion (US$93.7 million) and possessed many military weapons. Officers under the Ministry of Public Security confirmed on Tuesday they had dismantled a gang that stored military weapons and ran a transnational gambling ring. Nguyen Van Dien, the 46-year-old kingpin, and 15 of his subordinates have been arrested to facilitate police investigation. Preliminary information showed that most of the members hail from Hai Phong City and had been convicted of various crimes. Officers launched their investigation in late May as the gang appeared to participate in several organized crimes in Ho Chi Minh City and other southern provinces such as Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau. On Monday, many teams of officers raided 14 locations and arrested the 16 suspects. A gun and bullets belonging to the gang are confiscated by officers in this supplied photo. They also confiscated two pistols, 120 bullets, some other types of weapons, about VND580 million ($25,250) worth of cash, an automobile, 23 mobile phones, and relevant documents. Investigators stated that the gang previously operated a gambling racket in Cambodia. After the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in early 2020, the suspects moved back to Vietnam to run several gambling websites. They exchanged information with gamblers via chat apps such as Viber and Telegram and often performed their transactions in cash or via various bank accounts to hide their traces. Deals related to the rings gambling activities have amounted to about VND2.15 trillion since early 2020. Further investigation is ongoing. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association (VYEA) announced the sponsorship for 682 children orphaned by the COVID-19 pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City in a program projected to cost more than VND100 billion (US$4.3 million) during a ceremony held on Tuesday afternoon. The signing and announcement ceremony of the sponsorship, which is part of a program co-organized by the Vietnam Womens Union in Ho Chi Minh City, the VYEA, Phu Nu TPHCM (Ho Chi Minh City Women) newspaper, and other organizations, was attended by former Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh. At the event, VYEA chairman Dang Hong Anh said that the association will strive to provide for the children until the age of 18 through various means, such as taking care of their personal needs, providing mentorships, and ensuring access to education and jobs. Former Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh hands gifts to children orphaned by COVID-19 at a sponsorship event in Ho Chi Minh City, December 21, 2021. Photo: Cong Trieu / Tuoi Tre In particular, the benefactors will give about VND2 million ($87) in monthly support to 16 children, who have been orphaned by the COVID-19 pandemic and are living in extremely difficult conditions, until they are 18 years old. In order to share a part of their losses as well as accompany the children on the way to overcome adversities, a helping hand from the community is crucial now, Anh said. Before that, the Vietnam Womens Union in Ho Chi Minh City also gifted 318 children milk, necessities, and living expenses worth a total of more than VND650 million ($28,300). In addition, 253 tablets worth over VND1.6 billion ($69,600) were also donated as learning tools to many students in need in the program. A child and his mother attend a sponsorship event in Ho Chi Minh City, December 21, 2021. Photo: Cong Trieu / Tuoi Tre Both the benefactors and beneficiaries shared their mixed feelings at Tuesdays event. I was overjoyed to know that my children are receiving the sponsorship from the program, said Luu Thi Ha, a 42-year-old resident of Tan Binh District who lost her husband during the COVID-19 infection peak in Ho Chi Minh City in August. Honestly, Im struggling to take care of all of my three children." Luu Thi Thanh Mau, CEO of Phuc Khang Corporation, one of the benefactors, expressed her hope that the sponsorship will help the children continue their journey toward the future in a stable way. Individuals and representatives of organizations receive certificates of merit from the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee during a sponsorship event in Ho Chi Minh City, December 21, 2021. Photo: Cong Trieu / Tuoi Tre At the event, the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee granted certificates of merit to several members of the VYEA, as well as other individuals and organizations for their recent contributions to the prevention and control of COVID-19 in the city. Ho Chi Minh City has documented more than 496,100 COVID-19 infections since the fourth virus wave hit Vietnam on April 27. The latest coronavirus outbreak in the southern metropolis has taken away the parents of 1,517 students, according to the municipal Department of Education and Trainings statistics announced in September. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Three men from the Hmong ethnic group in the mountainous regions of northwestern Vietnam have been arrested for alleged human trafficking, according to local border guards. Border guards from the two provinces of Ha Giang and Lao Cai, in a joint operation with other functional forces, conducted a raid at a village in Ha Giang's Xin Man District to bust the illicit system trafficking ethnic minority women to China on Tuesday morning. Three suspects of the Hmong ethnic group, Giang Seo Vu, 25, Trang Seo Pao, 45, and Pu Seo Tam, 29, were arrested while attempting to transport a local woman through the Vietnam-China border. Their ring is believed to target women from ethnic minorities who were in dire straits. Preliminary investigation revealed that the traffickers operated the racket in a sophisticated and deliberate manner, with support from Chinese partners in border areas. The victims were reportedly enticed to begin a romantic relationship with them given a promise of a better future in China. They were invited to eat out, visit their relatives, enter hotels, and go to different places. The trapped women then lost direction following the traffickers' instructions. Police are searching for other accomplices. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Chris Noth has been dropped from US drama The Equalizer following sexual assault allegations made against him by two women. Universal Television and CBS confirmed he would no longer be part of filming effective immediately. Noth has played a former CIA director on the series which stars Queen Latifah. He will appear in at least one upcoming episode in the USA. Two women accused Noth of sexual assault last week, describing similar alleged rapes by the 67-year-old actor more than a decade apart. Both say they met Noth in their early 20s. Noth vehemently denied the allegations, which date back to 2004 and 2015. In a statement he called the claims 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, he said. 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, he added. One of the women said his reprisal of his Mr Big character on the Sex and the City sequel, And Just Like That, prompted her to speak out. Actors Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis said in a joint statement, We are deeply saddened to hear the allegations against Chris Noth. We support the women who have come forward and shared their painful experiences. We know it must be a very difficult thing to do and we commend them for it. Noth has also been dropped by talent agency A3 Artists Agency, following the allegations. A representative for Noth declined to comment other than to reiterate that the actor stands by his statement and his denial. After a third woman came forward to accuse him of assault in 2010 a representative said the details of that report were a complete fabrication and that Chris has no knowledge of who this individual is. The Equalizer airs in Australia on Nine. Source: Variety, The Guardian The Federal Court this week ordered access to 63 piracy sites be blocked by Telcos. Justice Victor Nicholas ordered Telstra, Optus, Vocus, TPG and Vodafone, among 48 other respondents, to ban websites that infringe, or facilitate the infringement of, copyright in large numbers of cinematograph films. Roadshow Cinemas, Disney Enterprises, Paramount Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Universal Studios, Warner Bros, Netflix, and Chinese media companies Television Broadcasts and TVB brought on the action to block the websites, which are all based out of Australia. No Australian media or production companies were involved. The telcos have been given seven days to block the sites. Justice Nicholas also gave the companies the power to come back to the court if they discover new websites operating under the same brands as those blocked in his orders. He acknowledged that the copyright holders had made reasonable efforts to identify the people behind the sites and that none of them had applied to be joined as a party in the proceedings, despite being notified of the legal action. Source: Courier Mail, Torrent Freak By Leslie Kuhnen The University of Dayton Core program recognized three students with the Raymond M. Herbenick Award at its 34th annual graduation banquet in October, marking the first time in the programs history that a trio of students won the award. This years winners were Anna Biesecker-Mast, Sebastian Quinones and Quinn Murray. All three were nominated and selected by Core faculty members. The Herbenick Award is presented annually and recognizes a Core graduating student who best exemplifies the programs commitment to excellence in interdisciplinary integration. Created by the Department of Philosophy in 1999, it is named in honor of founding Core professor Ray Herbenick. I was thrilled to be part of a three-way tie for the 2021 Herbenick Award, said Murray, a senior biochemistry major from Oakwood, Ohio. The other two award winners are hardworking and intelligent; Im flattered to be placed in the same category as them. Murray joined the Core program as a biology major because he was drawn to the programs interdisciplinary curriculum, as well as the honors program credit it offers. Rare is a student who has Quinns level of confidence and that ability to step outside the lines of conventional research and thought to take advantage of a writing assignment as an opportunity to explore and grow, and not simply to satisfy what is required, said Roger Crum professor of art history. That's what I so appreciated about Quinn and what stood behind my recommending him for the award. Biesecker-Mast, a senior English and history major from Oakwood, Ohio, was nominated by Elizabeth Mackay, associate professor of English. In my view, Anna was probably born to be a Herbenick Award winner, since she fully embodies and has embraced the humanities and interdisciplinary study with her declared double-major and a minor in womens and gender studies, Mackay said. She is a quintessential Core student. In many ways, within and outside of the University, Anna has represented and demonstrated the integrated knowledge for which the Core program strives. Biesecker-Mast said she loved the interdisciplinary nature of Core from day one. She described the Core seminar as a unique space where a small group of students could discuss the complexities and interdisciplinary aspects of a lecture with a professor. In Core, Ive taken classes in various humanities and social science disciplines together with the same group of 100 students for three years it is a vibrant academic community, Biesecker-Mast said. Quinones, a senior English and history major from San Juan, Puerto Rico, initially knew little about Core, apart from it being an interdisciplinary living-learning program. He said it ended up being one of the best experiences of his life. I met interesting people and made new friendships with people I admire and care deeply about, Quinones said. From my professors, I learned to become a better writer and researcher and the conversations were, at times, unforgettable. Overall, Core has helped mold me into the person I am today. Quinones was nominated by David Darrow, professor of history. Sebastian exemplifies Core in so many ways, from his enthusiastic embrace of interdisciplinary approaches to knowing, to his willingness to give back to the Core community as a writing fellow and spokesperson, Darrow said. In this and so many other ways, Sebastian personifies Core. The Core Program offers an innovative, interdisciplinary two-and-a-half year curriculum that stresses the connections between disciplines while fulfilling many of the University's Common Academic program requirements. Courses address a common theme, "Human Values in a Pluralistic Culture," and are carefully coordinated so students experience the integrated character of the arts and sciences. Co-curricular speakers, arts events and other activities related to course content are an important part of the program. The 120 students selected each year represent a cross-section of new students with differing backgrounds and abilities. For more information, visit the Core program website. Photo: Raymond M. Herbenick Award winners (L to R) Anna Biesecker-Mast, Quinn Murray and Sebastian Quinones. Georgia Kirchin from Peterborough suffers from a life-threatening condition. (SWNS) A five-year-old girl with a life-threatening condition is asking Santa for a new heart this Christmas. Georgia Kirchin, from Peterborough, has a condition called aortic stenosis, which means the blood-flow is restricted, and she needs a new heart to save her life. The school girl is on the NHS donor waiting and is living day-by-day as she waits for a child's heart to replace her own. Her family are trying to make the most of Christmas as they fear it could be Georgia's last, given that they've already spent almost two years waiting for a suitable organ to become available. "We dont know how many more Christmases were going to get," Mum Jodie Kirchin, 32, explains. "Its hard because you think, 'Is this the last time were going to do this? Will we be looking back on this as a memory soon?'" Read more: Eating oily fish linked to reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes Just like las year, the family's Christmas wish is for Georgia to get a new heart so they can begin making plans for the future. Our Christmas wish is for Georgia to get her new heart," Kirchin continues. "Last year we thought maybe by this Christmas, now we think maybe by next Christmas. "We try and take each day and carry on as normally as possible, we keep positive and really value everything." Watch: Meet the young woman who can see her heart beat through her chest When she was just five days old, Georgia was rushed to hospital with breathing difficulties and diagnosed with a heart valve defect, a hole in her heart, and under-size left pumping chamber. Before she was five months old, Georgia had an operation to replace her heart valve with a donated one. Unfortunately, however, due to drugs leaking into her skin during surgery, Georgia had to have half of her right foot amputated. And in 2019 she developed cardiomyopathy - a disease of the heart muscle - prompting doctors to add her to the heart donor waiting list in October last year, which she has remained on ever since. Story continues The mum-of-two, who lives with husband Adam, 31, adds: Im grateful to have her [Georgia] at home with us and for every Christmas. "It puts it all into perspective, its not about presents, food or decorations, but being together." Read more: Mum who had a heart attack aged 45 warns women to look out for the symptoms she ignored The school girl has asked Santa for a new heart this Christmas. (SWNS) Mrs Kirchin said her little girl feels tired more easily this year and is also eating less. Winter, and the pandemic, has also left the family constantly worrying about Georgia picking up an illness and having to go into hospital. Its another year of her waiting and shes not getting any better, its really hard. Its scary, at the moment Georgia is stable but if she deteriorates quickly, they cant just order a heart," her mum continues. We cant really plan much but were trying to make things as special as we can. We take things day by day. We dont know how much time we have. We want to make the most of every day right now and not being able to see family has been hard, but we have to stay safe." Read more: Girl with deadly heart condition home for Christmas after transplant Georgia started school in September but because her condition makes her tired easily, she struggles to play with other children. She gets frustrated and upset," her mum explains. "She asks when can she get her new heart and how will she get it? Why cant she run after her friends at school? Why does she have to keep going to the doctors and her friends dont?" But the family - including big sister Millie, 10, who has also joined in asking Father Christmas for a heart for Georgia - are determined to stay positive. Were always thinking of and wishing for Georgia to get her new heart," her mother adds. Additional reporting SWNS. Watch: 5-year-old with life-threatening heart condition gifted a puppy Last week, a deputy in the outgoing Kyrgyz parliament, Osmon Turdumambetov, asked Kyrgyz Finance Minister Almaz Baketaev how much gold the Kumtor Gold Mine had produced under government management, where it was sold, and what revenues and taxes were received. The minister was unable to answer; the ministry followed up two days later with a reply that appeared to demonstrate a drop in revenue at the mine. The Diplomat writes that Centerra Gold claimed the Kumtor mines output had fallen. The Finance Ministrys official response stated that budget revenues from the Kumtor Gold Company amounted to 6.99 million Kyrgyz soms in the first 11 months of 2021, down 2.6 million soms (27.2 percent) from 2020 revenues. The ministry noted that Kyrgyzaltyn purchases the mines outputs and further processes them for sale. The Kumtor Gold Company told they were surprised by the Finance Ministrys statement, claiming that the ministrys numbers only covered taxes on the companys gross income and not other taxes paid to the state. Its unclear where Kyrgyzstan is selling its gold, as the country was suspended from the London Bullion Markets list of acceptable traders in September. Back in mid-May, the Kyrgyz government took control of the lucrative Kumtor Gold Mine from Centerra, the Canadian mining company that had long run the mine through a subsidiary, the Kumtor Gold Company. The Kyrgyz state, via the state mining company, Kyrgyzaltyn, is the largest shareholder in Centerra. The mine has been a flashpoint for decades, with current President Sadyr Japarov rising to political infamy in 2012 on the back of strident calls to nationalize the mine. Bishkek seized Kumtor following the passage of a law that allowed it impose external management for up to three months on any mining company operating under a concession agreement in Kyrgyzstan if it was found to have violated environmental regulators or endangered the environment. Tengiz Bolturuk, who had served as one of Kyrgyzstans three representatives on Centerras board of directors from December 2020 to May 17, was put in charge. Three months later, the Kyrgyz parliament amended the law to extend the period of external management from up to three months to until the violations are resolved essentially until the government decides to relinquished control. Centerra is pursuing Kyrgyzstan via international arbitration, but Kyrgyzstan is also pursuing Centerra. Also last week, Kyrgyzstan said it had filed a criminal lawsuit against Centerra over the companys alleged blocking of user and administrator access to Kumtors computers from May 2021. Centerra has pushed back, with a spokesperson telling Mining.com: As we have said previously, when government authorities confiscated computers and passwords of individual Kumtor employees, Centerras global IT systems restricted user access to preserve the integrity of the organizations global IT infrastructure and its confidential information. The mines safety systems were not impacted. The company claimed the lawsuit was just another tactic to divert attention. In September, Centerra had warned that the Kyrgyz government actions were jeopardizing the mines safety and sustainability. The company noted that Centerras claims will be adjudicated in arbitration proceedings to be held in Stockholm, Sweden and conducted under the rules of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. Its unclear how long that process may take to play out. Meanwhile, back in Kyrgyzstan a number of political figures have been called in for questioning over alleged corruption involving the Kyrgyz states relations with the Canadian company and the mine. Most dramatically, Kyrgyzstans first president, Askar Akayev, returned to Kyrgyzstan for the first time since his 2005 ousting in August to cooperate with the investigation. It was under Akayevs presidency that Centerra began operating the mine. After another short visit last week, he was cleared of any charges related to corruption at the mine. Kyrgyzstans State Committee on National Security, which is handling the investigation, has not commented publicly on Akayevs case. Two Kyrgyz members of parliament, Asylbek Jeenbekov (the brother of former President Sooronbay Jeenbekov) and Torobay Zulpukarov, were released from jail on December 9 a day after the outgoing Kyrgyz parliament voted not to revoke their parliamentary immunity. Both had been detained in June. This may just be a temporary reprieve, however, as the new Kyrgyz parliament will be sat on December 23. Needless to say, there is a lot going on with regard to Kumtor. Theres the international aspect encompassing Centerras battle with the Kyrgyz state, which has effectively nationalized the mine. Then theres the domestic political battle stemming from the base necessity to pin blame on someone, and the real utility of Kumtor as a political weapon. There are few high-level politicians in the country in the last 30 years who have not had their hands in the golden pie in some way. And finally theres the economic question: Kumtor is one of Kyrgyzstans most lucrative assets, and a large employer. But there have been reports of domestic contractors being laid off at the mine, plus the apparent drop in revenue, which do not bode well. In a statement to the diplomatic corps earlier this month, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Akylbek Japarov (no relation to the president) said he considers Kumtor to be the root of all evils in Kyrgyzstans 30 years of independence: enslaving contract terms and constant looting from the top down. He characterized the Japarov government as cutting the Gordian knot of Kumtor. Time will tell. Lithuania has reached the highest level of cooperation with the United States. Contacts of the Lithuanian authorities with the US officials take place regularly, The Baltic Word writes. On 1 December in Riga, on the margins of the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis met with the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Landsbergis thanked him for the US contribution to regional security, and reminded that it was important to continue strengthening the Alliances forces in the region in view of emerging security challenges. On the one hand this fact proves the evolutionary development of bilateral ties which strengthens both partners. On the other hand, the Lithuanian-US partnership, unfortunately, has negative influence on Lithuanian relations with other countries of the world. Paradoxically, but making friends with Washington has turned recent partners into enemies. It seems as if Lithuanian authorities forgot that national interests of Lithuania are not the same as the US national interests. The consequences of such blind devotion has already lead to the deterioration of relations with one of the world superpower China. Lithuanias minister of foreign affairs has steered his Baltic state onto a collision course with Beijing, and hes showing no sign of slowing down, according to Politico. First, Lithuania withdrew from Chinas 17+1 platform for Central and Eastern Europe, and later angered Beijing by opening a Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius. Vilnius voluntarily preferred only one mighty country to many other trusted partners in its foreign policy. Marcus Tullius Cicer said that there was never a good war, or a bad peace. The Lithuanian government can not find balance in its foreign policy where numerous partners are always better than a single one. These are diplomatic principles which Lithuania does not follow any more. It is doubtful, that China will suffer more than Lithuania in case of significant decline in trade. At least it is silly to aggravate problematic issues instead of trying to solve them. It is well known that China is a longtime US opponent, if not an adversary. This is the US, not Lithuania, is interested in weakening China. Washington just uses Lithuania as a tool in its diplomatic war. Lansbergis is very proud of his country independence. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the meaning of or Independence (in Lithuanian Nepriklausomybe) is freedom from outside control or support. At the same time, Mr. Landsbergis constantly asks Washington for support, he asks the EU for support. In other words, he does not want his country to be independent! What else Lithuania could do in order to gain the US attention and money? It already called for the US military presence in the country, it is ready to by military equipment and vehicles, it is ready to buy expensive US liquefied natural gas, to boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. What else should Lithuania do, to Lansbergis mind, to show the shortsightedness of Lithuanian foreign policy in sport, defence and trade? The only way out for such unsuccessful government is to step down in order not to make the reputational damage to Lithuania even harder than now. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken ruled out an in-person meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden for now. I think we have to see if, in the first instance, theres any progress diplomatically, Blinken said in a news briefing when asked if an in-person summit could happen to try to ease the tensions, CNBC reported. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro over the phone on Tuesday, according to a statement by Turkeys Communications Directorate. Erdogan and Maduro discussed steps to improve bilateral relations. The two leaders also exchanged views on regional issues, Anadolu Agency reported. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday had a phone conversation with new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to congratulate him on his new post. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and regional issues, according to a statement by Turkeys Directorate of Communications. Erdogan said he was hopeful that the two countries bilateral ties will be guided by common sense and a strategic view, emphasizing the need for close coordination and regular contact, read the statement. He said relations between Turkey and the European Union should be advanced in line with a positive agenda based on the perspective of accession, it added. Both leaders affirmed their willingness to continue close coordination between Berlin and Ankara, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said in a statement. He said Erdogan and Scholz also discussed bilateral relations and foreign policy issues, Anadolu Agency reported. Scholz was sworn in as Germanys new chancellor on Dec. 8, after his Social Democratic Party (SPD) reached a coalition agreement with the Greens and Free Democrats (FDP). The swearing-in was historic, as he took the baton from Angela Merkel, Germanys first woman chancellor, who held the top post for over 16 years, nearly breaking the record of the late Helmut Kohl. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with Georgian Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze, the press service of the head of state reported. During the negotiations, satisfaction was expressed with the development of bilateral relations in various areas, including military cooperation. In addition, the hope was expressed that the visit of the head of the Georgian Defence Department to Baku would contribute to the expansion of ties between the countries. Pakistan, Turkey and Iran have launched the freight train project on Tuesday from Islamabad. The three countries also plan to launch a passenger train on the same route in near future. Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) freight train began its journey from Islamabad railway station towards its first destination in Zahedan, Iran, from where the Turkish train will lift the goods and proceed towards Istanbul. The train service will greatly reduce the cost of transit of goods from Pakistan to Turkey which usually takes at least 30 days via the sea, Gohar Zia, director of Maxtelz Logistics, told Gulf News. The train will take less than 12 days to complete the one-side trip of nearly 6,656 km. The train has a maximum capacity of twenty 40-feet containers. Russia, Iran and Turkey have agreed to hold the next Astana format summit in Tehran in February-March 2022, depending on the coronavirus situation, Senior Assistant to Iranian Foreign Minister for Special Political Affairs Ali Asghar Khaji said on Wednesday. "Yes, it [the summit] is planned. We are preparing to hold it early next year. It will depend on the pandemic situation. But in general we have agreed to hold the summit. Most likely, we will be able to hold it in February or March," the Iranian diplomat said. Khaji said the issue was on the agenda of talks in Nur-Sultan and will be reflected in a separate provision of the guarantor nations final statement. When asked whether the summit will be preceded by a foreign ministers meeting, he replied: "Yes, we have agreed on the matter. It will be next year. In January or early February we will hold a meeting of foreign ministers, and a summit will follow that." He also said that the next international Astana format meeting on Syria will be convened within a few weeks after the summit of Russia, Iran and Turkey. "It [the date] depends on the summit, several weeks after the summit," TASS cited the Iranian diplomat as saying. On July 1, 2020, Russian, Iranian and Turkish leaders held an online summit dedicated to Syrian regulation, discussing the prospects of a face-to-face meeting in Tehran when the epidemiological situation improves. There are only "some weeks" left to revive the nuclear deal with Iran if it continues its nuclear activities at the current pace, U.S. negotiator Rob Malley said. Malley, in an interview with CNN, warned of a "period of escalating crisis" if diplomacy failed to restore the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "It really depends on the pace of their nuclear process," said Malley, the US special envoy for Iran. "If they halt the nuclear advances, we have more time." "If they continue at their current pace, we have some weeks left but not much more than that, at which point the conclusion will be there's no deal to be revived," he said. "At some point in a not-so-distant future we will have to conclude the JCPOA is no more and we would have to negotiate a wholly different deal and we would go through a period of escalating crisis," Malley added. U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price called upon Russia to stop inflammatory rhetoric following Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigus remarks about the situation in eastern Ukraine. "Contrary to statements from the Russian Defense Minister, Russia and its proxies are responsible for escalating tensions, not Ukraine or the United States," he said in a Twitter post. "We call on Russia to stop using false, inflammatory rhetoric and take meaningful steps to de-escalate tensions to provide a positive atmosphere for discussions." The spokesperson did not specify what statements he was referring to. Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergey Shoigu said at the ministrys enlarged board meeting on Tuesday that more than 120 mercenaries from private US military companies were detected in the towns of Avdeevka and Priazovskoye in the Kiev-controlled areas of the Donetsk Region. They are setting up firing points, plotting military operations and training radical armed groups. According to Shoigu, canisters with unknown chemical substances were delivered to the town of Avdeyevka and the village of Krasny Liman. Opposition United National Movement (UNM) Head Nika Melia has announced a mass hunger strike demanding imprisoned former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili's release during the UNM rally held in Tbilisi. Melia said that the hunger strikes will continue until Saakashvili's release. He added that people will start hunger strikes on Kakheti Highway, where the UNM central office is located, Agenda.ge reported. "We do not have any other right except to attack, except to coerce, in order to make the regime step back... For this reason, I am now going to Kakheti Highway with my friends. I know that many of you will come there until Mikheil Saakashvili is released from captivity. This act of hunger will be termless," Melia told his supporters. Saakashvili was arrested on October 1 after his clandestine return from eight years in political exile. The reopening of international air routes, slated for January 1, will give more opportunities for passengers to fly to Vietnam. The Government has agreed to resume routine international flights carrying passengers to destinations with a high safety level, including Beijing, Guangxi (China), Tokyo (Japan), Seoul (South Korea), Taipei (Taiwan, China), Bangkok (Thailand), Singapore, Vientiane (Laos), San Francisco/Los Angeles (the US), and Phnom Penh (Cambodia), starting on January 1. CAAV (Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam) Deputy Head Vo Huy Cuong said the reopening shows Vietnams strong determination to resume all socio-economic activities. The reopening of nine international air routes is being implemented step by step to avoid panic among the public. Another 15 air routes will be reopened in the next phase. The manager of a planning division of an airline told VietNamNet that, with the Governments decision on allowing to reopen some air routes, airlines will be able to cut operation costs and create two-way flight schedules. The costs to serve irregular flights, especially ones from and to other countries, are high. If airlines can provide routine flights, the operation costs will be lower, which reduce airfares. Moreover, the exemption of concentrated quarantine for passengers with full vaccinations and negative test results will help reduce passengers expenses. As such, passengers will have more opportunities to return to Vietnam once there are more flights. Many overseas Vietnamese want to return to celebrate Tet, and want the Government to allow the resumption of commercial flights. However, many people have worries about airfare and quarantine costs, which would hinder repatriation. With the resumption of commercial flights from January 1, the concern will be lifted. Experts point out that the medical policy for foreigners plays a very important role in attracting foreign travelers in the competition with other destinations. The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) said as the pandemic is being controlled, other countries, including regional ones (Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia etc) have been running demand stimulus programs. To compete, Vietnam needs to loosen strict regulations to attract more travelers. As international flights are open to all passengers, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) said it would be better to set medical and epidemiological requirements without discriminatory treatment toward nationalities. MOT also suggested that international tourists should be required to have insurance policies to cover medical treatment if their contract Covid-19 and need treatment in Vietnam; and passengers must install a medical declaration app before getting onboard to save time for procedures during their entry to Vietnam. Its also necessary to clarify the requirements for people who do not use smartphones. Vu Diep Air ticket holders get help for flights abroad The Ministry of Transport has requested that localities facilitate conditions in which people who have tickets for international flights can access airports on time. Handbags and leather shoes labeled as LV, Gucci, Nike and Chanels products are selling in many locations, from sidewalk shops to traditional markets to social networks. The smuggling and trading of counterfeit goods and infringing upon intellectual property rights in 2021 has not decreased, said Nguyen Hung Anh, head of the Anti-smuggling Investigation Agency. Fakes of famous brands include clothes, footwear, handbags, suitcases and watches. Customs agencies have discovered many cases with large value, but these are a small number of the total number of cases. On December 10, 2020, the agency, joining forces with the Sai Gon Port Customs Sub-department, examined a consignment of goods owned by Tan Cang Tay Ninh JSC and found counterfeit goods bearing LV, Gucci and Nike brand names, worth VND650 million. On November 27, 2020, the department cooperated with Moc Bai International Border Gate customs agency to examine a transshipment goods consignment in four containers owned by Swift Freight Logistics. The products were Nike and Adidas counterfeited footwear and clothes. There were also handbags and belts labelled as Hermes, LV, Chanel and Gucci products. The consignment was worth VND1.6 billion. Nguyen Duc Le from the General Directorate of Market Surveillance said the real LV and Chanel products have high value of between tens of millions of dong and hundreds of millions of dong. Meanwhile, consumers can buy products bearing the same brands from social networks at just hundreds of thousands of dong. Consumers know they are fake, but still buy them. As such, they inadvertently lend a hand to institutions and individuals who make illicit profits, infringe on others rights and the legal benefits of rights holders. Eighty percent of consumers know they buy counterfeit products or products with unclear origin, Le said. Vu Thi Kim Hanh, Chair of the Vietnam Business Association of High-Quality Vietnamese Goods, pointed out that many counterfeit goods appear in the year-end sale season. Counterfeited goods are advertised and sold recklessly on social networks, which causes big losses to authentic manufacturers, Hanh said. She has asked appropriate agencies to regularly examine goods, impose heavy fines on violators, and promote communication campaigns against counterfeit goods. Counterfeit goods and intellectual property infringement are threatening the production of genuine enterprises. Dang Van Dung Steering Committee 389 noted that its difficult to fight against counterfeit goods because of the promised profits, high demand and limited production capability of domestic enterprises. In many cases, civil servants even lend a hand to criminals. The sanctions against violators are not heavy enough to deter them. However, he said the coordination between forces in the fight against smuggling and trade fraud has improved, especially since the day the Government set up Committee 389. Luong Bang Goods face strict customs inspections as smugglers continue to violate laws The General Department of Customs (GDC) said that risks in transit services continue to exist as smugglers try to carry prohibited goods into Vietnam. Airlines are ready to resume routine international flights from January 1, 2022 after two years of interruption. However, they are concerned as regulations have not been released. Meanwhile, some problems still exist. Under the MOTs plan on resuming international regular passenger air routes, air carriers are allowed to fly to Beijing, Quang Zhou (China), Tokyo (Japan), Seoul (South Korea), Taipei (Taiwan), Bangkok (Thailand), Singapore, Vientiane (Laos), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), and San Francisco/Los Angeles (the US) from January 1, 2022. In the next period of the plan, airlines will be allowed to fly on 15 more routes. A manager of an airline said the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has not allocated the number of flights for each international route, which places difficulties for airlines preparing for flights. It takes at least one month to prepare the workforce, announce flight schedules, calculate airfares and run media campaigns. Nguyen Thien Tong, an aviation expert, said Vietnam needs to learn a lesson from the tardiness in October about announcing and allocating flights. At that time, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) only allocated flights on days just before departure, which made it impossible for airlines and passengers to draw up their plans. This was why many flights were canceled, and the occupancy rate was just 30-50 percent. Tong stressed that it takes more time to reopen routine international air routes than domestic ones. This is about airlines and the aviation sector, as well as as ministries, branches and local governments. The reopening of international flights are done with the principle of reciprocity, which means that Vietnams number of flights to other countries needs to be commensurate with the number of flights to Vietnam. Vietnam is continuing negotiations with other countries, but not all countries want to resume flights to Vietnam at this time. Concerns There are also problems in flight procedures and the supervision process for pandemic prevention and control measures that need to be solved immediately to avoid repeating the mistakes during the first days of domestic route resumption. Experts said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) need to negotiate with nine countries to obtain consensus about the vaccines accepted. Also, its necessary to come to an agreement about the form of vaccination certificates. MOH needs a common form for vaccination certificates for domestic travelers as well. Many people have been fully vaccinated and have been given certificates, but their vaccination status has not been updated on the PC Covid app. The app needs to be updated with information, including professional aviation information. Also, it needs to be internationalized with a version in English, and with a website version. Vietnams air carriers all use modern check-in systems, which allow passengers to make declarations and connections with PC Covid app. If problems continue, not only passengers, airports and airlines will suffer but Vietnams prestige will be affected. The agency that runs PC Covid has to take responsibility for errors, including pending issues or slow updating. Its also necessary to decide which app foreign travelers have to install on their smartphones after entering Vietnam. In a recent document, MOH asked visitors to install PC Covid. However, its unclear if the system will freeze if thousands of people install the app at the same time. As for incoming international flights, diplomatic agencies need to give instructions to foreign travelers and overseas Vietnamese about medical declarations online, and negative PCR (Polymerase chain reaction) testing results and vaccination certificates. There should also be a common form for certifying passengers who took a negative test 72 hours before departure time, and this also needs to be online. Tong warned that if ministries and branches are slow in designing procedures related to entry/exit and anti-pandemic measures, airlines and passengers will suffer. Vietnams international airports could see congestion, which would pose higher risks of getting infections among passengers. This is because, in addition to the international flights to be provided from January 1, 2022, there will be many domestic flights in the year-end and Tet season. Airlines, travel firms and businesses have urged the Government to reopen the door. The Vietnam Aviation Business Association (VABA) warned that if Vietnam doesnt apply necessary policies, it will lose markets and competitiveness. Nguyen Ha Air tickets expected to be cheaper once regular air routes reopen The reopening of international air routes, slated for January 1, will give more opportunities for passengers to fly to Vietnam. If private investors build electricity transmission lines, this would help ease the burden on the state. However, there must be a clear investment policy that will ensure benefits for the state, businesses and people. The National Assembly Standing Committee has convened its sixth session to discuss the amendment of eight laws, including the Electricity Law. The Government proposed amending the law to allow all economic sectors to invest in electricity transmission lines. National Assembly Chair Vuong Dinh Hue said the State is holding a monopoly in electricity transmission, including construction, operation and management. If the State opens the field (transmission lines and transmission stations, including backbone lines such as the 500 KV North-South) to all economic sectors, including foreign investors, it needs to specify which kinds of projects private investors can build as well as the projects the State will assign to the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN). Minister of Investment and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien said the draft law would specify the types of transmission grid works allowed for private investors. Allowing private investors to develop electricity transmission lines proves to be the best solution to settle the electricity shortage. If private investors are allowed to participate in the development of electricity transmission network, this would help the State control electricity prices, and prevent price fluctuations and threats to the electricity system. People will not have to incur additional costs, while state-owned companies would be relieved of the burden of developing transmission lines. The amount of money to be saved would be up to VND11 trillion a year. Foreign investors now make up more than half of privately run electricity generation projects, so they will also invest in electricity transmission projects as well. They will pour money into the electricity transmission network, while the State will still control the electricity regulatory unit. This will allow the system to operate effectively, Dien said. The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) is drafting the eighth national electricity development plan. Localities have registered many electricity generation projects with total capacity of hundreds of thousand of MW. However, the development of transmission lines has not been mentioned. Analysts say that while wind and solar power projects are booming, the investment in the transmission network is modest. This will lead to overloading of the transmission network, which will forces electricity plants to reduce generation capacity. Tran Dang Khoa from EVN said that investment in electricity generation proceeds faster than investment in transmission lines. It takes 5-7 years to develop an electricity generation project using traditional fuel, but only six months to develop a solar power project, and 12-18 months to develop wind power. Regarding investment in transmission lines, EVN has to strictly follow the procedures. It took 2-3 years to complete the 220 KV line. Trung Nam Group was the first private investor to invest in transmission lines. It built the 500 KV Trung Nam Thuan Nam transmission line that receives input from its 450 MW solar power plant and other renewable power plants nearby. The electricity volume transmitted from its 450 MW plant via the 500 KV transformer station and transmission line over the last year accounts for only 8 percent of the transmission capacity. In the future, it will transmit the electricity of other plants as well the electricity from Van Phong Thermopower Plant. However, there can be problems when private investors build transmission networks. Trung Nam Group is facing problems, including the arrangement of funding sources to maintain the operation of the 500 KV Thuan Nam transmission network, since the electricity selling price has not been fixed for the capacity of 172.12 MW (only 277.88 MW out of 450 MW have electricity selling prices fixed). In a document to the Prime Minister, Ninh Thuan Peoples Committee said while waiting for the handover of the Thuan Nam Vinh Tan 500 KV line at zero dong to EVN, the plant transmits electricity to other projects in the province and bears transmission costs for the 500KV transformer station. Its unfair for Trung Nam Group which has to bear the same electricity output cuts as other solar power projects, the document said. Local authorities have proposed that EVN prioritize using electricity from the 450 MW plant at the highest possible level, and set an electricity selling price for the 172.12 MW capacity. Hai Nam 42 wind power projects permitted to operate commercially A total of 42 wind power plants featuring a total capacity of 2,131.3MW have been approved for commercial operation as of mid-November, according to data released by Electricity of Vietnam (EVN). Most foreign travelers are against the use of dog meat as food and some of them show harsh opposition, but there are some travelers who want to try dog meat. Nguyen Anh Phuong (second from left) Working as a tour guide for inbound tours for the last 10 years, Nguyen Anh Phuong has met many travelers who consider dog meat eating as odd. They show strong objection or dont want to hear the word dog meat at all. Some travelers told me they wont accept the slaughtering of dogs and using dog meat as food. If they see dogs being attacked or killed, they will try to prevent the behavior, even though the dogs are not theirs, Phuong said. Mostly serving Spanish and Portuguese speaking tourists, Phuong said that 50 percent of tourists from the markets protest against the use of dog meat as food in Vietnam. They grimace and turn their eyes away if they see dog meat sold at sidewalk shops or at traditional markets. One day I led a group of tourists to the Old Quarter in Hanoi. A member of the group asked me why Vietnamese eat dog meat. Before I could reply, another tourist harshly waved his hands: Don't talk about dog meat, I don't want to hear it. It's scary and then turned away, Phuong recalled. When going with tourists to rural areas such as Ninh Binh and Nam Dinh to enjoy the countryside, Phuong and tourists can see people carrying dogs in iron cages. They ask me where the people are carrying the dogs. I try to explain that once families dont want to breed dogs anymore, they sell the dogs, Phuong said. Quang Dinh, an experienced tour guide, said when seeing dog meat, most travelers show surprise and curiosity, but they are polite and dont harshly protest. Every nation has its own culture. Spanish people, for example, eat rabbit meat, but British dont. They respect the culture of the host countries, he explained. Most foreign travelers are against the use of dog meat as food and some of them show harsh opposition, but there are some travelers who want to try dog meat. However, some tourists have an attitude of disparagement, considering the slaughtering of dogs as barbarous. In this case, I have to explain to them why Vietnamese began eating dog meat in the past. And I tell them that the number of people eating dog meat has decreased. Many people love this animal. I myself have a cat and a dog at home and I never eat dog or cat meat, he said. When foreign travelers try dog meat Dinh and Phuong said not all foreign travelers oppose the eating of dog meat. Many travelers even ask about dog meat dishes and about the addresses of shops that provide high-quality dog meat. There are many people who travel to experience and discover new things. They even want to challenge themselves. They want to try the things that exist only in Vietnam, such as fish sauce, pipe tobacco, dog meat and snake meat, Dinh said. Sometimes I have led travelers to try some horror dishes such as clam worms. But I politely refused the proposal for dog meat. I told them that Vietnamese dont sell and dont eat dog meat on the first days of the lunar month, he said. Kieu Thanh, a tour guide who mostly serves tourists from the US, said: A young man asked me to buy dog meat for him to try. I told him that I could find dog meat nearby. The man then decided to go to buy dog meat at a market, brought it to the hotel and asked the hotel to process the dog meat for him. I only heard the story from hotel officers after the tourist left, Thanh said. Tour guides explanations The fact that dog meat is sold at pavement shops and traditional markets affects foreign travelers thoughts about Vietnam. Because of their surprise and curiosity, tour guides have to give reasonable explanations about dog meat. We usually have to ease travelers anger or displeasure when seeing dog meat at shops. The image of slaughtered dogs can be an obsession for travelers. We try to explain to foreign travelers that not many Vietnamese still eat dog meat, Thanh said. There are not as many shops selling dog meat as seen in the past, she said. Before serving groups of tourists from different markets, Phuong has to learn carefully about their cultures so that he can move with the times. I explain to foreign tourists that every nation has its own culture. For example, when I visit their countries, I wont eat rotten shark meat or aged cheese, Phuong said. Many tour guides, like Dinh, Phuong and Thanh, have supported Hoi An authorities decision not to use dog and cat meat. I believe this will receive positive feedback from foreign travelers. I hope the move will be followed by other cities and provinces and all Vietnamese will say no to dog and cat meat, Phuong said. Linh Trang Hoi An says no to dog, cat meat, decision applauded by foreign travelers 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. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An on December 21 in Phnom Penh as part of his State visit to Cambodia. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen (Photo: VNA) President Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An on December 21 in Phnom Penh as part of his State visit to Cambodia. During the meeting with the Cambodian PM, President Phuc congratulated Cambodia over the great accomplishments in socio-economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control that the Cambodian Government and people have gained, which he said helped contributed importantly to Cambodias strong growth and enhanced position in the region and the world. He wished Cambodia success in the organization of the communal elections in 2022 and general 2023, which will create a momentum for the country to realise its goal of becoming an upper middle income level country in 2030 and a high income level country in 2050. PM Hun Sen hailed the significance of the Vietnamese Presidents state-level visit, which he said contributes to further consolidating the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive, sustainable long-term cooperation between the two countries. The two leaders informed each other on the socio-economic situation in their respective countries, and expressed satisfaction at the increasing effective and comprehensive development of the Vietnam-Cambodia cooperative relations throughout the past 55 years. Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two sides have made efforts to maintain mutual visits and high-level contact and discussion, optimize bilateral cooperative mechanism. As a result, bilateral collaboration in national defence-security, trade-investment and between localities continued to make progress. Trade and investment are the bright spots, with two way trade topping 8.63 billion USD in the first 11 months of 2021, up 84 percent year on year. Vietnam has had four more investment projects in Cambodia with total registered capital valued at nearly 90 million USD, almost four times the figure for the same period last year, raising the total valid Vietnamese investment projects in the neighbouring country to 188 valued at 2.85 billion USD, the fourth largest amount of an ASEAN country in Cambodia. The two leaders hailed the outcomes reached at the 19th session of the Joint Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Commission for Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation held on December 19, 2021, which made a deep review of bilateral ties across the fields and outlined specific proposals to promote the ties. The two leaders witness the signing of agreements (Photo: VNA) They reached consensus on the directions for enhancing bilateral cooperation in the time ahead, focusing on the effective implementation of reached agreements between the two Parties and States. The two sides will maintain visits and contacts at all levels and bilateral cooperative mechanisms, and coordinate to organize activities in the Vietnam-Cambodia, Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Year in 2022 to mark the 55th anniversary of the two countries diplomatic relations. The two leaders affirmed to further deepen cooperation in security-defence, including joint work to ensure border security and accelerate the search and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who died during the war in Cambodia. They agreed to promote connectivity, both hard and soft, between the two economies, especially in transport, telecoms, trade, investment, finance-banking, agriculture, tourism, energy and local cooperation. They pledged support for efforts to early complete a master plan on Vietnam-Cambodia economic connectivity to 2030, and to effectively carry out signed agreements, while coordinating to implement the pandemic-control customs clearance model for vehicles and goods at land and water border gates and continuing to study the building of border markets in border provinces. The two leaders highly valued the completion of an agreement on border trade, and pledged to continue paying attention to facilitating business and investment activities of businesses of the two countries on the basis of mutual benefit. They also agreed to promote partnership in education-training, justice, agro-fishery-forestry, natural resources-environment and tourism. The two sides will speed up negotiations on mutual recognition of each others vaccine passports/ COVID-19 vaccination certificates. The two sides reached consensus on the full, serious implementation of treaties and agreements related to the border, including the two legal documents recognizing the result of the Vietnam-Cambodia land border demarcation and marker planting with about 84 percent of the total workload completed. The two sides will continue to conduct negotiations on the remaining 16 percent of workload, and coordinate to seek solutions to remaining issues in the spirit of solidarity and friendship towards building a peaceful, stable and cooperative borderline between the two countries. PM Hun Sen expressed deep gratitude to Vietnam for its great support and help for Cambodias cause of national liberation and escape from genocide, and pledged to continue working to develop bilateral ties. President Phuc thanked Cambodia for the precious support that Cambodian leaders and people gave Vietnam in its struggle for national independence and reunification and the present national construction. He asked Cambodia to continue creating favourable conditions for Cambodians of Vietnamese origin, especially regarding their legal status. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc receives Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An (Photo: VNA) The two leaders appreciated the effective coordination between the two countries in regional and international forums, especially the ASEAN framework. President Phuc affirmed Vietnams strong support for Cambodia as Chair of ASEAN in 2022, and expressed a hope that the two countries will continue to work together to uphold ASEANs principled stance on the East Sea. The two sides underlined the importance of maintaining security, safety and freedom of maritime and aviation, building trust, using no force and not threatening to use force, respecting international law and addressing disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1992 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. They supported the full, serious implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea ASEAN and efforts to reach an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea in accordance with international law. After the meeting, the two leaders witnessed the signing and handing over of seven cooperative documents between the two Governments, ministries and sectors, along with many contracts and business agreements. The same day, President Phuc hosted a reception for Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An. Phuc thanked the Cambodian Government, mass organisations and people for providing support for the Vietnamese counterparts in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, including 50,000 USD donated by the Cambodia Vietnam Friendship Association. Men Sam An stressed that Cambodia always treasures and thanks Vietnam for assisting Cambodia in the cause of national liberation and overthrowing genocidal regime as well as in national development at present. She vowed to do her best to keep developing the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive, sustainable long-term cooperation between the two countries. The Deputy PM also agreed to step up people-to-people exchange activities and raise public awareness of the significance of bilateral traditional friendship, especially among young generations. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets Cambodian legislative leaders President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on December 21 met with President of the Senate of Cambodia Say Chhum as part of his State visit to the neighbouring country. (Photo: VNA) President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on December 21 met with President of the Senate of Cambodia Say Chhum as part of his State visit to the neighbouring country. Phuc congratulated the Cambodian people on the great achievements they have recorded over the past time, particularly in security-politics and pandemic containment, saying the living standards of the Cambodian people have been improved significantly and Cambodias position has been advanced in the region and the world at large. The Vietnamese leader expressed his hope that Cambodia will further prosper and grow in the time ahead. For his part, Say Chhum said Phucs visit will contribute to tightening the neighbourliness and friendship between the two countries, and noted his belief that the Vietnamese Party, State and people will successfully implement the Resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress. Both affirmed their resolve to consolidate the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship and comprehensive, sustainable and long-term cooperation between the two countries. They rejoiced at the active development of the bilateral collaboration across spheres and sectors, including the legislative ties, despite the complexity of the COVID-19 pandemic. Phuc lauded the regular exchanges, coordination and mutual support between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Cambodian Senate, both bilaterally and at regional and international parliamentary forums. They shared the view that legislative bodies of the two countries should further support and create favourable legal corridors to enhance the economic, trade and investment relations, as well as people-to-people exchanges, particularly between youngsters and localities, especially border ones. The same day, President Phuc had a meeting with President of the National Assembly of Cambodia Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin, during which the two sides consented to maintain meetings and delegation exchanges at all levels and via various channels, including the parliamentary channel. They said the NAs should carry forward their role in strengthening the Vietnam-Cambodia relations, especially in building institutions and consolidating the legal system to facilitate the connectivity between the two economies. After the reception, the two leaders attended a ground-breaking ceremony of the new administrative building of the Cambodian NA, which is a gift of the Vietnamese Party, State and people. Heng Samrin thanked the Vietnamese side for presenting 25 million USD to Cambodia to construct the building. Source: VNA Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Le Hoa Binh has approved 10 criteria for local massage and spa businesses to resume operation. Among the conditions, staff and customers must be recovered Covid-19 patients or those who are fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine. The facilities must ensure a minimum density of 4m2 per person and a distance of at least 1m between two people. Southern police seize 50kg of drugs transported from Cambodia The Southern Border Guard task force in collaboration with the police forces of Ho Chi Minh City and Long An province and the Anti-Smuggling and Drug Control Team of the General Department of Customs have detected a drug trafficking case, seizing 50kg of narcotics. According to the police, the drugs were smuggled from Cambodia to Vietnam. The drugs were packaged as tea bags, hidden at the bottom of iron barrels and covered by live eels. The drugs were seized when traffickers were about to hand it over at Binh Dien market in HCM City. State Bank to propose policies on national digital currency The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has issued a plan on development of non-cash payment in Vietnam in the 2021-2025 period. One of the important contents is that the State Bank will submit to the Government a Decree on a pilot implementation of financial technology (FinTech) activities in the banking sector. The SBV will also study and propose policies on national digital currencies and non-cash payment service fees to enable users to access non-cash payment services at a reasonable cost. MoMo gets $200 million, raises its value to $2 billion MoMo has completed the 5th round of capital raising (Series E). The company has received $200 million from global investors including Mizuho, Ward Ferry, Goodwater Capital and Kora Management. This funding round is led by Mizuho - Global Bank of Japan. With the new investment, MoMo's value now reaches $2 billion and is listed as one of the few unicorns (those with value of more than $1 billion) in Vietnam. Ministry of Science and Technology deletes information on website about Vietnam's test kits Information posted on the website of the Ministry of Science and Technology about the World Health Organizations recognition of the test kit produced by a local firm - Viet A Company - has been removed. The same thing happened with information about the British Ministry of Healths grant of a European standard certificate for this company's Covid-19 test kit. It is not clear why the Ministry of Science and Technology removed this information from its website. HCMC records 34 Covid cases after return to school A week after 9th and 12th graders in HCM City returned to school, the authorities discovered 34 Covid cases, including four teachers, three staff members and 27 students. "The increase in the number of infections is within the school's expectations and is safely handled by educational institutions according to the scenario, said Trinh Duy Trong from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training. He said that teaching in classes with such cases is proceeding normally. PV The building holding Poco Loco has been vacant since 2014. Gomez said the chain plans two other smaller stores in Greater Waco. Hispanic clout is growing in the marketplace, and retailers are noticing. Hispanic McLennan County residents accounted for about half the countys growth during the decade beginning in 2010 and comprise 26% of the countys population of more than 260,000 residents, census figures show. The 25th Street corridor that now includes Poco Loco Supermercado also soon will be home to a new city of Waco fire station where the demolished 25th Street Theatre once stood. The movie house opened in 1945, closing as a theater in 1982. Waco Mayor Dillon Meek said he took up store officials invitation to tour the site, and is happy about the investment in the 25th Street corridor. The store is pristine, and the capital investment is significant, based on my observation, Meek said. He also said ensuring Waco residents have access to nearby places to buy food is a priority. Joy and excitement are the dominant emotions for this season, particularly for Christians who mark the pivotal arrival of God's son Jesus, born two millennia ago to humble human parents Mary and Joseph. They're there, too, for millions of others, who find joy and excitement in gift-giving to family and friends, parties, and acts of generosity. It's why happy and merry are the adjectives frequently preceding holiday and Christmas, even if the greeting Nazis at Fox News have enjoyed waging a War on Christmas on those straying from a strict "Merry Christmas" in their greetings (this year's emphasis, though, seems to be the Fiery War On Our Christmas Tree). A closer look at the Christmas story we find in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, however, finds a decided mix of emotions in its human players. Moments of happiness and joy arrived in the context of physical exhaustion from days of walking to Bethlehem, new parents' uncertainty of the future after a child's birth, shepherds terrified by a stunning night vision, death threats and whispers of menace to a newborn's parents and to strangers visiting from afar. Tired, scared, sad or anxious at this time of year? You're not alone. Addressing that suit, Lellas attorneys said, Before Mr. Lella began managing the restaurant, he was told by the other owners that he would not be allowed to fire the restaurants incompetent manager, Ms. Ogburn, because the owners feared she would invent some type of wrongful termination/discrimination claim. Nevertheless, after Mr. Lella presented Ms. Ogburn with a three-page sheet of managerial deficiencies which she refused to acknowledge or correct, she was fired in August 2020 with the full approval of Buzzard Billys and its other owners. As predicted, she has invented a fantastic story and has made many spurious allegations about Mr. Lella that have been reported in the paper and which nobody with Buzzard Billys believes to be true. After all, if the owners of Buzzard Billys believed Ms. Ogburns claims, they would have fired Mr. Lella long before he quit. At a news conference Tuesday, state officials said they have no indication of who might be responsible for the egregious killings. Make no mistake folks, these intentional killings are evil, despicable acts perpetrated against an endangered animal in its own natural habitat, said Hawaiis Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement Chief Jason Redulla. Those responsible must be held accountable. The killings are felonies that carry a penalty of up to five years in prison, Redulla said. Suzanne Case, the chair of Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources, noted local outrage at visitors who harassed monk seals earlier this year and called for a similar response to the killing of the seal that was shot in the head. It is past time for anyone who has information on the killing of this seal and the others to step forward, Case said. Earlier this year many people were outraged when a visitor slapped a seal on the back, and we trust the level of indignation we saw associated with that incident will be exceeded by the despicable shooting of (this seal) and the others taken by human hands. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. I think they will keep coming back to him. Ive suggested a good solution to his problem would be to come across the aisle and join us where he would be treated with respect," McConnell said. Manchin has long faced questions about his place in the Democratic Party, and the talk took on fresh urgency in October when a Mother Jones article said he had been telling associates he was seriously considering leaving the party. But six days after the article was published, while sitting down with the Economic Club in Washington, Manchin rejected the reports, saying I dont think the Rs would be any happier with me than Ds are right now. He added, So I dont know where in the hell I belong. The question has been posed to him repeatedly in the past few weeks, coming to a breaking point Monday morning, hours after he had publicly voiced his opposition to Bidens bill. I would like to hope that there are still Democrats that feel like I do," he said. Im fiscally responsible and socially compassionate. "Now, if theres no Democrats like that, then they have to push me wherever they want. Most of the turbines proposed for the three offshore wind projects approved thus far in New Jersey will be located about 15 miles from the coast, he said. They are not going to be visual pollution, he said. Probably most people won't be able to see them. In past presentations, government and wind industry officials have said the turbines may or may not be visible from the shoreline, depending in part on weather conditions. But several shore communities including Ocean City, perhaps the center of opposition to offshore wind projects thus far, say today's turbines are much larger than those proposed in the past, and much more likely to be seen from shore. We don't believe them when they say they're all going to be 15 miles offshore, said Suzanne Hornick, a leader of Protect Our Coast-NJ. The lease area is closer than that, and we know they will fill up that whole lease area. It could be as close as eight miles. The group also cites environmental and financial concerns in opposing the projects. Thus far, New Jersey has approved three offshore wind energy projects: two by Danish wind developer Orsted, and one by Atlantic Shores. In Starr County, Posillico Civil plans to build an additional 1.2 miles on private property next to the 1.7-mile stretch, but no agreement has been reached with nearby landowners, said Francoise Luca, a Facilities Commission spokesperson. The location of the remaining 5.1 miles outlined in the Posillico contract has not been determined, Luca said. During a Texas Facilities Commission meeting last month, John Raff, the deputy executive director, said the agency has found 23 landowners who would be willing to have a border wall built on their property. He didnt say where that property is or how many miles of barrier could be built on those tracts. The commission has not said when it plans to award additional contracts to build other parts of the wall or how much the contracts will be worth. The work is in progress and so there are no final costs, Luca said. Factors that may impact cost can include terrain, floodplains, waterways, subsurface conditions, materials and easements, to name a few. She said the locations of border barriers depend on what the Texas Department of Public Safety determines are the highest-priority areas. This has also been an interesting year where you had a major climate report in August. But more than anything, it's yet another year where climate change keeps popping up in extreme weather all over the world. But this year, perhaps a little bit more in the Western, richer countries than in the past: in Germany, in Belgium, horrible flooding in Tennessee, places like that. And not to mention the wildfires and 116-degree (47 Celsius) heat in Portland, Oregon. I mean, if you had to choose one weird thing, the Pacific Northwest is known for mildness, but there are records and then there are records, and theirs are so far off the scale that your eyes pop out. And that's what Portland was. ___ Rich countries aren't exempt. But when you're rich, you can flee that more easily. You can weather weather extremes when you're in the global North far better than you can in the South. But then, there come extremes that are so big, that wealth can't help you as much. ___ WATERLOO A Minnesota man has been arrested in connection with a weekend chase in a stolen vehicle that ended with a crash in Waterloo. Eric Lee King, 31, of Columbia Heights, Minnesota, was arrested Monday for eluding and first-degree theft after he was discharged from a local hospital where he had been taken after falling unconscious at the end of the pursuit. He was also cited for driving while suspended and several stop light and stop sign violations. Authorities said the owner of a GMC pickup with California plates left the vehicle running in the Fairfield Inn parking lot on LaPorte Road when someone drove away in the vehicle around 7 a.m. Saturday. Black Hawk County sheriffs deputies spotted the truck a short time later in the area of San Marnan and Flammang drives. A chase ensued, at times reaching speeds of up to 100 mph in a 45 mph zone, until the pickup crashed into vehicles parked in the 100 block of Reber Avenue. A fence and garage were also damaged in the collision. The driver ran off but was detained a short time later after becoming unresponsive. Court records indicate deputies found suspected drugs on King. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WATERLOO -- Three outgoing City Council members were honored by the mayor at their last meeting, including one the mayor frequently butted heads with politically, and citizens also weighed in on Monday. Councilors Sharon Juon, Margaret Klein and Pat Morrissey were given plaques by Mayor Quentin Hart honoring the final meeting of their term in office -- or in Morrissey's case, the end of two terms -- at the beginning of Monday night's council meeting. "All those things we've been able to do the last four years sometimes gets overshadowed by politics," Hart said. "We don't always agree on everything ... but we can make sure, when it comes to the business of the citizens, that we show up." Juon and Morrissey both declined to run for re-election this year. Incoming councilors Rob Nichols and Nia Wilder, respectively, were elected to fill their at-large and Ward 3 seats, while John Chiles won the Ward 1 seat held by Klein. "This has been a joy -- probably one of the biggest honors of my life -- to serve the citizens of Waterloo," Juon said. Morrissey thanked his family for "putting up with me" being on council for the last eight years. "I'm not one of those who's backing out of this because he didn't enjoy it; I've got the wife who has missed me on Monday nights," he said. Klein decided to forgo re-election to her Ward 1 seat in order to challenge Hart for mayor in what became a contentious and expensive mayoral race. Last week, a supermajority of the council, including Juon and Morrissey, voted to censure her for violating city code and policy with some of her past remarks. But Klein was gracious Monday. "I love Waterloo; I love it more now than when I started, because I've seen Waterloo," Klein said. "Like Mr. Morrissey, I've had a blast. Sometimes, the downs are more fun than the ups." Retired Waterloo police officer Lynn Moller, whose political action committee Cedar Valley Backs the Blue promoted keeping the divisive griffin logo that was retired this year, and backed Klein and a slate of others who were defeated in November's election, wasn't as congenial. "I'm not here to rain on anybody's parade tonight, but these last couple of years have not been the most joyous times on the police department," Moller said. He blamed a "certain element of our local society, who have always had chips on their shoulders" as well as the council "buy(ing) into those accusations," and thanked only Klein "for truly understanding." Residents Forrest Dillavou and Todd Obadal also thanked Klein for her work and lamented the censure process. Morrissey's daughter-in-law, Jessica Young, praised Morrissey for his work, as did Wilder, who will be in Morrissey's seat Jan. 3. Wilder also thanked the majority of the council for voting to retire the logo and said she "won't be doing anything once I have that seat to get it back." "I'm glad that you took the time to listen to those people when we said that we were uncomfortable with it," Wilder said. "We all deserve to feel comfortable in the place that we live. And if we don't feel comfortable, then something should be done." Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. The district attorney's office in Jefferson County in Colorado is asking a judge to reconsider the 110-year sentence he imposed on Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, the office announced Tuesday. Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was convicted in October of dozens of charges in connection with a fiery wreck on Interstate 70 in 2019 that killed four people and injured several others when the tractor-trailer he was driving slammed into heavy traffic. Backlash over the sentence handed down to Aguilera-Mederos has grown in the past week, with a petition to Gov. Jared Polis for clemency gathering more than 4.5 million signatures. Truck drivers around the country have taken up his cause, using hashtags like #NoTrucksToColorado and #NoTrucksColorado. Relatives, lawmakers and other supporters of Aguilera-Mederos rallied in Denver Wednesday to plead for clemency. Speaking at the rally at the state Capitol, Leonard Martinez, one of the lawyers representing Aguilera-Mederos, said the injustice of such long sentences needs to be addressed, both by reforming sentencing laws but also looking at the actions of prosecutors and judges. This fight is not just for him but for all, he said. Aguilera-Mederos was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash and had no prior criminal record in Colorado. Aguilera-Mederos was traveling as fast as 85 mph when his truck slammed into traffic on a section of Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colo., where commercial vehicles are limited to 45 mph because of the road's steep grade. He said at his trial his brakes had failed and when his emergency brake didn't work, he planned to stay on the shoulder to avoid traffic, but couldn't because another truck was in the way. Prosecutors said failing to use a runaway truck ramp several miles before the crash was among a series of bad decisions Aguilera-Mederos made that precipitated the wreck. He was convicted of 27 counts, including vehicular homicide and assault. A state law requiring the sentences be served consecutively, rather than at the same time, contributed to the lengthy sentence. But the judge said publicly it would not have been what he would have imposed if he had more discretion. The law also allows the court to "reconsider its sentence in an exceptional case involving unusual and extenuating circumstances," according to a motion filed Friday by the office of District Attorney Alexis King, but the motion doesn't elaborate. King's office requested an expedited hearing in another motion Tuesday. A Department of Corrections report evaluating factors such as the perceived likelihood of Aguilera-Mederos reoffending and whether he poses any danger to the public could be finished as soon as Thursday, according to a news release. Prosecutors requested a status hearing be set for Friday or next Monday. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Q: How is it legal for someone to use my name and phone number to scam someone? I got a call from Texas today, angry, that I was calling them. A: Scam artists can use technology to show a different persons caller ID when making calls, a process known as spoofing. Under the Federal Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009, using caller ID spoofing to defraud someone is a crime. Experts advise if your number is being used in spoofing calls, record a voicemail message explaining that your phone number has been spoofed and scammers are using it without your permission. Q: Why are the senators from Iowa against prosecuting the people responsible for the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol? A: Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to treat all forms of domestic extremism equally. Grassley questioned the Department of Justices approach to prosecutions of rioters. More than half of all Portland riot cases were or will be dismissed, but more than 400 defendants were charged in the Capitol riot. Grassley strongly condemned the riot and President Trumps role in inciting it in the immediate wake of the attack. But in October, Grassley stood on stage with Trump in Des Moines and happily accepted his endorsement. Similarly, in the days after the violence, Joni Ernst published an editorial in the Des Moines Register stating: To say Im saddened by what happened is an understatement. Im furious. This is not the America that I know, that I love, and that I fought for. Yet in May, Ernst joined Grassley and nearly all Senate Republicans in voting to block an independent and nonpartisan investigation of the Jan. 6 riot. Q: Where does the electricity actually come from at electric car charging stations? A: Most electric charging stations get their power from the grid, but not all electricity is generated by fossil fuels alone. In Iowa for instance, in 2020 MidAmerican delivered 83.6% of its Iowa customers energy needs using renewable sources, mostly wind. Some charging stations are solar powered, and advocates of electric cars envision a future where more and more of the electricity powering cars comes from renewable sources. Q: I was wondering if anyone has a sure-fire remedy to get fog off of headlights? A: There are a variety of commercial products available online and at retail stores to restore headlights by companies like Rain X and 3M. Some online advice sites recommend toothpaste and baking soda as effective cleansers for unfogging headlights. Both products are abrasive enough to take off the fog without scratching or damaging the headlights. Q: How many suicides are known to have happened because of COVID? A: According to the Suicide Prevention Research Center: Data from previous epidemics suggest suicide rates may initially appear to decrease during epidemics but may increase thereafter. A systematic review of suicide data from 21 countries and areas within countries found suicide rates did not increase during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Calls are taken on a special Courier phone line at 234-3566. Questions are answered by Courier staff. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 ~ * ~ I was drinking my morning cup of coffee and thinking about Santa Claus! Does Russia have a Santa Claus? The answer is yes We in America believe that Santa Claus lives at the North Pole! Then on the 25th of December he delivers gifts to all the children in the world (link to north pole) Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa is a historical, legendary and mythical figure believed by many children to bring gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day The Russian Santa Claus: In Russia, Santa Claus is known as Father Frost or Ded Moroz. He is usually illustrated with his granddaughter, the snow maiden, Snegurochka riding with an evergreen tree and presents in a traditional Russian troika. A troika is a sleigh drawn by 3 horses yoked abreast. The above photo below the Santa photo reads, Happy New Year! (click to read about Father Frost) Real Christmas is now celebrated in Russia on January 7. After the Russian October Revolution in 1917, the calendar was changed to place Christmas after New Years Day. This was done in order to place more emphases on the non-religious New Years Day. For this reason, the Russian Father Frost is associated with New Years Day rather than with Christmas So the answer is yes: Russia has Christmas and Santa Claus, though different from in America, it just has a Russian twist to it It works for me WtR Cobre Limited ( ASX:CBE ) is pleased to announce that the 2021 drill programme on Kalahari Metals Limited's (KML) Endurance Prospect in Botswana has now been completed.Following the previous announcement to the market (refer ASX Announcement 8 December 2021), the programme was extended to include two follow-up holes to test the lateral and vertical extent of alteration and copper (Cu) mineralisation intersected in the central portion of the Endurance Prospect. Provisional results from the follow-up holes are summarised in this announcement.- Both follow-up holes have intersected alteration zones with visible Cu-mineralisation demonstrating lateral and vertical continuity to the target hydrothermal system;- In addition to previously identified vein-hosted chalcopyrite mineralisation, further fine-grained copper sulphide mineralisation has been noted in hydrothermally altered sandstone host-rocks- indicative of a more proximal position to a potential Cu-Ag mineral deposit; and- Both follow-up holes display an increase in the quantity of visible Cu-mineralisation, and alteration associated with stockworks and veins.The recently completed drill programme, consisting of 10 diamond holes totalling 2,948m, was designed to test a range of targets based on earlier Reverse Circulation (RC) and stratigraphic drilling results. Encouraging results from this phase of work provide an important exploration milestone as targeting moves from a regional assessment of the extensive 25km long Endurance Prospect, to testing of focussed mineralised targets.Commenting on the provisional results at the Endurance Prospect, Cobre's Executive Charmain and Managing Director Martin Holland said:"We're delighted to finish off the 2021 exploration programme with encouraging results from the Endurance Prospect. The intersection of alteration and mineralisation in several positions along this prospect highlights the significant potential for finding economic mineralisation on KML's tenure.Over the course of 2021 we've completed 7,700m of drilling on the KML projects, allowing for a regional evaluation of several prospects and generation of a number of exciting targets. We look forward to testing these in 2022."Endurance 2021 Programme OverviewThe Endurance Prospect has been modelled as an extensive, 25km long anticlinorium located in a similar structural setting to ASX listed Sandfire Resources' ( ASX:SFR ) T3 and A4 deposits situated 5km and 10km to the north respectively. The recently completed drill programme has focussed on structurally related breaks in folded AEM conductors supported by detailed magnetic data, stratigraphic information from earlier RC and diamond programmes and soil sampling results (Refer Figure 1*). Several of the recently drilled holes have intersected alteration and complex vein stockworks often with associated (minor) Cu-mineralisation demonstrating the effectiveness of the targeting process and exploration potential of the prospect. The current announcement focusses on a target area in the central portion of the prospect (Refer Figure 2*) where two additional diamond holes (KIT-E-D028 and KIT-E-D029), totalling 614m, were drilled to test the lateral and vertical extent and distribution of alteration and mineralisation in intersected in drill hole KIT-E-D023.- Both follow-up holes intersected hydrothermal alteration, complex quartz-carbonate veins and stockworks with an increase in the quantity of visible Cu-mineralisation;- Mineralisation intersected includes both vein-hosted chalcopyrite as well as fine grained disseminated copper sulphide mineralisation along parting planes (Refer Figure 3*);- In addition to chalcopyrite, rare bornite was noted in KIT-E-D029; and- Quartz-carbonate veining styles and associated alteration minerals including dolomite, chlorite, hematite, sericite and K-feldspar along with zones of bleaching and albitisation (Refer Figure 4*) provide significant encouragement given the similarity in setting to known deposits on the Kalahari Copperbelt.A summary table comparing alteration and sulphide mineralisation between recent drill holes is provided in Table 1*. Northwest-Southeast sections through KIT-E-D023, KIT-E-D028 and KIT-E-D029 are provided in Figure 5*.Samples from the recent drill programme are currently being dispatched to ALS laboratories in Johannesburg for analysis.*To view tables and figures, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/5A7T8Z12 About Cobre LimitedCobre Limited (ASX:CBE) is a copper and base-metals explorer with projects in Western Australia and Botswana. The Company recently discovered a new high-grade VMS deposit enriched in Copper, Gold, Zinc and Silver in Western Australia, and is currently exploring approximately 8,100 km2 of tenements within the Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB) in Botswana. Contact Cobre Limited Martin Holland E: info@cobre.com.au WWW: www.cobre.com.au Cobre LimitedMartin HollandE: info@cobre.com.auWWW: www.cobre.com.au Horizon Completes Further Toll Milling Campaigns Perth, Dec 22, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Horizon Minerals Limited ( ASX:HRZ ) is pleased to advise that it has completed a further toll milling campaign treating low grade ore stockpiles from the Boorara open pit at the Lakewood toll milling facility in Kalgoorlie - Boulder.The first campaign comprised 69,700t milled at a reconciled grade of 0.92g/t Au for 1,857 ounces at a calculated recovery of 90%. The campaign generated approximately $770,000 after all costs under a profit-sharing arrangement with the toll mill owner.The ore grade reconciled 8% above the mine claimed grade and provided further valuable geological information on grade allocation processes. Gravity recovery was again high at 33% with reagent consumption and throughput rates in line with expectation.The second campaign is now underway and due for completion in January 2022.Commenting on the Boorara toll milling campaigns, Managing Director Jon Price said:"Due to the location of our projects so close to infrastructure in Kalgoorlie - Boulder, the Company has been able to continue utilising toll milling to generate cash and gain further geological and metallurgical information on the Boorara orebody.""It is extremely pleasing to see the uplift in grade from the lower grade stockpiles and reinforces our conservative approach to grade determination. We look forward to completing the second milling campaign next Quarter and continuing to evaluate our open pit and underground projects and complete planning for the large-scale exploration program in 2022."About Horizon Minerals Limited Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed. Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline. Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage. Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal BELEN A long-deferred plan to build a new hospital in Valencia County got a shot in the arm Tuesday, when Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law a bill earmarking $50 million in federal relief funds for hospital construction costs. The Democrat said she pushed for the funding to be included in a $478 million plan that New Mexico lawmakers approved during a special session that ended last week, adding she would not have signed the legislation if it had been stripped out. I said we would get it done; we got it done, Lujan Grisham said during a bill-signing ceremony Tuesday outside a Belen health care clinic. Many rural New Mexico hospitals have struggled with staffing and financial issues, which have been exacerbated during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A previous hospital in Valencia County closed its doors in the 1990s. Given that backdrop, the governor said she would push lawmakers during the upcoming 30-day legislative session to create a new state fund to subsidize rural hospitals, especially in their initial years of operation. Such a fund, Lujan Grisham said, would likely require an appropriation of at least $100 million in order for it to be effective. But financial issues are not the only issue facing hospitals. Rep. Alonzo Baldonado, R-Los Lunas, who was one of several legislators in attendance at Tuesdays bill signing ceremony, said many local physicians are approaching retirement age or have already retired. He also said selecting a site for the new Valencia County acute care hospital could prove a challenging task. Its a game-changer if you can actually get it built, Baldonado said in an interview. While the bill approved by lawmakers during the special session that ended last week does not specify the location of the new hospital, Lujan Grisham said Valencia County was particularly well positioned since voters there approved a 2006 mill levy to fund hospital operations. While the mill levy has expired, the county has about $27 million generated by it thats in a bank account, Valencia County Commission Chairman Gerard Saiz said Tuesday. We need to put that money to beneficial use, he told the Journal. Saiz also said the exact location would be determined by whatever health care organization wins a public bidding process to build and run the hospital. More federal funds The money to pay for the construction of a new hospital will come from funding the state received under the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Other projects earmarked in the $478 million spending package include road repairs around New Mexico, broadband expansion, affordable housing and improvements to state parks. Even with the governor signing the bill into law, roughly $724 million of the federal relief dollars remains unspent. Spending decisions about those funds will likely be made during the upcoming 30-day session. While Lujan Grisham did not use her line-item veto authority to ax any of the proposed projects from the legislation, House Bill 2, she did strike out budget language requiring a local match be provided for funding aimed at providing housing for homeless individuals. But the governors overall approval of the legislative spending plan stood in stark contrast to her April veto of a plan to earmark more than $1 billion of the federal relief funds. That ultimately led to a legal dispute between the Governors Office and a bipartisan group of legislators. The Supreme Court sided with the lawmakers last month, ruling Lujan Grisham could not spend the money without legislative approval. The Democratic governor then added spending of the funds to the agenda of the special session, which ended Dec. 17. Going forward, Lujan Grisham cited housing issues, water projects and broadband as areas that could benefit from New Mexicos unspent federal pandemic relief funds. She also said she was open to other uses for the federal dollars, including a proposal to build a new college of public health at the University of New Mexico that was shelved during the recent special session. Commitment to hospital The governors signing of the spending package crafted by the Legislature comes after she vetoed a bill in April that would have authorized funds from the Valencia County mill levy to be redirected, saying in her veto message such a funding shift would be undemocratic. But Lujan Grisham met in July with health care administrators and elected officials in Valencia County, which has a population of about 76,000 people, and said Tuesday she made a commitment to moving the hospital project forward. She also cited cases where Valencia County patients have died while being transported to hospitals in Albuquerque. Richard Madden, a family medicine doctor in Belen, said building a new hospital in the area wont be easy but could bring big benefits to local residents. Weve got some work to do, Madden said. But the patients need this. City officials have put a cork in a plan to restrict alcohol use at Los Altos Park. The proposal sponsored by City Councilor Diane Gibson would have banned drinking at the Northeast Albuquerque park, except during special events with permits. The City Council approved the bill Dec. 6, but Mayor Tim Keller vetoed it, taking issue with a separate provision in the legislation that required construction of a storage building for the security officers electric carts. The City Council on Monday failed to overturn Kellers veto, falling one vote shy of the six required for an override. Gibson said in an interview she was not surprised, but I am really very disappointed that we could not give more consideration to neighborhoods that are struggling and are close to Los Altos Park. Some councilors had previously raised concerns that limiting alcohol would make the park less attractive to softball tournaments. Councilor Lan Sena, meanwhile, said she did not want to ban drinking at Los Altos Park when there are insufficient treatment options. I think the issue here is further criminalizing alcohol addiction without getting to the root of the cause, Sena said. The city already prohibits drinking at nearly all of its parks, except for at special events. Los Altos is, however, one of a few where the city allows regular alcohol consumption. City Councilor Diane Gibson had advocated for new restrictions, citing Los Altos longstanding public safety challenges, neighborhood concerns and the citys massive ongoing investment intended to make it more user-friendly. The park is undergoing a $30 million transformation that will bring new softball fields, a pedestrian promenade, a BMX pump track and more. Kellers veto message did not address the bills alcohol provision, focusing instead on its requirement that the city create a security cart storage facility within 50 feet of the park security guards office. Gibson and the citys Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Rael have sparred over the security cart storage facility during multiple council meetings, and Keller wrote in his veto that dictating the location of buildings for a project exceeds the authority of the council. Councilor Isaac Benton, an architect, questioned the mayors veto justification. He also noted the veto did not tackle other parts of the bill. Were throwing out a lot of babies along with the bathwater here, said Benton, who voted with Brook Bassan, Pat Davis, Trudy Jones and Gibson to override the veto. But city Parks Director David Simon said in a statement to the Journal Tuesday that the city would consider the parks alcohol policy. Councilor Gibsons bill raised important issues about alcohol sales and consumption at Los Altos Park. We will work to get input from our community on this matter and look at all options for regulating alcohol appropriately before reopening the park, Simon said. Debbie Conger who lives near Los Altos Park and had urged the council to ban open alcohol containers and booze sales, except for at special events said she hoped the council would take up the issue again next year with the arrival of four new members, wondering why the city would allow something at Los Altos that it bars in nearly every other park. I dont see how the police are going to be able to stop problems in that park if they allow the open consumption of alcohol, she said. I just dont see it. Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE A third Santa Fe Trails Bus System employee has died after contracting COVID-19. The Transit District worker, a supervisor, died Monday after being hospitalized for COVID since Thanksgiving, city spokesman Dave Herndon said. The supervisor had no contact with the public at the workplace, Herndon said. The announcement comes amid a New Mexico Environment Departments Occupational Health and Safety Bureau investigation into the deaths. Specifically, we are gathering additional information on COVID positive cases among Santa Fe Transit Division workers, said Stephanie Stringer, the departments deputy cabinet secretary of operations, in a statement sent last week in response to questions from the Journal. If the state finds the city did not take steps to prevent worker exposure to COVID NMED will take appropriate enforcement action and seek corrective measures, Stringer said in her statement. All employees have a right to a safe workplace and employers must protect against the spread of COVID in the workplace, she said. Statewide to date, there have been 28 occupational fatalities related to COVID that NMEDs OSHA program has investigated or is investigating, according to Stringer. Herndon said the city has had regular, open lines of communication with OSHA and will continue to do so. The City has been stringent in following State guidelines, and formulating our own, he wrote. He later added that the city reports to OSHA all positive cases within four hours as required, notifies all identified contacts and provides all employees with proper personal protective equipment and has ongoing cleaning and sanitizing of City buildings and equipment. Jose Saenz, a bus driver for the Santa Fe bus system, professed little concern after the recent deaths of co-workers after they were hospitalized for COVID-19. As for driving the buses they are pretty safe honestly, they do a lot of precautions, they fog the bus twice a week, Saenz said. They give us all the necessary equipment we need, face masks, gloves, anything to sanitize the buses. The city agreed to the Journals request for a driver interview at the Transit Districts headquarters in Santa Fe, as District Director Thomas Martinez stood by. The drivers are required to wear masks all the time as well as the passengers are required to wear the masks all the time on the bus, Saenz said as he prepared for his shift. Outside his bus, he wore shorts despite cold temperatures. Saenz, 31, preferred not to say whether he had been vaccinated against COVID. The death of his co-workers raised awareness, Saenz said. I dont know how they contracted the virus or what. Saenz has driven for the district for about four years. Santa Fe City policy requires employees provide proof of vaccination or submit results of a weekly COVID test, Herndon said. Martinez said the district does its best to get (drivers) anything they need. He reiterated that drivers who are not vaccinated have to submit a weekly test. He declined to say if the deceased drivers had been vaccinated, citing family privacy concerns. Eighty percent of city workers are vaccinated, Herndon said in a statement. The city followed up an initial statement with one titled Policies and Positive Test Result Guidance for COVID-19. Those policies include requiring all employees to comply with local and state laws and health orders, to have daily screenings and answer a daily questionnaire before starting work and to discuss intent to leave the state with a supervisor and discuss a quarantine strategy. Herndon said the city has no concern that the public came in close contact with the drivers. Santa Fes bus ridership has dropped post-COVID, Martinez said, annual ridership is around 300,000 now, down from about 800,000 pre-COVID. Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE With just over one week before a new medical malpractice law takes effect, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Wednesday signed an emergency bill making changes to it in an attempt to avoid an interruption in health care services. House Bill 11 was passed by lawmakers during a 12-day special session that ended last week. It was added to the special session agenda by Lujan Grisham after a push by a coalition of trial lawyers, hospital leaders, physicians and patient advocates. Supporting New Mexicos medical providers and protecting the patients they serve is important business, Lujan Grisham said in a statement. Im glad to have the chance to sign into law this common-sense fix, and Im grateful to the Legislature for their quick action on this matter. The law passed by lawmakers during this years 60-day legislative session thats set to take effect Jan. 1 adjusts New Mexicos caps for legal damages available to people harmed by medical wrongdoing or negligence. However, concerns were raised about the new laws unintended impact on independent doctors a category that includes many surgeons who practice at hospitals across New Mexico and on independently owned outpatient clinics. Specifically, backers of the legislative fix said some insurance carriers might have declined to provide insurance after Dec. 31 because of questions about legal liability. In its original form, the new medical malpractice law set caps for legal damages at $4 million for 2022 and $4.5 million for 2023. Under the bill passed this month, the caps for independent outpatient health care facilities will instead be set at $750,000 per injury or death for the next two years. They would then increase in future years. While some legislators said the law should have been vetted more carefully before being approved in March, backers of the legislative fix said it was a necessary action. Our governor and state Legislature worked together under urgent circumstances to preserve access to health care for thousands of New Mexican patients and prevent the closure of dozens of physician-owned small businesses, said Annie Jung, the executive director of the New Mexico Medical Society. Their quick and decisive action saved lives, she added. SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. - The 6.2 magnitude earthquake off the coast of California had many feeling the impacts Monday afternoon. The Bureau of Reclamation sent out engineers immediately to see any damage to Whiskeytown Dam and Shasta Dam. The Bureau of Reclamation says they sent out operators and engineers to inspect the two dams visually, but they say Whiskeytown Dam is a different kind of dam. Don Bader is the Northern California Area Office Manager. He says the inspection was necessary to ensure the dam's structure is sound. "Whiskeytown is an earth-filled dam, so it's going to fail differently, the embankments are going to sluff, and the water will start seeping through, so we are out there looking at the dam, and making sure the earthquake causes no unusual seepage," Bader said. Bader also says visual inspections are crucial to finding anything unordinary. "Visual inspections were making sure nothing is out of the ordinary as far as damage to any of our structures, and making sure we don't have cracks in concrete, and we don't have embankments that have now failed due to the earthquake," Bader said. Bader tells Action News Now that Trinity Dam was the top concern because it was closest to the earthquake, but inspections show it survived the shaking without issue. The Bureau of Reclamation says it has crews on standby in case of any aftershocks. CALIFORNIA - Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that California will provide students in K-12 public schools with rapid COVID-19 tests. The tests will be given to students when they return to school from the winter break. The state is also redoubling our efforts to keep kids safe and keep schools open," Newsom said. "We will help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our communities by making at-home testing kits available to every K-12 public school student as they head back to the classroom from winter break. The announcement came in Newsoms official announcement that healthcare workers will be required to receive a booster shot by Feb. 1, 2022, and be tested twice weekly if they have not received the booster shot. Newsom also announced California will expand hours at testing sites for state-operated centers that have reached capacity. In a news release Wednesday, the governors office said 87% of Californians aged five and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 8.7 million Californias have received the booster shot. The announcements come after the omicron variant has become the dominant strain in the U.S. and the state looks to prevent a winter surge. On Wednesday, the California State University announced students, staff and faculty will be required to receive the booster dose by Feb. 28, 2022, or six months after receiving the final dose. Newsom's full announcement can be found on Twitter and Facebook. CALIFORNIA - The 2020 California Citizens Redistricting Commission released final drafts for state and legislative maps, which could change things in Northern California. These maps will impact how people can vote for the state's Congressional, Senate, Assembly and Board of Equalization districts. The guidelines state that districts must be of equal population and they must comply with the Voting Rights Act to give minorities equal opportunity. The districts must also minimize the division of cities, counties, neighborhoods and communities of interest. California lost a congressional seat for the first time ever when the 2020 census was released in April. The current map has Congressman Doug LaMalfa in District 1 and Congressman John Garamendi in District 3. In the new map, LaMalfas district would reach further south into Yuba and Colusa counties but would lose Plumas, Sierra, Nevada and Placer counties to District 4. It would gain all of Glenn, Colusa and Sutter counties and most of Yuba Countys population. RELATED: California will drop to 52 congressional seats for the first time LaMalfa may be losing Plumas, Sierra, Nevada and Placer counties but said he will continue to fight for water and better forestry. He says the new maps focus on agricultural areas and is optimistic about what's ahead. For Garamendi, his district would push toward the Bay Area, or into District 1. So, he announced that he is running for District 8 instead to keep his long-term representation of Solano and Contra Costa counties. The new assembly lines take part of Butte County from Assemblyman James Gallaghers District 3. This is all for the next election next November and each representative still represents their current areas until then. The Secretary of State must certify the maps by Dec. 27. There will be more meetings between members ahead of that date and they're taking public comment for at least the next three days. LaMalfas full response can be found below: "These new independently drawn maps represent familiar territory. I am sad to lose the official representation of our friends and neighbors in Plumas, Sierra, Nevada and Placer counties, but will remain a friend and keep the open door as we continue to fight for better forestry, more water, and the other issues that affect them and all of Northern California The new maps are a bit more focused on the valley agricultural areas, where I have experience and many constituent relationships. I wish we could have a mega district and keep all of these counties we've represented as my team and I make deep connections with our people and the lands where they live. So it's a mixture of sadness in that but optimism with our renewed work in the new areas." Max Steiner, who is challenging LaMalfa in the election provided the following statement to Action News Now: "I welcome the opportunity to compete with Congressman LaMalfa in the newly drawn 1st Congressional District. I have served our great nation as a soldier and a diplomat and I believe the North State - regardless of how it's drawn - is tired of career politicians like Doug LaMalfa. My campaign has, and will continue to, focus on challenges impacting the district, forest management, wildfires, water storage, good jobs, and national security. I greatly enjoyed engaging with forestry professionals in Plumas and Sierra Counties who felt ignored by Congressman LaMalfa, and I look forward to engaging with voters in Yuba, Sutter, Glenn, and Colusa on issues that are important to them." CHICO, Calif. - The Butte County Sheriff's Office is calling for new information to solve the 2014 murder of Chico State student Marc Thompson. Action News Now spoke with the victim's father, Lawrence Thompson, who is still hoping for justice for his son. "Marc was a great kid, really smart. I mean he was going somewhere," Thompson said. On Sept. 3, 2014, Marc Thompson was found in the hills of Oroville in a burning car, shot to death. "I try to not think about it. It is just always on my mind. You just don't know," Thompson said. The burning car was north of the Gold Country Casino where Thompson believes his 25-year-old son was last seen alive. "I think someone grabbed him from that casino parking lot. That fits the timeline," Thompson said. Seven years later and Marc's death is still a mystery to Thompson and investigators. "It was like I was conducting my own investigation, but I don't have the tools to get the data from the cell phone tower. I can't subpoena the video from the casino," Thompson said. But this week, the Butte County Sheriff's Office announced a $50,000 reward from the Governor's Office for anyone who has information leading to the arrest and conviction for Thompson's murder -- that they say they are committed to solving. "I am grateful that they are finally putting out the reward. I mean it's been like seven years, I wish they would have done it earlier," Thompson said. The Sheriff's Office released this statement about the murders, it reads in part: "Over the past several years, detectives have actively and zealously investigated this case, however it has remained unsolved. We very much want to bring closure to Marc's family and friends and see to it that the person(s) responsible for Marc's murder are held accountable." "If it happened to Marc it could happen to anyone. So you need to hopefully get justice for Marc so it doesn't happen to your kid," Thompson said. "Everybody loved Mark. He loved movies, tv, he loved everything. He just loved life." Local filmmaker Trudy Duisenberg made a documentary in 2019 called "Obligated to the Truth" about the young Black man who was murdered. Thompson is hopeful that this and the new reward will help bring justice for Marc. If you have any information that can help please call (530) 538-7671. REDDING, Calif. - People are planning to get together and travel for the holidays. Shasta County Public Health is urging people to get tested before their holiday gatherings. Public Health recommends getting tested one to three days before any gatherings or travel. Being in the know is always an empowering decision, said Anna Vietti, a community education specialist with the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency. Getting tested before or after you go anywhere is always a smart decision. While public health said they haven't seen an increase in testing just yet. The agency believes it will see a bit of an increase. But it will take about a week before the data comes in due to a lag. Some people told Action News Now they didn't feel like they needed to get tested because they were already vaccinated. Know who they are and do you believe them when they tell you they're tested, said John Pratt who is traveling down to Southern California to visit friends and family. I'm not too worried about it. Pratt said he already got the vaccine shot and booster. Public Health is also urging people to get vaccinated, wear masks and keep the gatherings small and ventilated. If traveling out of town, the agency recommends getting tested three to five days when you come back. CakeZone, the dessert brand from the house of Curefoods India Pvt. Ltd., today announced South Indian Actor Megha Akash as their brand ambassador for the coming year. The brand was launched by Curefoods India as part of their strategy to disrupt the online bakery market in the country. A young and popular face in South Indian Cinema, Megha Akash has starred in some of the most popular Tamil and Telugu movies in the last two years and has a fan base across Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Her most popular outing was with Superstar Rajinikanth in his record-breaking film Petta. Speaking on the brand association, Pavan Kumar, Founder, Cakezone said, We are extremely delighted to have the effervescent actor Megha Akash on board as our brand ambassador for one of our newest and exciting bakery brand CakeZone. Her popularity and reach in the southern market will give CakeZone a fillip in this geography, much in line with our growth strategy. The characters that Megha has brought to life on the big screen exude a certain freshness and charm that resonates with CakeZones philosophy of spreading joy and being part of peoples happy occasions. Commenting on her association with CakeZone, Megha Akash said, It is so exciting to be part of a young and vibrant brand like CakeZone that promises to make celebrations and special occasions sweeter with their offering. I admire the companys plans to make delicious and quality desserts widely available. Knowing how Curefoods India has come to become one of the most dependable food platforms in the country, I cannot wait to see how this association unfolds and for all the exciting campaigns we will create together. CakeZone was launched with the idea of creating happy moments for people. The brand currently operates in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Vizag, Mysore, Vijayawada, Mangalore, and Guntur and is slated to expand to all major cities in India to become the biggest online bakery in the country. CakeZone offers a variety of cakes and desserts all under one shop, with a plethora of designs and flavours to choose from without compromising on taste and quality. The brand offers custom bakes with door delivery for a seamless celebration experience. Havas Media Tribes the strategic partnership between Havas Media Group India and the Tribes Group has rolled out yet another unique and high decibel OOH campaign of the year. And this time it is for Swiggy Instamart the long-standing client of Havas Media Group. This multi-city, high-impact, extensive OOH campaign, also includes Asias biggest billboard at Bandra Western Express Highway (ROB) Mumbai. Swiggy Instamart, a pioneer in quick commerce segment, wanted to occupy a distinctive space in the minds of consumers by establishing two of its core propositions: instant delivery & instant convenience. Since the business of delivery is all about speed, transit and ease, what better medium to break through the clutter and resonate with the audience than the out-of-home medium through vibrant and eye-catching visuals. The month-long campaign featuring 36 different smart creatives & vernacular content (a crucial part of this campaign in order to maximise audience connect), utilises 5 lac sq ft of the display area on traditional billboards, hoardings, unipoles, FOBs and bus shelters across key locations in 19 major cities in India - Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Vizag, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Pune, Jaipur, Indore, Goa, Chennai, Kochi and Ahmedabad, including Asias largest site at Bandra, Mumbai. In addition to key arterial routes, malls and airports were also targeted, DOOH was used to penetrate residential clusters, and transit media formats such as cab branding, branding inside metros & metro stations were also used for effective & high visibility. Apart from its superfast delivery promise & expansive range of grocery products, the campaign also highlights Swiggy Instamarts attractive offers for first-time users. Ashish Lingamneni, Head of Brand, Swiggy said: With Instamart now present in 19 cities, the overwhelming response we are receiving for this instant grocery delivery service is a testament to our mission to bring unparalleled convenience to our consumers. As part of our 360-degree marketing campaign, we used OOH as a key lever to promote Swiggy Instamarts proposition. Havas Media Tribes has been instrumental in identifying the right locations across cities while maximising our reach and visibility. We have received a lot of positive response for this campaign Gour Gupta, CEO & MD, Tribes Group said: The strategic alliance with Havas Media Group India is an exciting partnership that gives us an opportunity to create meaningful campaigns for marquee clients in this competitive environment. The objective of this campaign is not just mass visibility but also tracking the effectiveness by mapping the coordinates of the sites to the orders received in that region. We created a plan basis Instamarts serviceability area, wherein the coordinates of each site were checked and selected precisely. The execution by the team was seamless and was no mean feat, given the logistical challenges involved. Saurabh Jain, Managing Partner - South, Havas Media said: "The Havas Media Group and Tribes strategic alliance reinforces Havass operating system of MX, that empowers our clients with tools to build more meaningful media experiences. For a disruptor brand like Swiggy, we had to take the high road, a category leadership stance in the post-lockdown world, by launching this high-impact and meaningful OOH campaign." Havas Media Group has been working on this unicorn - Swiggys account since 2016 and also bagged the media duties of Swiggy Instamart, further consolidating the agency's relationship with Swiggy. The new OOH campaign by Havas Media Tribes is an extension of an engaging and ground-breaking work that the agency has been doing for the food aggregators key verticals including Swiggy Genie (pick up & drop service), Swiggy Access (private brands) and now, Swiggy Instamart. There is no denying that 2020 has left an indelible mark on the way we lead our lives. While masks, sanitiser and bottles of handwash were still added to carts in 2021, ever-lasting favorites like Biryani, Samosa and grocery staples like bananas reminded us that things are still somewhat normal. As another year of ups and downs draws to a close, Swiggys sixth annual StatEATstics replays what India ordered, ate, and ferried in 2021. Note: The StatEATstics order analysis is based on millions of orders received by Swiggy for food delivery, grocery on Instamart, pick up and drop service Swiggy Genie and HealthHub between January and December 2021. Top food orders of the year: Jab tak rahega Swiggy pe Samosa - The most binged snack of the year was the Samosa with about 5 million orders on Swiggy thats one Samosa for every New Zealander! The Desi Samosa was ordered 6 times more than Chicken Wings. Pav Bhaji was Indias second favourite snack with 2.1 million orders more than Chicken Wings. Pav Bhaji was Indias second favourite snack with 2.1 million orders However, the order history of the night bingers saw a twist. Post 10 PM, Indias night owls looking to satiate their cravings turned to Cheese-garlic Bread, Popcorn, and French Fries, more than any other eatables. The rose-inspired dessert that rose to the top! With a total of 2.1 million orders, Gulab Jamun was the most ordered dessert on Swiggy. In second position was Rasmalai with 1.27 million orders. India's top dishes in 2021: Weve been publishing this report for six years, and the mighty Biryani has topped the chartswell, for six years in a row! In 2020, 90 Biryanis were ordered per minute and in 2021, India ordered 115 Biryanis per minute, or 2 (1.91) Biryanis per second. Chicken Biryani is still the queen of our hearts and ordered 4.3 times more than her humble vegetarian counterpart. The most common first dish ordered? Over 4.25L lakh new users made their Swiggy debut by ordering a Chicken Biryani. Kasa kai Mumbai? While Chicken Biryani topped the charts in Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow and Hyderabad, Mumbai ordered twice as many Dal Khichidis as compared to Chicken Biryanis. While Chicken Biryani topped the charts in Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow and Hyderabad, Mumbai ordered twice as many Dal Khichidis as compared to Chicken Biryanis. Speaking about Dal Khichidi, the search for healthy food on Swiggy doubled in 2021, and health-focused restaurants on Swiggy HealthHub witnessed a 200% increase in orders Bangalore emerged as the most health-conscious city followed by Hyderabad and Mumbai Mondays and Thursdays are when India eats the healthiest Keto-The key to good health? Keto orders grew by 23% 83% surge in vegan and plant-based food orders Note: Swiggys food delivery is present in 500 cities across India Grocery India wanted now! Instamart delivered over 28 million packs of fruits and vegetables alone in 2021. Tomatoes, bananas, onions, potatoes, and green chilies were the top 5 fruits and veggies delivered in under 30 minutes. This year, Indians ordered enough tomatoes to play the Tomatina festival in Spain for 11 years! enough tomatoes to play the for 11 years! The total bananas ordered on Instamart outweighed the Statue of Liberty by 2.6 times. Talk about going Bananas! Instant indulgence: 1.4 million packets of instant noodles, 3.1 million packets of chocolate, 2.3 million tubs of ice creams and 6.1 million packets of chips ordered online. In fact, chips were the top item ordered post 10 pm. SOS, need it now: Over 70,000 packs of band-aid, 55,000 packs of diapers and 3 lakh packs of sanitary napkins were delivered in 15-30 minutes. Over packs of band-aid, packs of diapers and sanitary napkins were delivered in 15-30 minutes. War against Covid-19 continues: 1 Lakh masks and over 4 lakh soaps and handwashes were ordered online. Note: Swiggys express grocery delivery service Instamart was present in two cities at the beginning of 2021 and is currently present in 18 cities Things India ferried in 2021 Food items approximated 48% of the total Genie orders . Interestingly, over 20,000 of these orders were for pet food . approximated . Interestingly, . Between April- June 2021, Swiggy Genie delivered over 600 meals per day, prepared by Covid heroes such as Sathya Sai Trust, Hyatt Regency Delhi, Abhyutthanam Society, Massive Restaurants, Vogue Kitchens, as well as by home cooks and seva kitchens, specially to the recovering Covid-19 patients during the second wave. The medicine category on Genie registered an increase of 288.79%. Customers ordered a wide range of over-the-counter medicines, including homeopathic and ayurvedic. Did you know? A Swiggy Genie delivery partner from Bangalore travelled 42 km to deliver an Oxygen flowmeter. Food and grocery followed by medicines, rounded off the top 3 categories for Genie deliveries The long and short of it: The maximum distance travelled by a delivery partner was 55.5 KMs to deliver a food package in Bangalore. The shortest distance? To a store 200 meters away from a customers doorstep to pick up a tongue cleaner! Note: Swiggy pick up and drop service Genie is present in 68 cities. Despite a growing inclination towards veganism, Indians continue to enjoy their meat While Chicken was Indias preferred choice of non-vegetarian food, Ready to Cook meats evolved into the new favorite category in meat for this year Across Cities, Chicken Curry Cut was the most favorite meat item. Bhubaneswar and Central Goa however, preferred Chicken legs and breast. Biryani is not only Indias favorite dish, but Chicken Biryani Cut is also a favorite on Swiggys Meat Stores. It was the fourth most ordered meat item. Note: Swiggy Meat Stores is available in top cities Swiggys believe it or not- 2021 edition: Chennai turned out to be the most generous city where a Swiggy delivery partner was tipped Rs. 6000 for a single order Bangaloreans' love for Dosas is awe-inspiring: Not only did Bangalore top the charts for ordering Dosas, Dosa batter was also very popularly ordered by people in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai - with Instamart delivering over 8 lakh Kgs of batter in 2021 of batter in 2021 A Biryani lover in Kolkata made a Swiggy Genie delivery partner to travel 39.3 Kms from home to bring her her favorite Mutton Biryani! 7-9 PM seemed to be the happy hours for food lovers with maximum orders being placed then Talking about happiness, a Swiggy Genie travelled 43.3 Kms to deliver a box of brownies to a customer at the Hyderabad Airport- now thats a happy ending were glad we were a part of! Pan Asian, Indian, and Chinese were the top 3 cuisines ordered, followed by Mexican and Korean. Over 80% of customers opted to pay online, instead of paying by cash on delivery. In a single order, a customer in Kolkata ordered 15.4 Kgs of Hilsa from Swiggy Meat Stores A city-wise look at food preferences on Swiggy : On Tuesday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) said that two Kashmir-related websites and 20 YouTube channels have been blocked because they "belong to a coordinated misinformation network operating from Pakistan." The two separate directives for the channels and website were the first issued by the ministry under the new information technology guidelines, which will be announced on February 25th of this year. They were provided as part of a "coordinated operation with intelligence services," according to the ministry. "The channels were utilised to distribute divisive information in a planned way on issues such as Kashmir, the Indian Army, minority populations in India, Ram Mandir, (late CDS) General Bipin Rawat, and others," the ministry said in a statement. The Naya Pakistan Group (NPG), which operates out of Pakistan and has a network of YouTube channels with a total user base of at least 3.5 million, is one of the 20 YouTube channels ordered to be disabled. According to the ministry, their videos have received over 550 million views. Nucleus PR, a prestigious boutique firm headquartered in Bangalore, today announced the launch of its Reel Team that promises to transform the Instagram page of your business. Aimed at small businesses, the team will leverage the power of reels to enhance both reach and engagement for brand Instagram pages. The NPR Reel Team will collaborate with entrepreneurs and the existing social media agency ecosystem to enhance the Instagram page visibility, as per the specific business requirements via reels. Tarunjeet Rattan, Managing Partner Nucleus PR said: Consumers today want to consume quick information that entertains and educates them, in their language. Instagram Reels offers a rich potential to create content that connects with focused consumers along with the flexibility of bringing alive content with tonalities. We ran a pilot project for our existing clients for the last quarter, which yielded immense results and opened up avenues for this new venture. Storytelling has always been the core of PR and social media today is less about hard sell and more about connecting with authentic communication that resonates with consumers. We now transform our creative skills to reels, to assist small business owners create, kickstart or simply be the conversation amongst their target audiences. A new journey that entails using the power of wordplay through a different platform". Instagram Reels needs to be an essential part of your social media strategy that communicates a brand personality and connects with your audience inviting them in to create a community that aspires, connects and inspires together. Nucleus PR handles clients across MNCs, SMEs and start-ups. Their strategic approach towards PR enables clients to leverage PR towards meeting their business goals. Their range of services includes overall reputation management, crisis communication and editorial services, among others. And now as they complete 14 years in the industry, they add an innovative REEL Team to their bouquet of services. Welspun Group has launched its new corporate ad film, Many Reasons To Smile. Being popularly known among consumers for its home textile products like towels and bed sheets, Welspun is a leading conglomerate with a presence across diverse sectors, namely line pipes, warehousing, infrastructure, and flooring. The motivation behind the corporate campaign was to build salience and equity for Welspun as a group company and spur recognition for its various other lauded businesses. The newly-released brand film brings alive the familiarity of Welspun in the daily lives of consumers, while highlighting the stories that make the brand warm, familiar and human. As Welspun works towards a happier planet, the film recognizes the idea of giving many reasons to smile to its various stakeholders, consumers and the communities whose lives they impact positively. The Many Reasons to Smile campaign highlights the fact that we are guided by a strong consumer focus in everything we do, and we are growing with the communities we serve and operate in. The film embodies the joy of putting one's trust in a company that has made its presence felt in more ways than one, said Dipali Goenka, CEO & Jt. MD, Welspun India Ltd. We are telling a powerful story of who we are, what we offer and how we are championing our purpose. We are guided by our values to positively impact the stakeholders through innovation, technology, inclusive and sustainable growth," she added. Conceptualized and executed by Ogilvy India, the digital film showcases how Welspun Group has been creating value for India's families and communities. Made in a montage style set against an original background score, universal images of happiness are creatively used in a free-flowing narrative: children playing with water; an old couple caught in the rain having their hair dried by their grandchildren with towels; a mother and daughter building a tent out of bed sheets, a warehouse professional wearing a satisfied smile while going about his job, a father and son enjoying playtime on the floor of their home. This simply highlights how Welspun Group has given these individuals many reasons to smile. Commenting on this campaign, Piyush Pandey, Chairman of Global Creative & Executive Chairman, Ogilvy India, said, Making this ad was an interesting exercise. It was about touching peoples hearts while sharing the story of Welspun touching their lives in so many ways. I enjoyed being a part of the team in its creation. Welspun has great stories of sustainability and I look forward to sharing those in the coming days. Federal Office for Gender Equality Bern, 22.12.2021 - With the tensions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, stressful situations in families and relationships may increase over the coming festive season. The Conference of Cantonal Directors of Social Services (CDSS) and the Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE) are launching a social media campaign to better inform those affected by violence about the assistance offered by Victim Support Switzerland. The campaign targets both young victims of parental violence as well as adults and elderly people who are affected by domestic violence. They can contact the existing support services in all cantons for help. The victim counselling centres and shelters will continue to offer their services as always over the festive season. The campaign against domestic violence remains a priority for the Confederation and the cantons. The Domestic Violence and Corona Task Force was created at the start of the pandemic. In 2020, it ran two social media campaigns. A total of 2.3 million people were contacted, 600,000 of them were young people. The Task Force acts as an interface between the authorities, continuously monitoring the situation and ensuring coordination between the agencies involved. At present, the number of reports of domestic violence, though high, is mostly stable. The task force comprises the responsible federal agencies (Federal Office for Gender Equality FOGE, Federal Office of Justice FOJ and Federal Social Insurance Office FSIO) and the responsible intercantonal conferences (Conference of Cantonal Social Services CDSS, Conference of Cantonal Justice and Police Directors CCJPD and Swiss Conference against Domestic Violence SKHG). Address for enquiries Sina Liechti, FOGE Communications Officer media@ebg.admin.ch, +41 58 467 42 04 Publisher Federal Office for Gender Equality https://www.ebg.admin.ch/ebg/en/home.html General Secretariat FDHA http://www.edi.admin.ch The Chinese Communist Party no longer acts in ways its 20th-century kingpins had outlined in the partys founding principles. Domestically, it employs technologically repressive tools to force its population to abide by ideological dictates of obedience and collectivism. However, its strategy abroad has dramatically shifted to one which relies on the goodwill, narcissism, and stupidity of global elites. In its five-year plans, China has laid out in plain sight its desire to eliminate the economic and political sovereignty of nations both developed and poor. Its ambitions are reliant on a steady stream of capital inflows from financial institutions in order to fuel its globalist and expansionist agenda. By following the tenets of realist-leaning international relations theory, the CCP is playing a zero-sum geopolitical game to remake the world order to accommodate its rise. The U.S. government and intelligence community have given countless briefings and warnings to elected officials, financial hegemons, and corporate officers regarding their continued complicity and passivity vis-a-vis China. Yet, we have seen the admonitions fall not on deaf ears, but those of willful disdain for any sovereign-based approach to doing business. Populism, in its economic, political, and technological forms, may be the only hope for reversing course on our societys path toward the edge of the cliff. Global elites have strategically championed the use of populism as a dirty word in the modern American lexicon to counteract its potent force for change. Mainstream media entities and their television lackeys have pushed a narrative of nativism and isolationism to make the term less palatable to the public. However, the populace is simply too vast and diverse to actually believe this propagandistic messaging for long. Populism, at its core, enforces the peoples will and claims against social hierarchies that are no longer willing to listen to their constituents. This potent force for change is required as the corporate internationalists have continued to refuse to abide by their governments requests to halt their sovereignty-diminishing business practices. In the face of government threats, legislation, and even corporate takeovers, the elites have continued to find alternate ways of engaging in semi-licit activities that ignore the peoples demands for economic safety and security. As a result, it is high time the public demand, and elect, leaders who envision a world in which the people have a say in domestic and foreign policy. The CCP has quietly co-opted global elites for years, utilizing its influence organizations such as the United Front Work Department, to garner geopolitical wins for the CCP abroad. Ironically, these methods are quite similar to how U.S. institutions and Wall Street shaped the global order in the post-War World II era. If we are to counteract this strategy, utilizing globalist-centered policies will only exacerbate the problem, as fighting fire with fire portends idiocrasy. Corporate institutions will never listen to the will of the people unless they are forced to do so, and populist-centered economic and political legislation is the only legitimate tool that the government can utilize. Despite the Trump administrations efforts to employ export and trade restrictions on Chinese firms engaging in outright theft of sensitive technologies, capital markets have remained wide open and U.S. dollars continue to fund CCP-backed entities that create technologies aimed at rendering U.S. military and economic dominance useless. It is no coincidence that while Goldman Sachs alumni, among others, have conveniently dominated seats of power in the U.S. government since China had announced its reform and opening up strategy to the world, we have seen a slow-rolling of economic strategy toward combatting Chinese aggressiveness. For example, the Trump administration had envisaged greater economic freedom and decoupling from Chinese institutions. Yet, following the appointment of Goldman alum Steven Mnuchin as Treasury secretary, many of the policies that the campaign had formulated to properly secure American financial interests had been watered down. The valiant efforts of the hawks in the administration were tamed, and Munchins clique was able to pacify Wall Street by leaving capital markets virtually untouched. The next U.S. administration must focus on ensuring that it is staffed by national security and economic experts whose focus will, and always will, be ensuring that the American populaces interest is at the forefront of every policy issue. The corporate internationalist sentiment that is still so entrenched in policymaking today is only feeding Chinas expansionist agenda. Organizations like the Association of Republican Presidential Appointees are needed to ensure that future administrations are staffed with employees loyal to the country first, above any personal or corporate interest. Populist officials must work downstream to win national and subnational elections to prop up the necessary human infrastructure to enable economic and national security policy that protects American innovation, security, and financial strategy. The new administration will also have to limit Chinas access to backdoor relationships with legacy officials, within both the foreign policy establishment and financial markets, in order to pursue a truly independent and forward-leaning competitive strategy. The U.S. has a systemic issue of allowing prior officials, often with antithetical views to the current administration, to exercise undue influence on and subvert U.S. domestic and foreign policy. In order to actually implement populist policies that benefit American workers, these practices must be halted immediately. Global media will lambast any notion of populist sentiment in American policymaking as being combative with U.S. allies overseas. This, again, is a false idea. If nations acted in ways that are truly responsible to the sovereign, then global relations between the sovereign would naturally align. Unelected despots have compromised the idea that nationalism would actually bring populations closer together by allowing governments to freely define their shared interests, without the fear of upsetting their corporate financiers. The CCP is continuing to use the co-opted internationalist middlemen to obstruct cooperative economic and security policies among like-minded nations. America, because of its security and currency-based dominance, must set the example that obstruction in policy will no longer be tolerated. The result will be twofold: the ability of governments to finally rid themselves of the CCPs exploitative initiatives and the potential for the American public to once again speak for itself. Image: Gage Skidmore To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. If James Madison rose from his grave today, hed be astonished. Not that a demented, corrupt scoundrel was now serving in the same office he once heldas astonishing as that is. Nor that the federal government had metastasized into a liberty devouring leviathan that towers over his great state of Virginia. What would surprise him is that, after nearly 250 years, his Constitution, no matter how tattered and torn, has endured. Our classrooms have abandoned an appreciation for the profound genius of the Founders and the institutional gifts they gave us. Instead, classrooms breed contempt for our history. The Founders priceless legacy is the notion that government is established to protect mens liberty and, because men are no angels, that government must be limited, accountable, and divided. Even today, the most elementary constitutional lesson is probably still taught: the legislative branch makes the laws, the executive branch enforces the laws, and the judicial branch adjudicates the lawsbut today thats a lie. Unlike the obvious panoply of deceit cascading from every corner of the government and complicit news media, this lie, although more toxic to our Constitution and more dangerous to our freedoms, goes largely unrecognized. We have an all-encompassing de facto fourth branch of governmentthe administrative state, the magnum opus of the progressive movement. The movements name itself is diabolical. Who isnt for progress? Faster, bigger, betterits the zeitgeist of America. But the Progressives wanted a different type of progress: to progress beyond the Constitution. Teddy Roosevelt was our first Progressive president but his real damage was running for a third term under the Bull Moose party, thereby splitting the Republican ticket and ushering in Woodrow Wilson, a true progressive. He was an intellectual blinded by his good intentions and bred with a malevolent contempt for a Constitution that obstructed his ambitions. Wilson, our only president with a Ph.D. (indisputable proof it should be disqualifying), was corrupted at John Hopkins University by a faculty heavily influenced in the Hegelian tradition (belief in an all-encompassing organic state as opposed to American individualism). Wilsons 294-page thesis was an all-out assault on our Constitution: The period of constitution-making is passed now. We have reached a new territory in which we need new guides, the vast territory of administration. Wilson viewed the Founders separation of powers as an unpleasant wearing friction depriving expert administrators of the means of making its authority complete and convenient. To Wilson, the Constitution was an anachronistic relic written in the age of fighting kings and wholly incompatible with the modern day. Appealing to the science of the day, he claimed The government is not a machine, but a living thing. It is accountable to Darwin, not Newton. Living political constitutions must be Darwinian in structure and in practice. They must evolve. Article V of the Constitution describes precisely how it might evolve but, impatient for change, Wilson had a better idea: All that progressives ask or desire is permission to interpret the Constitution according to the Darwinian principle. So modest, so scientific. But what Wilson wanted was to radically restructure it: If it could not stretch itself to the measure of the times, it must be thrown off and left behind. Wilson wanted the government to be run by an administration of executive agents...virtually supreme in all things. At his inauguration, it is a wonder the Good Book itself didnt leap from his hand as he swore to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. Despite Wilsons scholarly rhetoric, he was only mildly successful in his diabolical assault on liberty. As history has repeatedly shownfrom the Reichstag fire to 9/11 to COVIDit takes a crisis for men to willingly surrender their freedom. For the Progressives, that crisis was the Great Depression. Image: Surreal Constitution by Andrea Widburg. Wilson was the father of the Administrative State but FDR was its architect. For an unprecedented four terms, FDR interpreted a new Constitution complete with a fourth branch. A branch where executive, legislative, and judicial power were all wrapped up into one. The Progressives dream of efficiency was the Founders nightmare of tyranny. FDR gave us an alphabet soup of virtually unchecked agencies whose experts could regulate every aspect of American life. To understand the scale of the outrage, the Constitution was written on four pages; the U.S. Code, the law Congress wrote, is 2652 pages; the Code of Federal Regulation, that is, the law of the Administrative State, written by unelected bureaucrats, approved by no one, accountable to no one, is 175,496 pages. No better example of the unconstitutional tyranny of the Administrative State is the harrowing story of Hillsdale College. Founded in 1844 on the principle of furnishing all persons who wish, irrespective of nation, color, or sex a literary and scientific education, it was the first to educate both freed slaves and women even before the Civil War. In the mid-1970s, the Department of Health Education and Welfare (HEW) insisted that, because Hillsdale received federal funds, it was required to execute a Title IX compliance form that would have subjected it to all federal regulations. (This requirement, incidentally, originated in HEW, not in Congress.) The college argued, however, that it did not receive federal funds; instead, some of its students received federal student loans. After six years of fighting at the bureaucratic level, Hillsdale finally put the matter before a real Article III court. However, this was not the path to easy resolution. The system is set up so that the process is the punishment insofar as it bankrupts people fighting the government. In one wetlands case, the EPA demanded $37,500/day for noncompliance, with the potential of a failed Article III appeal doubling the penalty. Hillsdales loyal supporters made it possible to fight on. In the 6th Circuit, Hillsdale defied the odds and won again but a similar case that Groves Community College brought in the 3rd Circuit failed. With a conflict in the two circuits, the matter finally ended before the Rehnquist Supreme Court which, sadly, ruled with the agency: If one student took a dime of federal money, then the school must comply. Unbroken, Hillsdale and Grove, along with 16 other courageous colleges, now refuses to allow a single federal penny to enter its school, directly or indirectly. Madisons Constitution has survived, even if in practice it is unrecognizable from his original vision, but within it lies the blueprint for returning liberty to we the people. Today, one of the most important administrative state cases sits before the Supreme Court asking whether the agencies should be given complete deference, Chevron deference, for deciding ambiguities and omissions in Article I law. While the entire administrative state needs to be abolished, just as it didnt appear overnight, it wont recede overnight as well. The first small step back from the abyss may start with this decision. To paraphrase the great Ronald Reagan, if fascism ever comes to America, it will come in the form of an administrative state. Huck Davenport is a pseudonym. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. If Los Angeles district attorney George Gascon has his way, the City of Angels will have sex offenders and violent criminals in their teens roaming free, under the pretext that they are juveniles. Never mind that they may be repeat offenders. Never mind that such leniency will encourage gangs to get their work done by those who should be in school or on the playground. Thankfully, there is growing outrage against Gascons abominable ideas, and a campaign to have him recalled is gathering steam. It must succeed so that Los Angeles is spared the fate of San Francisco, which Gascon (as DA in 2011-19) left in shambles and, in the words of former San Francisco deputy DA Nancy Tung, with the reputation of a city where you can commit a crime and get away with it. In L.A., Gascons Restorative Enhanced Diversion for Youth Pathway (REDY) program extends the privilege accorded to juveniles who have committed relatively minor offenses to those accused of serious and violent crimes. Such leniency will only reinforce criminal behavior by giving juvenile delinquents an early taste of impunity. Moreover, this is a dangerous perversion of the rationale behind handling juvenile criminals with kid gloves. Why would a DA, whose job, first and foremost, is to deter crime through efficient prosecution, even consider letting serious crimes go unpunished? Why would someone in the hard-nosed business of presenting evidence and bringing criminals to justice step out of his domain to entertain quixotic ideas about criminal sociology that are best left to experts and the deliberative process of legislation? The answers are connected to the leftist-anarchist agenda for destroying America. At another level, they relate to Gascons zero experience as an attorney. Perhaps also to the complex, wrongheaded psychology of a former police officer who is striving too hard to project himself as a progressive using the language of the woke social sciences. Witness his propensities for abstractions, like the name of his REDY program and his statement that his focus is on long-term sustainable solutions. Even the left-leaning New York Times ran an article about Gascons reforms, asking, How Far is Too Far? The leftist-anarchist agenda for America is backed by multi-billionaire George Soros. In his 2019 book, In Defense of Open Society, Soros outlined a case to re-engineer the U.S. justice system. In 2014, he contributed $50 million to the American Civil Liberties Unions Campaign to End Mass Incarceration, designed to cut U.S. imprisonment rates by 50% by 2020. He has poured millions into the election of progressive district attorneys -- active catalysts for change -- who will put his ideas into practice across the country, including in California, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and several other states. He has also backed campaigns to slash police budgets. Unsurprisingly, wherever Soros has succeeded, the consequences have been disastrous; crime has risen precipitously and conviction rates have plummeted. Perhaps the worst is playing out in Los Angeles, the largest county and biggest jail system in the U.S. Here, Gascon has served his masters agenda faithfully. His very arrival was a surprise. Fresh from wreaking havoc as DA in San Francisco, the massively unpopular Gascon made an announcement a month before an election in which his position was in play that he was resigning his S.F. post to run in L.A. Facing Jackie Lacey in the race for DA, Gascon received $2.25 million from Soros and additional funding from the Working Families Party, a group closely allied with the Communist Party USA, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Squad member Rep. Ayanna Presley, Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, and Black Lives Matter (BLM) co-founder Patrisse Cullors, who mobilized her supporters to work for Gascons campaign. In short, Gascon is beholden to the leftist-anarchist ecosystem. The second factor -- his ignorance of the cut-and-thrust of the courtroom -- is best set out by Tung, his former deputy, who wrote scathingly of the massive attrition at his S.F. office and the demoralization of staff who know their supposed leader has never been in their shoes in court. She generously gave her boss a B-minus. Once sworn in as L.A.s district attorney, Gascon, whose first meeting was with BLM, pledged to end tough on crime prosecutions, release inmates from overcrowded prisons and hold police accountable for misconduct. He wrote an open letter to the LAPD accusing them of engaging in unconstitutional policing. In addition, he said, juveniles would no longer be prosecuted as adults, regardless of their circumstances or criminal history. True to his word -- and to the horror of many, including his staff -- he introduced REDY as a pilot program in November and expanded it to include juveniles who have used weapons or force to commit robbery or sexual assault. Like Tung, Gascons deputy in L.A., John McKinney, is frustrated and alarmed. He wants the new provisions removed, especially because sexual battery against children by older teens is a big problem in the county. He also describes other REDY provisions as grossly irresponsible and gravely impacting safety, citing a spate of smash-and-grab robberies by juveniles. He characterizes the program as political payback -- a means for Gascon to show Soros and his other supporters that he is promoting their political agenda. Public safety isnt part of the equation. Gascon has also ignored harsh practicalities: there is a shortage of programs that accept youthful offenders from L.A. County. Those with strict eligibility criteria will not accept gang members, juveniles who used a weapon, or any antisocial youth seen as unresponsive to the treatment they provide. So these criminals will remain at large, without any oversight. Plus, with the advent of the pandemic, even appropriate candidates are being counseled via Zoom meetings. In all ways, REDY is a golden opportunity for adult felons to solicit a juvenile to commit violent crimes while they watch from the periphery. With Gascon continuing to roll back all tough-on-crime measures like the death penalty, the elimination of criminal enhancement, and the prosecution of juveniles who commit serious crimes, its not difficult to understand why theres an effort to have him recalled. At a December 8th press conference, he boasted of turning around the criminal-legal system to make it more humane, more equitable -- again the newspeak beloved by the Left. But L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, from the trenches of crime-fighting, had a sharp and relevant response. He said he had hoped Gascon would use the press conference to resign which is what anyone would expect from a DA who will not prosecute criminals, values offenders over victims, and has received a formal vote of no confidence from 31 cities. The crime figures Villanueva gives also scream for Gascon to go: L.A. homicide rates rose 36% in 2020, and figures for 2021 so far make it 92%. Assault, arson, rapes -- all up. The sheriff links the uptick to the refusal to prosecute 2,690 cases that would normally have been prosecuted -- thats 30% of all cases. Taxpayers are having to hire security to protect themselves. Private security executive Joel Glucksman has seen an 80% increase in requests this year, thanks to the revolving door at the back end because the DA doesnt want to prosecute and got rid of cash bail. Frustrated police officers keep arresting the same offenders who are released back onto the streets in short order. Disastrous District Attorney George Gascon has got to go! Image: Shaun Calhoun To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Another day, another dead person, another beneficiary of the George Soros chaos masterplan of "bail reform." This travesty of justice happened in Chicago: A Chicago man shot and killed the mother of his children while on bond for being a felon in possession of a weapon in April and then fled to Texas, prosecutors said Tuesday. The murder of Jessica Johnson, 30, came just a few months after Edward Roscoe, 29, allegedly dropped their 4-month-old daughter, killing her. Roscoe is the 61st person accused of killing, trying to kill, or shooting someone in Chicago this year while awaiting trial for a felony. A total of 93 victims are involved in those crimes 25 of them were murdered. Had this monster been sitting in jail where he belonged, the woman he cold-bloodedly shot and killed as she likely cowered in a state of complete terror would still be alive. His dead baby daughter whom he somehow "dropped" would likely be alive, too. The woman killed was one of 25 murder victims who can't speak up about this "bail reform." She's also one of 93 victims who've been victims of such attacks, the non-dead ones likely recovering in hospitals for gunshot wounds or still taking the flashbacks of terror at what might have happened. Sixty-one of these thugs have been "beneficiaries" of bail reform, which means no or low cash bail, meaning that they were permitted to await their trial dates in complete freedom, giving them the time to even the score with their hate targets ahead of their date with the judge and jury. This fiend was one of them. Bail reform has been a plague for years now, enabling violent criminals to walk free ahead of their trials. The Soros left and its allies have been calling it a matter of economic justice, given that many thugs don't have the same kind of money as people with productive jobs: The ACLU calls it "smart justice" and is running a Campaign for Smart Justice on its website here: After an arrest wrongful or not a persons ability to leave jail and return home to fight the charges typically depends on access to money. That's because, in virtually all jurisdictions, people are required to pay cash bail in order to secure their freedom. Originally, bail was designed to ensure people return to court to face charges against them. Now we know that simple solutions like court reminders often can achieve that purpose. And, the money bail system has morphed into one that perpetuates widespread wealth-based incarceration. Here is their "logic": This bail system has increased the jail population and made America's incarceration problem worse. Memo to the leftists there: This bail system has also kept criminals off the streets and allowed many innocent people to retain some general "alive-ness." The crime rate and what bail reform does to the crime rate do not figure in their logic. Crime in fact has shot up based on bail reform, and while murder is the worst of it, there are other significant crimes flaring up like sea monsters coming up from the deep. In San Francisco, Soros-financed district attorney Chesa Boudin has pursued a no-bail policy for looters, which is why any apprehension of these criminals always leads to the revolving door of justice. A bunch who got let out -- 14 mass looters who benefited from bail "reform"-- just got let out as described in this story here. That's far from the only case: "To be a victim of crime in San Francisco is a complete nightmare under District Attorney Boudin," said one victim, in this story here. It also contributes to crime itself. Bail reform's defenders claim that bail reform is all about letting non-violent criminals out to wait. But obviously, that's open to interpretation. The fiend who killed the Chicago woman was out on bail for possession of a stolen firearm, something that by leftist definition was a "non-violent" offense. The career criminal who was out on a flimsy bail for trying to run over his girlfriend with a car earlier and then went on to use his car to run down children at a parade in Wisconsin may have been classified as 'non-violent' too, given that his crimes didn't involve guns or knives. If he wasn't, and was indeed classified as violent, that's even worse. Meanwhile, the gaslighting surrounds this problem, like some kind of toxic penumbra. Here's some crap from CNN's so-called fact-checkers about this, confidently spewing the Fake News: Facts First: There's no clear evidence linking bail reforms -- which have been in place for years in some cities -- to the recent rise in violent crimes. In fact, the majority of cities that have seen increases in crime have not eliminated cash bail. Many variables have contributed to the increases Graham is referencing but CNN has seen no evidence to suggest that bail reform is a major factor. Maybe these clowns can tell that to the 25 and climbing murder victims in Chicago alone who were killed by beasts on bail. Sixty-one violent thugs let out of jail on bail reform, only to go on to kill others, is 61 too many. It's time to make the purveyors of this vile philosophy of bail reform start to pay up whenever another victim is murdered by one of their precious killer beneficiaries. Image: Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Medical triage is necessary when there are insufficient medical resources to meet all immediate patient needs in a specific location. When three soldiers are bleeding out after a battle and there is only one surgeon on site, that doctor must decide who gets care first. The same is true when there are three COVID patients in respiratory failure and only enough ivermectin for one. A recent announcement by "Doctor" President Biden turns triage upside-down: he is taking medical care away from those who need it and offering care where it is not required. Biden announced that he is transferring 1,000 military doctors and nurses to various civilian hospitals in order to facilitate vaccinations in light of the rapid spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19. A real doctor would call this triage malpractice. Early data clearly shows that omicron is highly contagious and also not hazardous to public health. The CDC reports that 73 percent of all new COVID cases are omicron. Yet there has been only one death in the whole USA. That man was in the high-risk group i.e., he had serious pre-existing medical conditions. Furthermore, unless and until his autopsy data are released, we don't know if he died because of COVID damage or because of his pre-existing condition while the COVID antigen was simply in his blood. Omicron was first reported in South Africa, and, therefore, they have the best, admittedly short-term, clinical information there. Their data and our experience suggest that omicron is much less hazardous to health than the delta variant, which in turn was less medically damaging than the original COVID. In other words, COVID is behaving like other viruses. As it mutates, it becomes more contagious and less impactful with each new strain. So why do our president-wannabe-doctor and his bureaucrat-with-M.D. mouthpiece, Anthony Fauci, warn us that this winter will be a "season of illness and death" unless we follow their draconian mandates, especially vaccination and multiple boosters? Why is Biden gearing up to respond to omicron as if it were Ebola? Biden and Fauci do this to keep the COVID scam, their big con, going. They hype up Americans' fear so they can justify their authoritarian, in fact dictatorial, mandates and actions. The reason there is an insufficient number of health care workers is that thousands have been fired for believing "my body, my choice." They chose not to be injected with experimental gene therapy called mRNA technology and were willing to pay the penalty for exercising their medical freedom during Biden's time of medical tyranny. Our veterans are literally dying while waiting in line for medical care. An internal audit by the V.A. Office of Inspector General concluded that "47,000 veterans may have died" waiting for medical care that did not come in time to save them. By transferring care providers out of military facilities, the president is doing the opposite of proper medical triage. He takes away care providers from those who desperately need them to give care to those who do not need it at all. Can our veterans sue the president for malpractice or at least practicing (bad) medicine without a license? Lord knows they meet the legal definition of "standing": injury in fact due to action of another. Deane Waldman, M.D., MBA is professor emeritus of pediatrics, pathology, and decision science; former director of the Center for Healthcare Policy at Texas Public Policy Foundation; former director, New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange; and author of the multi-award-winning book Curing the Cancer in U.S. Healthcare: StatesCare and Market-Based Medicine. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. "America is back," proclaimed Joe Biden as he gathered with world leaders earlier this June, at the G-7 summit. French president Emmanuel Macron rather unsubtly declared that "it's great to have a U.S. president who is part of the club and very willing to cooperate." If you followed the Democrats in the media and beyond, you wouldn't be blamed for believing that upon occupying the White House, Biden would instantly transform the hell they claimed President Trump left behind into heaven. A great deal was made about democratic values and dignity for people "of color" and other minorities being restored. Biden himself claimed, "'Everybody is entitled to be treated with decency and dignity." Then reality hit everybody. Following the disastrous U.S. Afghanistan pullout, which left U.S. allies in the dark, Macron was among the first to be individually antagonized. Australia withdrew from a multi-billion-dollar defense deal with France and struck a new defense deal with the U.S. and U.K., shutting France out. Macron was understandably livid. The rest of the promises melted into thin air as Biden waded from one catastrophe to another, ruining everything, from the U.S. economy to watching crime soar in U.S. cities to the border disintegrating into an unlocked gate. What about respecting democratic values? Parents protesting against their children being indoctrinated with left-wing propaganda were branded as domestic terrorists. Political opponents are being imprisoned in solitary confinement for participating in a protest. An already obsequious mainstream media establishment was ordered to prostrate into total submission by covering Biden more favorably. But this ignominious list of assaults on democracy keeps growing. The latest victim is Simon Ateba, a White House correspondent for Today News Africa, a news organization that covers U.S.-Africa relations. A few weeks ago, following the emergence of the omicron COVID variant after an announcement from a medical researcher in South Africa, the Biden administration imposed a travel ban on eight southern African countries including South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi. That issue is significant to the African countries penalized because 57 countries have reported cases of the omicron variant. Some of the sanctioned African countries are not among them. But those countries' nationals were banned from entry to the U.S. merely because South African scientists discovered omicron. To Africans, the whole thing was illogical. After all, a variant being identified by a scientist in one country doesn't mean that the virus originated in that country. As we now know, omicron has found its way across the world. The ban was illogical and unscientific. If there had to be a ban, it should have been applicable to all 57 foreign countries where the variant was present, which is a questionable thing in itself, given that the mild variant is alive and well and spreading in the States anyway. Simon Ateba rightly challenged White House press secretary Jennifer Psaki about the travel ban and even got into a verbal tussle with her when he suggested that the ban was racist since the omicron variant of COVID-19 has now been confirmed in 57 countries. For attempting to sow discord in the White House echo chamber also known as the press room, a displeased Psaki shut him down and attempted to move on to another correspondent in the room, even as Ateba persisted in trying to get an answer. Psaki offered denials of any punishment to African nations, but it was pablum. Ateba continued to interrupt Psaki and other briefing guests such as the White House's chief medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Orwell once said that "speaking the truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act." By following the ethics of journalism, holding the powerful accountable, and persisting until satisfactory explanations were offered, Ateba was merely doing his job. But in an era of perpetually slobbering news media, Ateba's conduct was seen as an act of rebellion. So there was more to come. Simon Ateba went on Tucker Carlson Tonight to talk about his ordeal. This was obviously too much for Psaki to tolerate. First, Ateba dared to challenge her and Dr. Fauci. Then he appeared on TV alongside Tucker Carlson, who in her mind is the second worst person in the world after President Trump. Ateba was punished. Last Friday, Ateba returned on Tucker Carlson Tonight to provide details about his punishment. "Since I came on your show two weeks ago, I've not been called on at the White House to ask any questions. I've raised my hand many times. Some people told me it was a really bad idea to have come on this show and I shouldn't have come and I don't really know what happened ... and I've come now for a second time." "We [Today News Africa] rely on subscriptions and donations. It is expensive to go to the White House and not have any questions [answered] because of coming on shows or trying to point out that the reason the Biden administration banned only African nations over the omicron variant, it wasn't based on any science. It was based on a lie." Mr. Ateba has also pointed out that African reporters were not allowed to ask questions when African leaders visited the White House. These bans are a frontal assault on the freedom of the press. It is ironic that this is occurring at the heart of U.S. democracy i.e., the White House press room in Washington. If they had any ethics, the entire press would have walked out and refused to participate in the press briefings until Mr. Ateba was allowed to speak his mind and challenge the Biden administration's baseless travel ban. They would have castigated the White House for punishing Ateba merely for appearing on a show that is critical of the Biden administration. If they had any morals, the likes of Joy Reid, Al Sharpton, and BLM, who cannot stop talking about race, would have made a great deal of noise that a non-white person is being silent for challenging the White House's discriminatory policies against non-white people. But nothing of the kind happened. There was not even a new espresso machine sponsored by Tom Hanks urging Ateba to "Keep up the good fight for truth, justice, and the American way." Apart from Fox News, few have covered this disgraceful de facto ban on Mr. Ateba. We all know what the reaction would have been if such actions had been taken by President Trump's press secretary. This should come as no surprise. Since their party was founded in 1829, the Democrats have had a history of discrimination against non-white people. They defended slavery, which caused the Civil War. They founded the Ku Klux Klan. They imposed segregation. They perpetrated lynching, and they fought the civil rights acts of the 1960s. This is systemic racism. This is a totalitarian cult that respects only those who follow orders and adhere to groupthink. No dissenters are allowed. If the dissenter happens to be a non-white person, he is the recipient of the most vicious of racist attacks. Just recall how conservative African-Americans such as Larry Elder, Candace Owens, Winsome Sears, and Herman Cain have been treated. To sum it up, the White House seems to have followed the Democrat record of systemic racism by doing the following: Impose travel ban on countries populated mostly by non-white people. Silence a non-white journalist for valid questions about the racist travel ban. Block African reporters from asking questions when any African leader visits the White House. These are a continuation of the Democrat's dubious record of systemic bigotry and totalitarianism. Unfortunately, most African-Americans who have been brainwashed to vote Democrats will never know of this since it is barely covered. Image: Screenshot from shareable Fox News video. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Coughing all over the place during his rare public appearances, multi-vaxxed Joe Biden gives all appearances of having COVID. But if he does, he's got politics on his mind and therefore isn't about to be honest about it. The latest nonsense then comes from White House spokesweasel Jen Psaki, who's making curious claims. Following a report that Biden was exposed to COVID by a staffer who caught the disease, Psaki tried to spin the obvious to us about whether Biden has COVID, this time with a positively Jesuitical evasion about the president's status. She claimed this: .@PressSec says Biden is asymptomatic after his close contact last week with a staffer who later tested positive for COVID-19. "He's asymptomatic. I spent several hours with him this morning and he is feeling great," she said. darlene superville (@dsupervilleap) December 21, 2021 Asymptomatic? As in, has the disease, but isn't coughing all over the place? That not only is dishonest based on the fact that he is coughing in public appearances but also implies a positive test for COVID. Asymptomatic people with COVID don't cough all over the place the way old Joe does. It sounds as if she revealed more than she meant to with that remark, given that it appears quite realistic to suspect that Joe has COVID. Twitchy has an excellent roundup of the public skepticism of that claim seen on Twitter here. It's worth asking more about because Joe has been a coughing wreck for weeks. Here's the news from less than three weeks ago, on Dec. 3: President Biden explained Friday that his cough and raspy voice is due to a grandson who had a cold and not the coronavirus. He is tested for the virus every day and recent results were negative, he said. "I'm okay," he told a reporter who noted the difference in his voice after he concluded his remarks at the White House on the latest jobs report. "I have a [coronavirus] test every day." "What I have is a one-and-a-half-year-old grandson who had a cold who likes to kiss his pop," Biden added. "It's just a cold." He didn't name the grandson, but the only one who matches that profile is the new offspring of his son Hunter Biden and his latest wife. (That's the same Hunter Biden who's quite the artist these days and supposedly the relative Joe never discusses business with. Seems they meet a lot, though. In any case, it's unknown whether the kid gave senile old Gramps any cold.) A month earlier, Psaki herself tested positive for COVID. Of course, she would have no problem working in the same room with Coughing Joe, as she has natural immunity. That's a lot of COVID floating around the White House with its hyper-vaxxed staff, yet somehow, none of it ever lands on Joe. Now, why would Biden be so eager to deny he has COVID despite his obvious symptoms? President Trump had no problem admitting he had COVID. Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the U.K. and President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil never hid the fact that they were sick with COVID, either. But Biden is showing all signs of having caught COVID himself, and the White House spin machine is working overtime to deny anything amiss to the public. Why is he being so dishonest about this? Most likely because he's been hollering and haranguing the public to get vaccinated. He's been so obnoxious about it that he even told a Kentucky tornado victim trying to get over injuries and the shock of losing all his possessions in the mega-storm to get vaccinated, showing his complete tin ear on how to deal with victims of natural disasters. He might have even spread a little COVID there as he said it, given the White House COVID Petri dish. Who knows? He seems to be in the clutches of some kind of Big Pharma corporate interests, which would involve forcing the vaccine on everyone, given the high profits and zero risk of lawsuits for vaccine injuries. We all know that Biden's vaccinated many times having made a public show of it. Now he's caught COVID? Like millions of others who've been vaccinated? What it sounds like is that his vaccination agenda might just be more important than public health and decisions about one's body. Biden catching COVID puts that priority on the rocks, given that the public can see that these vaccines don't work very well and certainly don't stop anyone from catching COVID. That affirms what vaccine skeptics have been saying all along that the vaccines are jury-rigged, they don't work very well, and many people would be better off skipping the vaccine and relying on natural immunity as a defense. With the very mild omicron variant going around and acting as a natural vaccine, that seems reasonable, as does the idea of learning to live with COVID and focusing on effective therapeutics such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. But all of that flies in the face of Biden's hard vaccine agenda. If Biden has COVID, it would be Exhibit A of why that idea makes less and less sense, because the vaccines don't seem to prevent anything. Fact is, the most vaccinated places on Earth, such as Gibraltar and Israel, have some of the highest COVID cases. It's as if the vaccines make people more, not less vulnerable to catching the new variants. Substack here has an excellent piece on the "pandemic of the vaccinated." What we see here, if it's eventually found out to be true that Joe has COVID, is Biden putting his political agenda ahead of the public's health. Besides the bizarre desire to force vaccinations on everyone, there are also uncomfortable questions about the 25th Amendment which raises the question of whether there will be a President Kamala Harris at some time in the near future. All of these things rank higher to Joe than the actual truth about the vaccines and about Joe himself. Can't this administration act with honesty? Seems they can't, given that the lies coming from them seem to be reflexive. Image: Twitter screen shot. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. The Salvation Army, having faced a massive backlash because of November's "Let's Talk About Racism" guide, doesn't seem to have learned its lesson. It's now announced that, in January, it will be offering a two-day racial justice forum in Illinois. This turn to the left does not bode well for an organization that has already seen a significant drop in charitable donations since it decided to embrace leftist politics. Since its founding in 1865, the Salvation Army has been one of the most effective charitable organizations in America. Its members have reached out to and helped the poor, the hungry, and the broken, both physically and spiritually. However, in November, the Salvation Army issued a guidebook entitled "Let's Talk About Racism," which seemed to be trying to shift its salvation focus to Critical Race Theory. The pushback was so great that the Salvation Army pulled the guidebook. Despite having done so, though, in some regions, the Salvation Army saw a precipitous decline in both volunteers and donations. One would think the beat-down it took in November and December, in terms of both public opprobrium and financial losses, would have caused the Salvation Army to think twice about adding a big dollop of Marxist-inspired Critical Race Theory to its core theology. One would be wrong, however, to think that. Fox News reports that the Salvation Army's Metropolitan Division is offering a two-day long racial justice forum: The Salvation Army is hosting a two-day racial justice forum in Illinois in an effort to "help alleviate the pain of suffering humanity within our communities and institutions" after the organization sparked controversy last month with a racism guide that it has since retracted. The Young Adult Racial Justice Forum, hosted by the Salvation Army Metropolitan Division, will take place in Hoffman Estates near Chicago on Jan. 8-Jan. 9 and will feature theologian and activist Esau McCaulley as a guest speaker. "We believe racial justice is an urgent issue close to the heart of God," the event description states, "and therefore are eager to create opportunities to disciple our soldiers and stakeholders in ways that will encourage deeper holiness and to provide those in our ranks with the resources to help alleviate the pain of suffering humanity within our communities and institutions." One can get a sense of Esau McCaulley's politics by noting that he is a regular contributor to The New York Times. He's also steeped in the litanies of Black victimhood. In May 2020, he wrote about Ahmaud Arbery, who had just been killed after three White men believed he was a thief, played vigilante, and tried to "round him up," only to end up in a scuffle that resulted in Arbery's death. All three men have since been convicted of murder. Image: Salvation Army WWI poster. Public domain. In the article, McCaulley lists Black people unjustly killed because of racism. Some of those names reflect the tragedy of America's racist past (Emmett Till, the four little girls murdered in 1963's 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, and Medgar Evers), a past that is truly long gone. One name in the list, though, stands out: Trayvon Martin. Martin wasn't killed by White supremacists. He was a hulking kid, involved in drugs and crime, who was trying to beat George Zimmerman to death when the latter shot him. Only someone deep in Critical Race Theory would say Martin's death was the same as Till's or those little girls' deaths. McCaulley's embrace of Critical Race Theory over Christianity shines most clearly in his article entitled "Why Christians Must Fight Systemic Racism." It's a very defensive article in which he insists he's not a communist and that he doesn't consider all White people racist. However, to the extent that he insists that America, the least racist country in the world, which has made racism illegal in both the public and private spheres, is systemically racist, he's advancing a purely Marxist doctrine. Critical Race Theory exists in America because Marxists were unable to make headway with classic Marxist economic doctrines. Therefore, they went for America's weak underbelly, which is its racially fraught past. Whenever Blacks preach the CRT gospel, they can ignore the pathologies of their communities, the most profound of which is the absence of fathers, something traceable to the welfare state having supplanted men in the Black family. That's your systemic racism. Ironically, the best antidote is what the Salvation Army used to sell: not a racist hustle but a religious approach to life, one that encouraged family and faith, both of which are the greatest bulwark against lives of poverty, crime, and despair. But since the Salvation Army is in the process of abandoning its core product, one can only wonder whether it will continue to do good and how much longer it will survive. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. The Belyana were some of the largest wooden ships ever built. Yet, they were only meant for a single journey. They were built to transport huge quantities of timber along the Volga and Kama. Instead of just floating the logs down the rivers, they were fashioned into enormous ships and these large vessels were rowed or floated downriver. At their destination, the vessel was disassembled and the wood sold. Between the 16th and the 19th centuries, hundreds of belyanas were built every year and floated down the rivers. With more than a fifth of the world's forests, timber production is one of the countrys oldest economy. Wood was logged in winter. Loggers would spent the entire winter in the forest cutting down trees and preparing them for transportation. After the spring flood, when rivers returned to normal flow, construction of belyanas started. They took the entire summer, finishing in autumn. First the hull was built using spruce beams and pine boards. The flat bottom was made of spruce and the walls were made of pine. About 240 pine and 200 spruce logs were needed to build a medium-sized belyana. The vessels were originally built without a single nail and only later, in the 19th century, did iron nails begin to be used. No tarring was performed, and the logs were simply tied tightly together. The lack of tar gave the belyans a whitish appearance, from which comes its name. Belyana means faded or white. The load of logs, beams and planks was distributed in even rows with wide openings between them so as to provide quick access to its bottom in the event of a breach or other accident. In addition, properly laid logs dry faster, which protects them from rot. Like the hull and the superstructure, the deck too was made of a load, usually of cut boards. Two cabins were installed near the stern, and served as a balance and as quarters for the crew. A high transverse bridge was built between their roofs with a cabin cut in the middle, where the pilot was located. Belyanas were richly decorated with flags of the state as well as that of a particular merchant, which most often depicted the blessings of saints or some symbols appropriate to the occasion. Small belyanas had a draught of 2.5 to 2.8 meters and could carry up to 1,600 tons. Medium belyanas had a draught of approximately 3.5 m and could carry 3,200 tons. The large ones measured up to 120 meters long and 25 meters wide, and had a draught of 5 meters. They could carry 12,800 tons of wood, comparable to a modern container ship. Each belyana was crewed by 15 to 35 sailors, while larger ones had up to 100. Most of them worked on the pumps that pumped water from the hull, which tended to flood during the journey. The belyanas had no propellers and moved by the action of the river. A huge rudder placed in the stern of the vessel allowed the pilot to navigate the belyana. After a 2,000 to 3,000 km journey along the Volga, the belyana would reach its destination, which was usually Saratov, Tsaritsyn (today's Volgograd), and Astrakhan, where the timber and hull were dismantled for firewood or went to sawmills for final processing. The boats' cabins were sold as ready-made houses. Belyanas flourished in the middle of the 19th century, when steamboats ran on wood, which had to be brought to the towns of the lower Volga. Up to 500 steamships on the Volga needed large quantities of firewood to propel them. After ships started to run oil, the demand for wood decreased. Besides, with the development of the railway system, the cost of transportation by rail became cheaper than by water, and belyanas became obsolete. Wear OS may be poised to get the next-gen version of Google Assistant thanks to the Pixel Watch. According to a new report from 9To5Google, the Pixel Watch could be coming with this version of Googles digital assistant tool. Worth keeping in mind is that the Pixel Watch itself hasnt been confirmed by Google yet. Let alone that the next-gen version of Google Assistant is coming to the Pixel Watch. But, evidence has been mounting that makes it seem more and more likely that Google does plan to release a smartwatch thats part of its now famed Pixel brand. And if the report is accurate, and the next-gen version is coming to Googles own wearable, then using it will be a lot faster. Something which could be a major benefit to people who tend to use the feature on their smartwatches. Think about it. You probably use Google Assistant from a smartwatch in a pinch when you dont have your hands free to use your phone. Or to type the search query. Which is likely to happen when you need the results quickly. So why is this a good thing for users? Because the next-gen version processes speech directly on the device. Which translates to faster responses. Advertisement In addition to the next-gen Google Assistant, the Pixel Watch may be powered by Exynos The next-gen version of Google Assistant isnt the only potential new detail about this watch. Its also possible that Samsungs Exynos chipset for wearables could be powering this device. Thats because the watch would need a powerful enough smartwatch chip to process the speech directly on the hardware. 9To5Google also notes some evidence found points to the possibility Google could use Samsungs components. Though again, this isnt something thats set in stone. That being said, Googles options could be to use an entirely new chip that Samsung makes specifically for the watch. Additionally, it could also use the same chip thats in the Galaxy Watch 4. Which would mean the Galaxy Watch 4 could potentially get the new version of Google Assistant down the road as well. The Essential Phone turned a few heads when it arrived in mid-2017 but was short-lived. The company behind it, founded by Android creator Andy Rubin, ceased operations last year. However, some members of the team regrouped to form a new company called OSOM. They are now working on their first product, an Android smartphone called OSOM OV1. The companys CEO and founder, Jason Keats, recently shared some information about the upcoming device. Keats also offered up the first look at the new phone. OSOM OV1 is a throwback to the Essential PH-1 OSOMs first product is a throwback to the Essential PH-1 and hence the name OSOM OV1 (vault 1). Though not a sequel, the new device is designed to evoke a feeling of continuity, Keats has revealed. But the similarities may not end with the name. The OSOM OV1s design efforts are being looked after by the same person who led the design team at Essential. It will reportedly have more throwback to the original device. The new phone wont keep Essential PH-1s modular system though. Speaking of design, we can see the OSOM OV1 features a triangular camera module at the back, with two cameras and an LED flash. Theres also a capacitive fingerprint scanner. The device has its power and volume keys on the right. And unlike most other devices, the OSOM branding is towards the top rather than the bottom. The device will reportedly run on a Qualcomm chipset. Advertisement Unfortunately, we dont have any other information regarding the new phones specifications and features, neither do we know anything about its front design. We expect it to sport a centered punch-hole display with minimal bezels. OSOM plans to share more details about the OSOM OV1 at MWC 2022 in February. The company is targeting a summer 2022 release for the phone. It is a privacy-focused Android smartphone The Android smartphone market is pretty crowded and its quite difficult for newcomers to attract buyers. Perhaps thats why Essential had to pack it up within a few years. But OSOM is looking to carve a chunk of the market for itself with its privacy-first approach. The name stands for out of sight, out of mind, stressing that privacy is its primary goal. The acronym OSOM is also somewhat homophonic with awesome. Advertisement Keats says the new company will try to avoid the mistakes Essential made. One of the things that hurt Essential was, it wasnt entirely clear what the point of Essential was, what we were building for, and that hurt us, he said. That was probably the biggest thing that prevented us from being successful. Though the OSOM OV1 will run stock Android at its core, the company plans to accomplish its goals with three key pillars: privacy, simplicity, and choice. It will implement this approach across hardware, software, and marketing. The firm reportedly already has three separate pieces of software in development, though Keats isnt sharing many details about those. What he revealed though is that OSOMs version of Android will offer better customization and privacy controls to users. Compared to stock Android, it will be 100-fold more powerful at letting users what apps are doing and what information they have access to. Advertisement Though making software is harder than making hardware, Keats claims OSOM will give as much importance to hardware. Were still gonna build a great flagship-grade Android phone that people who like Android will wanna buy, he said. The company is spending a lot of time and money on making sure features like camera and app are up to snuff at launch. As said before, OSOM plans to unveil the OSOM OV1 in the summer of 2022. It will be available in the US, Canada, and a handful of countries in Europe at launch. In the US, the company doesnt plan to sign up partnerships with carriers. Time will tell whether the phone manages to survive or it will be a repeat of the Essential PH-1. (ANSA) - ROME, DEC 22 - The Italy Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has attracted over 620,000 visitors so far, according to Paolo Glisenti, the Commissioner for Italy's participation at the World Fair. "We are satisfied," Glisenti said at a recent event organized by Costa Cruises, a golden sponsor of the Italy Pavilion. "The Italy Pavilion has become a reference point, a place of listening at the international level with over 500 events of these six months". Glisenti said the pavilion, which features a replica of Michelaneglo's David, has also attracted over six million virtual visitors online. Expo 2020 Dubai opened its doors on October 1 and runs until the end of October. (ANSA). Police discover 308 unvaccinated health workers on the job Six medical, dental practices, two pharmacies closed (ANSAmed) - ROME, DEC 22 - NAS Carabinieri health police have discovered 308 unvaccinated doctors and healthcare workers who were irregularly working, investigative sources said Wednesday. During the operation, which began in November and ended today, Carabinieri police monitored 6,600 healthcare workers. A total of 135 doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses and other healthcare workers were reported to prosecutors for working although they had been suspended because they had refused the vaccine against COVID-19. The vaccine is mandatory for health workers in Italy. Six medical and dental practices and two pharmacies where the health workers were employed were closed and seized by police. (ANSAmed). A new campaign is encouraging hairdressers and makeup artists with experience of working with people of colour to join the film and television industry. The initiative is targeted at professionals currently working in areas including black hair salons, on photo-shoots, music videos, theatre and other live events. Organised by skills body ScreenSkills, it is being backed by actors, directors and producers and aims to support the changing face of film and TV. The initiative has been backed by producers including Barbara Broccoli, of the James Bond franchise Sixteen places will be available for the first round of the training and suitable candidates will be given paid placements on high-end television productions. Both Netflix and ITV Studios are among the companies who have committed to offer placements in 2022. ScreenSkills said that all applicants will need extensive experience in working with black hair or with make-up for people of colour, though it is not expected that candidates will have both. Hairdressers and make-up artists experienced in working with black hair and make-up for people of colour are being invited to join the film and television industry. Paapa Essiedu, the Emmy-nominated star of I May Destroy You, said: My experience of working in the screen industries is that it doesnt work unless everyone is able to work in a way that makes them feel comfortable and confident. A character starts with the actor but is finessed and completed with the help of so many people including hair and make-up. When I started acting, my white peers would just get their hair cut by hair and make-up for their part. The same wasnt true of my hair. I would have to take time out of my day and use my budget to go to a barber my time wasnt seen as having the same value as my peers. This sounds like a great initiative. I hope that it attracts people into the industry who havent known how to get in before. It is really important that the process that is creating greater equality in front of the camera is replicated in crew like hair and make-up as well. Barbara Broccoli, producer of films including the James Bond franchise, said: We have a great need of diversity behind the camera as well as on-screen. This programme is a really exciting and practical way of finding talented new hair and make-up artists to support our actors of colour. Those interested in applying can register for a free place on the introductory evening on the ScreenSkills website. The session will discuss working in hair and make-up on film and television productions and offer an overview of the world of production. Stretched nurses have pleaded with the public to get vaccinated and boosted over Christmas to ease the strain on the NHS. Staff at Kings College Hospital in south-east London said that, while social distancing and wearing masks is important, getting both jabs as well as boosters is the best thing that people can do to prevent themselves from getting Omicron. Nicky Barlow, 30, a critical care sister who works in the Covid intensive care unit at Kings, said they have found patients being admitted to hospital with coronavirus are younger than before. Nurses in a critical care unit at Kings College Hospital (Victoria Jones/PA) She told the PA news agency: We are very stretched from a nursing point of view, weve had lots of sickness due to Covid positive cases and contacts. The nurses are all very tired because theyre all having to take on a lot more responsibility than they normally would due to the stretched staffing. Were seeing the majority of patients that are coming in with Covid are not vaccinated and theyre also younger as well this time around. Outlining what can be done to ease the stress on them, she added: The majority of Covid patients that are coming in arent vaccinated. All the patients that have had their vaccine seem to have not as bad symptoms. I would (say) get vaccinated. Ive been vaccinated, Ive had my booster, I would encourage all the staff to have their boosters. I think thats the best thing that we could do. Wearing masks and social distancing is helpful too. Medical staff urged people to protect themselves at Christmas and look after those around them who are more vulnerable (Victoria Jones/PA) Dr Laura Jane Smith, 39, is a respiratory consultant in one of the hospitals two wards for Covid patients. She told PA: Theres only so much that people can do, but the things that really make a difference is looking after themselves and really thinking hard about getting their vaccinations. What were seeing is that they (the vaccines) do make a huge difference to the severity of disease. People might still have some hesitancy and I just advise them to try and make sure theyre getting really good information from trusted sources and just rethink to try and protect themselves and their loved ones. We all treat everyone the same, unvaccinated, vaccinated or whatever, but we see what a difference it makes, and so we really hope that people could reconsider that decision. Stretched nurses have pleaded with the public to get vaccinated and boosted over Christmas to ease the strain on the NHS (Victoria Jones/PA) Kate Amy, 26, a labour ward midwife, encouraged those who are waiting to give birth to try and minimise contact with others before having their babies. Were here to care for you, Covid or no Covid. Were still here, were still committed. Birth is always a wonderful thing, no matter what form it comes in, she said. If you are able to minimise contacts that will be brilliant to keep you safe and to keep staff members safe. But overall, no matter what, were here to care for you and well keep you safe. Dr Tom Best, a consultant in the critical care unit at Kings College Hospital, said he hopes people have a better understanding of how they can end up catching Covid (Victoria Jones/PA) Dr Tom Best, 53, a consultant in the critical care unit at Kings College, said he hopes people have a better understanding of how they can end up catching Covid. I think people do need to know and people do know the potential consequences and how dangerous and beastly this virus can be, he said. I think we just have to look after each other, protect ourselves and look after those around us that are more vulnerable. Thats the thing we can do for the Christmas holidays. The World Health Organisation has warned that no country can boost its way out of the Covid-19 pandemic. The rush for wealthy countries to roll-out the additional Covid vaccine doses is making it harder for other nations to get hold of the jab and is likely to prolong the pandemic, according to the World Health Organisations director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu. He also warned that it is wrong for any nation to think that boosters alone can guarantee that everyone has a safe festive season. He told a WHO press conference: No country can boost its way out of the pandemic and boosters cannot be seen as a ticket to go ahead with planned celebrations, without the need for other precautions. His comments came as new figures showed that more than 30 million extra doses of Covid-19 vaccine have now been given in the UK. A record 968,665 booster and third doses were reported for the UK on Tuesday. The previous record was 940,606 doses on Saturday. It means a total of 30.8 million booster and third doses have now been delivered, with 6.1 million in the past seven days, according to the figures which have been published by the UKs four health agencies. The head of the WHO said that some nations are in the middle of blanket booster roll-out while distortions in global supply mean that only half of WHOs member states are on target to vaccinate 40% of their populations by the end of the year. Vaccinator Rosie Buchanan (left) giving paediatric nurse Jordan Reid her the booster jab (Liam McBurney/PA) He said: Blanket booster programmes are likely to prolong the (Covid-19) pandemic, rather than ending it, by diverting supply to countries that already have high levels of vaccination coverage, giving the virus more opportunity to spread and mutate. Its important to remember that the vast majority of hospitalisations and deaths are in unvaccinated people, not un-boosted people. And we must be very clear that the vaccines we have remain effective against both the Delta and Omicron variants. He added that the global priority must be to support all countries to achieve our targets of vaccinating 40% of the population of every country by the end of this year, and 70% by the middle of next year. Around 58% of all adults in the UK have now had a booster or third dose of Covid-19 vaccine, according to analysis by the PA news agency. This is up from 46% a week ago. Police have appealed for witnesses after a 14-year-old boy was killed on Tuesday when a van collided with a bus stop in Greenwich. The boy was pronounced dead at 4.35pm after being taken for treatment at a south London hospital following the collision. His family have been informed and are being supported by specialist police officers. The London Ambulance Service, Londons Air Ambulance and London Fire Brigade attended the scene at the junction of Eltham Road with Kidbrooke Park Road. Two other pedestrians, a 40-year-old woman and an eight-year-old boy, suffered injuries and were taken to hospital. Their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. The 40-year-old van driver stopped at the scene and was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, and taken to a south London police station. He was later released under investigation. Officers from the Roads and Transport Policing Command are investigating. Detective Inspector Lucie Card, leading the investigation, said: This is a tragic incident which has resulted in the death of a 14-year-old boy. Our investigation into what happened is well under way but we need anyone who witnessed what happened to come forward and speak to us. Likewise, I would also ask any motorists in the area to review any dashcam footage that may have captured this collision. It is vital that with give this childs family answers about what led to his death just a few days before Christmas. Like mariners shipwrecked in The Tempest, tormented by a conspiring God, or Macbeth at Dunsinane, the cast and crew of Shakespeare in the Parks Merry Wives faced promethean odds. As told in the new HBO Max documentary Reopening Night, the Public Theaters endeavor to open Merry Wives as the first large-scale theater event in New York City last summer was as Shakespearean as its subject. And here I was thinking this was going to be a boring documentary, playwright Jocelyn Bioh, who reset the comedy among a diasporic African community in Harlem, told Variety last week at an intimate premiere for the new doc. Theater was the last thing on my mind, she said, recounting when director Saheem Ali first asked her to retool the little known comedy into a needed telling of Black joy. There were big questions for me: Why should we be doing this right now? Can we do it? And if we do, what are we going to say? Beyond the monumental task of rehearsing a new play while innovating first-ever theater COVID protocols, the production, staged at the Publics outdoor Central Park venue, faced one impasse after another. As the documentary recounts, extreme heat and torrential rain stalled much of the plays technical rehearsals. A nightmarish storm canceled their first performance, and, a few weeks later, a COVID case in the cast postponed opening night and stalled the production. The productions Falstaff, Jacob Ming-Trent, sustained a serious injury during a performance, and understudies and covers, seven or eight at a time, circled in and out of the cast through a revolving door. We opened into chaos, Oskar Eustis, The Publics longtime Artistic Director, told Variety Monday. Still, not going on with the show was never on the table. For me, he said, it was important that the first big theatrical event in New York City was free and in the park. It wasnt premium tickets on Broadway, and that was a statement we were dedicated to make, whatever came our way. Aphorisms aside, the Publics efforts last summer, as documented in the film, were a test-case for COVID protocols in theater across the country, innovating many of the systems shows on and off-Broadway use today and studied closely by the citys many unions and trade associations. We had to rethink everything about what we do, the productions director, Ali, told Variety. For example, when we started, there were no in-person auditions happening in New York City. We were the first to do it, watched closely by Actors Equity. We had to entirely redesign the rehearsal room. In an intimate and free space, how do we acknowledge that we need a boundary for safety? Beyond that, he continued, we were returning to theater after a profound racial reckoning, and we had to figure out how to empower actors in a new way and grapple with a production of Shakespeare that had an all-Black cast for a reason. Clear on Monday, however, as the cast and crew of the summers production took their seats in a small screening room inside HBOs headquarters, Reopening Night is more than a document of one production at a pivotal moment in the history of theater: Its the story of why we bother to make theater at allabout the toilsome, frustrating, petty process of putting it together, and about the collective natureunlike anything else in artof gathering to make and watch a play. Armageddonthe pandemic, the weather, the insurmountable oddswere merely propellant for Merry Wives. Reopening Night, and the endeavor it describes, is about dedicating oneself to art in the first place. Without dismissing the fact that wed been through a pandemic, without dismissing the fact we went through a profound racial reckoning, we fell down in 2020, the films director, Rudy Valdez, said on Monday about the need to document the production. We fell down as a country. We fell down as individuals. We fell down as artists. And, to me, telling stories isnt about watching someone fall down. Its about watching somebody stand back up. Reopening Night is available now on HBO Max. Subscribe to Variety Newsletters and Email Alerts! Handcuffs on dark background illuminated by flashing lights of police car with copy space CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) Florida authorities said they found cocaine and methamphetamine wrapped around a man's penis during a traffic stop, but the man denied the drugs were his. Pinellas County sheriff's deputies said they stopped a vehicle driving without its lights on at 4 a.m. last Saturday. WFLA-TV reports the driver was arrested on charges of DUI and marijuana possession. Authorities said they found a gun under the passengers seat while searching the car and discovered the drugs while searching the passenger. The man said the drugs were not his, but didn't say who the drugs belonged to, according to the arrest report. Yunusa Bawa, a community health worker, injects a man with AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine in Sabon Kuje on the outskirts of Abuja, Nigeria, Monday, Dec 6, 2021. As Nigeria tries to meet an ambitious goal of fully vaccinating 55 million of its 206 million people in the next two months, health care workers in some parts of the country risk their lives to reach the rural population. (AP Photo/Gbemiga Olamikan) LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) Nigeria destroyed more than 1 million expired doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday after authorities said they could not be used before their expiration date. Faisal Shuaib, head of Nigerias National Primary Health Care Development Agency, said health officials in Africa's most populous country were left with little choice after receiving the donated doses that didn't have much shelf life left. We had developed countries that procured these vaccines and hoarded them," he said. At the point they were about to expire, they offered them for donation. Last week Shuaib had announced that Nigeria would no longer accept such donations, though he did not specify publicly what officials considered too short a shelf life. Only 2% of Nigeria's 206 million people are fully vaccinated, and health officials have set an ambitious goal of vaccinating more than a quarter of the population by February. While hesitancy has been high, the country's vaccination rate has nearly doubled over the past week. Nigeria has been seeing a spike in confirmed infections since it detected the highly-infectious omicron variant in late November, recording a 500% increase in cases over the past two weeks, according to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control. The 2,123 new COVID-19 infections it confirmed on Tuesday was the highest daily tally since last January and the second highest since the pandemic began. If we are going to overcome this COVID-19 pandemic, we have to do better job of ensuring better supply of the COVID-19 vaccines," said Shuaib. "No country will be able to eradicate COVID-19 ... until all countries are able to eradicate it. ___ Follow all AP stories on the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. Samuel Hall, founder of Patriots for America, addresses Val Verde County commissioners in Texas. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) The militia leader came before Val Verde County commissioners at their regular meeting in this border town 200 miles west of San Antonio wearing a straw cowboy hat, boots and a T-shirt emblazoned with the American flag. He introduced himself as Samuel Hall, north Texas-based founder of Patriots for America. For the last two months, volunteers from his militia which doesn't disclose the size of its membership had coordinated with the sheriff of neighboring Kinney County to stop illegal immigrants. The militia patrolled in shifts, funded by donations. They approached ranchers in Val Verde about running operations on their land too. Hall hoped to win commissioners' blessing at Tuesdays meeting. We are expanding our operations, said Hall, 40. The militia has been demonized pretty well by the left. My goal and my objective before you today commissioners is to let you know that our message is pure. Were not a bunch of guys that have a hate rhetoric. Were not a bunch of guys that beat our chest or have the wrong intentions or wrong message. We are a Christ-centered, faith-based organization. Were a bunch of believers. Samuel Hall, second from left, and fellow members of Patriots for America in Del Rio, Texas. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Militias have staked out the border for decades, but Patriots for America has managed to do what many others have not: Patrol armed, with landowners permission, in concert with local law enforcement. The militia arrived here after Gov. Greg Abbott declared the Texas border a disaster and launched Operation Lone Star last spring, allowing state troopers to arrest and jail migrants on misdemeanor trespassing charges. Since then, thousands of migrants have arrived, including a caravan of Haitians that overwhelmed U.S. Customs and Border Protection last fall, prompting criticism of some agents who were photographed on horseback chasing migrants. Migrant deaths have increased in both counties this year. Sheriffs said there have been drownings in the Rio Grande and bodies recovered on ranches further north. Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union and nine other groups filed a complaint to the U.S. Department of Justice, requesting that it investigate Texas agencies and local governments involved in the operation. Among their concerns: County support for militias. Haitian migrant Junior Desterville, center, crosses the Rio Grande in Del Rio, Texas. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Operation Lone Star goes hand in hand with white supremacist extremism including efforts to partner with vigilante groups, said Kate Huddleston, a staff attorney with the ACLU, noting it had yet to receive a substantive response from the Justice Department. Were particularly concerned about violence due to the armed vigilante group presence and law enforcements willingness to work with them instead of ensuring that everyone in the county is safe, Huddleston said. She said the majority of the more than 2,300 arrests under the program have been made in Kinney County, a conservative, rural ranching community of about 3,500 people. The prosecutors are busy nonstop, Sheriff Brad Coe said during an interview at his office last week in the county seat of Brackettville, about 130 miles west of San Antonio. Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe in his office in Brackettville, Texas. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Coe served for 30 years with the Border Patrol and still has Donald Trump stickers on his desk. Coe said he stays in touch with Hall, that ranchers have allowed the militia on their land and appreciate them in town. When they go into the stores, restaurants, people love them. They say, We appreciate what you do, Coe said. Coesaid when he started working with the militias, he received pushback from the Texas Department of Public Safety, causing concern the state would pull resources from the county. Travis Considine, a spokesman for the state agency, said it didn't support partnering with militias. But he said the department never threatened to pull resources from Kinney County. We do not want to work with [militias], but we do not control the sheriffs, he said. Val Verde County Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez, center, looks on as Samuel Hall, right, addresses county commissioners. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Val Verde County Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez also had reservations about working with Halls group. Hall insists his militia is law-abiding. They vet members with background checks. When they encounter migrants, they use their cellphones to alert the sheriff. They don't detain migrants, he said, which would be illegal. "They can leave if they want," Hall said, although migrants they encounter are usually too tired. "They've given up on their trek." Hall met Martinez twice before the commissioners meeting and asked the sheriff to approach local ranchers on his behalf. The sheriff said he talked to seven. They dont want them on their ranches because of liability, he said. At Tuesdays meeting, Martinez looked on from the gallery as Hall appealed to the five commissioners, four of them Democrats. When we do come upon illegal immigrants, it is our goal to comfort them, not be mean, not be intimidating. We give them food, we give them water, we attend to any medical needs that they have, Hall said, including three migrants they found a few nights earlier in Kinney County very scared, very cold. They had been walking for a month and a half from Nicaragua. In Spanish, the translation was they had been persecuted by their own country so much that this was the only path that they felt they could take. He noted that he had met with the countys chief executive the day before, Judge Lewis Owens Jr., a Democrat, who agreed the county was struggling to cope with the surge in migrants this year. People on both sides of the aisle are fed up. We dont have the proper resources, we dont have the proper infrastructure, to handle this crisis. So what do we do? Well, we have Texans like Patriots for America, Hall said. Hall choked up as he described how, after a Val Verde County rancher allowed them onto his property recently, they saw discarded migrant childrens clothes, shoes and a toddlers life jacket. He said Coe supported the militia because of their humanitarian message. We dont come in with any intent to hurt anybody. We dont come in with any intent to cause any fights, he said. Were here to make a positive difference, but we need your support. Militia member Kevin Caldwell, 58, a former business owner from north Texas, spoke next. He told commissioners he had just retired, bought an RV and was about to travel with his wife when Hall contacted him. "I put all of my plans on hold to heed that call," Caldwell said, insisting militia members are not "vigilantes." "Those volunteers are hardworking people like myself that are making sacrifices understanding that what's going on down here is not right. We are a nation of laws and we need to enforce those laws," he said. Owens, a former developer and contractor, said commissioners wouldnt be deciding the matter at Tuesdays meeting, but noted that migrant flows into the area had not slowed. Samuel Hall, right, of Patriots for America addresses Val Verde County Judge Lewis Owens Jr., center, and County Commissioner Robert "Beau" Nettleton, right. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Its becoming a bigger and bigger problem, said Commissioner Robert "Beau" Nettleton, the lone Republican, who owns a landscaping company, runs a family ranch and had arrived chewing an unlit cigar. There was a guy on my porch, a scout, charging his cellphone. Weve got to do something on the north end of the county. Those ranchers are getting overrun. And these are not people looking for asylum. Commissioner Gustavo Gus Flores, who owns a hauling and trucking company, agreed. Owens noted that days before, Abbott debuted the first stretch of state-built border wall to the east in the Rio Grande Valley. The county executive had been fielding calls ever since about what the state planned to build locally. On Friday, Abbott announced another $38.4 million in funding for the state's border operation. The administration has completely abandoned the American people on this issue, Nettleton said. Yes, Hall whispered in the gallery. Samuel Hall of Patriots for America. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Hall left the meeting feeling encouraged. Though the sheriff told him ranchers were not supportive, a couple were, he said, and there were a few commissioners I spoke with who seem open. Owens, the county executive, was less optimistic. I dont think theyre going to be needed in or welcomed in our county, he said, although he conceded, We agreed on just about everything we were talking about except them coming into our county. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Marysville, CA (95901) Today Foggy this morning, then partly cloudy this afternoon. High around 55F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 48F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. President of the Regional Council of Ile-de-France Valerie Pecresse calls for unconditionally returning 51 Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan. At a press briefing with Armenian and French reporters in Yerevan, she said that what happened with Armenia in 2020 by Azerbaijans and Turkeys initiative was an important warning to Europe, Armenpress correspondent reports. Mrs Pecresse also said that during her visit in Armenia she met with President Armen Sarkissian, Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan. During those meetings we talked about the 2020 war. I expressed my full solidarity with the Armenian people in overcoming this difficult trial, she said, recalling that since November 2020 both Ile-de-France and the French Senate have come up with a number of initiatives aimed at adopting resolutions on recognizing Nagorno Karabakh. According to her, the French government has also clearly stated that the responsibility of that war fully falls on Azerbaijan, as the latter has unleashed the war together with Turkey and also with the support of several Syrian jihadists. I think that what happened in Armenia was an important warning to Europe, and it would be very wrong by our side to underestimate its importance and think that what had happened doesnt threaten us because the history of Europe is full of lessons that dangers have risen when they have been underestimated, Valerie Pecresse said. Valerie Pecresse serves as the President of the Regional Council of Ile-de-France since December 18, 2015. She is running for president. The French presidential elections will take place in April 2022. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received today Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, Pashinyans Office reports. The meeting was also attended by Armenian deputy PM Mher Grigoryan and Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin. The inter-agency delegation led by the Russian deputy PM arrived in Armenia for the session of the Armenian-Russian inter-governmental commission on economic cooperation. Welcoming the guests, PM Pashinyan highlighted the holding of the session of the Armenia-Russia inter-governmental commission in Yerevan, wishing a productive work. The Russian deputy PM in turn thanked for the reception and said that the bilateral contacts have been quite intensive this year, as several business missions, representatives of Russian business, who are deeply interested in working in Armenia, have visited the country. Pashinyan and Overchuk discussed also the agenda of the Armenian-Russian cooperation and the economic ties. They touched upon the 2021 bilateral trade turnover volumes and praised the growth registered in the field. Both sides emphasized the importance of making joint efforts to develop the commercial and investment partnership and fully utilize the potential existing in the field. The sides also exchanged views about the prospects of restoring the transportation communications in the South Caucasian region and the activity of the Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan working group led by the deputy prime ministers. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. The President of the Regional Council of Ile-de-France Valerie Pecresse says that the 2020 Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression against Armenia was a warning for entire Europe. I think that what happened in Armenia was an important warning for Europe, and it would be very wrong for us to underestimate its importance and think that everything that happened here doesnt threaten us, because Europes history is full of lessons that threats have emerged at times when they were underestimated, Pecresse, the head of the French region of Ile-de-France and a candidate for the French presidency in 2022 said at a press conference in Yerevan as part of her visit to Armenia. Photos by Mkhitar Khachatryan During her visit the French politician had meetings with the President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian, the Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan and discussed the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war and the post-war situation. In this context, Pecresse called on the Azerbaijani authorities to unconditionally release all remaining Armenian POWs. Pecresse believes that France can play a role in the solution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in several arenas. One of these platforms, according to her, is the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship, while the other would be raising the issue at the level of Europe. You know that in January France will assume the presidency of the European Union, and I believe we have an important role here to convince other European countries to be more involved in solving the conflicts of the region, she said, welcoming the December 14 meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders under the mediation of the President of the European Council Charles Michel. In addition, Pecresse is planning to organize an international conference in Paris in support of Armenia. She said the agenda of the conference would include issues of establishing and maintaining peace, as well as other important issues such as the preservation of cultural and spiritual heritage in Armenia and Artsakh. Valerie Pecresse said she is very close to Armenia, and this trip is her third visit. Her first visit to Armenia was in 1990 when she was working at the French embassy in Moscow, when she flew to Armenia after the devastating Spitak earthquake. Pecresse recalled the French humanitarian support and the important role it played in rehabilitation works. Her second visit took place in 2018 after Yerevan hosted the La Francophonie summit and shed arrived in her current capacity to strengthen the ties between Ile-de-France and the city of Yerevan and to develop cooperation with the Armenian province of Tavush. Recalling her 2018 trip, Pecresse spoke about her visit to the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial, where she planted a tree at the memory park. She even re-visited the memorial during this trip and saw the tree which shed planted, and once again paid homage to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Pecresse and her delegation also visited the Yerablur military cemetery to pay tribute to the memory of the fallen troops. Then, they visited the Zinvori Tun (Soldiers Home) Rehabilitation Center where veterans of the 2020 war are being treated for their injuries. As another reason for her visit, Pecresse noted that she is personally greatly involved in the protection of Christians. We attach importance to the issue of protection of Christians because we arent naive, our eyes arent closed, and we think that today there are certain dangers threatening Armenia, but these dangers are also hanging over France and Europe, she warned. Pecresse said she dedicates her visit to the youth, especially the mostly young men who died in the 2020 war and the over 80,000 IDPs. The youth is the future of this country, and it is highly important that they live and prosper in their own country, on their land. I know that migration is a very concerning problem in your country today, but Armenia is a very strong and resistant country, its democratic system is resistance, and this years democratic elections once again reaffirmed this. She further noted that France ought to be more involved in Armenia in developing educational and cultural partnership, including by opening a French Institute. Certainly, commercial relations are also very important, Pecresse added. Pecresse announced that an agricultural lyceum will be opened in Tavush, and it will be named after the late French-Armenian politician Patrick Devedjian. According to a press release from the Finnish Ministry of Defense, Finnish Minister of Defense Antti Kaikkonen has authorized the Armed Forces to enter into a procurement contract with Sako Ltd for the procurement of new rifles. The procurement contract covers the procurement of a sniper rifle intended for the use of snipers, and a rifle intended for the use of infantry group support snipers. In addition, the agreement covers equipment, spare parts, maintenance tools and training provided by the manufacturer. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link Based on the AR10/15 models of a semi-automatic rifle in 7.62 NATO caliber, Rifle System M23 features additional benefits compared to the currently fielded one (Picture source: Twitter account of Finnish MoD) The procurement was preceded by Sako Ltd's and the Armed Forces' joint development work on a rifle system in the years 20202021. The first weapons will be delivered to the army before the end of 2022, and the intention is that training in the rifle system will begin in 2023. Minister of Defense Antti Kaikkonen has also authorized the Armed Forces to sign an enforcement document with Sweden that enables joint procurement for Finland and Sweden. The Enforcement Document, signed on 21 December 2021, is a continuation of the cooperation agreed earlier in September, where Finland and Sweden signed a regulatory document on joint procurement of firearms systems and related technology. On 21 December, a regulatory document was also signed which in the future will make it possible to jointly procure ammunition. The total value of the procurement contract with VAT is approximately 10 million euros. The contract contains a provision for additional procurement for Finland, whose total value without VAT is a maximum of EUR 525 million. Sweden's provision for additional procurement will be specified later. The new weapons are also related to the ongoing build-up of the infantry's night combat capability. Semi-automatic Sniper Rifle 23 is equipped with a high-quality optical sight, which together with a high-performance sniper cartridge makes it possible for the sniper to fight various objects at a distance of up to 800 meters. Marksman Rifle 23 is more simplified in its weapon-mounted equipment and is designed for use by Jaeger (Hunter) and infantry sections. This weapon increases the section's combat range up to 600 meters. Based on the AR10/15 models of a semi-automatic rifle in 7.62 NATO caliber, Rifle System M23 features additional benefits compared to the currently fielded one, such as integrated weapon-mounting available for versatile accessories, including tactical night sights, and suppressors, increased accuracy, as well as a design that is both lightweight and ergonomic. This project builds a completely new capability, and replaces most of the old 7.62 Sniper Rifle 85s currently in service, as well as completely replaces the 7.62mm Sniper Rifle Dragunov, sums up the Inspector of the Infantry, Colonel Rainer Peltoniemi. The rifle system has been developed together with Sako, and the weapons will be produced in Finland. This project improves our security of supply and promotes retaining skills and technology in Finland, as well as the ability to manufacture and repair weapon systems here. The new weapons are also related to the ongoing build-up of the infantry's night combat capability. (Picture source: Finnish MoD) According to information published by the INQUIRER.NET website on December 20, 2021, the Philippine armed forces will receive this month 20 Sabrah light tanks produced by the Israeli company Elbit Systems. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link Artist rendering of Sabrah light tank that will be manufactured by the Israeli company Elbit System. (Picture source Elbit Systems) In January 2021, the Israeli company Elbit Systems announced that it has been awarded a USD172 million contract to supply an undisclosed number of Sabrah light tanks and Pandur II direct-fire support vehicles to the army of a country in the Asia-Pacific region. According to information from Col. Anthon Abrina, the Armor Divisions chief of staff of the Philippine Army, the acquisition of Israeli Sabrah light tanks as well as Pandur II 8x8 armored vehicles armed 105mm and 120mm cannons are part of the modernization program of the Philippine armed forces. According to the military balance 2020, the Philippine army doesnt have combat vehicles armed with 105 or 120mm. The Philippine army only has 7 FV101 Scorpion armed with a 73mm cannon and also a few M113A1 tracked APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) armed with a 76mm L23A1 gun. The Sabrah is a light tank based on the ASCOD 2 tracked chassis manufactured by General Dynamics European Land Systems Santa Barbara. It is fitted with a two-man turret armed with an Elbit Systems Land 105mm gun and one 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. Each side of the turret is equipped with a bank of four smoke grenade dischargers. The turret drive is fully electric with elevation and traverse stabilization. Standard equipment of the Sabrah turret includes a fire control system, laser range finder, and one panoramic sight with advanced Electro-Optic sensors (Day, Night-Vision, and LRF) for effective day, night, and all-weather fighting conditions. The panoramic sight is used for observation and target aiming. The Sabrah 105 mm gun system is fitted with an automatic loading system with 12 rounds ready to fire. It has an effective firing range of 3,600m with a rate of fire of 6 rounds per minute. The vehicle carries a total of 36 ammunition, with 24 rounds stored in the hull. The gun can fire a wide range of NATO ammunition including HEP-T (High-explosive), HESH (High-explosive squash head), APFSDS (Armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot) as well as advanced ammunition, T-MP-HE M110. Union Health Ministry alerted States and Union Territories about the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron New Delhi: Amid the emergence and spread of Omicron variant of coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold a meeting to review the COVID-19 related situation in the country on Thursday, said sources. Union Health Ministry on Tuesday alerted States and Union Territories about the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, and said that based on current scientific evidence, Omicron is at least three times more transmissible than the Delta variant. The ministry further added that greater foresight, data analysis, dynamic decision making and strict and prompt containment action is required at the local and district level. With the administration of 57,05,039 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 138.96 crore. On Friday, the WHO issued an emergency use listing to Novavax's vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India In August 2020, US-based vaccine maker Novavax, Inc had announced a licence agreement with SII for the development and commercialisation of NVX-CoV2373, its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, in low and middle-income countries and India. (Photo: AFP/File) New Delhi: Novavax said on Tuesday the World Health Organization's (WHO) panel of experts had recommended a third dose of its vaccine, NVX-CoV2373, for immunocompromised persons. The WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, known as SAGE, issued a series of recommendations, including the use of the vaccine in persons with comorbidities, breastfeeding women, and those living with HIV. After reviewing Novavax data the independent experts said the vaccine could be used in pregnant women if the benefits of vaccination to the pregnant woman outweigh the potential risks. On Friday, the WHO issued an emergency use listing to Novavax's vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India, the world's biggest vaccine maker, paving the way for its use in low- and middle-income countries where rollout has been much slower than in Europe. Novavax said on Monday it had received the WHO's emergency use listing for the company's own version of the vaccine, which it will distribute in Europe and other markets. The company also said on Tuesday it had begun administering its first booster doses of NVX-CoV2373 in a late-stage trial. The Modi government is misusing this gap in the definition of Aadhaar to extend the power of the State to identify and monitor citizens Prime Minister Narendra Modi displays a neophytes zeal for the use of Aadhaar, an idea that he had strongly opposed when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. But Mr Nandan Nilekani, in a meeting with Mr Modi soon after he became Prime Minister in 2014, persuaded him about the virtues of Aadhaar, and Mr Modi became a convert. So, the Narendra Modi government in its first term in office brought the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act 2016. Then finance minister Arun Jaitley made it into a money bill which need not get the Rajya Sabhas approval because the BJP did not have a majority in the Upper House. This was the first act of subterfuge. Then the government decided that Aadhaar should be linked to all bank accounts. So, of the 140 crore bank accounts in the country, 120 crores are now linked to Aadhaar, says Saurabh Garg, CEO of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). He also disclosed that newborn children will be issued Aadhaar at the hospital soon. So, it is not surprising that the Modi government is now eager and anxious to link the Aadhaar number to voter registration as well. But law and justice minister Kiren Rijiju went about his job in a round-about manner. First, he said that the move was based on the recommendations of the parliamentary standing committee which included members from all parties. But he forgot to tell us that not all the recommendations of a standing committee are always accepted by the government of the day. And as Nationalist Congress Party Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule pointed out, the government should bring forward a comprehensive electoral reform bill which would include reservations for women. Of course, electoral reform of the comprehensive kind is not what this government wants. It is also true, of course, that it is the same with all other governments as well. Mr Rijiju tried to soften the blow by saying that fresh voter registration will now take place four times in a year instead of one. The second reform of the bill is gender neutrality. Earlier, if a man was in service, his wife was counted as a voter. But this was not the case with a working woman. The husband was not recognised as a voter because of his working wife. So, the term spouse has been inserted. The third reform in the bill is that the Election Commission should give a notification before it can requisition a building for election purposes. But the crux of the Election Laws Amendment Bill 2021, as passed by the two Houses of Parliament earlier this week, is that of linking the Aadhaar number to voter registration. It might appear that this is a facilitatory measure where a new voter can register himself or herself by using the Aadhaar card. But the intention of the government is something else. The law minister said that this is to weed out voters who are registered in more than one place. Or those who possess more than one voter identity card. The government says that the way to end this malpractice is to connect it with Aadhaar. It is basically an expansion of the use of Aadhaar. But neither the Supreme Court nor Parliament had spelled out what the Aadhaar number is meant to be for. Is it a social security number as it is in the United States? All governments have fought shy of making this clear, or clarifying what its position is. It was initiated by the Manmohan Singh government under Nandan Nilekani, who mooted the idea, as a way of streamlining the beneficiaries of government subsidies. And that is what it should be. And even under the 2016 Act, it remains to identify the beneficiaries of subsidiaries. The question of whether it should be extended for other purposes has stayed unsettled. The Narendra Modi government is misusing this gap in the definition of Aadhaar to extend the power of the State to identify and monitor citizens. The Supreme Courts judgment that there can be legitimate reasons for State intrusion into the privacy of the citizen had been used by Mr Rijiju to defend the use of Aadhaars new function. At the same time, he has said that the Election Commission would use Aadhaar to check the identity of the voter and no other data would be brought into the public domain. It is of course true that given the Leviathan that the modern state is, it can even enter the minds of the citizens through psychiatric means as had happened in the former Soviet Union. And it can do so without Aadhaar as well. So, the issue is not about the misuse of Aadhaar to violate the privacy of the citizen. The basic question is: what is Aadhaar, and what is it meant for. If the government brings in a law making Aadhaar an all-purpose identity card meant for all things, there would be no need for a separate voter identity card either. Aadhaar should suffice. But no single identity marker can serve all purposes. This dream of the State streamlining the lives of citizens should not be allowed. The use of Aadhaar should be restricted to the beneficiaries of State subsidies, whether they are farmers or wage workers. Prime Minister Modi, with his love for technology, is enthused to bring everything into digital order, and all that he wants is to keep a close eye on every citizen. He is busy constructing Big Brother with digital reach. For a man and a party which believes the State is God, the surveillance apparatus is considered legitimate. Mr Modi looks upon Aadhaar as a remote-control device to monitor citizens. This idea must be challenged. His ideas such as one nation, one election or one nation one ration card is to establish the dictatorship of the State. This is one of the evil ideas that both socialism and fascism share the supremacy of the State and the subservience of the individual. All political parties in India, from the left to the right end of the spectrum, want to use the State as an instrument to rule over the people. That is why most of the Opposition parties who criticise the BJP on this issue sound weak and false. The Supreme Court has, sadly, failed to check the expanding tentacles of the State. by Paul Nguyen Hung A parish in the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City has lost as many as 70 members to COVID-19. After pastoral activities resumed on 2 December, the parish build a Bethlehem cave in the church square. The pandemic has sparked communal self-help, including many non-Christians who received help at a time when they had no food or medicine. Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews) The parish of Binh An, in the diocese of Ho Chi Minh City, has set up a simple Bethlehem cave in the church square for the upcoming Christmas at a time when the country is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. Established in 1955, Binh An parish has three priests for a congregation of more than 5,000, a community with plenty of vocations. In over 60 years it has given the mission 21 priests, 2 deacons, 33 nuns and 10 men religious. Because the pandemic has been going on for a long time and is affecting everyone in this area, we built only a Bethlehem cave in the churchs square, said Fr Peter Tran speaking to AsiaNews. More than 70 people have died from COVID-19 in Binh An parish since April. Three of its sections have been placed under tight quarantine lasting nearly two months, affecting more than 500 people. On 2 December the parish began to reorganise its pastoral activities and resume celebrations, in compliance with the measures required by the Ministry of Health to prevent the spread of the infection. In the previous months, Caritas and volunteers handed out rice, vegetables and other essential items to families in isolation. They also helped people, especially migrants, experiencing physical and mental stress caused by isolation. Volunteers also distributed free meals to lonely and sick people living in squalid boarding houses on the edge of town. Over the past six months, Binh An parish has demonstrated the spirit of mutual help in the community, Mr Joseph Nguyen told AsiaNews. Fr Joseph inh Hien Tien, the parish priest, and the other priests worked with the pastoral council and volunteers to support poor families and those who found themselves living these difficult times in residential areas, he added. They were interested in everyone, Catholics and non-Catholics, and many people said they were very impressed for the help they received at a time when they had no food or medicine. Two Chinese companies are awarded the contracts. Over the next two years, Power China will build 679 schools while Sino Tech will build 321. For UNICEF, decades of wars and violence have brought one of the best education systems in the region to its knees. In the first six months of 2021, Sino-Iraqi trade reached US$ 16.3 billion. Baghdad (AsiaNews) The Iraqi and Chinese governments recently signed a number of contracts that would see two Chinese companies - Power China and Sino Tech build a thousand schools in the Arab country over the next two years. Chinese developers will be working with Iraqi companies. The contracts are part of a framework agreement that highlights the growing relationship between the two countries, thanks also to the growing US disengagement from the area. Iraq has become a major destination for Chinese investment in the Middle East while China is the biggest buyer of Iraqi oil. According to a housing ministry official, Hassan Mejaham, Iraq needs some 8,000 schools to meet current needs. Despite its oil wealth, wars, endemic corruption, and jihadi insurgencies have left Iraq with a broken infrastructure. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi oversaw the signing of the deal between China and Iraq. Power China is set to build 679 schools, while Sino Tech will build the remaining 321 with construction set to begin shortly and be over in two years. Some schools should be ready by next year, reducing pressures on existing educational facilities, but the two countries are already involved in the next steps with plans for a second phase, with 3,000 schools, and a third phase, with 4,000. Experts and international organisations have underscored for a while the shortcomings of Iraqs educational system and broken-down schools. Decades of conflict and underinvestment in Iraq have decimated what was once the region's best education system, UNICEF wrote on its website, noting that one out of every two schools is damaged and requires restoration. For the UN Fund for Children, nearly 3.2 million school-aged Iraqi youngsters are out of school, this in a country of 40 million people, the World Bank warned, where the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated already low levels of education. Zhou Rong, a senior researcher at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times that the China-built school projects will boost non-government "people-to-people relations and cultural exchanges at a time when US influence in the Middle East is waning. However, the link between the two countries goes far beyond culture, with bilateral trade reaching US$ 16.4 billion in the first six months of this year, especially in the Kurdistan area, a gold mine for Chinese investors. Iraq was China's third largest trading partner in West Asia and North Africa last year with US$ 30.1 billion in trade, while Beijing imported more than 60 million tonnes of Iraqi crude. Today's headlines:High school students in India refuse canteen food cooked by a dalit; in Fukushima an underwater tunnel is being studied to pour radioactive water into the sea; one person is dead and dozens are missing in a jade mine accident in Myanmar; in China a 66 million years old dinosaur embryo has been discovered. ISRAEL A panel of government experts has given the go-ahead for the administration of the fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, reserved - for now - for the over-60s, health care workers and the immunocompromised. The booster can be administered four months after the third dose, to make up for a drop in antibodies. The advisory has yet to receive final approval from the Ministry of Health. INDIA For over a week now upper caste students at a high school in Jaul, in the northeastern Indian state of Uttarakhand, have been refusing canteen food because it isprepared by a Dalit cook, once considered untouchable and casteless. Despite the laws, the episode confirms once again the persistence of a discriminatory attitude and "caste racism" in the country. JAPAN The operator of the Fukushima nuclear power plant, scene of the worst disaster since Chernobyl, wants to build an underwater tunnel to release 1.3 million tons of contaminated water into the sea. Enough to fill about 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools, it is stored in huge tanks at an annual cost of about 0 million and space is running out. CHINA A group of scientists has discovered a perfectly preserved dinosaur embryo that was preparing to hatch from its egg, just like a chicken. The discovery took place in Ganzhou, southern China. Researchers estimate it is at least 66 million years old and is a toothless theropod dinosaur (oviraptorosaur), which they have nicknamed Baby Yingliang. MYANMAR At least one person is dead and dozens are missing after a landslide occurred this morning in a jade mine in northern Myanmar. The disaster struck the Hpakant quarry, in Kachin State, near the border with China, the main reference point for the precious metals market. The sector, which claims numerous victims every year, uses low-paid migrant workers. UZBEKISTAN The khokim (governor) of the Fergana region, Khairullah Bozorov, told the regional assembly that residents with obesity problems will receive up to 500 sumo (about 40 euros) for every kilogram lost. The governor referred to WHO data that excessive weight is the most common cause of disease, with a global average of 55%, in Uzbekistan it is 80%. LAOS - THAILAND The project to build a hydroelectric plant in Laos is causing deep concerns in Thailand. Concerns include relocations of many villages, impact on fish fauna and safety. The Sanakham Dam, a billion, 684-megawatt electricity project, will be built on the Mekong. China's Datang International Power Generation is among the developers . RUSSIA In the Russian Orthodox Church, opposition to the anti-Covid vaccine QR-Code (Green Pass) is growing. While in the past this opposition was the prerogative of conspiracy-minded and radical minorities, today it is the Metropolitan of Ekaterinburg in the Urals, Evgenij (Kulberg), who has issued a "manifesto" against the "quasi-religion" of digital profiling, in controversy with Metropolitan Ilarion (Alfeev). May each one of us draw near to the creche in our own homes or in the church or in another place, and try to make an act of adoration, inside: I believe you are God, that this baby is God. Please, grant me the grace of humility to be able to understand. The pontiff urges Europe to open its heart to migrants. Francis also met with Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev of Volokolamsk. Vatican City (AsiaNews) Pope Francis spoke to about 5,000 people gathered in the Paul VI Hall for todays general audience, dedicated to the upcoming Christmas and the birth of Jesus, the event history cannot dispense with. In his address, the pontiff said that we must ask for the grace of humility, without which we do not look to God, but to ourselves, as in a mirror. He also urged each of us to approach the manger scene to perform an act of worship to God. He also called on non-believers to see Jesus as well. I would like to accompany to Bethlehem all those who have no religious restlessness, who do not pose the question of God, or who may even fight against religion, all those who are improperly identified as atheists. I would like to repeat to them the message of the Second Vatican Council: The Church holds that the recognition of God is in no way hostile to man's dignity, since this dignity is rooted and perfected in God. [] Above all the Church knows that her message is in harmony with the most secret desires of the human heart (Gaudium et Spes, 21). It was an angel who announced the birth of Jesus, and he did so to some lowly shepherds. And it was a star that showed the Magi the way to Bethlehem (cf. Mt 2:1, 9.10). An angel is a messenger from God. The star reminds us that God created the light (Gn 1:3) and that the Baby would be the light of the world, as He would define himself (cf. Jn 8:12, 46), the true light that enlightens every man (Jn 1:9). The shepherds personify the poor of Israel, lowly people who interiorly live with the awareness of their own want. Precisely for this reason, they trust more than others in God. They were the first to see the Son of God made man, and this encounter changed them deeply. The Gospel notes that they returned glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen (Lk 2:20). The Magi are also around the newborn Jesus (cf. Mt 2:1-12). The Gospels do not tell us who the kings might have been, nor how many there were, nor what their names were. The only thing we know for certain is that they came from a distant country in the East (perhaps from Babylonia, or Arabia, or Persia of that time), they set out on a journey seeking the King of the Jews, whom they identified with God in their hearts because they said they wanted to adore him. The Magi represent the pagan peoples, in particular all those who have sought God down through the ages, and who set out on a journey to find Him. They also represent the rich and powerful, but only those who are not slaves to possessions, who are not possessed by the things they believe they possess. May each one of us draw near to the creche in our own homes or in the church or in another place, and try to make an act of adoration, inside: I believe you are God, that this baby is God. Please, grant me the grace of humility to be able to understand. [W]e must ask for the grace of humility: Lord, that I might not be proud, that I might not be self-sufficient, that I might not believe that I am the centre of the universe. Make me humble. Grant me the grace of humility. And with this humility, may I find You. It is the only way; without humility we will never find God: we will find ourselves. The reason is that the person who is not humble has no horizon in front of him or her. They only have a mirror in which to look at themselves. Let us ask the Lord to break this mirror. Humility is the only way that leads us to God. At the same time, specifically because it leads us to Him, humility leads us also to the essentials of life, to its truest meaning, to the most trustworthy reason for why life is truly worth living. [. . .] Without humility we are cut off, we are cut off from understanding God and from understanding ourselves. At the end of his address, Francis said, During my visit to Cyprus and Greece, I was able to once again personally touch wounded humanity in refugees and migrants. I also noted how only some European countries are bearing most of the consequences of this migratory phenomenon in the Mediterranean area, while in reality, a shared responsibility is necessary from which no country can exempt itself. The pontiff thanked Italian authorities for allowing him to bring a group of people he met during his visit. [S]ome of them are here among us today. Welcome! As a Church, we will take care of them during the coming months. This is a small sign that I hope will serve as a stimulus for other European countries, so that they might allow the local ecclesial communities to take care of other brothers and sisters who are in urgent need of being relocated. In fact, there are many local Churches, religious congregations and Catholic organizations who are ready to welcome and accompany them toward a fruitful integration. All that is needed is an open door! This morning, before the general audience, Francis met with the Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev of Volokolamsk in the study of the Paul VI Hall. In this regard, the Holy See Press Office released a statement. During the conversation conducted in a spirit of fraternity, some topics of shared concern were discussed, for which both share a commitment to seek concrete human and spiritual answers. During the meeting, the Holy Father thanked Metropolitan Hilarion for his greetings and those of Patriarch Kirill on the occasion of his eighty-fifth birthday. For his part, the Pope expressed sentiments of affection and closeness to the Russian Church and to Patriarch Kirill himself, who recently celebrated his seventy-fifth birthday. Francis also remembered with gratitude the journey of fraternity undertaken together and the conversation they had in Havana in 2016. by Vladimir Rozanskij Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeev, president of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Relations, is in the Vatican today. "The meeting with Kirill will take place when all the conditions have matured." The patriarch wants to see the pontiff again. The problem of Orthodox religious schools, with religion has regaining a pivotal role in the life of Russian society. Moscow (AsiaNews) - A new meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill (Gundjaev) "is in the hands of our ecclesial diplomats, it will take place when all the conditions have matured," according to comments of the President of the Moscow Patriarchate's Synodal Department for Relations between the Church and Society, Vladimir Legojda, in an interview with Izvestija. The interview was published today. the smae day Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeev, head of the Department for External Relations of the same patriarchate, is in the Vatican. In the long interview, Legojda reiterated the patriarch's desire to meet the Pope of Rome again, but the timing of these meetings "depends on the maturation of the right conditions. In Cuba there was an urgency for the Middle East, now it depends on many other factors." The patriarchal representative then commented on the situation of Orthodox religious schools in the country, after the unfortunate attack in Serpukhov by a former student with mental problems, who detonated a bomb in front of the monastery where he had studied. The bomber died, seriously wounding several people, mostly pupils of the nuns' school. Legojda assured that the patriarchate is following the investigation very carefully, "children must be taken care of". In his opinion, the problem of non-believers forced to attend religious schools can be solved with a real welcome: "They should not be chased away, but loved even more". The growth of aggression among adolescents and young people in Russia worries the Church, which would like to see greater selection in the films and stories that are shown in the media. "It would be naive to think of banning movies with murders, because it would lead everyone to kill each other," Legojda comments, "but one cannot deny the responsibilities of the media in the situations we see repeated almost every day." He notes that this is first and foremost about unverified information, which leads people to believe even the wildest hypothesis. "In a culture dependent on literature and print" adds the patriarchal appointee, "it was easier, because at least there were editors, while the internet has radically shifted the parameters." According to Legojda, this does not mean that it is necessary to shut down the Internet, "but the role of education becomes decisive, to foster a deep understanding of society, authority, the life of every real person. Civilizations have been built on systems of formation". Along with public education, the educational role of the family is fundamental, along with schools and universities, and religious associations. Religion today has regained a central role in the life of Russian society, Legojda comments, "because people seek answers to the main questions of life and the world, so even if you don't accept religion, you still can't ignore it." Religious studies, from the history of religion to specific doctrines are "the keys to world culture, to the building of tradition." Knowing authentic religious doctrines protects against forms of religious extremism and other radical expressions, dictated mostly by ignorance. The pandemic has forced the distinction of priorities, even in the religious field. "One should not be afraid of death, but neither should one run toward it, putting everyone else in danger as well," Legojda warns. For the Church it is a very serious test, which has involved many people starting with Orthodox priests, among whom there are many "antivaksery," the Russian expression for no-vax. Patriarch Kirill and many high hierarchs, however, have actively campaigned for vaccination, starting with the influential metropolitan of Pskov Tikhon (Sevkunov), son of a prominent immunologist. In any case, entry to Orthodox churches will remain free of the obligation to have certificates, while subject to necessary precautionary measures. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. ACC The Dearborn-based automaker became aware of the issue on July 15th when Michigan Assembly Plant employees discovered that three of the four stations that perform radar calibration were using an incorrect program. The subsequent investigation revealed a lower alignment than intended, which spells trouble for the adaptive cruise control system and the AEB system.From delayed activations to false-positive activations, there are plenty of things that may go wrong due to this condition. A review of field reports found no incidents pertaining to the misaligned/AEB radar module.In the Broncos case, the affected population was produced between February 26th and July 13th. As for the Ranger, make that June 5th through July 13th according to documents filed with the National Highway Safety Administration. The Ford Motor Company has already informed its dealers of the upcoming recall, whereas known customers will be notified via first-class mail in the period from February 7th, 2022, to February 11th, 2022.Because the module isnt defective by and of itself, service technicians will not replace it. The fix comes in the guise of precise adjustment of the target position, a remedy that shouldnt take more than an hour from start to finish. Of course, there will be no charge and no reimbursement for this service.Going forward, the Bronco prepares for a very exciting 2022, although production still isnt up to snuff. Ford simply cant make them fast enough, and Jeep is probably laughing in the competing automakers face right now with the 2022 Wrangler s optional 4.88:1 axle ratio and 100:1 crawl ratio.Ford, however, has the last laugh based on the ridiculous price gouging of its greediest dealers. Ford enthusiasts can also look forward to a Wrangler Rubicon 392-shaming variant of the Bronco, the long-awaited Raptor thats been recently photographed with 37-inch rubber shoes from BFGoodrich. SUV Fortunately, our spy photographers also stayed tuned, and they captured several Maserati Grecale prototypes. The latest is the one in the photo gallery, which was spotted while going through winter testing.Earlier this month, we had a different Grecale prototype spotted, which was all red , but this one comes in blue. While Maserati is having a bit of fun with the Grecale-badged camouflage, the Italian company was testing various versions of its upcomingFor example, the prototype seen in the photo gallery is supposed to be the Grecale Trofeo , which should be the top-of-the-line version. You can observe that it is different from the exhaust, which looks production-ready and something worthy of the Trident badge.Moreover, this is a performance-oriented model, so you should expect an exhaust such as the one featured on this prototype. In addition, you can also spot different brake calipers, which are painted red, but we think that does not compliment the body of the blue SUV that much.Customers of the Maserati Grecale will be able to choose the color of their brake calipers, so at least they can have an SUV that will suit their taste. The Grecale is supposed to become the most affordable Maserati, so it will bring new customers to the Trident brand. It was named after a Mediterranean wind, and it follows the trends of the automotive industry premium SUVs with sporty styling.Maserati's newest product is set to rival the Porsche Macan and Jaguar's E-Pace. It will also compete with the more expensive versions of the BMW X3, Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLC, and even the Volvo XC60. Those interested in Italian SUVs will also consider the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, which has provided its Giorgio platform (or significant parts of it) for the creation of the Grecale. The next generation of internet wireless has created mayhem at a global level. Ever since it was invented, conspiracy theories have begun about how the new technology will affect us in the future. Are they right? Faster than the previous generations, 5G s benefits include less latency, better connectivity, and easier communication. What's the cost, you might wonder.Plane manufacturer giants Boeing and Airbus have raised concerns regarding the new technology. Boeings CEO David Calhoun and Airbus Americas CEO Jeffery Knittel wrote a joint letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to say the upcoming 5G rollout on January 5 could cause interference that could "adversely affect the ability of aircraft to safely operate."Their concerns are over the radar altimeters that pilots of commercial airlines use to make safe landings with low visibility conditions. An analysis claims the 5G interference could affect hundreds of thousands of flights each year, creating delays or causing them to divert. The CEOs added that the impacts of allowing 5G to deploy, "are massive, and come at a time when our industry is still struggling," after the events of the health crisis.Their newly developed proposal urges to limit the power of 5G transmissions near airports and asks Bidens administration to work with the Federal Communication Commission to adopt a similar plan.We are collaborating with aviation authorities, government leaders, airlines, and industry groups to ensure the continued operational safety of aircraft throughout the aviation system worldwide, it added in their joint statement.Giant telecom operators Verizon and AT&T had hoped to start using the 5G cell service on December 5, after obtaining licenses worth billions in February. They postponed the launch several times, and, in November, they confirmed their intention to deploy 5G on January 5, 2022. Arkansas isn't exactly an automotive hotbed either. I should know, I live here. But northwest Arkansas is by far the most innovative and popular area in the state right now. Canoo has decided to setup not just research and development centers there but also their very own headquarters.In addition, Canoo will also have a low-volume production facility there in Bentonville, Arkansas. It will likely be responsible for the very first production vehicles to ever roll off of a Canoo line.That's a surprise considering that Canoo had plans to build vehicles in the Netherlands and has already started work on another production facility in Oklahoma. Now it seems the Canoo believes they'll be faster to market by shifting early production to Arkansas.The brand is also shifting some responsibilities at the leadership level during this transition. Peter Savagian, former CTO, will leave his role at the end of this year.Sohel Merchant will take over the position. He had been serving as the Senior VP of Complete Vehicle Engineering and has been in the automotive industry for more than 20 years.Other additions to the team include Ram Balasubramanian, who will take over as Chief Information Officer, Dean Harlow, as Executive Vice President, and Ramesh Murthy, who will now be the Chief Financial Officer.This is a big shift for Canoo after they were under fire from the SEC in May of 2021 . Despite the difficulty, they still think that they can produce up to 6,000 vehicles in 2022. They also say that the vehicle will start at just $35,000. That would be sincerely ground-breaking at this point. If that's the case, then you might as well make sure you're carrying around one hell of a home. And unlike turtle shells, which are usually one occupancy, Cornelia , a tiny house from New Frontier Tiny Homes (NFTH), is a home that can accommodate up to four people.By now, I'm sure you've heard of NFTH, as autoevolution has featured a number of their works over the months. NFTH initially started out as a father-son project back in 2015. Little did this crew know that they would be attracting the attention of teams like Disney and Dunkin Donuts some time down the road. Or did they?By the looks of homes like Cornelia, you can bet that this team had a solid understanding of what the public wants and need. Time to dive into this mobile home and see what NFTH is all about.If you happen to check out the manufacturer's website, one of the first things you'll notice is that Cornelia is marketed as a sort of artist's corner or retreat. This feeling or idea is sustained by features like a fold-down desk, floating bookshelves, and a 270-degree view of the world around from the loft bedroom. For a person like myself, someone people call a "writer," this sort of setup is absolutely magical.As it stands, Cornelia starts off at 155,000 USD (137,516 EUR at current exchange rates). Sure, it may sound like a lot, but you have to consider that you're really buying a structure worthy of being called home, with a triple-axle trailer to make sure you get to your plot of preferred land.For me to go through all the features Cornelia includes would take us about an hour to really get into things. So to give you an idea of what to expect for this sort of cash, know that NFTH uses corrugated aluminum, Shou Sugi Ban-charred Cedar, and a pergola completed from Western Red Cedar. Maple boards make up the interior siding and ceiling, while EPDM roofing, Typar Rainscreen and Housewrap, and closed-cell spray foam insulation make sure the elements stand no chance of getting in.Upon entering the home, the first space you'll encounter is the living room or study, that little writer's corner I mentioned, but there's also room for a modular couch in case you want to extend the sleeping capacity. From the living room, you'll be led towards the rear of the home. /there's a fully-equipped kitchen, bathroom, and above these two spaces, the loft bedroom, accessed by a ladder.Stainless steel faucets and sink, butcher block countertop, cedar shelves, two-burner electric stove, and convection oven are available in the kitchen. While there's no mention of a fridge, there's room for a mini-fridge for sure. To the right of the kitchen, a bathroom is fitted with a sliding door, waterless toilet, tile shower with glass door, and wall-mounted vanity and sink. While the colors you see are part of this particular project, if you ever end up buying a Cornelia, you will be the master of this dream Speaking of masters, check out the bedroom. It's here that a king-size bed awaits your weary bones, assuming you make it up the ladder. If you do, you'll be sleeping above the world below with that 270-degree view of the surroundings, perfect for lazy mornings and late nights. Recessed LED lighting and reading lights make sure your creativity is ready to go no matter the hour of the day.Now, remember, this sort of home is a fully customizable one, so make sure you let NFTH know exactly what you want, and they'll do their best to work the ideas into the plans. But bring some extra cash if you choose to do so.Starting to get the idea why tiny homes like Cornelia are starting to attract so much attention? Well, stay tuned because there are a plethora of manufacturers building some amazing mobile homes It all sounds like a script from Punk'd, right? Well, real-life can sometimes be more surprising than a reality show with celebrity pranks. As AFP notes, Jean Alesi was taken into custody on Monday, around 4 pm, for property damage, after he went to the police station to clear his brother.As L'Equipe has learned, Jean Alesi only wanted to play a bad joke on his brother-in-law and decided to stick a large firework, acquired in Italy, into the frame of a window at the unnamed brother-in-law's office.The window frame of the architect's office was damaged, it seems, and Alesis brother-in-law filed a damage complaint against the former Ferrari driver but told local media representatives that he has no problem with Alesi. It is worth noting that the former F1 star's brother-in-law is currently separated from Alesi's sister, which means that this might not be the best time for bad jokes.According to the Nimes deputy prosecutor, Antoine Wolff, Jean Alesi borrowed his brother Joses vehicle and drove it to his brother-in-law's office with his son and a friend of his son.After placing the large firecracker in the window frame and lighting it up, Alesi fled the scene with the vehicle's lights off.A concerned neighbor from the French town of Villeneuve-les-Avignon (Alesi's hometown) decided to take a look at what was going on after hearing an explosion and noticed the car as it sped off, which prompted a call to the police.Early in the morning, Jose Alesi, Jean's brother, was arrested, as he was the registered owner of the vehicle. Jean Alesi did the right thing and went to the police station to clear his brother's name, admitting his actions.The former racing driver stated that he did not imagine causing such damage, as the deputy prosecutor told the media.It appears that the case's prosecutor, Antoine Wolff, does not share Alesi's sense of humor, as he stated that he is quite skeptical about the notion of a joke that was carried out at 10 pm, and "without the person concerned knowing about it."While the bad joke is poorly timed, and we advise against any attempt to replicate it or do something inspired by it, it also represents the definition of a prank. The 5.7 liter Chrysler HEMI engine may not be the top dog as it was in the 2000s. Even so, there's still more than enough life to squeeze out of these old Mopars than most will give it credit for. It's more than enough engine for a restomod project, as long as you have enough quality parts backing it up.That's where this car doesn't disappoint. The HEMI engine is breathed on with ceramic-coated tubular headers with a Mopar performance wiring harness. The V8's power is fed through an A518 four-speed automatic transmission. Complete with a Bouchillon Performance Engineering flexplate and HGM Electronics Compushift controller.This sweet car rides on AlterKtion coil-over shocks with a Reiley MotorSports sway bar and USCT frame connectors. Behind the 18 inch wheels sit four-wheel disk brakes with Willwood calipers. It's all brought together with a set of grippy Bridgestone Potenza performance tires.Unlike lesser restomod projects, the interior of this creation is also top-notch. A fully custom dashboard, stitched leather bucket seats, and the touch screen infotainment and navigation screen give the car almost all of the modern features most drivers can't live without. Overall, it's one hell of a great package. It can be all yours if you can place a bid higher than $46,000 when the sale ends tomorrow.You could buy a nice BMW for that kind of money, or even a really nice Lexus. But there's just no comparing those kinds of modern cars to restomods like this one. One is BUILT, and the others are BOUGHT. Learn the difference, and put some respect on the name people. The AM1000 is by far the best-selling eMTB from Frey, which is why the company released six versions of it so far, V6 anniversary model included. What makes the bike so popular is the fact that it offers some premium features at a price that wont break the bank. The bike is not cheap by any means, but considering the offer, it is a great value for money. From high-quality components to a powerful motor and high-capacity battery, the AM1000 is definitely a competitive product.Freys V6 version of the bike keeps the Bafang Ultra mid-drive motor which boasts a peak power of 1,500W and a maximum torque of 160 Nm.The battery of the AM1000 V6 has the same capacity as the previous model, but it is now built-in, which helps with the overall look of the two-wheeler and integrates better with the vehicle. While the company doesnt offer any details regarding the range of its AM1000, the large 48V 21 Ah battery is said to offer among the best ranges in the eMTB industry.Back to the anniversary V6, the bike now comes in multiple colors: black, Sheen Green, Areo Blue, Rose Dust, and Jet Black. Several frame sizes are available as well: M, L, and XL.For its new AM1000 V6 e-bike, Frey now offers customers for the first time the possibility to order just the V6 frame kit as a separate product, giving riders the option to build their perfect custom bike. The kit includes the frame, the rear shock absorber, the motor system, the battery, and the charger. If you take advantage of Freys New Years promotion, which runs until January 15, you can purchase the frame for $2,980, or $2,022, if you are a loyal customer who already bought their V3 version of the bike or an earlier one.As for the entire AM1000 v6 bike, it starts at $5,180, with returning clients paying only $4,980. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in April 2022. Cargo vessels could not operate without the help of tugboats these smaller vessels that tow container barges between two terminals in inland waterways. Switching from conventional fuel to electricity when it comes to these maritime helpers could have a significant positive impact on the atmosphere, the water, and the ports where they are operating. After all, the ultimate goal in line with the 2050 deadline for net-zero carbon emissions is to replace as many of the current conventional ships as possible with cleaner, more efficient alternatives. Located in the South Street Seaport Historic District of New York, Zeeboat wants to help create cleaner ports and waters by introducing a fully-electric tugboat. As its name suggests, its all about zero emissions and electric propulsion. The future boat will have an efficient hull designed by The Shearer Group Inc. (TSGI), based on fluid dynamic calculations. By increasing the water flow to the propeller, the combination of the towboat and the barge is supposed to be 10% more efficient than standard towboats.Also, together with an azipod drive system, this innovative hull design is said to improve the boats overall efficiency by 30%, compared to traditional vessels, while also enabling safe operations to the highest standard.The Zeeboat manufacturer is collaborating with two other partners for this clean energy project. Shift Clean Energy will provide the battery energy storage systems, and Industrial Service Solutions (ISS) will be in charge of the general contract, project management, and vessel support services. The first four electric Zeeboats are expected to start operating in U.S. waters by 2025.Zeeboat claims to be building the first electric tugboat in North America, but theres also another company claiming to be building the first one in the U.S. Crowley Maritime Corporation is building the eWolf in Coden, Alabama. Since this ship is due to make its debut in 2023, it might win this title after all. If youre a long-time Android Auto user, you probably know already that last year, Google killed off what was considered by many the best music app this platform ever had. 6 photos Made from 1993 to 2002, it came with a naturally aspirated or a twin-turbocharged version of the same 3.0-liter straight-six , and a choice of two manual transmissions, one with five speeds and the other with six, and a four-speed automatic.Every petrolhead knows that the engine powering it is the famous 2JZ, which supports a huge amount of power, hence the numerous 1,000+ hp Supras out there. The one depicted on video down below is said to have no less than 1,500 horsepower, not at the crank, but at the wheels. Thus, it is punchier than modern hypercars, and quicker off-the-line too.According to the description of the clip, it features a sequential transmission for better power delivery and was clocked at 209 mph (336 kph) after half a mile. The best thing about this wolf in sheeps clothing is that you cannot tell that it hides an unbelievable amount of thrust beneath the skin, as it looks almost stock. The only things giving it away are the drag radials, and parachute, which was actually deployed at the end of this race.As for its rival, it was none other than the big bad Tesla Model S Plaid , an electric dragster that poses as a hyper sedan. It is capable of completing the quarter-mile in a hair over the 9-second mark, at 154+ mph (248 kph), and it used to be the production vehicle king until the Rimac Nevera proved to be even faster. With some prepping and a skilled driver holding the wheel, the Model S Plaid needs less than 2 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph (97 kph), so beating it into submission would require an even crazier build. But was this fourth-gen Supra its daddy on that day? Only one way to find out. Purchased five months ago, the four-door First Edition in the featured video leaks oil from the front left dampers even though it shows fewer than 4,500 miles (7,242 kilometers) on the clock. Tommy Mica of The Fast Lane highlights that it seems like a premature failure that should not have occurred. Id be very disappointed if we had to pay for that out of pocket.I would be disappointed as well given that Ford advertises the Bronco as their ultimate off-road machine, the Jeep Wrangler competitor that took 25 years to materialize. Considering TFLs reach, it would be crazy for the dealer to oppose the warranty-backed fix with a lame justification.Even if the Bilstein damper is replaced under warranty, theres a hindrance The Fast Lane cant escape. More specifically, the Ford Motor Company is churning out Broncos are full steam, and so does Bilstein with their ESCV shock absorbers. Ongoing part shortages that go beyond the microchip crunch may also include the replacement damper needed by this Bronco.Speaking of which, the peeps at Cars.com had to wait seven weeks between the diagnosis of their F-150s issue and the repair. The hybrid-powered truck had its aerodynamic dam ripped out by a tire tread, and the bill for the repair totaled $1,161 including the actuators and dealers labor fee.Turning our attention back to the orange-painted First Edition, this isnt the first problem The Fast Lane has experienced with it. Right after the crew purchased this rig in July 2021, the molded-in-color hardtop started to rattle and the headliner was already peeling off. How did they solve these niggles? Well, they went straight to the Bestop Corporate Office in Colorado to install a $269.99 Bimini Top mesh top and a $1,099.99 TrekTop soft top. ADAS Named the Emirai xS Drive, Mitsubishis new vehicle constantly monitors both the driver and the passengers via near-infrared cameras and radio-wave sensors. It is also equipped with an(Advanced Driver Assistance System) meant to provide adaptive control of the headlights.The monitoring system allows the camera to detect when the driver is sick or drowsy through facial expressions and other body information (such as closed eyes, an open mouth, abnormal respiration rates or pulse rate, and so on). Variations in skin tone caused by heartbeat changes can also be detected thanks to the face-tracking and image-processing technology integrated by Mitsubishi.In case the driver shows any signs of physical distress, the system will suggest stopping the car and can also activate the vehicles automated emergency-parking feature. Mitsubishi s Emirai xS Drive does the same for its passengers, detecting their presence, position in the car, and body weight. If a child is left behind, the monitoring system will alert the driver and others nearby. Their presence in the vehicle would be determined by radio waves from a sensor, which would be processed using the signals reflective and transmissive properties, as explained by the Japanese manufacturer. The smart system will even be able to accurately detect them even if theyre wrapped in a blanket and positioned in the cameras blind spots.For a safer driving experience during nighttime, the Emirai xS Drive will help drivers by enabling headlight control to adapt the curve and slope of the road ahead and the drivers direction of view. Moreover, using external cameras, the system will be able to alert drivers of potential hazards and approaching cars, without the driver having to look.Right now, we don't have any other information on the vehicle except for this rendering of the high-tech Emirai xS Drive but Mitsubishi will display the concept car at the CES. HP Lamborghini purists would fall sick at the sight of Chois V3 unicorn Lamborghini twin-turbo Huracan. But for tuners, this V3 might be the coolest, craziest Lamborghini build in the entire world.Condons looking to challenge this crazy build Lamborghini to a drag race in his 1,001Bugatti. Condon is working with Precision Performance on a 1,400 HP Nissan GT-R, informally known as the BUG KLR Unfortunately, here in the state of California, we can only find 91 octane. So yes, it's detuned to 850 HP. That said, Alex Choi has like a thousand plus horsepower, so it doesnt even matter, Condon said.Alex Choi pulls up out of nowhere in his controversial V3, ready to hit the tarmac. The Lamborghini is in an iridescent wrap, with an obnoxious wing hanging at the back. His license plate reads, WHAT STO.They line up the cars on the street and hit the gas pedal, warming their engines before they finally see whos boss. Condon rides with Choi and hands over his keys to his best friend, Luke.Off the line, the Bugatti takes the lead, but the Lamborghini comes dramatically, throwing flames and popping through the tunnel. They dont really do a legit drag race from the line at the end of the day. However, they join a group of Lamborghinis, and Alex does a flame show.Condons Bugatti is clearly no match for the V3 Lamborghini, even with a tune. He has a better chance of racing his tuned 1,400 HP GT-R against Alex Choi. This news comes now more than twenty years after the very first Pagani rolled out of the factory in Italy. It might be easy to keep track of the latest Pagani Huayra to find its way to Manny Khoshbin's place , but older models aren't as easy to find.Puro means Pure in Italian, and that's the goal of the new program. To provide a pure history and inspection of each Pagani that gets checked.Cars can go through the rigorous process at Pagani Automobili in San Cesario or at any one of a number of specialized dealers around the world. Pagani says that once vehicles are inspected and certified, they will receive a Puro Book. This book contains the extensive findings from the inspection.It also comes with a full vehicle history from the day it rolled off the line, throughout any service or modifications, all the way to the day the inspection is completed. It will be finalized with a certificate of authenticity signed by Horacio Pagani himself. That's quite the package.That warranty mentioned at the outset isn't a bad deal either. It will cover every part or piece inspected "in the years to come," according to Pagani. So no specific date or mileage, but any extra coverage must be nice on a car that costs this much. Of course, there's no word on exactly how much the Pagani Puro program costs to take part in either.We suspect none of the participants will really care. Having a similar package has helped many Ferrari's increases in value, and the same will likely be true here. HP The package is based on the Big Horn or Laramie trim levels and combines an aggressive look with impressive off-road capabilities, all packed with Tuscanys three-year/36,000-mile warranty and FMVSS compliance. The beasts name says it all, being inspired by the Badlands area in South Dakota. Its not for the first time, as Ford got the same idea for their Bronco Badlands To earn its name, the Ram 1500 Badlander was fitted with a BDS Premium Suspension Lift-Kit and a full Fox Racing Shocks kit with 2.5-inch Performance Elite Series coilovers. These will make the rather bland 1500 sit six inches higher than it used to from the factory. Configured with either 20 or 22-inch Badlander wheels and 37-inch BFGoodrich T/A KM3 tires, it will surely be at home on any terrain. Of course, all these updates come with appropriate speedometer and tire sensor recalibrations.Not much has been done to the mighty 5.7-liter HEMI V8 under the hood except that Tuscany Motor Company installed a performance exhaust system for a great deep rumble. The engine still delivers 395and 410 lb-ft (556 Nm) of torque to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF, which should please anyone.About that rugged luxury in the intro, Tuscany took the liberty to install custom-made, Badlander branded leather seats. The same leather can be found on the door panels, while a full custom gauge kit replaced the standard instrument panel. The car was also fitted with tinted windows all-around, to keep out the prying eyes.The price of this beast depends on the pickup truck that is used as a base for the build, but we can tell its close to the six-figure territory for a complete vehicle. This is significantly higher than the base price for the Ram 1500 Laramie, which hovers at around $50,000. The UK government is focusing on a real green industrial revolution, and part of that has to do with obtaining affordable, low-carbon nuclear power. As its name suggests, the Small Modular Reactor program, developed by Rolls-Royce , wants to combine advanced nuclear technology with a groundbreaking module manufacturing and assembly system that would make the final solution cheaper and scalable.A single one of these SMR power stations could power one million homes. But in addition to providing on-grid and off-grid electricity, these modules would also support the production of green hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and other alternative fuels for decarbonizing transportation. Instead of a huge bespoke facility, each module would be factory-built and assembled and then easily transported via truck to where its required.This innovative green-tech business is now fully funded, with over $649 million (490 million) secured. The most recent investor is the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), a sovereign wealth fund established in 2005 and one of the biggest of its kind in the world. With an investment adding up to over $112 million (85 million), QIA now owns 10% share in the equity.It represents a huge step forward in our plan to deploy more home-grown, affordable clean energy - ensuring greater energy independence for the UK, highly skilled jobs and bringing cheaper, cleaner electricity to peoples homes, said Business and Energy Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng.Since most of this investment will be focused in the northern part of the UK, and almost the entire supply chain is also expected to be local, the SMR project has the potential of becoming a major asset for the country. But theres still a long way to go the first SMR units are due to become operational by the early 2030s. The methanol initiative is part of the companys Net Zero at Power Systems program, which focuses on developing and adopting climate-neutral solutions for all its applications.According to Rolls-Royce, methanol can present various advantages in the companys efforts to make transportation more sustainable. The fuel will be produced in plants by using the power-to-X process, which allows the conversion of green electricity into carbon-neutral gases or liquids like methanol.Moreover, the characteristics of this fuel allow it to be stored and refueled at ambient temperatures. Methanols combustion in a pure methanol engine can be climate-neutral and emit considerably less toxic gases. It can be put in tanks and maneuvered easier in vessels since it requires fewer safety measures than hydrogen or ammonia tanks. Aside from these factors, it also represents a cost-efficient alternative.Rolls-Royce says that the fuel can also be used with emission-free fuel cells, not only in combustion engines. Hydrogen can be synthesized from methanol using a reformer, which can then be utilized in fuel cells to produce electricity. This would allow vessels that dont have enough room for hydrogen tanks to operate sustainably.Currently, the company is working on new high-speed four-stroke engines that will be compatible with methanol. The engines are said to be based on mtu (a renowned product and solution Rolls-Royce brand) technologies. Once fully developed, theyre set to be available to customers as soon as possible.Apart from the investment in methanol engines, the business is also focusing on new technologies that are expected to help cut CO2 emissions, which include new fuel cell systems and smart-ship solutions that allow semi- and fully autonomous operation. For such a rare beast, with the total production capped at 82 units, it is surprisingly easy to buy one, because there are several listed for grabs on the second-hand market at the time of writing. One of them is being advertised on Mobile by a Russian used car dealer.To make it yours, youre looking at a cool 3.1 million, or almost $3.5 million at todays exchange rates. The supercar is said to be in stock, with only the delivery miles under its belt, though surprisingly, the vendor used official Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 pics in the ad.Finished in grey over the black interior and decorated with copper accents, it features a plethora of equipment and the usual carbon fiber trim and Alcantara and leather upholstery. Since it is based on the Aventador, which officially bid farewell to the world with the Ultimae Edition , it packs the same 6.5-liter V12 engine.This is Lambos last naturally aspirated V12, and in the Sian FKP 37 , named after Ferdinand Karl Piech (FKP) and his year of birth (1937), it has electric assistance. The combined output of 808 horsepower allows it to accelerate from naught to 62 mph (0-100 kph) in just 2.8 seconds. Those brave enough will eventually see 217 mph (350 kph) on the speedometer, where the road and legislation allow it.Now, if you had $3.5 million burning a hole in your bank account, would you actually consider buying an FKP 37 instead of a full-blown hypercar like the Bugatti Chiron? We dont know about you, but the Molsheim model is more appealing, not to mention a lot more powerful. First of all, behind the space race cliche, theres a $447 billion industry thats going to reach a whopping $3 trillion before 2050, according to Bank of Americas estimates. So, the stakes are huge when it comes to the infrastructure required for this industry, including launch sites. We know that there are plenty of licensed spaceports on the U.S. territory, but it turns out that only the vertical ones have a strategic value, because this is whats required for future launches.According to a recent study for the Pentagon, cited by the Camden authorities, the U.S. is at risk of depending on the few vertical spaceports currently available. Out of 12 launch sites in total, only two on the East Coast are vertical. One of the ways of counteracting this serious risk is to invest in more vertical launch sites. One of them is Spaceport Camden, which recently got the green light from FAA.Camden County was actually the official Gateway to Space in the past century, so this new license has a historic significance for the heritage region and the industry overall. Both an alternate launch site for the Apollo program, and a location for rocket testing, Camden will contribute to 12 small vehicle launches each year.Camdens main advantage is the vertical lift low latitude sites located on the East Coast provide free boost velocity from the earths rotation. This means less fuel required to reach the orbit and the possibility of a bigger payload. By becoming the third launch space of this kind in the U.S., this Georgia spaceport will help take the pressure off the other similar locations, while attracting commercial space activities that will boost its own economy.Plus, as the location of the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, this region will also benefit from military workforce that can transfer its skills, after retirement, into the booming commercial space industry. Located below 31 degrees of latitude, on the Atlantic seaboard, this strategic spaceport in a historically-important region is ready to expand American key operations in space. The Volkswagen T2, also known as Volkswagen Bus in the U.S. or Bulli in Germany, is considered the symbol of the hippie counterculture of the 1960s. The car still carries a powerful message today and attracts attention whenever one shows up. This is why classic car fans always appreciate a well-maintained T2 when they see one, and also why these beauties have sky-high prices.Even though a properly restored model could easily reach $50,000, you can always undercut the market with a cheaper import. After all, the model was produced for decades after it ended its career in the U.S. market, with Brazil production going as far as 2013 To be imported without restrictions in the U.S., these cars must be older than 25 years, and this is why Kombis produced in the '90s make for the perfect Volkswagen Bus replacement. Besides being cheaper, they benefit from the more up-to-date features and are in better condition, as this 1994 Volkswagen Kombi listed at Hemmings Auctions shows. The best part is it could be yours by Christmas, as long as your bid will meet the owners reserve.The car shows the owner did not skimp on maintenance, with only minor rust signs on the undercarriage. The exterior was painted two years ago and it shows no evidence of significant bodywork. Included is an aftermarket roof rack which can be accessed using the ladder constructed of aluminum tubing and wood steps.The air-cooled engine is a 1.6-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder with a single carburetor, and the seller reports it starts easily and has no known issues. Indeed, the engine bay looks promising, with no sign of leaks or drips. Its paired to a manual gearbox and as such requires stick-shift training for proper operation. Courtesy of the recent model year, this Kombi even has power steering.Inside the car is where the magic of this Kombi resides, and its what makes it perfect for a camper van project. The two rear seats fold down into a bed and you can see in the pictures it has a fridge and several storing compartments that can be useful. An old Pioneer radio CD is there to warm up the atmosphere with speakers spread throughout the van, as shown in the photos. Especially as theres no sign of a cabin heater. Coming from Brazil, this is expected though.The car is sold on a clean Florida title so you will have no problems driving it home if youll be the lucky bidder. The auction closes on December 24th, with the highest bid at the time of writing of $7,500. This is still under the owners reserve, but we presume it will prove a lot cheaper than a restored U.S. model from the 70s. The Summer of 43 was the setting for Hitlers ambitious (and insane) push toward the Black Sea . With Stalin pushing back to the North, the Axis war machine would need oil to subjugate the Balkan peninsula. While the British slammed Germany every night, American daylight raids were being cut down by the Luftwaffe. Thats why destroying their fuel supply seemed logical.Romania had an incredible oil industry, with massive refineries that looked appealing in the crosshairs of a bomb sight. So, in the early morning of August 1, no less than 178 B-24 Liberator bombers took off from bases in Libya and Southern Italy. It would be a one-way trip, heading for Syria once the bombs were away, so each aircraft took off overloaded with fuel for the long flight. With strict orders for radio silence, there was no room for error for the planes or the nearly 2,000 airmen.The road to hell is paved with the greatest of intentions, so Colonel Jacob Smart decided to send everything he had. This meant the entire 9th Air Force along with three Bombardment Groups from the 8th Air Force (respectively). In theory, more bombers are better but the crews from different forces didnt have enough time to learn each others movements. Radio Silence only exacerbated the issues.This became evident once they crossed the Adriatic. To cross the Pindus mountains of Albania, everyone needed to climb up to 11,000 feet to maintain formation. However, without touching the radio, one half of the planes went to maximum boost for a straight shot while the others chose to save fuel. Of course the weather turned to thick clouds, effectively cutting the two groups off from each other.Meanwhile, the refineries below were chugging along at about half of their capacity. Surrounding them was an entire Nazi division of anti-aircraft guns that used the terrain to their advantage. Anticipating the high-altitude attacks common in Western Europe, the defenders placed hundreds of 88mm guns on mountain tops for the best range and visibility. Anticipating this, the American commanders decided to attack at tree-top levels to avoid German radar.The airmen even went so far as to build a mockup of Ploiesti in the Sahara Desert to train for this unprecedented attack. Unfortunately, Nazi intelligence had spotted the bombers crossing Italy, giving the flak gunners plenty of time to get ready. The 8th Air Force and the 9th Air Force were separated by the mountains, and both groups unfortunately arrived over their targets simultaneously. It would have been manageable had they held formation, but each group dropped below the clouds heading towards each other with confusion clearly seen by the enemy gunners.Flak guns are terribly accurate, as my grandfathers navigation desk was destroyed 3 times in the skies over Germany. But instead of firing vertical and hoping for a hit, the guns atop the mountains were able to fire down into the formations like shooting fish in a barrel. This caused many crews to drop their bombs on whatever targets they could find and make an escape.With the oil fires filling the skies with acrid smoke, the Germans were still able to down 53 bombers, each with 10 men onboard. Whats more, the confusion over the target led to only a fraction of the refineries being damaged. Because they were only running at a 3rd of their capacity, Romania was making more oil than ever before less than a month after the raid. Black Sunday cost the Allies 310 men, with 190 being captured as POWs. One of the worst defeats in U.S. history is used to teach new Airmen of all nations, and thats why their story should never be forgotten.P.S. The museum of the Mighty 8th Air Force is in Savanna, Georgia and it has an incredible exhibit dedicated to this mission. It was made possible by donations from veterans including my Grandad who now reside at the great airfield in the sky. There is however one last hurdle to overcome, one that has proven a very tough nut to crack for more than a decade now: the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope ( JWST ). And we call it hurdle because, well, thats what this has become, after the initial launch deadline of 2007 came and went.And so did some other deadlines, including the one the European Space Agency and NASA were planning for December 22. That didnt happen, because of a data connection cable that was not working properly, and the launch was pushed to December 24. And now, this is not happening either, this time on account of bad weather.The telescope is set to launch on top of an Ariane 5 rocket from the ESA spaceport in French Guiana, and the new date is now Christmas Day, provided nothing else happens in the meantime.Now, dont get us wrong, delays and postponements are not something were not used to in space exploration, but finally having Webb up there is something people have been expecting for too long. After all, work on it started in 1996, and over $10 billion have been spent on it so far.With that in mind, having Webb depart Earth this year would be the coronation of what may very well have been the most exciting year for the industry, so, fingers crossed.Once launched, Webb will have to position itself almost one million miles away from Earth, and use its most impressive mirror (6.5-meter/21.3-ft in diameter) to look way, way back into the Universes history. The Biden administration announced Tuesday it has approved two major solar projects on federal land in California's desert and moved to solicit interest in more solar power developments in other Western states. Why it matters: The administration is using federal authority to press ahead with its clean energy plans after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said he would not support President Biden's centerpiece climate and social policy legislation, per the New York Times. The big picture: The Bureau of Land Management approved the Arica and Victory Pass solar projects on federal land in Riverside County, Calif., which have a combined infrastructure investment of about $689 million, per a BLM statement. The two projects will be run by the San Francisco-based developer Clearway Energy and generate up to 465 megawatts of power with up to 400 megawatts of battery storage enough to power some 132,000 homes. A third California solar farm planned for 500 megawatts is nearing final approval, according to an Interior Department statement. Meanwhile, the BLM is "soliciting interest for utility-scale solar energy development on nearly 90,000 acres of public land located across Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico," the Interior Department said. What they're saying: "Renewable energy projects like Arica and Victory Pass on public lands create good-paying jobs and are crucial in achieving the Biden-Harris administrations goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035," BLM director Tracy Stone-Manning said in a statement. An international court is examining whether the Honduran government was complicit in the killing of Vicky Hernandez, a 26-year-old trans woman fatally shot on the night of the country's 2009 coup d'etat. Why it matters: Legal advocates say the case could set a legal precedent across Latin America, which has the world's highest concentration of trans murders, according to activists. It's also the first case to ask the Inter-American Court of Human Rights' whether a government has failed to protect a transgender person. Background: In June 2009, Hernandez's body was found around 7am local time on a San Pedro Sula street. An examination at the scene by first responders judged her time of death to be the middle of the previous night, when a curfew was in place that allowed only military and law enforcement outdoors. She had been shot in the head, Kacey Mordecai, a senior staff attorney with Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, which brought the case before the court, told Axios. Two other trans women reported that on the night of Hernandez death, a police patrol car, or "military patrol," drove up to them and Hernandez, who was a sex worker. The three women scattered as they were approached, per testimony given in November by Claudia Spellmant, who had spoken to the two women at Vicky's funeral. Attorneys with RFK Human Rights say they have not seen evidence from authorities that a final autopsy report was ever completed. Honduran human rights group Cattrachas alleges that Hernandez was the victim of an extrajudicial killing, citing the circumstances and timing of her death. The other side: There is no evidence at all, and nor can it be rationally inferred, that those responsible for Vicky Hernandezs death were members of the public safety forces, simply because a patrol car trying to avoid lamentable tragedies happened to be nearby, Sonia Escobar Rodriguez, the government's lawyer for the case, wrote in an argument summary shared with the New York Times. The big picture: The case and the government's response highlight the broader dangers and inequities for transgender people in Honduras, Mordecai said. "Our case is about Vicky's death. It was the moment that cost her her life. But to me, what it represents, it's really about her life in Honduras and how she wasn't able to live as Vicky Hernandez." What they're saying: "They told me to fight and fight, so that Vicky's death does not go unpunished," Rosa Hernandez, Vicky's mother, told the Los Angeles Blade from her home in San Pedro Sula. The Inter-American court required the state to protect Vicky's relatives after her mother received three phone calls from someone claiming to be a Honduras police representative. The state acknowledged the calls took place and said they weren't meant to be intimidating. The bottom line: Even if the court requires Honduras to pay damages to Hernandez' family, systemic changes like training police and legally recognizing trans people's names and genders are still needed to fight anti-trans discrimination in the country. He charged that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and his political team have sought to stifle dissent and enrich themselves or their cronies instead of tackling poverty in the country. Marutian voiced the allegations during a session of the city council that approved, by 44 votes to 10, a motion of no confidence in him tabled by the pro-government My Step bloc. The council also elected one of his deputies, Hrachya Sargsian, as Yerevans new mayor. The bloc controlled by Civil Contract officially announced its decision to replace the mayor after meeting with Pashinian on Friday. It said Marutian quit Civil Contract in December 2020 and is not running the Armenian capital with sufficient efficiency. The move followed months of growing friction between Pashinian and Marutian. The latter actively participated in the Pashinian-led mass protests that toppled Armenias former leader, Serzh Sarkisian, in May 2018. The protests were sparked by Sarkisians attempt to prolong his decade-long rule and fuelled by popular discontent with widespread corruption and injustice. Speaking shortly before the vote of no confidence, Marutian accused the ruling political team of having deviated from the revolutions values. I thought that a [true] revolutionarys supreme goal must be to improve the lives of other people, he said. In reality, as soon as they came [to power] they started improving their own lives, despite the fact that the countrys poverty rate continued to hover at around 30 percent. The former TV comedian singled out the Pashinian governments secret decisions to sharply raise the salaries of ministers and other senior government officials. He claimed that during his tenure he routinely received phone calls from unnamed various officials asking for privileged treatment of their cronies doing business in Yerevan. He did not name any of them. Marutian said this was a key reason for his subsequent rift with Pashinian. I didnt expect such phone calls when I was joining the team, he said. And now these people are saying that Hayk deviated from the revolution, he went on. This is said by people who at this difficult moment for the country are buying cars worth $200,000 and spending a whole month justifying, together with the entire team, that decision. Marutian further alleged that Armenias most high-ranking officials have repeatedly pressured him to fire municipal employees criticizing the government on social media. I said in response: My dear friends, we did the revolution so that people are not fired and persecuted for their views like they were in the past, he said. Senior members of the municipal council loyal to Pashinian hit back at Marutian. One of them, Armen Galjian, rebuked the ousted mayor for not countering what he called opposition attempts to stage a counterrevolution after Armenias defeat in last years war with Azerbaijan. Where was the Yerevan mayor during the counterrevolution? he said. Was he locked down in his office with a mask on his face or busy preparing to leave the party? Galjian also said that Marutian has never told council majority leaders about the privileged treatment allegedly sought by senior officials. Armenian parliament deputies representing Pashinians party responded to the accusations with harsher criticism and personal insults. Parliament speaker Alen Simonian, whose new expensive limousine has raised eyebrows in the country, said Marutian is slandering the countrys leadership to justify his treason and ineptness. You must instead recall the names of your more than two dozen friends whom you have deceived and betrayed, Simonian wrote on Facebook. Pashinian himself has not publicly commented on the dramatic falling-out with his erstwhile political ally. The prime minister had chosen Marutian to lead My Steps list of candidates in the last municipal elections held in September 2018 and won by the pro-government bloc. Relations between the two men deteriorated after the 2020 war over Nagorno-Karabakh. Marutian increasingly distanced himself from Pashinians team in the following months and pointedly declined to support it during snap parliamentary elections held in June. Earlier this month, the Haykakan Zhamanak daily belonging to Pashinians family alleged that Marutian has defected to the Armenian opposition and even secretly met with former President Robert Kocharian. The mayor categorically denied that. Marutian on Wednesday defended his track record and insisted that he is still supported by the majority of Yerevan residents. Most of the residents randomly interviewed by RFE/RLs Armenian Service in the streets praised him. Some condemned the ruling partys decision to replace the mayor. I am very saddened by his removal from his post because he has delivered on everything that he promised during the election campaign, said one middle-aged woman. Others were unimpressed with Marutians three-year tenure. What has changed [in Yerevan?] Not much, said a young woman. Virtually no respondents had ever heard about Hrachya Sargsian, Yerevans new mayor. Sargsian, 36, told reporters that he is happy with Mr. Marutians work and plans to complete the programs that we launched in 2018. The conservative lawmaker, Mahmoud Ahmadi-Bighash, arrived in Yerevan earlier this week together with several other members of an Iranian parliamentary group promoting closer ties with Armenia. They held a series of meetings with Armenian parliament deputies before being received by Armen Grigorian, the secretary of Armenias Security Council. A statement released by the council cited Ahmadi-Bighash as saying that the region is very important to the Islamic Republic. In particular, he stressed that regional peace and stability and inviolability of the borders are the red lines for Iran and Tehran will not tolerate any territorial change in the region, the statement said. Other Iranian lawmakers as well as Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made similar statements in early October amid Irans mounting tensions with Azerbaijan that followed Bakus decision to levy hefty fees from Iranian trucks transporting goods to and from Armenia. The vehicles use a road mostly passing through Armenias southeastern Syunik province which is sandwiched between Azerbaijan and its Nakhichevan exclave and also borders Iran. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly threatened to forcibly open a corridor to Nakhichevan, drawing strong condemnation from Armenia. Mojtaba Zonnouri, a senior Iranian parliamentarian and cleric, accused Aliyev on October 3 of trying to cut Irans access to Armenia with the help of Turkey and Israel. Zonnouri was apparently among 165 members of Irans parliament who issued a joint statement warning against any geopolitical change and alteration of the borders of neighbor countries. Armenias government regularly expresses readiness for conventional transport links with Azerbaijan. Grigorian told Ahmadi-Bighash and other visiting Iranian lawmakers that the Armenian governments position matches Irans foreign policy priorities. The tensions between Tehran and Baku have eased in recent weeks. Amir-Abdollahian visited the Azerbaijani capital on Wednesday. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @idesai98 on Twitter. Click here to read the full article. Sally Ann Howes, who began her acting career as a child and was best known for starring in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang opposite Dick Van Dyke, died on Dec. 19. She was 91. Her death was confirmed by her nephew, Toby Howes, who tweeted: I can also confirm the passing of my beloved Aunty Sally Ann Howes who died peacefully in her sleep yesterday. My brother & I thought Sally Ann might hold on until the Christmas screening of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as this would have greatly appealed to her mischievous side. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is often broadcast on Christmas Day in the U.K. In a career that spanned five decades, Howes racked up 40 film and television credits, having spent the latter half of her career focusing on the theater, including a part in Stephen Sondheims A Little Night Music at the New York City Opera in 1990. Born in London to actors Bobby Howes and Patricia Malone, Howes spent much of her childhood at the familys home in Hertfordshire when London was evacuated during World War II. At the age of 12 she made her screen debut in 1943 film Thursdays Child, after being recommended by a casting agent friend of her fathers. The film, about a schoolgirl who becomes a successful child actor, was in many ways prophetic, launching Howes film career. She was soon contracted by Ealing Studios, where she starred in films including Dead of Night opposite Michael Redgrave. Howes went on to land parts alongside Derek Bond and Cedric Hardwicke in the screen adaptation of Charles Dickens Nicholas Nickleby, and in The History of Mr Polly, where she played John Millss love interest. In the 1950s Howes, a soprano, traded the big screen for the boards and focused on the theatre, which she once described as a drug. She was particularly enamored with musical theater, although she would continue to make the occasional television show and film appearance, including in The Fifth Column with Richard Burton. In Londons West End she starred alongside her father in Lerner and Loewe musical Paint Your Wagon for an 18-month run before making her Broadway debut in 1958 as Eliza Doolitle in My Fair Lady, which earned her a Life magazine cover profile and turned her into a household name. Howes was taking the role over from Julie Andrews, not an easy task given Andrews star-power at the time, and The Sound of Music actor would go on to have a distant hand in shaping Howes career. After Howes was nominated for a Tony award for her performance in Lerner and Loewes Brigadoon at the New York City Opera in 1962 (becoming in the process the first artist to be nominated for starring in a revival), the show was made into a television series, with Howes reprising her role as Fiona. Thats where legendary producer Albert Cubby Broccoli, the man behind the big-screen adaptation of Bond, reportedly first noticed her. He was apparently hoping to emulate Disneys Mary Poppins, which had come out in 1964 and starred Andrews, by making a musical adaptation of Bond writer Ian Flemings childrens novel Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. After Andrews turned down the part of Truly Scrumptious, Howes stepped in, playing opposite Dick Van Dyke in the film, which was directed by Ken Hughes from a screenplay he co-wrote with Roald Dahl. While Howes could sing, she was apparently less comfortable dancing and required a crash course of lessons before taking on the part in the Edwardian-set movie about a magical car. Although it has now achieved cult status, the film was not an instant success, and Howes spent the remainder of her career focusing on the theater, with occasional forays into film and television. Her last on-screen appearance was in the limited series Secrets in 1992. Howes is survived by one son. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Over the past year, Laredo has seen numerous shooting threats at its schools. It turns out, this trend is not exclusive to Laredo. School districts around the state have seen a rise in shooting hoaxes. Whether its due to following social media or for other undetermined reasons, districts are working with law enforcement agencies to quell this unfortunate trend. According to the FBI, the suspects in these cases have historically been high school students or older. However, there has been a rise in students around the ages of 11-12 getting involved. Michelle Lee, FBI spokeswoman, told the San Antonio Express-News that the reason for this uptick is unclear, but that increase in shooting threats was seen even before the Nov. 30 shooting in Oxford, Michigan four students were killed and seven people were injured by a 15-year-old suspect in the deadliest school shooting at a K-12 campus in the US since May 2018. 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. Within the current school year, UISD has faced shooting threats at both middle and high schools. Threats were found in the form of bathroom writings and shared online through social media sites. KGNS reported Thursday that 10 similar cases had occurred at different schools since August. Just this past week, a shooting threat was found at Antonio Gonzalez Middle School in which the student was detained and transported to the Webb County Juvenile Village on Terroristic Threats C/B charges, UISD stated. Unfortunately, whether it be mental anguish or a form of social media pressure, it has not stopped. This week, an anonymous threat on TikTok sent shockwaves through the nation, calling for a National Shoot Up Your School Day on Dec. 17. This prompted the social media platform to issue a statement regarding threats on their 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, said TikTok in a statement. Furthermore, TikTok provided an update stating that searches for violence against school posts were not found, and the social media giant has partnered with local authorities, the FBI and DHS to ensure that any credible threat is found and acted on. The San Antonio Express-News and Houston Chronicle contributed to this report. cocampo@lmtonline.com HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) The increase in COVID-19 cases has derailed the traditional holiday open house at the Connecticut governor's historic residence. Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont said Wednesday that he and his wife Annie made the difficult decision to not hold the event in-person and instead make the 31st annual open house at the 1909 Georgian Revival style home a virtual event. Sometimes I just sit and get overwhelmed by the goodness of my God. I realize its so easy to miss when He has blessed me, when He has answered my prayers, when He has turned my mourning into joy. Recently, my husband and I were talking to a friend we met in college. Our conversation turned to that of how we ended up living in San Antonio. Its a tale of a thousand small coincidences that all had to take place in order for us to be where we are now. Its a story in which I cried for months, not wanting to leave the city and the life I loved. And yet through it all, God has turned my tears into some of the best laughter; my loss of friendship into some of the best life-long friends; and my loss of job into a brand-new educational journey and career. Oftentimes, when it seems as if God is taking things from you, He is really just clearing a place for what you had no idea you wanted or needed. And yet, somehow, we still miss it when He speaks to us through His gifts and His blessings. Something bad happens and we blame God, but we dont credit Him for anything good. In fact, oftentimes we simply take the credit ourselves. James 1:17a says that every gift God freely gives us is good and perfect (The Passion Translation). His desire is for our good. He freely pours out mercy and grace and forgiveness in our imperfection. God is not a God who rewards us for good behavior and punishes us every time we do wrong. But as His child He corrects, uplifts, extends mercy and blesses us with what we do not deserve. If youve ever read Psalms, you know that its a constant shift between a psalm of weeping and a psalm of joy. I used to laugh at that when I was little, thinking David couldnt remember what happened just one chapter before. And yet I find myself doing the exact same thing in my own life. Just as David said in Psalm 31:22, I find myself humbled and having to say, I spoke hastily when I said, The Lord has deserted me. For in truth, you did hear my prayer and came to rescue me (The Passion Translation). We just finished a holiday built around giving thanks, and yet we so often forget. Schedule thanksgiving into your daily life, not just one day a year. Praise God for the ways He hears us, for the answers He gives, and for His unending love and faithfulness to us through it all. NEW YORK (AP) Pedro Almodovar has a theory that his films with male protagonists, like his autobiographical 2019 film Pain and Glory, are darker and more somber. I look inside myself when I talk about male characters, says Almodovar. Parallel Mothers, which Sony Pictures Classics begins releasing in theaters Friday, returns Almodovar to more melodramatic territory. Penelope Cruz and Milena Smit play young mothers who meet at the hospital where their newborns are accidentally switched at birth. This secret plays out in unpredictable ways while the film also investigates another hidden past: Spain's mass graves from the Spanish Civil War. In recent years, a national dialogue in Spain has brought renewed interest and political discord over exhuming the graves from Francisco Franco's regime, which began with the 1930s civil war and ended with his death, in 1975. Some 19,000 of an estimated 114,000 victims have been recovered in the last four decades. Parallel Mothers may not be as self-reflective as Almodovar's last film, but it's the 72-year-old director's most politically introspective movie and his first to grapple with the legacy of Franco's reign. Almodovar emerged as a filmmaker in Spain's liberated post-Franco years. When Parallel Mothers was screening this fall at the New York Film Festival, Almodovar met a reporter at a midtown hotel where he spoke sometimes in English, sometimes through an interpreter, about a film that, like his 1999 masterpiece All About My Mother, is centrally concerned with motherhood. Ill continue to be interested in mothers, he said. "You can have a thousand different mothers, and they can birth a thousand different genres." ___ AP: You've made an acclaimed short film, The Human Voice, with Tilda Swinton, and now Parallel Mothers during the pandemic. Have the last two years reframed anything for you about filmmaking? ALMODOVAR: It made me aware of the solitude in which I was living. Because loneliness, despite the fact that I was condemned to confinement, was something that I already experienced in recent times while writing. I think that now I am overcoming loneliness by going out a little more, going to eat with friends, and precisely because it seemed very sad to me that when I was condemned to confinement, I discovered that I was already used to being confined. AP: You began the pandemic writing wonderful diaries about your movie watching. ALMODOVAR: At that moment, I was sick. I got the virus the first week. Even before the first week. I had just arrived from LA after being at the Oscars at the end of February. Then I felt like I had a flu and stayed at home. Three days later, they called for the quarantine. The days were so long that I tried just to talk and write something about the situation. One day, I was disobedient and went into the street to see Madrid completely deserted. It's a very impressive image that I wanted to have. So I pretended to go buy something just to see, just to see the town. AP: It must have felt ironic that in the midst of a pandemic you were making a movie where swabs and lab tests, in proving the children's maternity, is central to the plot. ALMODOVAR: When I was writing the movie a year before, it was like science fiction. But when we made the film, it did feel very familiar. AP: What initially interested you in making a film that deals with the mass graves from the Spanish Civil War? ALMODOVAR: This has come to me with maturity, in cinematographic terms and also in personal terms. Its been some time since Ive been wanting to make a movie about the mass graves, which Spanish cinema has not really touched on. One of the things that really struck me was when in about 2013, 2014 some UN rapporteurs came to take a look on the ground at what was happening in Spain. They were very struck by the fact that it was the great-grandchildren who were the ones demanding that we look at this problem of the past. Spain has a very bad relationship with the past. For the 40 years after the war, there was this almost pathological fear to speak of the war. There was this silence that enshrouded Spain. Its a generation born during democracy that are asking for the graves to be exhumed. AP: Your entry point to that history, though, comes through a melodrama that cloaks the film's more political intentions. ALMODOVAR: I didnt want to only make a movie only about the mass graves. I did it through a character that has a legacy from her mother, who saved her and raised her because she was an orphan. To open the mass grave is to demonstrate that they existed. What Franco did to them was to take all humanity away, to condemn them to non-existence. I was attracted to telling the story through this mother because shes committed to unearthing historical truth at the same time that she, in her personal life, is hiding that truth. AP: Your early films in the 1980s followed years of censorship in Spain and contributed significantly to a new post-Franco period in the arts. Youve said before that Franco had to die for you to live. Was Parallel Mother motivated by a new surge in fascism? ALMODOVAR: When I started making movies, he had just died. I would have never been able to make movies if he was still alive. In Spain, because we had that awful experience of civil war, it was as if we were inoculated against it. Even though I could see the far right growing in France of course Trump happened here, Bolsonaro happened in Brazil there was a part of me that thought that the far right wouldn't actually arrive in Spain because of that traumatic experience. But sometimes I think this is the Trump effect. The fact that he was able to give voice to his far-right leanings emboldened others around the world. They lost their fear. It all boiled up, including in Spain. Now there are things happening that were impossible in the 90s and the 80s. There are more homophobic attacks, more xenophobia. Its a very negative feeling to see that all the values we fought for, we yet again have to rise up and fight for. ___ Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP There are distinct pleasures to be had in watching Ralph Fiennes play the lead in an action franchise at this stage in his career. For as fun as he is as erudite bon vivants, scoundrels and snobs, you always leave wanting more M. Gustav, more Laurence Laurentz, more Harry Hawkes. In that spirit, The Kings Man, a prequel to Matthew Vaughns irreverent Kingsman series, provides a definite service, and Fiennes is as charming as ever. But its also hard not to wish he had a better movie than this to exhibit both his singular charisma and combat skills. The Kings Man, which jumps back in time to World War I to the early days of the bespoke spy agency, is an improvement to the last Kingsman movie, which among other deranged choices had Julianne Moore feed someone a burger made of human flesh that she ground and grilled herself. This one is decidedly quainter than that, but its still a Kingsman movie manic, cheeky and vulgar and its not going to sell anyone who wasnt already on board. The Kings Man also has the uneasy tension of its real historical context which the film wants to use for both sincere emotional beats and fodder for irreverence. At its heart, this is an origin story about a fictional spy agency that blames WWI and 20 million deaths on an embittered Scottish cashmere farmer. But this mysterious man, who is seen only in shadows until a big reveal at the end, is played like an angrier and more sadistic but no less ridiculous Fat Bastard. And he is able to manipulate world leaders (Tom Hollander plays King George, Kaiser Wilhelm and Tsar Nicholas) with his sphere of influence that includes Rasputin (Rhys Ifans), Erik Jan Hanussen (Daniel Bruhl), Mata Hari (Valerie Pachner) and Gavrilo Princip (Joel Basman). Fiennes, who also executive produced, plays the Duke of Oxford who were introduced to as his wife is gunned down in front of him and his young son during the Boer War. He returns to England with one mission: To protect his son Conrad. A few years pass and Conrad has grown into a dashing and patriotic lad, played with admirable dignity by Harris Dickinson, who wants nothing more than to join the army. Fearing the front lines, the Duke tries to convince Conrad to join his little spy group composed of himself and two domestic servants, Polly (Gemma Arterton) and Shola (Djimon Hounsou), and manipulate world politics behind the scenes. After almost preventing the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, their first adventure as a foursome involves going to Russia to either sell Rasputin on entering the war or kill him. The whole sequence is jaw-droppingly perverse as they try to lure Rasputin, who Ifans plays like a madcap cartoon rock star, with Conrad and poisoned baked goods that he promptly expels with grotesque theatricality. In true Kingsman fashion, this also includes Fiennes removing his trousers, upper thigh licking and Rasputin dancing his way through a fight set to the 1812 Overture. Subtlety is not in their vocabulary, so some whiplash is to be expected when the film suddenly turns into a war drama, and then back to absurdity again. At a certain point, it becomes clear that not only is The Kings Man a tonal mess, its also just a set-up for a movie with an even more enticing cast thatll leave you feeling even more conflicted. But you have to admire a modern franchise that has an appreciation of bespoke tailoring as a core principle. If only The Kingsman movies didnt also hold such juvenile humor in equally high esteem. The Kings Man, a 20th Century Studios release in theaters Wednesday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for some sexual material, language and strong/bloody violence. Running time: 131 minutes. Two stars out of four. - MPAA Definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires an accompanying parent or adult guardian. - Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lbahr His hair is graying. His nerves are fraying. Denzel Washingtons Macbeth is a man quite literally running out of time even before he meets those witches. At 66, Washington is certainly at the older end of the spectrum of conceivable Macbeths. But it makes wonderful sense: In Joel Coens brilliantly imagined, brilliantly executed The Tragedy of Macbeth, we confront a man who knows in his bones his aching bones that the witches prophecy has given him his last chance to be what wants, no, deserves! King of Scotland. For an actor of Washingtons unique skill set, not to mention facility with Shakespearean verse, Macbeth at any age would be right, frankly. But theres something wonderful about the fact that it took this long, with all the experience and seasoning Washington now brings to bear. Still, this isnt simply a matter of an actor meeting a role at the right time. No matter how cursed or unlucky the so-called Scottish play is in theater lore, the stars seem to be aligned here. First, the movie stars: As Lady Macbeth, Frances McDormand is a perfect partner to Washington in age (64) and every other way, adding her signature clear-eyed urgency and a few legendarily icy stares to an often caricatured role. And boy, do these two look right together. Maybe its true, as somebody said, that the Macbeths have the only good marriage in Shakespeare though the bar is not high. (Those teenagers Romeo and Juliet had a very short one.) Completing the dream trio is director Coen (McDormands husband, in his first solo outing without brother Ethan), creating an austere and chilling yet gorgeous and stylish cinematic universe. Its a world in black and white and gray, full of fog, shadows and mist a chiaroscuro vision that seems half real, half fantasy. Designer Stefan Dechants set, built onto sound stages, is populated by Brutalist-type structures, high walls, long corridors and tall staircases and dirt paths outside. The key sensation is emptiness: There seems barely a prop around except for swords, doing their vicious work. It feels vaguely medieval but unconnected to a specific period and thankfully not 2021, either. Most strikingly, Coen and superb cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel present a film literally wrapped in a box, in what they call an academy-ratio square frame. As befits the bard's briefest tragedy (albeit with a long list of murders most foul), Coens film clocks in well under two hours. We begin, as we should, with the three witches, and the ominous fair is foul, and foul is fair line meaning all is not what it seems, an understatement of Shakespearean proportions. In a terrific creative decision, Coen gives us only one actor, the wonderful veteran Kathryn Hunter, as a shape-shifting contortionist who morphs at will into three identical figures. Despite a few judicious cuts, the language is preserved and the story is, of course, the same: After the witches prophesize that Macbeth will become king, he decides, propelled by the tough-love urgings of his wife (When you durst do it, THEN you were a man) to hasten the process by murdering much-loved King Duncan (Brendan Gleeson, excellent). Washingtons Macbeth, who often speaks in a soft voice even a whisper is racked with indecision beforehand. But what if we fail, he asks. We fail? his wife replies, but in McDormands reading, its essentially, Look at us, what the heck do we have to lose? (Dont answer that, folks.) And so the bloody cycle begins. This Macbeth is, as always, about politics, power, and the corrosive effects of ambition. It is not, however, about sociopaths. It feels more about mediocrity and the desperation that brings than monstrosity. Theres much acting talent here beyond the leads. Corey Hawkins, a standout in pretty much anything he does, is a dashing presence as noble Macduff, who has the distinction of killing Macbeth (this swordfight doesn't disappoint) once he apprises him that he was untimely ripped from his mothers womb very bad news if you're Macbeth. As Macduffs doomed wife, Moses Ingram makes much of her one scene. Washington, whos played Shakespeare onstage numerous times ( and onscreen in 1993 ) recently said that its where I started, and where I want to finish. As a student at Fordham University, he played Othello, a role he prepared for by listening to recordings of Laurence Olivier in the library. When he speaks of finishing, one hopes he isnt referring to anytime soon. After all, King Lear awaits right, Mr. Washington? But as for his Macbeth, its McDormand who perhaps said it best when asked recently about casting the role. You dont make lists for a generations Macbeth, she said. One is born, and then they play it. Sounds about right. The Tragedy of Macbeth, an A24/Apple release, has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for violence. Running time: 105 minutes. Four stars out of four. - MPAA definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 not permitted without a parent or adult guardian. - Follow AP National Writer Jocelyn Noveck on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JocelynNoveckAP SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Rain and snow showers fell in California on Wednesday in the first wave of a wet weather pattern that is expected to spread throughout the state and last through Christmas and into next week, forecasters said. Forecasters warned that holiday travel, especially through high passes, would be affected by multiple rounds of rain, mountain snow and gusty winds. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The state of Tennessee is facing a lawsuit over its decision to deny public access to a report recommending how to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic that a contractor undertook at the request of Gov. Bill Lee's administration. The Public Citizen Litigation Group helped file the lawsuit in Davidson County Chancery Court against the state's Department of Human Resources last week over its decision to deny a public records request for the document prepared by McKinsey & Co. The records request was filed by the plaintiff in the case, Thomas Wesley, a state employee who filed the request as a Tennessee citizen, according to Wendy Liu, an attorney with the group. The consulting firm was required to provide a government efficiency assessment and review to identify potential performance improvements and assist the states response to the COVID-19 pandemic including but not limited to cost efficiency, citizen and state employee experience, overall government effectiveness, state government department review, and fiscal benchmarking and forecasting. Court documents show an attorney for the Department of Human Resources denied the request in September shortly after it was filed, saying the records are subject to the deliberative process privilege and contain confidential information that is subject to the exception for information regarding operational vulnerabilities. The lawsuit counters that the report does not fall under a deliberative process exemption, which the attorneys note isn't in state law or rules but was described in a 2004 intermediate appeals court decision. Under that ruling, the court determined that certain documents could remain secret if officials deem them part of their decision-making process. The report isn't exempt from disclosure because it does not reflect conversations or deliberations among high government" and is not a draft report, but a final one, the plaintiff's attorneys wrote. Additionally, the lawsuit says the operational vulnerabilities exception is meant to apply to the state's computer systems or technical networks. Even if there were information deemed confidential due to operational vulnerabilities in the report, the state was required to redact those sections and still produce the report, the lawsuit says. The information in the report which contains information about Tennessees COVID-19 response in connection with the States operations as a public employer is directly relevant to public employees and all Tennessee citizens," Liu said in a statement. "There is no basis for Tennessee to withhold the McKinsey report from public access. Gov. Lee's office regularly cites deliberative process to exclude certain documents when producing records requested by The Associated Press, often when it comes to communications of members of his team. It is important to protect conversations between the governor and his closest advisors so they can have frank conversations, said Deborah Fisher, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government. There is a reason for that, but it seems this exemption has been expanded to any advice that the governors administration may receive. In my view, this particular governors admin has used this exemption more aggressively than other administrations, Fisher added. Early in his administration, Lees office also cited executive privilege more than a dozen times as a reason to withhold some records, though his team argued they were using the term interchangeably with deliberative process. Tennessee statutes, including the states open records laws, do not define executive privilege. The Tennessee Constitution does not mention it. Lee has since faced criticism from Democratic lawmakers and public health advocates over his handling of coronavirus outbreak in Tennessee. At times when Tennessee had among the worst virus rates in the country, the governor refused calls to issue a statewide mandate and instead stressed the importance of personal responsibility. Most recently, he's joined legal challenges seeking to block the implementation of federal COVID-19 vaccine requirements. At the same time, he's also faced criticism from Republicans who are unhappy the governor issued any sort of restrictions early on in the pandemic. McKinsey's work has been at the center of debate over the Lee administration's no-bid contracting during the COVID-19 pandemic. McKinsey's services have drawn additional scrutiny because of the state's legal action against the firm over claims about its role in the opioid epidemic. Last April, Attorney General Herbert Slatery announced that Tennessee will receive $15.2 million from a larger $573 million settlement with McKinsey, targeted for its role in helping opioid companies promote their drugs. Lee, a first-time politician, vowed to make government more transparent when he took over the top elected office in 2019. However, the governor has not yet followed through on a promise to overhaul Tennessees public records and open meeting laws that he initially promised during his transition. Several major holidays have passed since around 600 employees at ExxonMobils Beaumont complex were locked out pending a contract negotiation, and now Christmas has arrived more than eight months later. More back-and-forth between the company and the United Steelworkers Union is likely ahead in the weeks to come after the holidays, but for right now the men and women of USW Local 13-243 are focused on making Christmas feel normal. On Tuesday, that feat was a little easier for hundreds of ExxonMobil workers and their families thanks to a toy drive that provided presents for 260 kids. The union opened up its hall, which has also doubled as a food pantry for the past several months, and treated the kids of locked out workers to a day of games and bounce-house fun funded by donations from local community members and union organizations across the region. Mark Morgan, bargaining chair with Beaumonts USW Local 13-243, said that most of his fellow workers have expressed that this Christmas has been a hard one, especially with the vote to decertify the union hanging in the air, but it was important to make sure that families had a day of peace just like anyone else. Its been stressful having to worry about 600 families, Morgan said. We just have to make sure the kids dont have to be caught up in this. Like most weeks since the lockout began, families came to fill up their carts with donated groceries from the USWs pantry and have a bite to eat with their brothers and sisters, but on Tuesday, they also came away with toys, bikes, scooters and even gift cards for older kids. Volunteers and staff with the local, decked out in festive costumes, were abuzz during the afternoon, handing out gifts organized for each family. Some of the gifts were purchased with donations from the unions international organization, but most were donated by community members thanks to one concerned person worried about workers and their families. Chante Tebo, a nurse with Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas, and her husband, a federal prison guard, reached out through their jobs and community connections to organize a toy drive for the USW, netting over 3,000 presents for kids. Tebo, the oldest of five kids, said she has been watching how her brother and sister, who are both union members, have been struggling through the lockout and knew they couldnt be the only ones. When the last government shutdown happened, I know it was hard for us when my husband couldnt work, but that wasnt nearly as long, Tebo said. I knew if it has been hard for (my brother and sister) it has to be bad for lots of people. She said that her family jumped on board as did local community leaders like Ward II Beaumont City Councilman Mike Getz, who made a considerable donation and the drive took off. The holiday season and the signs that the lockout will likely continue into the future has seemed to draw support from other politicians, some of whom stopped by the union hall on Tuesday. Beaumont Mayor Robin Mouton, whose husband is a USW member, visited with workers, as did Roxanne Acosta-Hellberg, Republican candidate for Jefferson County Clerk. Some local state representatives, like Rep. James White (R-Hilister) and Rep. Joe Deshotel (D-Beaumont), have sent letters of support for the end of the lockout to company executives and were recently joined by Harris County leaders. Earlier in the week, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioners Rodney Ellis and Adrian Garcia sent letters to ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods urging the company to end the lockout after union members shared comments at a commission meeting. Advocacy and the seemingly never-ending picket outside the Beaumont facility have been a part of the USWs fight over the lockout, but all of that seemed to fade into the background for at least a few hours on Tuesday. USW District 13 Representative Bryan Gross said it was good to see so many families enjoying themselves and coming together in solidarity thanks to the help of the community. We cant replace the income theyve lost or end the stress theyve felt, but maybe they can have some relief this Christmas, Gross said. jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/jd_journalism WICHITA, Kan. (AP) The Wichita police chief who was one of the first law enforcement officials to call the death of George Floyd a murder and received praise for his handling of Black Lives Matter protests has announced that he is leaving the department. The Wichita Eagle reports that Gordon Ramsay announced Friday morning that he plans to resign from his position on March 1. He said his diversification of the police department is one of his proudest accomplishments. Ramsay said he wanted to spend more time with family and is weighing a run for St. Louis County Sheriff in Duluth, where he was the police chief before getting hired in Wichita. That is an exciting prospect for me and that is something that I am considering, he said. I have a passion for policing and community. Those two things energize me and I love it, but I need a little break. Ramsay was named chief of the Wichita Police Department in 2016 as community activists demanded more transparency and accountability for police. Ramsay, who is white, handled Black Lives Matter protests by organizing a picnic where he fielded questions for nearly an hour. Videos of police officers dancing with people at the cookout went viral. His deputy chiefs include a Black woman and a Hispanic man. There are more minorities and women in the department now than ever, he said. The face of the department has been forever changed, he said. Im really proud of that. In 2020, Ramsay again made waves amid unrest. He was one of the first police officials to call the death of George Floyd in Minnesota that year a murder. Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was later convicted of murder in Floyd's death and sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison. But some of his initiatives have been criticized for not going far enough. He initiated a Citizens Review Board in the aftermath of the killing of Andrew Finch, an unarmed man shot to death on his porch by a Wichita police officer in a swatting incident in December 2017. The review board has limited access to information provided by the department and is only allowed to review cases that are not tied up in litigation. Four years after the Finch shooting, the review board has not been allowed to review the incident. City Manager Robert Layton, who hired Ramsay in 2016, said he had made a significant contribution to the community" and that he expects a replacement to be named in 2022. Russian soldiers stand in formation by a Sukhoi Su-35 fighter plane as Mil Mi-24 Hind helicopter gunships fly by during a Victory Day parade at the Russian militarys Hmeimim base, located southeast of the Syrian city of Latakia, May 9, 2021. Indonesia has abandoned a deal to purchase Sukhoi fighter-jets from Russia and has narrowed its acquisition choice to U.S.-made F-15s and French-made Rafales, the Indonesian air force chief said Wednesday. Air Marshal Fadjar Prasetyos revelation followed recent visits to Jakarta by senior officials from France and Russia to boost ties and show their commitment to countries in the Indo-Pacific. Regarding the Sukhoi Su-35, with a heavy heart, yes, we have abandoned that plan. We cant just keep talking about it, Fadjar told reporters. Fadjar said Indonesia was no longer interested in Russias Sukhois because of a protracted acquisition process, and a fear of U.S. sanctions, although Moscows envoy to Jakarta said Wednesday that the deal was not dead yet. Russia and France, which have territories and a military presence in the Asia-Pacific, had both voiced concern about AUKUS, a newly signed, American-led regional defense pact. France, in particular, was furious about being shut out of the trilateral deal, through which a French deal to sell nuclear-powered submarine to Australia collapsed. The F-15 EX team has come to me and they told us if we signed an agreement today, we will receive the first units around 2027, Fadjar said. The Indonesian air force chief did not give details about its potential purchases or indicate whether its acquisitions would include both F-15XS warplanes and Rafales. He said his force had proposed adding a maximum of three squadrons that is, 12 to 24 planes per squadron of F-15EXs and/or Rafales. Officials at the Ministry of Defense, meanwhile, have repeatedly refused to comment on the fate of the Sukhoi deal. On Wednesday, they could not be immediately reached to confirm the news announced by Fadjar. Earlier this year, Indonesia said it planned to acquire eight of Boeings F-15EXs. The Indonesian Air Force currently has 33 F-16s. In June, Indonesia also signed a letter of intent to buy 36 Dassault Rafale fighter-jets. So when the French foreign minister visited Jakarta last month, the country was hoping for a Rafale sale after Australia dumped a deal it had signed to purchase submarines from France. After Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom signed the AUKUS pact in August a move that also infuriated China some analysts predicted Indonesia might ditch its Sukhoi purchase plan in favor of France. Indonesia will likely settle on those fighter jets least likely to incense either China or the U.S., giving Frances Rafale bid an advantage over the others, unless a new contender appears on the horizon, Indonesian analyst Johannes Nugroho wrote in an article published by the Lowy Institute, an Australian think-tank. A Russian air force Su-35 takes off at the Russian military base of Hmeimim, in Syria, Sept. 26, 2019. [AFP] Worry about US sanctions? Lyudmila Vorobieva, the Russian ambassador to Indonesia, said there was still a chance the Sukhoi deal would materialize. I have no new information about that. We still hope that Sukhoi deal will come through, she told reporters. Its up to the Indonesian side to go on with it. In March, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto visited Russia but he did not say whether the Sukhoi deal came up during talks with Russian officials. In 2018, Indonesia reached an agreement to acquire 11 Sukhoi Su-35s worth U.S. $1.14 billion. Under the deal, Indonesia agreed to pay for the warplanes through a barter agreement in which Jakarta would exchange a $570 million (8.3 trillion rupiah) package of Indonesian commodities including crude palm oil, rubber and coffee. But the purchase never happened amid concerns that Indonesia could face U.S. sanctions for buying weapons from Moscow. A year earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump had signed into law the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions (CAATSA), which imposed sanctions on Iran, Russia, and North Korea. Under the legislation, countries that engage in significant transactions with North Korea, Iran, or Russia through the purchase of military equipment could be placed under U.S. sanctions. Upgrading military According to a draft presidential decree that circulated in June 2021, the Indonesian government planned to spend U.S. $125 billion during the next three years to upgrade and modernize its military arsenal. The government proposed spending $79.1 billion on military equipment, $13.4 billion in interest on 25-year loans from foreign sources, and $32.5 billion on contingencies and maintenance. Many in the country criticized the plan to spend so much money on the military during a time of pandemic, when so many people had lost their jobs or seen their salaries slashed. The decrees fate is not yet known. Since taking office in 2019, Defense Minister Prabowo has visited weapons-producing countries including the U.S., Russia, China and France to secure defense deals. In addition to plans to buy Rafale and F-15Xs, the Indonesian Defense Ministry earlier this year also unveiled plans to acquire 15 C-130J transport aircraft made by Lockheed Martin in the U.S., and two French Airbus 330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) planes. Last month, Indonesia also ordered two Airbus A400M transport aircraft in an agreement signed on the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow. This undated handout photo released from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Dec. 22, 2021 shows an aerial view of damaged buildings on Thitu (Pag-asa) Island in the disputed Spratly Islands, days after Super Typhoon Rai (Odette) struck the southern and central regions of the archipelago. Typhoon Rai (Odette), the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines and Vietnam this year, caused severe damage to some of their major outposts in the South China Sea, according to the Philippine Coast Guard and Vietnamese media. The hardest hit were Thitu, an island under the Philippines control and known to Filipinos as Pag-asa, and Southwest Cay, a maritime territory held by Vietnam. Satellite images taken before and after the category-5 super typhoon struck show that the islands changed in color from green to brown, as winds and rains knocked down trees and destroyed plants. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) posted several photos of Pag-asa on social media after the typhoon, known as Odette in the Philippines, slammed the island last week. The island is the only Philippine-controlled outpost in the South China Sea with a civilian population of around 200. Its also the largest and most important feature in the Kalayaan Island Group, hosting a naval port and an air strip. The island is also claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam. Aerial photos show almost all the buildings and structures on the island were destroyed by the typhoon, said the coast guard, adding that no fishing boats were found to have survived either. The ABS-CBN news channel quoted a PCG spokesman, Commodore Armand Balilo, as saying that the newly-built coast-guard station on Pag-asa was totally washed out. Residents on Pag-asa were evacuated before the typhoon and there have been no reporst of fatalities. However, the coast guard is calling for relief supplies to be delivered and damaged structures to be reconstructed or repaired. The typhoon made landfall in the southern Philippines on Dec. 16. At least 375 people were reported killed and 56 are still missing. Officials are still assessing the scale of the economic impact. Philippine Coast Guard personnel walk toward a building damaged by Typhoon Rai on Philippine-claimed Thitu (Pag-asa) Island in the South China Sea, Dec. 21, 2021. [Philippine Coast Guard via Reuters] Vietnamese outposts affected Meanwhile Vietnam, while being spared the brunt of the typhoon, which didnt strike the mainland directly, had to evacuate thousands of people from central coastal areas. Local media said some of the outposts in the Spratly Islands, including Southwest Cay and Sin Cowe Island, were badly affected. On Southwest Cay, the typhoon known in Vietnam as Typhoon Number 9 destroyed 90 percent of the trees and many houses as well as solar panels. The cay and Sin Cowe Island had sheltered hundreds of Vietnamese fishing boats operating nearby, the Voice of Vietnam said. Southwest Cay is the second largest of the Vietnamese-occupied features after Spratly Island. Its also claimed by China, the Philippines and Taiwan. North Vietnamese forces took the island from the Saigon regimes troops in 1975. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. First, let me wish all my readers for a Happy Holiday from my family to yours! Q: We have been walking out in the woods like lower levels of October Mountain that we can get to with roads closed, Balance Rock State Park in Pittsfield State Forest, and Springside Park. When we are in deep woods and forested places, we almost constantly encounter plants that are green all winter. Can you give me a few names of the more common ones that we can learn about? I dont know of any books, but the internet might also help if we have some names. Al and Peter, Dalton A: The woods are quiet. And until snow cover is deep, the fallen leaves now yellow and brown, and highlights the occasional green. This is a favorite time of mine to wander the Berkshire woods with the hardy evergreens to cheer me along before the snow piles too deeply. The killing frosts have put to rest most of the forest greenery, except for the brave and resilient plants that retain colorful leaves throughout the year. In moist woods, some ground vegetation is still vigorous and ignores the freeze. Christmas, polypody and evergreen wood ferns, shining club moss, princess pine and everyones favorite, the diminutive creeping vine we call partridgeberry, checkerberry or teaberry, remain unyielding to winter. At higher altitudes, mountain laurel often forms impenetrable thickets of shiny green leaves. American yew, also called ground hemlock, is another low growing evergreen that often catches my attention. Many of these evergreen plants grow beneath open stands of pine, hemlock and spruce trees, also evergreen, that facilitate one of the more popular traditions at this season the Christmas tree. Some of my familiar evergreen friends before deep snow covers them are: Partridgeberry or squawberry is a common woodland plant that grows vine-like, close to the ground, and seems to especially enjoy the company of white pine and moist woods. In summer, it grows twin flowers that make one bright red fruit favored by grouse and mice. If not eaten the fruit may last a year on the vine, making it an ideal choice for a small berry bowl. Wintergreen or checkerberry often prefers cool, shaded woodlands, sometimes among evergreens. Nibble part of the leaf and learn why it is so named (weaker flavor in winter, though). It often has only one red berry if the deer havent gotten them. Princess pine, running ground pine, club moss or Christmas green are all common names for this slow growing woodland groundcover, once harvested to excess for wreath making. A better alternative is white-pine boughs with pinecones. Although diminutive today, 300 to 410 million years ago, club mosses attained the size of trees and contributed to the formation of coal deposits. Somewhat resembles large, magnified moss. Shining club moss, a small upright growing woodland plant, has no flower but retains its cheerful green through the snowy winter months. It grows so slowly it should only be harvested prudently, if at all. Evergreen wood fern and Christmas fern are unlike most other ferns that are sensitive to frost. These two remain green throughout the winter and, along with shrubs like holly and rhododendron, make attractive landscape additions when planted in shady places. Another evergreen fern that in some places covers boulders is the polypody fern. Q: I have been meaning to ask you about how many birds are extinct in the U.S.? I know of the passenger pigeon and wonder about the ivory-billed woodpecker. There must be more. Phillip, Bennington, Vt. A: Lets list those birds that are extinct in North America. There are additional extinct species in addition to the two you mention: labrador duck, last seen in Elmira, N.Y., 1878; heath hen, last seen on Marthas Vineyard, 1931; great auk, last pair killed in Newfoundland, 1844; Carolina parakeet, last seen in the wild in 1910, declared extinct in 1939 some 20 years after the last captive pair died at the Cincinnati Zoo; Bachmans warbler, last seen in South Carolina, 1962, but not declared extinct until Sept. 2021; and the dusky seaside sparrow, last seen in Florida in 1987, it was declared extinct in 1990. The Eskimo curlew, last spotted in Texas in in 1962, is considered to be extinct but remains on the critically endangered list. (Of the two you mention, the last passenger pigeon was shot in 1901 with the last known in captivity, Martha, dies in 1914. The ivory-billed woodpecker was last seen in Louisiana, mid-1950s, and in Cuba, 1987. It was reportedly rediscovered in eastern Arkansas in 2004, but has not been seen again. It was officially declared extinct by U.S. Fish and Wildlife in September.) While we are on the subject, let us investigate a variety of species not yet extinct but close: mass.gov/2020-marks-30-years-of-the-massachusetts-endangered-species-act READER COMMENTS: GOLDFINCHES Tommy, of Stockbridge, wrote: For a few months I have not seen any goldfinches and just recently I have been seeing a few, maybe four to six at a time at our bird feeder. CEDAR WAXWING REPORTS NatureWatch readers were quick to respond to another reader's question about the lack of cedar waxwings in his yard and if anyone else has seen them: Liana T., of Sandisfield, wrote: "A handful of cedar waxwings came back briefly this morning for the few berries left on the lower branches of the hawthorne, [and] Dec. 19, I had a lot of cedar waxwings devouring my hawthorn berries in November. Within two weeks, the tree went from being magnificently dense with berries to mostly nude. If I parked my car in the wrong spot, it would get covered in red bird poop. Country living! William P., of North Adams,wrote: Not many, say half dozen were in a bush in our side yard. We watched them outside our dining room for two days and they ate every berry there. No idea the name of the bush. Mary S., of Pittsfield, wrote: "A big flock, I would say 40 or 50 birds worked at eating in three red berry shrubs in our backyard. They ate a good number, and with them were some robins. After a couple days they left, leaving enough for another flock. COPPER BEECH Tom F., of Lenox, (apparently a lover of Copper Beech and trees in general) following The Naturewatch story about Gails Tree on Nov. 20, 2021, wrote: I grew up on the Elm Court estate, and the coppers there were always great for climbing. Have you ever seen a weeping copper? There is one across from Frommel Court on Old Stockbridge Road and another one is across from The Church on The Hill at the Stonewall Inn." You are the owner of this article. The new coronavirus variants spread has implications for the hospital system in the coming months, but Berkshire Health Systems leaders are confident that they will be able to manage any rise in cases this holiday season. Cops and Courts Reporter Amanda Burke is Cops and Courts Reporter for The Berkshire Eagle. An Ithaca, New York native, she previously worked at The Herald News of Fall River and the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise. Community News Editor / Librarian Jeannie Maschino is community news editor and librarian for The Berkshire Eagle. She has worked for the newspaper in various capacities since 1982 and joined the newsroom in 1989. Danny Jin, a Report for America corps member, is The Eagles Statehouse news reporter. He can be reached at djin@berkshireeagle.com, @djinreports on Twitter and 413-496-6221. Business writer Tony Dobrowolski's main focus is on business reporting. He came to The Eagle in 1992 after previously working for newspapers in Connecticut and Montreal. He can be reached at tdobrowolski@berkshireeagle.com or 413-496-6224. Theres a reason these stories resonated with us. They give us pause; they serve as reminders and lessons to not take any day for granted. They show us what our neighbors are going through and in turn it can inspire us to help them. Theyre the moments we overcame what we once thought was impossible, which lead to moments worth celebrating, both as old traditions and new memories. (If these stories don't load on the app, visit BerkshireEagle.com.) Reminiscing on time spent with family and friends Across the country, families are reuniting. For immigrants, its more complicated. As vaccination rates shot up this spring and summer, family reunions abounded. Vaccinated parents saw their adult children again; aunts and un Reuniting: For many, this has been a year of long-awaited reunions and gatherings. But for families and friends living far away from one another, their reunions are still to be had. We understand, Michelle Lopez said. They have to protect the population [in Mexico], and the medical system is great, but its easily overwhelmed because its an island. We understand the health protections. Its just sad. 5 facts about Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) Dia de los Muertos is celebrated by many members of the Latino/Hispanic community members of the Berkshires. Recently, we asked Laura Cabrera to help us better understand the celebration of Dia de los Muertos, and a few of the traditions that go along with it. Here are a few facts she shared about Dia de los Muertos Dia de los Muertos: This quote from Laura Cabrera who lives in Pittsfield but grew up celebrating Dia de los Muertos in Veracrus, Mexico resonated, especially for this time of the year, when many of us are preparing special dishes for loved ones just as our parents or grandparents did for us. "When Im cooking, I hear the words of my grandmother and I feel they have not died," Cabrera says. "For me, she lives on with me because I carry her in my heart. The words that she left me, I think if we transmit to our children, our traditions, beliefs or myths will never die." Remote learning: Though young people in the Berkshires and across the country were at lower risk for developing serious complications from COVID-19, their education and development both academic and social were highly vulnerable because of remote learning and limited social interaction with peers. It's a double-edged sword ... trying to keep children safe from the virus and yet the distance may be creating more problems. Learning that we shouldn't take our health for granted 'I'm on the right side of the dirt:' Love, luck and living with cancer at the Relay for Life Dalzell was 23 and working with animals it was her dream job when a beautiful bull terrier kicked her in the stomach. Dalzell went to a hospital with a sharp pain, and the doctors found a mass. I had zero symptoms, she said. The whole story is pretty amazing. Three laps at the relay for life: Three stories of cancer survivors show us that sometimes bad luck can turn out to be a blessing in disguise, or at least push us in the right direction. One walker tells the story of how a dog kicking her in stomach lead to the discovery of ovarian cancer, which she says she wouldn't have otherwise found. Other walkers describe how cancer pushed them to dig deep and find strength they didn't know they could muster. I wouldve expected myself to fall apart, one walker said. And I did. But, then this calm came over me. You dig down into yourself and, at some point, it just comes naturally. You tell yourself, Ive got this. Its gonna be fine. 'My daughter was gone.' A Dalton girl lost years to a rare illness. Inside her mom's fight for answers EAGLE INVESTIGATIONS: For most of her life, Teagan, 10, has suffered from an autoimmune disorder. Last year, advocates won a major battle when the state Legislature approved a bill to force insurers to cover treatments for the ailment known by the acronym PANDAS, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars for families like Teagans. A rare illness: A Dalton girl living with PANDAS, an autoimmune disorder that sets in abruptly and causes on-and-off, debilitating obsessive-compulsive disorder, tics, rages, depression, and a host of other psychological, neurological and motor symptoms. The disease manifests as ritual, depression, paranoia. During a flare, her handwriting degrades; she refuses to leave the house, shower or brush her teeth. Her long hair condenses into knots, as loose strands reach for the ceiling. This is the story of a mother's journey to find a diagnosis while trying to keep her daughter as safe and happy as she can be. From cancer to COVID: This is the story of Rick Bua, a 67-year-old cancer survivor who was one of the first Massachusetts residents to test positive for the virus. In this story, he recounts finishing his chemo treatments in the spring of 2020, and only a few weeks later feeling very sick again. He is admitted to the hospital with a COVID-19 diagnosis. A year later, he received his vaccine and feels grateful to have his health back. When our neighbors need help Maggie Curtin kept a secret for much of her adult life: She couldn't read. But then, LitNet was created In honor of the Literacy Network of South Berkshire's 30th anniversary, we look back at one of the organization's first student-tutor pairings: Maggie Curtin and her tutor Andrew Pincus. The day I had the breakthrough that I was going to be able to read, I cried for a long time, Curtin said. The pain of all those years needed to be released. Reading: Maggie Curtin kept a secret for much of her adult life: She couldn't read. She graduated high school in 1963 and got through by memorizing a handful of words. Curtain didn't know she had dyslexia, and didn't know there were solutions out there to help her. The day I had the breakthrough that I was going to be able to read, I cried for a long time, Curtin said. The pain of all those years needed to be released. 'Kimber would be dead': How an overdose safety hotline saved a North Adams woman's life EAGLE INVESTIGATIONS: On a day that could have been her last, a woman struggling with substance use disorder in North Adams remembered a business card in her wallet and picked up her phone. Call by call, the Never Use Alone program is saving lives. Safety hotline: Recovery does not always happen in a straight path or overnight. When trying to help others struggling with addiction and working to achieve sobriety, sometimes the most important thing we can do is listen without judgement and be there for them. For one North Adams woman, it was a business card in her wallet that reminded her she was not alone and had options. "We do this because we have some underlying trauma," she said. "Usually, mental health issues. Everybody is struggling. Some people do it with legal things like alcohol or gambling. It doesn't make anybody 'less than.' Pittsfield entrepreneur, 8, directs profits to help homeless PITTSFIELD First, she went door to door selling candy bars. Last summer, she ran her own lemonade stand. Now, she has her own apparel company. A helping hand: A Pittsfield entrepreneur sells sweets, beverages and apparel, and then donates the proceeds to help those in need. Meet Hadley Light, a now 9-year-old, who just wants to help others in her community. I feel really good about it, Hadley said, because I know that when people are buying my products, I know Im going to give money to stop homelessness so more and more people can have homes and food. Remembering those we have lost Birthday wishes: Two of Terri Wilbur's grandchildren, twins Alex and Zoe, would have turned 10 this year, and Wilbur wrote them a birthday note she sent to the The Eagle. It is a circumstance in which time does not heal all wounds. On 9/11, a day unlike any other unfolds at The Berkshire Eagle, North Adams Transcript Several former and current Eagle staffers who were on duty Sept. 11, 2001, tell their stories of that day in their own words. Remembering Sept. 11: Twenty years ago, Clarence Fanto left his home in Lenox and began driving to Pittsfield, where he worked as managing editor of The Berkshire Eagle. As he drove, Fanto admired the crystal-clear blue sky above and thought, "This is going to be one of the best days of the year." Then he turned on his radio. "I heard the first report of the first plane crashing into one of the twin towers of the World Trade Center," Fanto said. Eagle staffers recall their personal accounts of Sept. 11, 2001. How a reporter reunited a young woman with a photograph of her late father after 18 years This story is about a photograph that sat stashed away in a reporters desk for almost 19 years and helped a young woman reconnect with a deceased dad she barely knew. An old photo: Reporters are notorious packrats. Desks are filled with old coffee cups, napkins with scribbled phone numbers, filled notebooks, red and black pens and stacks of old newspapers and clippings. During a yearly purge, one reporter finds an old photograph he used for a story in 2003 while cleaning his desk. This story gave us pause because it made us reflect on why it is we hold onto old things and how one object can bring back different memories to each person. Celebrating diversity in our community Amid Juneteenth's designation as a federal holiday, Berkshire residents talk of freedom While Juneteenth its a combination of the words June and 19th has been celebrated by African Americans since the late 1800s, Saturday Juneteenth: While Juneteenth has been celebrated since the late 1800s, this year was the first time the date was commemorated as a federal holiday. Juneteenth, also historically known as Jubilee Day and Emancipation Day, marks the day when enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, learned that they legally were free from enslavement. In conversations with The Eagle, several Berkshire County residents shared what the day means to them, and what it means to be free. North Adams ushering in a historically diverse City Council Elections brought not only more gender diversity to the mayor's office, but also more racial diversity and LGBTQ representation to the City Council. Council winners: For the city of North Adams, the November election was a historical moment for three reasons: the city elected its first female mayor; elected its first openly transgender councilor; and elected its first Black person to the City Council. We spoke to Ashley Shade and Michael Obasohan to hear their thoughts on making history. Indigenous People's Day: President Joe Biden made the first-ever federal proclamation of Oct. 11 as Indigenous Peoples Day, with a promise to honor the trust and treaty obligations of the federal government to tribal nations. How to move forward against the odds Uprooted in Alford? Even as small farm's bounty arrives, its future is cloudy Here she is, poised to lose her farm at the end of this growing season, a soil toiler in these Berkshire Hills, uprooted again. Need roots: When you're at the grocery store picking up carrots, how often is it that you think about the farmer that picked it, or the farm from which it came? For customers of Molly Comstock, they care an awful lot. Comstock is a farmer who has been planting and harvesting crops in Alford, but this season may have been her last in that location. This resilient farmer has moved locations before and she's looking for a new home now. In Clarksburg, water isn't coming out of the faucet. Fixing the problem is expensive, and nobodys getting paid. EAGLE INVESTIGATIONS: What happens in a tiny water district when nothing comes out of the taps? Volunteers get to work, against long odds and with scant resources. Meet the heroes of the Briggsville Water District in Clarksburg. No running water: Clean, accessible water is a basic human need, and unfortunately, in the small town of Clarksburg, water isn't coming out of the faucet and the pipes are crumbling. Who is going to fix this problem? People want government to fix things? said Carl McKinney, a former Clarksburg town administrator said. Government is a collection of us. We are the government. The people who set up the district? Theyre all dead, McKinney said. Circumstances aside, at PALC graduation, the pomp satisfaction, too is palpable PITTSFIELD Before Sarina Mead and 44 other graduates could gaze upon the high school diploma with their names etched in ink, they each had o Graduation: Celebrating the end of high school is a major achievement for many young adults. The ceremony signifies the official beginning of the next chapter in their lives as many enter adulthood and the working world. However, for some teens, they enter the "real world" earlier because of circumstances that are beyond their control: taking care of family members who are sick or need help. It's a selfless act, but it can be debilitating to find a job without a high school diploma. These are the stories of those who were there for their families and went back to earn their degrees despite the hardships. CHESHIRE Offers to buy one of Cheshires most historic and visible properties and most in need of repair are coming in, with a sales decision possible next week. Quote You can make any offer you like." Daniel Testa, asset manager for CastleRock REO, which is selling an historic property at 12 South St. in Cheshire In August, the company holding a mortgage on the former Beechwood House bought it for $172,500. Today, the distressed mansion and 1.7-acre site at 12 South St. are on the market for about one-fourth of that $43,900 in cash, through an online company that specializes in the sale of previously foreclosed properties. Thats the price range that brought out prospective bidders in August. Some of them might be pursuing purchase once again. Daniel Testa, CastleRock REOs asset manager for the property, said that since the listing for the vacant building went live this week, he has received several offers. A small sign out on Route 8 names the listing price, but Testa said thats just a reference point. You can make any offer you like, Testa said. Ill probably go to highest and best offer next week. Back in the day, 12 South St. was one of Cheshires premier addresses. The building, built just after the American Revolution, housed an early American tavern and, later, became a summer refuge for New Yorks elite. Barry Emery, a town historian, dates the home to 1795. In the late 1800s, people locally started calling it Beechwood, rather than the Wolcott house, the name of its original owner, Moses Wolcott. In the 1900s, as ownership continued to change, it served as a hotel and, by the middle of the 20th century, as the Beechwood Nursing Home and Beechwood Rest Home. The latest ownership change arrived in August, when Peoples Choice Home Loan, the holder of a $136,500 mortgage, bought the property from the estate of Peter J. Krutiak, who had died in 2019. As of the previous fiscal year, the estates property was valued at $115,300. The property cards shows that the land is worth more than the building. The CastleRock REO listing is short on property descriptions, other than to note that the building has six bedrooms and six bathrooms, with 6,390 square feet of space. Named after the discovery of red-headed black bats in what was then known as Baker Cave, the Red Bat Cave was established in the mid-1920s in New Ashford. While the structure hasn't been a tavern for some time, it was a hot spot for Williams students in the middle of the 20th century. Since the 2010-11 school year, the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, my alma mater, has lost half of its student population, which is by far the most of any state college, according to recent reporting in The Eagle. Mitchell Chapman: MCLA must address falling enrollment PITTSFIELD 1,277. According to a factbook published by the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts' Office of Institutional Research, that was the undergraduate student population at the college last fall. Eight and a While disheartening, Im not surprised, as Ive written about the colleges declining enrollment in the past, like in 2019, when I argued that it needed to change course to avoid falling into a death spiral, noting that its status as a public college does not grant it immunity from mergers and consolidation, if not outright closure. Looking over the data, Im not convinced that MCLA is not in said death spiral, but I have hope that it can pull itself out of this rut it rebuilt before, when it rebranded from North Adams State College to MCLA in 1997, the last time before this year that its student population dipped below 1,000. But in order to do so, it must take a close, honest look at itself, and figure out whats not working. Zooming in MCLA's enrollment dropped by half in 10 years by far more than any other state college EAGLE INVESTIGATIONS: 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. Some of the recent decline can be attributed to the pandemic, as the states other colleges and universities have also struggled to attract students at a time where the need to preserve public health has stifled the traditional college experience by limiting social interactions among peers, and at times necessitating that otherwise in-person classes be held virtually. The economys volatility no doubt prompted many to either put off enrolling in college or reconsider it altogether, especially as the pandemic has reshaped the workplace and jobs market. But the college cannot huddle behind state and national college enrollment trends, as it is solely responsible for its own destiny. Furthermore, The Eagles reporting found that MCLAs decline is significantly worse than those of other rural public four-year colleges, as well as its peers in the state college system. This does not mean that its impossible for MCLA to turn itself around and chart a course for prosperity, but it does represent adversity the college must overcome, as it finds itself in a challenging higher education market. The most important questions behind MCLAs decline are: How did this happen? Why arent students coming? What has made MCLAs situation especially dire? Recent history offers lessons The colleges innate ability to produce negative press might have something to do with its decline. Going back to 2015, when Greg Summers was offered and ultimately turned down MCLAs presidency, it seems like the college could never go long without controversy. Some notable incidents are: In 2016, the colleges student newspaper, The Beacon, reported that then-vice president of institutional advancement Mary Hastings had been fired by MCLA President James Birge after she refused to terminate five other employees and refused severance pay when it was attached to a gag order. Later that year, MassLive reported that MCLA faculty may vote no confidence on Birge, citing early and ongoing opposition to Birges leadership, which The Eagles reporting later disputed. In 2017, tensions erupted when the college published survey results that excluded anyone who wasnt Caucasian, which was the culmination of long-term dissatisfaction with the colleges diversity initiatives. As such, the school was papered up with the survey results in protest, which started a long-term conversation on how the college could do better. In 2019, due to some administrative fumbles, the colleges radio class was removed, leading to an uproar from communications students and alumni, which hit critical mass when the incident was picked up by WAMC. It was later reinstated as an independent study. Last year introduced many elements outside of MCLAs control, but one thing it could control was its communication, which it bungled in regards to a set of emails in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, which The Eagle reported that many saw as divisive, and prompted a change.org petition asking MCLA to do better that has amassed more than 600 signatures a remarkable amount given the colleges size. This year, the college had to close down in the spring after a cluster of students tested positive for COVID-19, which was an unfortunate result of their insistence on in-person learning, and they were criticized for outsourcing commencement, in which a computer-generated voice mispronounced the names of many and spoke the dead names of transgender students. Browsing through The Beacons website now, you can find a recent story about how in extreme cases, the college is shutting off the meal plans of students who arent attending classes, which one student government senator described as cruel and unusual. And I have to agree I dont think any circumstances justify using starvation as a tool on a college campus. MCLAs recent history and its severe dip in enrollment paint a picture of an organization that often creates problems for itself that find their way into student and local media, and it has been shedding students at an alarming rate. It needs to desperately change course, and that might only come through a change in culture and strategy. FRUITLAND - The Fruitland Police Department with the assistance of the Idaho State Police and the FBI continue to search for missing 5-year-old Michael Joseph Vaughan. According to an update from the Fruitland Police Department, over the last few weeks search efforts have included more ground searches in a remote forested area north of Weiser, ID. Investigators continue to work every lead that comes in. To date, the number of leads investigators have received has risen to 738. "We continue to comb through the data collected since July 27, 2021 and it is a monumental task, but we remain committed and steadfast in our efforts," said a statement from the Fruitland Police released on social media Wednesday. "The Fruitland Police Department is forever grateful for the continued support you show for members of this agency." The reward for Michaels safe return remains in place and has increased to $52,206.00 for anyone having information leading to safe return of Michael and will be available until March 31, 2022. The Fruitland Police Department is forever grateful for the continued support you show for members of this agency. As most of us prepare to spend a Christmas holiday gathered at a table with family and friends, the Fruitland Police Department asks you keep those who are unable to gather in your prayers, specifically 5-year-old Michael Joseph Vaughan. There will be an empty seat that his familys table and for many of us in this community, an empty place in our hearts until Michael comes home. MECOSTA COUNTY New cases of COVID-19 in Mecosta County have ticked down for a second week in a row, according to local health officials. The District Health Department No. 10 identified 125 new cases from Sunday, Dec. 12, to Saturday, Dec. 18, down from 166 the prior week (Dec. 5-11). Known exposures included household and community contacts; school, day care and care facility; recent travel; and social gathering. One death linked to COVID-19 occurred last week, reported Friday, Dec. 17. Weekly case totals have been oscillating between 150 and 250 new cases since mid-September, with the largest one-week total occurring two weeks ago at 226 (Nov. 28-Dec. 4). The largest one-day total occurred Nov. 12 with 106 new cases. COVID-19 related deaths have also increased, with nearly half (46.47%) of the 67 total pandemic deaths occurring since Sept. 14. On Monday, Dec. 20, DHD No. 10 reported 36 new cases and one COVID-19 related death over the weekend, and Tuesday, Dec. 21, it added 13 more new cases, bringing the total number of cases in Mecosta County to 5,861 with 67 deaths since the pandemic began in March 2020. As of Monday, Dec. 20, 5,056 individuals have recovered and 725 cases remain active. Statewide, there have been 1,434,837 total confirmed cases and 25,984 related deaths, as of Monday, Dec. 20. All 83 counties remain in the high level of community transmission, as they have been for several months. Community transmission level, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is based on the case rate and the positivity rate for a particular area. Case rate is determined by the number of new cases per 100,000 people in a seven-day period, in this case Dec. 13-19. Positivity rate is the percentage of positive Nucleic Acid Amplification tests in a seven-day period, in this case Dec. 11-17. Here are the rolling seven-day totals from the CDC's COVID Data Tracker for area counties, as of Tuesday, Dec. 21: Mecosta County: 144 cases (331.39 case rate), 17 hospital admissions and a positivity rate of 19.17%. Osceola County: 98 cases (417.73 case rate), two hospital admissions and a positivity rate of 22.1%. Lake County: 47 cases (396.52 case rate) and a positivity rate of 20.97%. Newaygo County: 229 cases (467.54 case rate), nine hospital admissions and a positivity rate of 22.95%. Isabella County: 260 cases (372.11 case rate), 10 hospital admissions and a positivity rate of 12.21%. Wexford County: 137 cases (407.36 case rate), 12 hospital admissions and a positivity rate of 18.27%. STATE OFFICIALS URGE VIGILANCE As the omicron variant sweeps across the country, state officials urge Michiganders to take action now. On Tuesday, Dec. 21, one day after the CDC reported that omicron accounted for 73% of new cases nationwide last week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced a statewide goal of adding a million more Michiganders who have received a COVID-19 booster by the end of January 2022. Currently, 2 million have received booster shots. "As omicron becomes the dominant COVID-19 variant in the United States, we all have to step up this holiday season to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe," Whitmer said during a news conference Tuesday in Grand Rapids. We must all take action to protect ourselves and help our healthcare workers and hospitals do their jobs. I encourage every Michigander who is eligible to get their booster shot. The new variant became a concern nearly a month ago as it swept through South African and was detected in Europe. The World Health Organization highlighted omicron because it has more mutations than previous variants. While much about the new variant remains unknown, early research suggests that vaccination and boosters still offer protection. We know from preliminary data that the booster offers more robust protection against omicron. A 15-minute appointment to get your booster can help keep you out of the hospital and save your life, Whitmer said. If you still have not gotten vaccinated yet, know that it is not a matter of if you will get sick but of when. We have safe and effective vaccines. Please get your shots." In addition to Whitmer, Dr. Shelley Schmidt, a pulmonary and critical care doctor at Spectrum Health, spoke about her experiences taking care of critical COVID-19 patients. Since the beginning of this pandemic, I have never taken care of a patient dying from the vaccine," Schmidt said. "I have taken care of dozens and dozens who are dead from this virus. According to data from the state, "in October, unvaccinated people had 4.3 times the risk of testing positive for COVID-19 and 13.2 times the risk of dying from COVID-19 than people who were fully vaccinated." In addition, "from Jan. 3, 2021, through Dec. 15, 2021, people who were unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated represented 85.1% of COVID-19 cases, 88.1% of hospitalizations and 85.5% of deaths." While Whitmer did not announce any statewide mandates, both her and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Elizabeth Hertel encouraged residents to take the following steps: John Carl D'Annibale/Times Union As Michiganders gear up for snow, many are getting ready to start up their snowmobiles. Designated state trails are open now until March 31 for recreational use. The trails will be groomed and maintained as snow begins to accumulate throughout the state. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, why former President Trump canceled his January 6th press conference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Special edition analytica Anacon India and India Lab Expo attracted more than 5455 visitors at the Hitex Exhibition Centre, Hyderabad From December 16 to 18, analytica Anacon India and India Lab Expoback in its physical avatar was held at HITEX Exhibition Centre, Hyderabadconcluded its special edition successfully. Continuing the bounce back sentiment, the business community enthusiastically took part, with 194 exhibitors including both onsite plus online showcasing their solutions and innovations to the visitors. In terms of visitors, the special edition for the laboratory and analysis industry attracted more than 5455 visitors. We are happy that the special edition of analytica Anacon India and India Lab Expo once again delivered a successful platform for exhibitors, partners and buyers to meet, greet and do business successfully. The exhibition halls displayed an atmosphere of confidence and the energy to exchange business on the floor, said Bhupinder Singh, CEO of Messe Muenchen India. Face to face interactions again All the exhibitors, visitors, buyers and partners took full advantage of face-to-face meetingson site. Amy Thakker, Deputy ManagerMarketing & Sales at the Shimadzu Analytical (India) expressed: It was great to exchange ideas and meet personally again. I was especially excited about the new technologies presented here as well as to maintain existing contacts. Jimit Upadhyay, Sr. AssociateService Marketing from Mettler-Toledo India added There has been a huge influx of visitors, much more than anticipated and many have expressed interest towards our products on display. This platform has helped us meet our old clients and introduced us to a lot of new clients. High-class supporting program The industry not only exchanged information at the booths, but also at the high-class supporting program. The topics were tailored to the market requirements. The seminar focused on topics namely USPSupporting Public Health response for COVID -19 or Nitrosamine ImpuritiesUSPs Tools and Solutions organized by U.S. Pharmacopeia. The conference partner, the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), also organized the session on Lab of Future. Onlinethe exhibition beyond three days The fair extended its scope to the digital world. Through online participation options, analytica Anacon India and India Lab Expo carried together a premium audience of top business and technology leaders and influencers across the globe. The digital event platform was frequently used to access company profiles, see products and services, to hold B2B meetings, to learn from the conference and to network. Positioning back in Mumbai & Hyderabad in 2022 With new trends & technologies transpired in last 18 months, the event gave more than enough reasons to look forward to the next edition, which will be back to the Bombay Exhibition Centre (BEC), Mumbai from April 20 to 21, 2022 and HITEX Exhibition Centre, Hyderabad from September 15 to 17, 2022. To add value and capacity building in Indian healthcare sector Apollo Medskills and IIM Lucknow have decided to join hands and announce the beginning of a relationship between the two institutions with a unique perspective to benefit the healthcare fraternity. The first of many, under this initiative they have launched an Executive Programme in Healthcare Management (EPHM). The programme is designed by taking the necessary inputs from both public and private health sector of India and similar economies in the region. The uniqueness of this programme is the Experiential learning that every participant receives by way of attending the Immersion programme. All participants will have the opportunity to experience the concepts they have been acquainted with in the classroom in a real time campus immersion at IIM Lucknow and a field visit at Apollo hospitals. Speaking on the occasion of the launch of EPHM programme in collaboration with IIM Lucknow, Dr Srinivasa Rao Pulijala, CEO, Apollo MedSkills Limited, The EPHM Programme Director, said: The on-going developments in Indias healthcare industry is paving way for creating millions of jobs in the sector. The Executive Programme in Healthcare Management will definitely nurture and shape the career of hundreds of youth who aspire to take the leadership roles in the health industry." The latest updates on the new normal chronicling the lies, distortions, and abuses by the ruling class. In high school circa 04 while the other kids managed their Xanga pages and MySpace Top 8s (back when social media was all fun and games, before the MetaVerse threatened to digitally conquer the world), I watched Big Daddy Patriarch Bill OReilly. Bill drove hard to the paint, especially that one time when he decided to DO IT LIVE! Every year post-Thanksgiving like clockwork, Bill went balls-to-the-wall railing against the War on Christmas waged by creeping secularists. The Culture War was a lot simpler back then. In those days, maybe because as a teenager conservatism seemed counterintuitive and Western institutions didnt seem important, or maybe because the left wasnt yet fully toxic, the concept of a War on Christmas was amusing, and seemed absurd. By now, though, I have developed a deeper appreciation for turn-of-the-century GOP culture war talking points. Christmas is about universal goodwill and holy communion the exact opposite agenda of the ruling oligarchs, who prefer their peasants atomized and stultified with terror at all hours of the day. The corporate media, accordingly, has some propaganda slop for the peasants to desecrate that day marking Christs birth. Jimmy Kimmel ft. Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion!: Ultra-Cringe Stabby Vaxx-Fest Propaganda Set to Music Who are the audience members laughing at this travesty in the background and what darkness has Warlord Fauci done to their souls? Warlord Fauci: You May Remove Your Mask at Christmas Parties Momentarily to Safely Eat a Cookie or Drink Some Eggnog Via CNBC: It is very prudent to wear a mask, Fauci said. Thats what I do. You can briefly lower your mask to safely eat a cookie or drink some eggnog , but try to keep it on as much as possible. Is Warlord Fauci not gracious this Christmas season? Does he not exude holiday cheer? Do even the most battle-hardened warlords not have a soft underbelly of goodwill? German Stasi Snatch and Grab Santa Off the Street for Non-Mask Compliance NEW Police arrested "Santa Claus" today at a Christmas market in Germany because he was not wearing a mask.pic.twitter.com/m7SyhEkWUb Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) December 13, 2021 This despite the German authorities acknowledging themselves that outdoor COVID transmission is extremely rare: In an open letter to the German government and state premiers, five leading members of the Association for Aerosol Research (GAeF) write that The transmission of SARS-CoV-2 viruses takes place indoors almost without exception. Transmission outdoors is extremely rare and never leads to cluster infections as can be observed indoors. Surely we must Trust the Experts and Respect the Science? Surely this isnt about training the unwashed filthy masses to reflexively submit to nonsense because governing authorities say so? Surely? Hessische Polizei Beamten gehen mit Zollstocken durch die Menschenmenge in Frankfurt am 11.12.21 pic.twitter.com/1dkqehSnPt Sternenstaub (@wirsindsoviele) December 12, 2021 Cold Turkey: Possibly No Booze For Britons This Christmas The ongoing COVID lockdown-induced planned supply chain demolition continues to wreak havoc on the delivery of consumer goods. Via BBC: Britain could face shortage of wine and spirits at Christmas In addition, businesses are reporting increased costs of around 7% and often more by freight forwarders to account for driver retention. HuffPo: How To Deal With Anti-Vaxxers During Holidays Christmas Via HuffPo, ft. an alleged expert with a heavy valley girl accent/syntax. The kind who ends sentences in a nasally tonal uptick so that everything becomes, like, a que-estION even when its a statement chased swiftly with an affirmative ri-iiGHT? and head nod to round things out to, like, build consensus. Nothing says holy communion like: a vaxx pass QR check at the door nasal swab/rape for entry orchestrated shaming campaigns elbow-bumping masked up grandmothers Gibraltar, With 118% Vaxx Rate, Cancels Christmas Via RT: The government of Gibraltar recently announced that official Christmas parties, official receptions and similar gatherings have been canceled , and advised the public to avoid social events and parties for the next four weeks More than 118% of Gibraltars population are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, with this figure stretching beyond 100% due to doses given to Spaniards who cross the border to work or visit the territory every day . Gibraltars entire adult population has been fully vaccinated since March, and masks are still required in shops and on public transport. Elites Dont Abide By Their Own Christmas COVID Restrictions, Throw Xmas Party at UK Gov. HQ Via the Guardian: Witnesses have come forward to detail party games and festivities beyond midnight in Downing Street during the winter 2020 lockdown [critics] accused Johnson of taking the British public for fools for following the rules, adding: The prime minister doesnt deny there was a Downing Street Christmas party last year. He says no rules were broken. Both of those things cant be true .' So whatever happened to the UK NHSs all in this together talking points? Surely that was not merely a vapid PR marketing plot to keep the serfs well-contained inside their homes while the nations owners party in lavish government Christmas orgies? Surely? Boris Johnson Questioned About COVID Hypocrisy, Babbles About Vaxx Efficacy Instead of Answering Flap flap flap, Get your booster n dont ask questions. https://t.co/yUeQkgxONa Rosco (@RoscoL999) December 17, 2021 German Corporate Santa Now Shilling Big Pharma Products https://twitter.com/AnonCitizenUK/status/1467919147015327757?t=HOHCsU-Viqk9dORzZJWTbA&s=03 Corporate State Santa Supplemental #1: Norwegian Postal Service Turns Santa Into a Homosexual in When Harry Met Santa Not necessarily COVID-related but just to give a broader sense of what barbarism theyve done jolly old Saint Nick this season: Corporate State Santa Supplemental #2: White Male Cis Scum Santa Gets Replaced By a Nasally Feminist Elf Voiced By Sarah Silverman in Santa Inc. Jesus Christ. Such is the cultural diversity in childrens media that leftist academics are always on about. Transgender Claus to make the transgender youth feel more comfortable (always, of course, to protect the youth so that questioning turning Santa trans becomes tantamount to a hate crime against innocent protected-class children) and for the sake of cultural diversity or whatever is definitely, for sure on his way down the chimney. Oh, wait here zhe is, right on cue. Lunatic Mother Threatens Son With No Santa Presents or Grandma Time for Xmas Unless He Cooperates With Vaxx Afterward, after he caved in, to add insult to injury, she shamed him on the internet for virtue signal brownie points. Originally posted to Reddit (now deleted): How brave. How loving. How liberal. Ben Bartee is a Bangkok-based American journalist with opposable thumbs. Follow his stuff via his blog, Armageddon Prose, Substack, or Patreon. COVID case numbers are already starting to decline in southern Africa, seen as the epicenter of the omicron explosion, but that hasn't stopped the EU from further tightening restrictions related to travel. Because according to Reuters, the European Commission on Tuesday agreed to new rules that will make the EU's COVID vaccine travel passport (what they call a "travel certificate") will be valid for nine months after the completion of the "primary vaccination schedule" - which right now only includes the first two doses. The new rules will be binding for all 27 member states starting Feb. 1. The decision, made by the bloc's governing commission, which has purview over issues related to intra-bloc travel, comes just as Germany's Robert Koch Institute, the primary source of public health policy, recommended on Tuesday that "maximum contact restrictions" should be imposed, starting immediately, to combat a looming tide of infections caused by this latest winter wave (to which the new omicron variant is now contributing). As for the new EU-wide travel rules, they will replace a non-binding recommendation the EU Commission put forward in November. Also, it's worth pointing out that the nine month timeline leaves the door open for the EU to require boosters, potentially as often as every six or nine months. Interestingly enough, Reuters also pointed out that travel measures restricting intra-bloc travel being imposed by a smattering of individual member states are helping to undermine the authority of the EU Commission. But the pass does leave room for governments to impose restrictions on indoor events and activities within their respective territories. Still, once the new rule is in place, EU member states will in theory be obliged to let fully vaccinated travelers with a valid pass access their territory. Though they still could - as an exception justified by a deteriorating situation - impose further requirements, such as negative tests or quarantines, as long as they are proportionate. Manitoba is padding the end of the winter break for K-12 students in a bid to buy time while public health officials assess the risk of the Omicron variant and how best to resume learning in the new year. Advertisement Advertise With Us Manitoba is padding the end of the winter break for K-12 students in a bid to buy time while public health officials assess the risk of the Omicron variant and how best to resume learning in the new year. On Wednesday the last day of school before upwards of 200,000 students go on vacation Education Minister Cliff Cullen announced the return-to-school date will be Jan. 10. Most students were originally scheduled to resume in-person learning Jan. 6, after a two-week-long break. "Buying ourselves some time is critical in this fight," Cullen said during an afternoon news conference held via Zoom. "This will buy time for us to get vaccinated. It will buy us time to make sure that we get rapid tests into all the hands of those who want to use rapid tests, and just buy us more time to get prepared for, hopefully, a safe return to schools come January." MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba dducation minister Cliff Cullen. School staff will still be expected to report to work Thursday and Friday for a mix of professional development and to prepare for instruction, however it may be delivered. Manitoba Education expects school divisions to be prepared with contingency plans for both code orange and red on the provinces pandemic response system. The latter involves universal remote learning for all but the young children of essential workers. Cullen said public health will ultimately make a call about what classes in early 2022 look like by taking into account data about health-care capacity, the impact of the new variant and the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against Omicron, among other things. He could not say Wednesday when the public can expect an update, although the minister insisted there will be as much advance notice given as possible. This will buy time for us to get vaccinated. It will buy us time to make sure that we get rapid tests into all the hands of those who want to use rapid tests, and just buy us more time to get prepared for, hopefully, a safe return to schools come January. Manitoba education minister Cliff Cullen While schools will be closed to the public for K-12 learning in turn, requiring families to scramble to find child care, the province indicated daycares will remain open for children under age 12. Diana Metrik said the child care sector was not consulted about the decision, which came as a surprise to her and her colleagues at Earl Grey Childrens Centre in Winnipeg. "If the goal of this winter break extension was to provide a circuit breaker (in response to) the increased amount of cases, then theres absolutely no sense to bring the same children that go to the school, to bring them to daycare," said Metrik, assistant director of the centre based out of Earl Grey School. ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba NDP leader Wab Kinew. "We already are struggling with staffing. Theres currently about 70 ads on the Manitoba Child Care Association job opportunities board." Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew echoed the concerns of child care centre operators during a scrum with reporters. "What considerations and preparations are being made to keep them, their workers and their children and families safe? We really need to see much more support offered to the child care centres," said Kinew. Both the Manitoba Teachers Society and Manitoba School Boards Association are in support of the decision to extend the break by four days, including a weekend. What considerations and preparations are being made to keep them, their workers and their children and families safe? We really need to see much more support offered to the child care centres." Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew "There will be a small sigh of relief that at least we know that, if necessary, there will be a bit of preparation time in-school or at work in the beginning of January in case we need to pivot," said James Bedford, MTS president. While Bedford said schools are far better positioned to go remote now than they were in March 2020, he indicated access to technology and high-speed internet remain key barriers to student participation. Despite the late announcement, Alan Campbell, president of the school boards association, said he is hopeful students, families and front-line education staff will now be able to take a moment to rest over the holidays. Campbell said it is his understanding every division will be receiving shipments of rapid test kits to ease anxieties about Omicron. As of Wednesday, rapid tests have been shipped to 17 of Manitobas 37 public school divisions and a total of 63 schools located in First Nations and northern communities. The Division scolaire franco-manitobaine team received approximately 16,000 tests in bulk late Tuesday. In order to package them into kits of five and distribute those to each francophone elementary school in Manitoba before the final bell rang before vacation, superintendent Alain Laberge said division staffers were on the task at 6:30 a.m. "It takes a village to protect a village," he said. with files from Carol Sanders maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie * UPDATE: The province announced early Wednesday morning that it will be delaying the return to school for students to Jan. 10. This move is designed to give public health officials additional time to assess the risk of the omicron variant in Manitoba. However, K-12 school staff will still be returning to work on Jan. 6 to prepare for the new winter semester. * Advertisement Advertise With Us FILE Education Minister Cliff Cullen * UPDATE: The province announced early Wednesday morning that it will be delaying the return to school for students to Jan. 10. This move is designed to give public health officials additional time to assess the risk of the omicron variant in Manitoba. However, K-12 school staff will still be returning to work on Jan. 6 to prepare for the new winter semester. * With local kindergarten to Grade 12 schools entering their final day of classes before the holiday break, Education Minister Cliff Cullen says the province doesnt currently have plans to push students back into remote learning to kick off the upcoming winter term. The Spruce Woods MLA told the Sun on Tuesday that its too early to tell what kind of real impact the omicron variant will have on Manitoba schools. His message comes mere days after Brandon School Division officials confirmed that the highly infectious omicron variant had been detected in at least three local institutions: Linden Lanes, Meadows and Riverheights schools. "Our goal has always been to get students in classrooms where possible," Cullen said over the phone. "But if we get advice from public health [that says] this is the safest way to go in terms of remote learning, then thats something were prepared to look at." In December 2020, then education minister Kelvin Goertzen said the province was mandating a two-week remote learning period for students in grades 7 to 12 for the beginning of January 2021. This shift to online learning was designed to reduce the risk of COVID transmission in schools following an extended Christmas break where large-scale gatherings were more likely to occur. However, Cullen said on Tuesday that this years holiday season is a bit different, since vaccines werent widely available to the public last December. The education minister also pointed to the fact that children aged five to 11 have been getting immunized at an impressive rate since they became eligible in late November, with 42.7 per cent of kids in that age group receiving their first shot as of Monday. On top of that, Cullen said the province will continue to provide K-12 schools with additional safeguards in the form of additional ventilation funding and rapid COVID tests for students in kindergarten to Grade 6. "We will get those out to school divisions around the province over the next couple weeks, with the hope that they will have those kits in hand so we can hopefully get back to a safe return in January." On Tuesday afternoon, Brandon School Division officials confirmed that the rapid antigen test kits will be distributed to local K-6 parents who want them throughout today. Otherwise, Cullen told the Sun that Manitoba Education will keep a close eye on the spread of the omicron variant throughout the holiday break and is ready to change its back-to-school strategy in January if necessary. "Theres a lot of information being gathered," he said. "Were watching what is happening in other provinces as well in terms of the increase in cases and what that may mean to [Manitoba] schools in the new year." As of Tuesday afternoon, the province has identified 2,268 COVID cases attached to K-12 schools since Sept. 7. The BSD is currently contending with COVID exposures in at least 15 different institutions, including an official outbreak in a Grade 5/6 Meadows School class that is impacting nine people. kdarbyson@brandonsun.com Twitter:@KyleDarbyson Opposition parties are demanding to know where help for businesses and individuals will come from as the fourth wave of the pandemic pushes COVID-19 case numbers higher and forces businesses to scale back. Advertisement Advertise With Us TIM SMITH/THE BRANDON SUN (FILE) Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont Opposition parties are demanding to know where help for businesses and individuals will come from as the fourth wave of the pandemic pushes COVID-19 case numbers higher and forces businesses to scale back. New restrictions for businesses came into effect Tuesday. Gyms, movie theatres and restaurants are limited to 50 per cent capacity with proof of immunization required. The provincial government is also no longer performing contact tracing for most people who test positive for COVID-19. The provinces website stated that instead, it is advising people to inform close contacts themselves and ask them to get tested. Chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said on Dec. 16 the province was shifting resources from contact tracing to vaccination. However, public health officials will work with schools, personal-care homes, child-care facilities, shelters and health-care facilities to determine and notify those close contacts. None of these changes are sitting well with the Liberals or NDP. Theyre asking why in the face of surging cases nearly two years into a pandemic people and businesses are being told through actions that they are on their own. "Its not a good sign that the Conservatives are not doing contact tracing for every COVID case," said Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont. "This is saying the government is expecting this to get so out of control [that] contact tracing will be of no use. We need to let that sink in." Lamont pointed out Roussin warned the public last August there would be a fourth wave, and added that relying heavily on vaccines is a "hail Mary" for the Tories. One of the key components of handling a highly contagious virus is to keep track of who is infected and who they have been in contact with. Lamont said this could be managed if the Emergency Measures Organization of Manitoba called on volunteers to help with contact tracing. Now that businesses are once again being told to lower their capacities, the government should be stepping in to help keep them afloat, he said. "The government is forcing business to close. If they really wanted to help businesses, they should loosen the purse strings and support them," Lamont said. "The PCs need to be a lot more creative and less stingy with their supports. We need to see an expansion and extension of the bridge grant program, and the province needs to look at what else they can do to buy from these businesses in their time of need." Lamont suggested a government procurement program to buy products and services from Manitoba businesses, such as buying hotel rooms and placing seniors in them with medical supports instead of forcing them to go across the province. They could also work with chambers of commerce to buy gift cards from local businesses, like hotels and restaurants, to ensure cash flow, and give some to frontline workers as gifts or auction them to recoup costs. NDP Leader Wab Kinew agreed the government should be doing more to support businesses and their employees. Kinew said he knows as of Tuesday morning, restaurants are laying off staff, and the ones who are left are making less in tips because of capacity limits. A lot more businesses are sounding the alarm over their situations. "They are vulnerable and in a dangerous position already," Kinew said. In a statement, the NDP critic for economic development and training, said his party is also calling on the province to provide financial supports to businesses that are impacted by the latest round of COVID-19 restrictions and additional resources to help them enforce public health orders. "Workers and local business owners are doing everything they can to adapt to new restrictions and keep their customers safe, but they shouldnt have to carry that burden alone," Jamie Moses stated. Kinew said they are again demanding Premier Heather Stefanson call in the military to staff up hospitals. The eight nurses who arrived in the province as part of a request for help from the federal government is not enough, according to Kinew. To shore up his stance, he pointed to Quebec, which deployed the military to help manage surging cases and hospitalizations. "The military has the logistics, the equipment and the nurses to help get us through another wave." The big difference between Quebec and Manitoba is Quebec deployed its military while they still had capacity to protect. Manitoba is already at capacity and the COVID cases are surging, Kinew said. This all stems back to years of provincial cutbacks to health care, according to Kinew. The province, under then-premier Brian Pallister, was warned by doctors and hospital staff that cutting back on funding and services would leave the province vulnerable to a major emergency, he added. "Its not just cuts, but inaction. "Back in 2020, we were all told to stay home for a month to give the medical system time to catch up and build capacity. Its nearly two years later, and we are still here." The provincial government did not respond to a request for comment by press time. kmckinley@brandonsun.com More than a third of Australias largest listed companies have poor modern slavery disclosures, indicating they dont understand the risks in their supply chains, according to a new report. Monash University researchers analysed the quality of 239 modern disclosure statements from ASX 300 companies, introduced after Australia created new laws to root out the problem, and graded each disclosure between A and F, in a report published on Tuesday. Garment workers in Bangladesh, which has been linked in the past to forced labour. Credit:AP Fail grades were assigned to 36 per cent of companies, according to the report, while only six companies were given a top mark. The research indicated a clear divide between the biggest and smaller firms in the quality of their statements, lead researcher Nga Pham said in a statement. An updated plan to protect the Great Barrier Reef drafted by the Queensland and Commonwealth governments responding to a recommendation by UNESCO that the reef be placed on an in danger list recognises that climate change is its greatest threat. But the updated Reef 2050 Plan is undermined by both governments 2030 emissions-reduction targets, critics say. A UNESCO team is expected to inspect the reef next year before voting on its future status. The Australian government has been lobbying for it to be kept off the endangered list. A UN body has recommended adding the Great Barrier Reef to its in danger list. Credit:Eddie Jim The plan recognises global warming is the most significant threat to the reef, but also includes both governments 2030 emissions targets of 26-28 per cent and 30 per cent. If adopted globally, these targets would not put the world on track to arresting climate change before the reef was largely killed. For our free coronavirus pandemic coverage, learn more here. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size As thousands wait in long queues for the PCR Q-tip ahead of Christmas, many are turning to the 15-minute rapid antigen tests sold over the counter. PCR tests are still considered the gold standard in COVID-19 detection. But rapid results help health authorities screen for cases faster, cutting off the virus spread, and lightening the load on PCR labs. Ahead of Christmas, the Prime Minister says one in four people waiting for PCR tests was not a close contact of a case or showing symptoms, but rather was trying to comply with travel rules imposed by South Australia, Tasmania and Queensland. (Western Australia has, in effect, shut its border.) One of the big reasons weve got those queues in Victoria and NSW is youve got people who are required to get PCR tests before they travel into other states. Now, that needs to be looked at, Scott Morrison says. Rapid antigen testing in those situations would certainly be a more effective option. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has already said she will consider moving away from PCR tests to requiring only a rapid test to enter the state after January 1. Meanwhile, high demand for rapid tests and global supply chain issues are leaving some shelves bare and sometimes pushing up prices. Business and union groups, and now NSW Labor, have called for the federal government to subsidise rapid tests as it does PCR tests to ensure more Australians can use them. The US government, facing major supply headaches of its own just as Omicron cases are soaring, has pledged to fund half-a-billion free rapid tests, for example. We cant have a situation where people get a PCR and clog up the system simply because they couldnt afford or couldnt locate a rapid test, says NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns. But what is the difference between the two COVID-19 tests? And when do you have to join the hordes seeking a PCR test? Advertisement Rapid antigen tests can now be bought at supermarkets and pharmacies. Credit:Kate Geraghty What are rapid tests and how are they different from other tests? The rapid antigen tests are not the finger-prick antibody tests you might have heard about early in the pandemic those test our blood for the virus-killing proteins made by our immune system after it encounters the virus. These antibodies can take some time to show up in your system, so blood tests are not good at picking up early infections (which is also when people are most infectious). Instead, the antigen tests, as with PCR, test for the virus itself. Both tests involve collecting a sample from where we shed viral particles the nose and mouth. But, as Doherty Institute Microbiological Diagnostic Unit deputy director Deborah Williamson explains, the rapid tests dont need to go quite as far up the nose as the famously eye-watering PCR swab. Thats known as the brain tickler, she says, with the Q-tip inserted high up the nose and then the back of the throat. Loading PCR tests amplify their sample in the lab to see if it matches the coronavirus genetic code (PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction, the lab technique that spins up DNA). The tiniest fragments of the virus can be found this way, even if its already dead. That makes PCR tests almost 100 per cent accurate, but it also means results are slower, taking many hours, and more expensive about $100 per test compared to $5 to $30 for an antigen test (though PCR tests are free, covered by Medicare). The rapid tests, meanwhile, are more like a pregnancy test, Williamson says, except, obviously, its quite different bodily fluid being sampled. They use a little chemistry set to test for a particular protein of the virus, known as an antigen, in your nasal swab by seeing if it reacts to a solution. The swab is placed in a dropper of solution to drip onto the paper of the test container for results. These take about 15 minutes to emerge (one line on the test means negative, two lines mean positive). Some tests use mouth saliva instead of a nasal swab (see below for more details). Advertisement While rapid tests were at first approved only for use by trained healthcare workers, Australia later followed the UK in allowing home testing kits to be sold in chemists and supermarkets. There are now 15 home tests authorised for use in Australia by its medical regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). They can be used in all states and territories, except Western Australia. For those with symptoms or those exposed to COVID-19, a PCR test is still recommended, and a negative PCR test result is often required by workplaces, airlines or border checkpoints for entry, or for people leaving quarantine. If you get a positive result from a rapid test, you need to have a PCR test to confirm the result, and you should isolate while you wait. Loading How accurate are rapid antigen tests? Because the rapid tests are not amplifying the viral sample, Williamson says, they are inherently less sensitive than PCR. At the tail end of Melbournes second wave in October 2020, she ran a trial across the emergency departments of three major Melbourne hospitals. About 2500 people who needed a PCR test for COVID-19 got an antigen test too, and the team could compare the results as well as the logistics of rolling them out. People found the kits pretty easy to use, she says. And we did find the rapid tests were about as sensitive as the manufacturer had said. It found about 77 per cent of all cases in their [main] two-week infectious period. But it was more sensitive in the first seven days of symptoms. A review of similar trials around the world found that, when used as a one-off diagnostic tool in this way, rapid tests would pick up about 72 per cent of cases with symptoms, but only 58 per cent of those without symptoms, and some brands were better than others. That means a lot of cases will slip through the cracks as false negatives. Rapid tests have since been improving. The home tests approved in Australia must all reach a sensitivity threshold of 80 per cent to win registration (meaning they identified at least 80 per cent of PCR-confirmed COVID-19 cases). Those that found at least 90 or 95 per cent are categorised with high sensitivity or very high sensitivity respectively. Advertisement Some experts have warned against the widespread use of rapid tests due to their sensitivity limitations. But when the tests are used frequently to screen the same people, say for testing frontline workers every few days, errors can be cancelled out, and their overall accuracy climbs back up close to PCR tests, which are harder to use continuously. A major trial in the UK city of Liverpool found regular screening with the rapid tests helped flatten overall caseloads, when paired with the PCR. In countries such as France, the US, the UK and now Australia, rapid testing has helped take the load off PCR labs when caseloads are rising. The Delta variant is twice as infectious as the original strain of the virus that emerged in Wuhan in late 2019, meaning the amount of virus people shed (viral load) is higher. (Omicron appears more infectious again.) So tests like these might pick [new variants] up more often, says Associate Professor David Anderson, a microbiologist at the Burnet Diagnostics Initiative. When we first were trialling the different kinds of tests, the original strains didnt have as much viral load to work with ... Rapid tests are much better than the finger-prick antibody tests at least for finding infectious people. Loading In late 2020, the World Health Organisation began rolling out millions of antigen tests to the developing world, which has struggled to access testing equipment just as it has struggled to access vaccines hoarded by wealthier nations. But Anderson urges caution here in the West. People might do the test wrong at home or even lie, so you can get a false sense of security with these ones ... They work best for screening. How do you do the test? Before performing a rapid test on yourself, the TGA recommends washing your hands with soap and water and checking the tests expiry date on the back of the foil pouch containing the swab. Advertisement Not every traveller will be checked at the border, but Queenslands police compliance regime could tighten if health authorities become concerned about the threat of the Omicron variant. Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said not every person crossing the road border or entering via airports would be checked by officers, as the state recorded more than 257,000 people entering since Monday. Queensland Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski. Credit:Matt Denien He previously said in recent weeks that as things progressed and the state moved beyond 80 per cent vaccination rates, travellers would not necessarily be intercepted. But he said that could change if Chief Health Officer John Gerrard told police he was concerned about Omicron. Modelling for the intermediate scenario suggests a hard lockdown could suppress the outbreak by the end of January, assuming 60 to 80 per cent of Australians received a three-month mRNA booster by then. Looking at the impact of increasing uptake over time, a rapid booster program would likely enable control with minimal public health safety measures by end of March, the modellers wrote on December 17. Scientists are looking closely at whether the Omicron variant causes different symptoms from earlier variants. Credit:AP The epidemic peak could be delayed with public health safety measures until the boosters kick in, allowing the program to have greater impact. The modellers noted this could be achieved faster by infection-acquired immunity if many individuals are exposed to and recover from the virus and add natural immunity to the mix. However, in all three scenarios hospitals are overrun, as modellers assumed Omicron had the same severity as Delta; a conservative approach that has been taken globally for modelling purposes, but something which has yet to be proven and looking more unlikely. Loading Deakin Universitys Chair of Epidemiology Catherine Bennett said the point of modelling was not to scare people with the numbers, but for it to be used as a decision-making tool about whether public health interventions should be ramped up. Its setting a benchmark that tries to understand how using the various components, like mandating face masks, or increasing density limits, can actually contribute to slowing down spread and gives an indication of what could happen if we did nothing to control it. The critical problem for decision-making is that the future is unpredictable models cannot always predict numbers accurately but what they offer are insights into potential scenarios, not absolute forecasts. Without using modelling to measure different scenarios, Professor Bennett said governments would be forced to manage a pandemic in the dark, and may needlessly resort to extreme measures like hard lockdowns. Modelling case numbers can elicit strong public policy responses and encourage people to quickly change their behaviour. If people understand how well basic health interventions might work to change an outlook, then thats why you do the modelling because it helps people say sure, Im happy to get my booster a month earlier if that makes a difference, it can help stop spread, and were less likely to go into lockdown, she said. Often the worst-case scenarios are the ones that are reported on in the media; detailing what might happen if the appropriate interventions are not taken to control an outbreak. What is not reported as much is the less severe scenarios that can occur when public health interventions, like mandating face masks and reducing density limits, are increased. Early into the pandemic last year, preliminary models predicted hundreds of thousands of Australian deaths, surging case numbers in NSW, or overflowing hospitals in Victoria. So far, almost none of this has come to pass, in part because we refused to allow 60 per cent of the population to be infected, by closing our borders and instituting lockdowns. Loading But we have never reached the worst-case scenario because our governments have always increased public health measures to prevent the most horror outcomes. Melbourne University epidemiologist Tony Blakely, who provided modelling for the Victorian governments 2020 road map, said he believed 200,000 daily cases might be overestimating it, but said that infections would continue to rise. This is to an extent under our control. If we dont want to reach 200,000, we will probably stop that happening because this modelling leads to conclusions as to how you can beat the model, Professor Blakely said. The Dohertys forecasts should serve as a kick up the pants for political leaders and encourage them to introduce restrictions like mandatory mask-wearing indoors in Victoria and NSW, he said. All pandemic models have a range of dozens of different scenarios ranging from optimistic, intermediate to pessimistic. In most cases, Australia has fallen somewhere within the range of what the models have suggested. Professor James Trauer, head of epidemiological modelling at Monash Universitys School of Public Health, said he felt a number of governments, including NSW, needed somebody to ring some alarm bells to increase the sense of urgency of where the pandemic was heading in Australia. While behavioural changes detailed in the Doherty modelling might get case numbers down, Australia could still reach really huge numbers. It could still be 100,000 cases a day, which is still pretty extreme, he said. Predicting what may happen with a new variant, when there are still critical unknowns about Omicron, including how severe it is, is extremely difficult. But it is important to note that the scientists took a cautious approach and used what was known about the severity of the Delta variant to form the basis of their modelling and forecast scenarios that might unfold in hospitals if health interventions were not taken, an approach that has been used globally. It could still be 100,000 cases a day, which is still pretty extreme. Professor James Trauer Professor Trauer, who has done modelling for the Victorian government, argued it was still possible to have a more severe epidemic, even with a milder virus, that proved to be twice as contagious. You could still end up with a hugely increased burden on the hospitals than what we are seeing with Delta, he said. Lab-grown embryos raise ethical questions Professor Jose Polo in front of images of model embryos. Credit:Monash University In a world-first, Australian scientists from Monash University successfully developed blastocysts in the lab - tiny model embryos developed not with eggs and sperm but with repurposed skin cells. The breakthrough is a huge technical achievement in itself - the team had to create a way to reprogram the cells, and then get them to aggregate in the shapes resembling a human embryo in its first few days. More broadly, it has the potential to provide groundbreaking insight into the causes of infertility, miscarriage, birth defects and why embryos sometimes fail to implant in the womb. The scientists insist there are no ethical issues from their model cells because they would not be able to develop on their own. But some questions remain about how much and for what purpose the model embryos could be used for. Either way, the discovery promises to push the bounds of scientific knowledge and medical ethics. New vaccine puts bite on malaria Credit: While vaccines for COVID-19 understandably got a lot of attention this year, it was another vaccine that may end up having a greater impact in the short term. Developing a vaccine for malaria has remained a holy grail for virologists for decades, with the disease one of the deadliest on record - in 2020 241 million people were infected, and 627,000 died from it. Those numbers are fairly typical for the disease, which is caused by bacteria spread by mosquitoes, and which affects people in the developing world, especially in the global south, particularly hard. The vaccine is only about 30 per cent effective, requires up to four doses, and the protection it provides fades after just months. But its a start, and other vaccines are now expected to follow, including some being developed in Australia. Folbigg case highlights intersection of science and justice A younger Kathleen Folbigg and her children (clockwise): Patrick, Sarah, Caleb and Laura. Credit:AAP, supplied In an almost unprecedented move, 90 scientists in March backed a petition for Kathleen Folbiggs release, saying the science which was used to convict her had significantly changed, and that she should be released. Ms Folbigg was accused and eventually convicted of murdering her four young children, who all died in mysterious circumstances, with none reaching their 10th birthday. What seemed a cut-and-dried case in the late 1990s is now anything but, after testing and advances in genetics revealed that Ms Folbigg and two of her children carried mutations in the CALM2 gene which is known to regulate the heart beating among other things. Her other two children had a separate genetic mutation which may also have caused an early death. The NSW Court of Appeal denied Ms Folbiggs appeal despite the scientific backing, finding there was no error of law in the 2019 judicial inquiry which upheld her guilt. The case has raised concern among some of Australias most senior scientists that the justice system is getting science wrong in a legal setting. Ms Folbigg remains behind bars, with efforts underway to have her officially pardoned based on the new scientific evidence. Climate conference criticised as cop-out Prime ministers Scott Morrison and Frank Bainimarama at the COP26 summit in Glasgow in November. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow in November drew international attention and arguably the most ambitious goals from any similar meeting, but scientists from around the world say its still not enough to limit global warming to 1.5C, seen as the bare minimum to deal with the slowly unfolding disaster. Australia also did not cover itself in glory, coming to the table with a lacklustre pledge and a display sponsored by fossil fuel giant Santos. The meeting followed a year where extreme weather events were again a feature across the globe, and the Great Barrier Reef was listed as in danger by UNESCO, before the body backed down and gave the Australian government until next year to prove it was doing more to save the natural wonder. However, despite the bad news there were glimmers of hope - the US and China agreed to work together to tackle climate change, and the push for green energy is growing around the world as more companies see the writing on the wall and pivot to the emerging technologies in the face of shifting public sentiment and dollars. Buzz around Australias oldest rock art Traditional owner Ian Waina inspects a painting of a kangaroo that is more than 12,700 years old. Credit:Peter Veth and the Balanggarra Aboriginal Corporation Australian scientists announced in February that they had confirmed the oldest known piece of indigenous rock art. Of course, it was a drawing of a kangaroo. Researchers from the University of Melbourne and the University of Western Australia confirmed the painting, in Western Australias Kimberley region, was between 17,100 and 17,500 years old, making it the oldest known in situ painting in the country. The researchers dated the painting not by testing the piece itself, but by testing an ancient wasp nest which had been made on top of it. That means it is actually the wasp nest that is a little over 17,000 years old, while the painting could be much older, but is at least that old, as the nest was made on top of the pigments. Its part of a huge body of work being done by archaeologists to understand early human settlement in Australia, a history which stretches back over 60,000 years. We touched the sun An artist's rendering of the Parker Solar Probe approaching the Sun. Credit:NASA Humankind has touched the face of the sun. Well, at least a probe we sent has. NASAs Parker Solar Probe crossed the coronal boundary of our star back in April, although it has taken until just the past few days to compile all the data. What scientists have found is a treasury of information about the outermost layer of the solar atmosphere, including that it was dustier than expected. Despite being a constant presence in our lives, we are actually still mostly in the dark about the sun, and almost all the knowledge we do have comes from observations made on earth. Having a probe touch the sun itself promises to fundamentally change what we know about the beating heart of our solar system. Swearing bird a ducking delight Ripper, the duck who swears Credit:Andrew Haysom/Getty Images Millions of dollars in federal government funding is being used by Jewish schools and community groups to fortify buildings, including the installation of blast-resistant walls, air-lock entrances, security cameras and safe rooms. The Ages examination of $31.4 million of grants in the 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 financial years in the electorate of Macnamara which takes in the suburbs of St Kilda and Caulfield where much of Melbournes Jewish community lives found $12.3 million in grants were for security measures through the Safer Communities Fund. Sam Tatarka outside the Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre. Credit:Eddie Jim In 2015, Mount Scopus Memorial College became the first Jewish school in the state to station armed guards at its gates. Since then, security measures have increased significantly across Melbournes Jewish community. Grants included $1.02 million to the Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre to build a blast-resistant wall and secure point of entry; $960,000 to the Yeshivah Beth Rivkah schools for intercoms, swipe-access systems, evacuation and lockdown systems, blast-proof windows and blast-protectant perimeter fencing; and $495,000 to Sholem Aleichem kindergarten and primary school to hire a security guard and security trainer, fit out a safe room, and install security cameras, bollards and swipe access. After waiting almost two years to properly open their doors, restaurants are again being forced to close. For some, its the lunch service, for others its whole days of the week. Because they simply cant get enough staff. Many venues had been desperately holding out for this years Christmas parties and group bookings to make up for forced closures. From coast to country, restaurants that had been eagerly anticipating a summer holiday boom are now making the difficult decision to decline bookings. Across the state, job ads go unanswered. Many hospitality venues are struggling to find staff. Credit:Jessica Shapiro A recent report from the National Skills Commission found 63 per cent of hospitality businesses experienced greater difficulty recruiting staff this year compared with 2020. So it comes as no surprise that the hospitality sector has been urgently calling for a return of international students, skilled visa holders and working holidaymakers. A Mark McGowan leg tattoo. Credit:Jack of All Fades Perth At the same time he has turned WA into the Hotel California sung about by the Eagles thanks to the brief period you could visit the lovely place and subsequent border changes that meant you could never leave. For the most part, keeping other Australians out has played well for Mr McGowan, but he does have his detractors. Human Rights advocates for one, anyone with extended family outside of WA and of course eastern media commentators and newly minted New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottet. Mr Perrottets biggest zinger was when he described his WA counterpart as being like Gollum from the fantasy series Lord of the Rings because of his wish to hoard the states precious GST. The fight to keep the GST will continue to play out at the upcoming federal election, despite Prime Minister Scott Morrison and federal opposition leader Anthony Albanese saying the carve-up would not change, as Mr McGowan looks sure to play a visible role in WA to win seats for Labor. The dog days of Doctor Who Reduced to enough lower house members to operate a tandem bicycle, the Liberal party lost opposition status to the Nationals after the March election and turned to Cottesloe MP David Honey as its new leader. Dr Honey came up trumps in a leadership vote where the only other potential candidate for the job, Libby Mettam, did not run against him. But Ms Mettam has been far more prominent in the media with her role as the opposition health spokeswoman and from chairing an inquiry into sexual harassment on fly in, fly out sites. Dr Honeys apparent lack of presence on televisions and radios compared to Ms Mettam and opposition leader Mia Davies has earned him the nickname Doctor Who after the British science fiction character. Its a title he has even added to his Twitter profile. The moniker is at least a bit kinder than Mr McGowans assessment of the Liberal leader after the premier called him a first-rate idiot and a moron on the floor of Parliament the art of debate has really hit the dark ages before withdrawing the comments. But the Liberal leaders most memorable moment from the year was a Parliament gaffe where he mispronounced chihuahua five times adding in letters so it sounded like he was saying chi-chuana before getting it right. Dr Who-ney decided it was a good idea recently to lean right into the chihuahua jibe by visiting a rescue organisation for the breed, possibly in search of new companions for the new season of Parliament in 2022 and some zany adventures. A social media post from the visit was the latest in a series of memes and fire-side chat videos being pumped out by Dr Who-neys young staffers to try and boost his profile and take him from I dont know who that is to I think I saw you on TV once? Theres a way to goes just from the online presence given the good doctors 2200 Facebook followers versus Mark McGowans 444,000 when it comes to being able to directly engage with the masses. Just your friendly neighbourhood clan After the 2017 election the Liberal party thought it had hit rock bottom. But the past term of government must seem like the halcyon days of opposition now for the Liberals with a handful of state parliamentarians, the party strapped for cash ahead of a federal election and factions warring over the future of the organisation. A report by party elders into whats wrong with the Liberals was released in August and concluded unethical, underhanded and corrupt practices had left it a penniless political wasteland on the verge of extinction. WhatsApp chats between a group of Liberal powerbrokers known as The Clan which included members like former federal minister Mathias Cormann and state MPs Nick Goiran and Peter Collier and orchestrated pre-selections of candidates were covered by an addendum to the report. It is our view that the chat messaging corroborates the incriminating evidence obtained by the review committee and supports our conclusions and recommendations, the report authors said. This odious behaviour has shamed the Liberal Party and trashed its reputation. It is contrary to Liberal Party principles and values. There has been a lot of bluster from parts of the party to expel MPs like Mr Goiran but a lack of numbers makes such overtures unlikely. The Liberals say they are making changes to the partys structure but we may not have seen just how low it will go until the other side of next years federal election. Meanwhile, at the Nationals The year began with the explosive testimony from outgoing Nationals MP Jacqui Boydell who called out the partys treatment of women. Steps were taken in the party to address the concerns brought up by Ms Boydell in a year where bad behaviour towards women behind close doors of the nations parliaments was not going away and was kept in the spotlight. Just as Nationals leader Mia Davies thought the year was over one of the partys MPs, James Hayward, was charged with child sex abuse offences reducing the opposition to one less politician to deal with the giant stack of parliamentary work required to try and hold the government to account after he was suspended and then quit the organisation. Ms Davies has called for Mr Hayward to resign from Parliament but it is unclear whether he intends to stay and collect his paycheck and as to what plea he will enter to the charges. High-flying friends Its been a while since Australia had a chopper-gate. The WA version was not nearly as explosive as the events which saw former federal speaker Bronwyn Bishop exit politics, when she took a $5227 helicopter charter flight from Melbourne to Geelong to attend a Liberal Party fundraiser, but did raise some eyebrows. Basically, Attorney-General John Quigley accepted a helicopter ride from his millionaire friend John Poynton to former federal Perth MP Tim Hammonds birthday party in Yallingup. The flight was not declared and took place two months after Mr Poynton, a former Crown director, appeared before the NSW Crown inquiry, which ultimately made no adverse findings against his conduct. WA Attorney-General John Quigley. Credit:Philip Gostelow The ministerial code of conduct states that ministers should declare gifts such as free flights, but a loophole is provided for gifts from family members or personal friends. Mr Poynton was always going to be a likely witness at the eventual Perth Crown inquiry but Mr Quigley did not declare any helicopter rides given Mr Poynton was a close friend. He was a witness before a New South Wales royal commission; there was no royal commission in Western Australia, Mr Quigley said this year. The royal commission concluded that the person to whom the leader of the opposition referred was a person of integrity, credibility and should play a part in the future of Crown. That is what the royal commission found. There was nothing that concerned me, but I am not going into any more on this. It is pointless. The premier defended Mr Quigley and said ministers were entitled to private lives. Crown created a few headaches for the Attorney-General during the year after he denied telling Nine News Perth reporter Gary Adshead that the head of the WA Royal Commission into Crown would not have been appointed if he had known about certain business connections. If Parliament were a musical ... Culture and the Arts Minister and Thespian David Templeman has made a tradition out of rounding out the lower house sitting year with a bit of a sing-song. Previous renditions have seen the years events sung to the tune of Leonard Cohens Hallelujah, Monty Pythons Always Look on the Bright Side of Life and Simon and Garfunkels the Sound of Silence. This year Mr Templeman channelled his inner-Blue Eyes to take the song My Way, as popularised by Frank Sinatra, and fill it with lyrics about Clive Palmer, the missing and then found Carnarvon girl Cleo Smith, anti-vaxxers, GST fights and through it all WAs temerity to face off against the rest of the country and do it Our Way. Youve got mail Amidst all the abhorrent death threats sent to WAs politicians, Police Minister Paul Papalia and the WA Police force finished the year with one of the stranger pieces of correspondence. Mr Papalia and the police received letters containing dead mice and human faeces from an alleged perpetrator from Shoalwater. Maggots were crawling out of some of the letters and WA Police was even kind enough to provide photos of said excrement-stained letters to the media. Given weve all been through enough in the past two years we might just leave those images out of this article. WAP [Wet ah ... particles] The advent of regular political livestreams from the premier and health officials, which can run from 20 minutes to an hour, has resulted in some lighter moments not always seen by the public in nightly television news bulletins. Last year it was Mr McGowans response to a question on whether you could go for a run and eat a kebab under tough community restrictions and immortalised in knitwear, this year it was a reminder to keep your phone off in social settings like cinemas and press conferences. Following the January-February lockdown an independent investigation called by the state government was undertaken by former WA Chief Health Officer Tarun Weeramanthri into hotel quarantine ventilation and practices because of COVID-19 infecting a security guard within the system. Professor Weeramanthris scientific explanation of aerosols versus droplets when it comes to the continuum of particles, during a presentation of his interim findings, at a time when what we thought we knew about the transmission of COVID-19 was changing, took a turn when a cameramans phone started blasting Cardi Bs chart-topping 2020 banger WAP. Kudos to the professor for being able to get right back on topic in a manner of seconds. What about actual laws and policies? There were quite a few bans. Old growth forrest logging and puppy farming were banned. Picketing within 150 metres of an abortion clinic was banned. Bikie logos and tattoos were also banned. Putting a road through the Beeliar Wetland was another thing banned. Billionaire Queenslander and McGowan foe Clive Palmer was pretty much banned. COVID-19 continued to be banned in WA. The police were banned from using SafeWA check-in data to solve crimes after ministers promised the publics information would not be used for anything other than contact tracing. The law change came after police had taken advantage of a loophole in the apps terms and conditions which did not care for the sanctity of a politicians promise. Large corporate mining companies were supposedly banned from destroying ancient Aboriginal heritage sites, although many Traditional Owner stakeholders say new legislation to do this does not actually do this. Loading Labor did not quite go the full Queensland circa-1922 and abolish the upper house but it did use its unprecedented majority to create a whole-of-state electorate, thus nobbling the conservative hold on power in the chamber. Whether it will result in a reduced focus on regional towns, as warned by the Nationals, will take some time to be seen. Male fly-in, fly-out workers sexually assaulting colleagues and mining companies that did not report some rapes to the safety regulator were called out and shamed to fix up a workplace and health and safety system in much need of an overhaul. The public and private hospitals continued to go through the ringer and a new health minister was put in place just as WA gets ready to lift its border with the rest of the nation and the world to let COVID-19 with the state ban on the virus to be somewhat lifted. Christmas can be a joyful time of year, but if youre staying with friends or family during the festive season it can be fraught with misadventure, misunderstandings and plain overstaying your welcome. As one of Americas founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, once quipped: Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days. Even back in the 1700s Mr Franklin knew that a few days of stinking up a loved ones home was more than enough, especially during the festive season. You may want to limit your stay, even if your Aunty Bea has an amazing pool. Credit:iStock So, how long is too long? Well, a few days is long enough, etiquette expert Amanda King says. Founder of the Australian Finishing School, Ms King said there were many things to consider in terms of etiquette and manners over the holiday season. Singapore: Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews says the threat of extremism in Australia will rise as international borders reopen following the re-emergence of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Andrews is in Indonesia to meet with Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Mahfud MD and to enhance counter-terrorism ties with Australias near neighbour. Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews is in Jakarta for talks. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Andrews believes there is a need to deepen the countries level of collaboration and information sharing in the current regional security landscape. The ability for people to travel more freely over the coming months is going to be significant, she said. Russian President Vladimir Putin has a set of actions under his sleeve to deal with the West over Ukraine. (Photo: Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS) Russia has no space to back down in a standoff with the United States over Ukraine and will be compelled to take a firm stance unless the West abandons its "aggressive stance," Reuters said. Russian President Vladimir Putin renewed his demand for reassurance from the U.S. and its allies that NATO will not initiative any military expansion eastward, blaming the West for Europe's growing frictions. Putin made the remarks to military officials as Russia called for a swift response from the U.S. and NATO to its proposals for a binding set of security guarantees from the West. Moscow has firmly stated it urgently needed a response from the U.S. to its broad security demands and warned once again of a possible Russian military reaction unless immediate political action was taken to allay its fears. "If our Western colleagues' confrontational posture persists, we will take appropriate military-technical response measures and will respond strongly to unfriendly moves," Putin said in quotes by Reuters. Putin did not specify the nature of these actions, but his language echoed that of Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who has previously warned that Russia may reposition intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe in reaction to what Russia perceives to be NATO's preparations to do the same. Russia denies accusations brought by Ukraine and the U.S. that it is preparing to invade Ukraine as soon as next month, with tens of thousands of Russian forces stationed near the country's border. Russia has denied any such plans of military action on its neighbor, but it has demanded legal guarantees that would prevent NATO expansion and military deployment in the country. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. is working with European allies to combat "Russian aggression" through diplomacy, but that U.S. President Joe Biden opposes the guarantees requested by Putin. Some of Russia's plans are obviously unacceptable, according to Washington, but the U.S. will react with more definite proposals on the framework of any talks in the next coming days. Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, spoke with his Russian counterpart, Yuriy Ushakov, over the phone, according to Emily Horne, a representative for the White House National Security Council. The President of Ukraine, Volodymr Zelenskiy said on Friday that he was willing to meet with his Russian counterpart Putin for "straight talks... we don't care in what format." However, Russia has stated repeatedly that such a meeting would be pointless without a clear agenda. The Indian automotive industry is driving into 2022 with a positive mindset in its quest to reach the pre-pandemic levels of sales volume, having built a solid foundation in 2021 amid semiconductor shortage hampering production. With demand still buoyant in the passenger vehicle segment despite challenges of commodity price increases, many automobile manufacturers are upbeat to embrace new technologies, specially in the electric mobility space which is expected to witness a slew of launches in both four- and two-wheeler categories in the coming year. Although the Omicron variant of COVID is still a concern for many automakers, they feel that the learnings from the past two years will come handy in carrying out business, having adopted digitisation in large scale, even if there were to be a third wave. In an interaction with PTI, Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R C Bhargava expressed hope that 2022 would pan out to be better for the industry as compared to 2021. "This year, we had a lot of production loss due to shortage of semiconductors. I think the situation will be much better in 2022," he said, adding the economy is going to grow faster, which is again a positive factor. "So all these put together, except for the uncertainty related to the Omicron variant, I think it indicates that 2022 would be a much better year," he stated. While acknowledging that 2021 has turned out to be a very challenging year for the industry, SIAM President Rajesh Menon also expressed hope for a better churn in the "The auto industry is hopeful that the new variant of Omicron of COVID would not play a major spoilsport and the society and economy would be able to sustain with reasonable health and safety precautions. We are hopeful that once the semiconductor crisis eases out, the industry can expect to do better in 2022," he stated. Favourable government policies such as the extension of FAME-II scheme till 2024, enhancement of incentives for two-wheelers and launch of the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for auto and auto component sector for about Rs 26,000 crore and PLI for advanced chemistry cell for about Rs 18,000 crore will provide enormous support to the sector as it adopts advanced technologies, Menon noted. While the recently-announced incentive scheme of Rs 76,000 crore for semiconductor manufacturing over six years is encouraging, he said the announcements for setting up scrappage centres, inspection and certification facilities would result in scrapping of vehicles which are not road worthy, thereby creating demand. Sharing the optimism, Tata Motors President, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Shailesh Chandra said, "Looking ahead, we expect the demand for passenger ICE and electric vehicles to remain strong even as concerns about the supply of semiconductors and high input costs continue alongside the uncertainties connected with the Omicron variant." Mahindra & Mahindra Executive Director (Auto and Farm Sectors) Rajesh Jejurikar noted that overall, the industry has been through a tremendous learning curve, be it in terms of managing resources, supply chains, adopting technology and digitisation to improving customer experiences and innovating quickly to respond to changing dynamics. "I feel these learnings will stand us in good stead as we move forward. We are already seeing a strong demand curve and with the improvements in the overall economic environment, I remain optimistic that 2022 will be a much better year for the PV industry as compared to 2021," he added. Yet, Honda Cars India President and CEO Gaku Nakanishi said the outlook for 2022 remains "cautiously optimistic owing to concerns about constant rise in the cost of raw material as well as supply-side constraints". "Even though uncertainty around the pandemic situation still continues, the robust demand in the domestic market and our export push gives us confidence to do well going forward," he stated. A Hyundai spokesperson noted: "At present, the automobile sector is witnessing multiple changes with the government driving a variety of initiatives in parallel to boost the auto sector through product-linked, scrappage policy, etc." "We are cautiously optimistic as the government has undertaken a gamut of initiatives to promote investments and growth in the entire manufacturing value-chain in India," the spokesperson said. From luxury carmakers' point of view, Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director and CEO Martin Schwenk said, "The demand outlook is positive. We have created a good foundation this year... We can come back to what we had in the total market prior to the pandemic crisis... I would definitely see for the luxury segment that we will be able to go back to the growth rates we had until say 2018 on an annualised basis." Expressing similar views, Audi India Head Balbir Singh Dhillon noted that the segment is showing encouraging signs and the pace is expected to pick-up in the coming months. Yet, he said, "The luxury car industry will take on an average two more years for sales to reach pre-pandemic levels of 35,000-40,000 units a year. The industry needs a stable policy for the segment to grow. Taxation and duty structures make it difficult for the segment to expand." Schwenk also pointed out that there is "always a disclaimer because everyone is wondering what's happening next now with whatever variant of the virus". Reflecting on the challenges faced by the auto industry in 2021, Menon said the second wave of COVID pandemic and subsequent staggered state-wise lockdowns in April and May and supply chain disruptions due to the ongoing global semiconductor shortage had a severe impact on the industry. Rising commodity prices put enormous cost pressure on the industry and hence there have been several price increases across vehicle segments in 2021, he stated. As for auto component makers, industry body ACMA President Sunjay Kapur said in 2022, all segments of the vehicle industry, especially the two-wheeler sector, are expected to demonstrate robust performance. "That apart, strong global demand for India made components and the thrust on EVs have given rise to several opportunities that the component manufacturers can harness," he said. Kapur noted that after two consecutive years of decline, India's Rs 3.4 lakh crore automotive components industry is estimated to grow 10-15 per cent in this financial 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.) Government on Wednesday said Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has in August introduced a new registration mark for new vehicles i.e. Bharat series (BH-series) A personal vehicle bearing this registration mark shall not require assignment of a new registration mark when the owner of the vehicle shifts from one state to another. This vehicle registration facility under Bharat series (BH-series) will be available on voluntary basis to defence personnel, employees of Central Government/ state governments/ Central/ state public sector undertakings and private sector companies/organisations, which have their offices in four or more states/union territories. This will facilitate free movement of personal vehicles across states/UTs of India upon relocation, said Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha. The motor vehicle tax will be levied for two years or in multiple of two. After completion of the fourteenth year, the motor vehicle tax shall be levied annually which shall be half of te amount that was being charged earlier for that vehicle. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Business, the B2B unit of the telecom company, and announced on Wednesday a collaboration to deploy hybrid cloud solution for a group of five milk producer (MPCs). The cloud solution, by leveraging Cloud and Power servers, will accelerate the digital transformation of the MPCs. These large MPCs comprise Paayas in Rajasthan, Maahi in Gujarat, Shreeja in Andhra Pradesh, Baani in Punjab, and Saahaj in Uttar Pradesh. It will enable the MPCs to strengthen support to milk farmers and securely record and access key information. The MPCs will be able to make direct and timely digital payments to over 500,000 affiliated milk farmers. Of the over 500,000 farmers supported by the MPCs, most farmers are from small or marginal income groups, with a maximum of women entrepreneurs contributing up to 25 lakh litres of milk each day from more than 14,000 villages. For without their own data centres, the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) model can provide an inexpensive, fast, fundamental system that can scale up or scale-out as required. This model tends to work well for businesses that need scalable workloads and control over their data. "Clients are looking for solutions that are scalable and secured. Through the joint value proposition, we have offered producer a modern and secured data centre infrastructure to run their data-intensive workload on a hybrid in a very cost-effective manner, said Ganesh Lakshminarayanan, chief executive officer of Enterprise Business, Business, which is a unit of Bharti Airtel. "We are witnessing a considerable surge in demand for highly secured and cutting-edge digital technology from enterprise and government organizations. and Airtel will collaborate and complement each other's capabilities to address the growing needs of digital transformation of enterprises in India," said Ravi Jain, director - server sales, IBM India/South Asia. will acquire Prione Business Services, the e-commerce giants joint venture (JV) with Catamaran Ventures subject to regulatory approval. Catamaran belongs to Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy; the two partners announced in August they would discontinue the venture when its term ends in May 2022. will acquire Catamarans shareholding in Prione in compliance with applicable laws including all assets and liabilities, said an spokesperson on Wednesday. The businesses of the Joint Venture shall continue under the leadership of the current management and on receipt of regulatory approvals, the board of Prione & Cloudtail (owned by Prione) will take steps to complete the transaction in compliance with applicable laws. Prione, which had successful run for seven years, was coming up for renewal on May 19, 2022. The JV had enabled over 300,000 sellers and entrepreneurs to go online. It also enabled 4 million merchants with digital payment capabilities, providing these small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and merchants access to millions of customers across the country. The relationship between Murthy and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos dates to 2014, when Prione, a 49:51 JV, was formed. In 2019, the JV was restructured after the government issued Press Note 2 stipulating that foreign e-commerce marketplaces cannot sell the products of their group on their platforms. Following this, Catamaran Ventures increased its stake in Prione to 76 per cent, reducing Amazon Asias stake to 24 per cent. Priones mission was to enable small and medium businesses (SMBs) to grow in e-commerce, which was at a nascent stage in India. Last year, Prione enabled 52,000 SMBs and its goal this year was to assist 100,000 businesses. With operations in Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai, Prione had over 700 employees and has a reach in at least 150 Indian cities. A major chunk of Priones revenues came from its ownership of Cloudtail, one of the biggest and most profitable retailers on Amazons platform. In August this year, concerted pressure from the government, powerful traders lobbies and regulatory scrutiny prompted Amazon and Catamaran Ventures to announce that it would discontinue the JV when it ends on May 19, 2022. With that announcement in August this year, Cloudtail technically ceases to be an Amazon group company, making it compliant with the foreign direct investment (FDI) e-commerce rules on paper. With the countrys online market projected to soar to $1 trillion, this was a major setback for the American e-commerce giant. Analysts had said that the future of Cloudtail was uncertain. They had said Amazon may reach out to large brands to take over the business from Cloudtail and it may even be sold to other players. But now Amazon has decided to acquire Prione. Amazon had been facing the heat from various Indian regulatory bodies of late. The Consolidated FDI Policy of the ministry of commerce and industry, brought into effect from 15 October 2020, has restricted with FDI in engaging in retail trading by means of e-commerce. Recently, the Enforcement Directorate initiated an investigation against Amazon for violation of various provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Legal experts said Amazon acquiring full stake in JV Prione Business Services would have a significant impact on its business as it would enable Amazon to retain biggest asset in the e-commerce market battle and ensure no adverse consequences for the business. Salman Waris, managing partner at technology law firm TechLegis Advocates & Solicitors, said the deal would still need regulatory approvals and can face hurdles from the Competition Commission of India (CCI). "But with Priones originally stated mission to enable small and medium businesses to grow in e-commerce, the announcement comes as a good to the overall ecommerce market ecosystem," said Waris. "The earlier announced end of the JV could have seen several small businesses being left in the lurch and forced to reconfigure themselves and re-enter the market in their individual capacity, specially as Cloudtail provided logistical, commercial and operations-based assistance to many vendors and registered MSMEs." Distribution and startup Ripplr has raised USD 12 million (around Rs 90 crore) in a funding round with a mix of equity and debt from Japanese firm Sojitz Corporation and Stride Ventures. The pre-series- B funding round also saw participation from existing investors 3one4 Capital, Zephyr Peacock India Growth Fund, and Chand Family Office. The Bengaluru startup had raised USD 3 million series-A round in January 2021. Angels who support early-stage investments such as the Licious founders Vivek and Abhay; and the Kaleyra founders Aniketh and Ashish, also participated, the Bengaluru startup said. The Ripplr cofounders Abhishek Nehru and Santosh Dabke told PTI that they will use USD12 million to build and scale up an asset-light and tech-enabled FMCG distribution network. This will involve entering new geographies and building robust tech capabilities, product development, attracting new talent. Set up in 2019 Ripplr is a plug-n-play integrated distribution network for brands offering distribution as a service (DaaS) to brands and supports brands in managing and digitising distributor operations, financial and backend operations, creating visibility, and a management layer for Its distribution network has 10 micro warehouses across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, Pune, and Hubli and coverers around 30,000 retailers having long-term partnerships with all major FMCG brands like HUL, Britannia, ITC, Reckitt Benkiser, Godrej, Dabur, and Nivea among others. And we want to make our platform reach out to 100 cities covering 1 lakh retailers over the next 12 months. (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.) Electric vehicle company e-Ashwa Automotive on Wednesday launched 12 models of Lithium-ion battery-operated scooters and motorcycles under its own brand at prices ranging between Rs 58,000-Rs 1.30 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Earlier this month, the Ghaziabad-based company had announced the roll-out of a range of EVs--two-wheelers and three-wheelers (passengers and cargo)-- both for B2B and B2C segments under its own brand. These new low-speed two-wheelers can run up to 25km/hour with a mileage of 70-100 Km and can be fully charged within 3-4 hours in case of Lithium battery and 6-8 hours in case of lead battery, e-Ashwa Automotive Pvt Ltd said in a release. The models will be available across its 670 retail network and franchisees pan-India. Electric two-wheelers market is growing at a much higher pace than any other electric vehicles in the country and we aim to tap this opportunity by launching a wide range of e-scooters and e-bikes to suit the needs of various customers, Vikas Gupta, Founder & CEO of e-Ashwa Automotive said. For the last three years, e-Ashwa had been selling EV products of other brands under strategic tie-up with various and three-wheelers under its own brand. The company claims to sell over 6,000 EV products under different categories including e-scooters, e-motorbikes, e-rickshaws, e-auto, e-loaders, e-food cart and e-garbage vehicles. The company has recently set up a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Minko, a financial technology start-up that provides credit to retail shops, has raised $1.5 million in a seed- round led by LC Nueva. Shanti Mohan, founder and chief executive officer of LetsVenture, Kunal Shah, founder of CRED, were other investors in the round. Minko plans to use the fund to hire talent for its technology and sales teams and expand business across India. The company announced that it offers distributors a B2B payments stack integrated with its flagship product, Minko Credit, thereby offering a technology platform to offline businesses. Founded by Sanket Shendure and Sanmati Shendure, Minko started product development in January 2021. The founders hail from a family of entrepreneurs and have over 15 years of experience in FMCG product distribution. Besides its flagship product Minko Credit, the company added three new products in six months - Minko Invoices, Minko QR Code, and Minko Gold. With the development of a digital B2B invoice payment stack embedded with credit, the company aims to move a large portion of retailer-to-distributor payments online, the majority of which still happens via cash and cheque. We expect demand for our short-term credit product, Minko Credit, to increase manifold as we continue to bridge the largely unmet credit gap of $250 billion for this segment, said Sanket Shendure, co-founder of Minko. In six months, Minko has earned business from more than 10,000 retailers and distributors of brands like Unilever, Parle Agro, Coca-Cola and Haldirams. From its current presence in Goa, Maharashtra and Bihar, the company aims to expand to other states in 2022 and get over 100,000 retailers and distributors. The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Rail Corporation (DMRC) to file an affidavit furnishing the details of its bank accounts along with the balance amount in connection with a Reliance Infrastructure subsidiary's plea for the execution of an arbitral award of over Rs 4,600 crore against it. Justice Suresh Kumar Kait noted that the has Rs 1642.69 crore available in its bank accounts, and said that if the Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Limited (DAMEPL) does not want to accept the corporation's offer of taking over its debts to the extent of the award, the court can't force it to do so. (DAMEPL says) if it has money in hand, in escrow account, at least it can bargain with banks for restructuring etc. Suppose it passes on total liability to you, to pay to the lenders, it will lose the bargaining power. It is a decree holder, you (DMRC) are a judgement debtor. If your offer is accepted, no issues. But when it is not accepting that, this court can't force it that you accept in this fashion, the judge said. The judge further observed that while the attachment of the DMRC's properties was not permitted, there was no such embargo with respect to its bank accounts. Here, properties cannot be attached as per Section 89 (of The Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002). The option left with court is that how much money is left in the bank account. That can be taken care of, the court stated. The is directed to furnish the details of banks accounts ... in Delhi or outside Delhi. It will also be mentioned in the affidavit, how much amount is lying in a particular account, the court ordered. Lawyer Prateek Seksaria, appearing for DAMEPL, informed that its lenders have rejected the DMRC's proposal of taking care of its liabilities and contended that no special treatment can be given to the government in the present execution proceedings. The government should set an example by paying the award instead, argued the lawyer who claimed that even after the deposited Rs 1000 crore in the escrow account, over Rs 6,000 crore was still due. He submitted that DAMEPL is entitled to the amount awarded in the arbitration proceedings as well as the benefit of any surplus which may be utilised to restart its businesses. DAMEPL's counsel further relied on the DMRC's affidavit to state that the corporation has over Rs 5800 crore in its bank accounts as on December 17, with Rs 1642 crore being its earning and over Rs 2400 crore and Rs 1700 crore being its project allocation fund and deposit fund, respectively. He prayed that at least the admitted earnings of the DMRC should straightaway be appropriated towards execution of the award. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate Parag Tripathi, appearing for the DMRC, told the court that they have no instructions with respect to the banks concerned rejecting the proposal and reiterated that the corporation taking over DAMEPL's debts to the extent of the award and negotiating with the lenders would be in public interest. The government says we are in negotiations with the bank. Reliance, the award holderthey come and say that banks are interested in we (DAMEPL) getting the money and they have rejected the government's proposal. If this is so, this is very seriousSomething needs to be examined by the banking division also, the solicitor general stated. Tripathi urged the court to grant the DMRC an opportunity to work out a solution and submitted that if the bank accounts are attached and metro services are stopped, nobody would gain anything. If metro is stopped tomorrow, there will be a huge issueI will work it out because as an instrumentality of the state, when I sit with the banks, the ability to get a roll over of the amount as a loan from bank will be much greater, he said. The DMRC had told the court that it would deposit Rs 1,000 crore in favour of DAMEPL while suggesting taking over its debt to the extent of the award money. The DMRC had stated that since the corporation was facing a financial crunch, undertaking a sudden liability would impact public interest and authorities were, therefore, working out a solution. It had also claimed that the amount liable to be paid was approximately Rs 5,000 crore which was lesser than DAMEPL's claim. An arbitral tribunal in its May 2017 award had ruled in favour of DAMEPL, which had pulled out from running the Airport Express metro line over safety issues, and accepted its claim that the running of operations on the line was not viable due to structural defects in the viaduct through which the train would run. The concession agreement between the two was signed on August 25, 2008. Under the agreement, the DMRC was to carry out the civil works, excluding at the depot, and the balance, including the project system works, were to be executed by DAMEPL, a joint venture of Rinfra and a Spanish construction company -- Construcciones Y Auxiliar De Ferrocarriles -- with a shareholding of 95 and five per cent respectively. The Airport Express line was commissioned on February 23, 2011, after an investment of over Rs 2,885 crore, funded by the DAMEPL promoters' fund, banks, and financial institutions. In November, the Supreme Court had dismissed the DMRC's plea seeking a review of its judgement which upheld the 2017 arbitration award in favour of DAMEPL, enforceable against it. The next hearing in the matter would take place in January. (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.) Adding 33 'unicorns' in a single year has helped India displace the United Kingdom to be third in the list of countries that are home to such enterprises valued at over USD 1 billion each, according to a report released on Wednesday. India was placed fourth when it comes to the number of unicorns last year. However, the US and northern neighbour China, who occupy the first two ranks, are way ahead, according to the data compiled by Hurun Research Institute. The US added 254 unicorns and now totals 487 in the coveted list, while China added 74 to take its tally to 301 start-ups having a valuation of over USD 1 billion, it said. The top-two occupants are home to 74 per cent of the unicorn universe, it said, adding that the overall list saw 673 'new faces' and 201 drop-offs. Of the drop-offs, 28 per cent or 162 were 'promoted' out of the unicorn list, after going public or being acquired, while seven per cent or 39 were 'demoted', after their valuations dropped below USD 1 billion. The institute took into account companies incorporated in this century to determine a unicorn and the list is updated till November 2021. The UK added only 15 unicorns to take its total to 39, and hence got displaced by India, it said. "India is in the midst of a start-up boom, more than doubling its unicorns to take the country's official tally of unicorns to 54, and overtake the UK to third place in the world," Hurun Report India's Managing Director and Chief Researcher Anas Rahman Junaid said. He said that in addition to the domestic companies, there are 65 unicorns founded by Indians abroad, mainly in Silicon Valley. The Indian unicorns list is led by edtech start-up Byju's with a valuation of USD 21 billion and followed by Inmobi (USD 12 billion), Oyo (USD 9.5 billion) and Razorpay (USD 7.5 billion), it said. Bengaluru is home to the highest number of unicorns among Indian cities, it said, adding that the financial capital, nearby cities of Pune and Thane, and Gurugram also have candidates. (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.) Diversified business entity on Wednesday said its Master Chef frozen snacks has entered into a strategic partnership with Ice Cream, owned by South Korean conglomerate Lotte group, to enhance distribution reach. The partnership will enable Master Chef to leverage 100 Ice Cream carts to make available its range of 15 easy-to-cook snacks, the company said in a statement. This allows Master Chef to use Ice Cream's pushcart distribution network during peak season for frozen snacks, November to March, which is generally the non-peak season for ice cream in markets where winter is dominant, it added. Usually, the frozen foods industry registers a 30 per cent increase in sales in winter as compared to summer months. ITC Vice President and Business Head (Frozen Foods) Ashu Phakey said, "With a strong distribution model in the ice cream space, we are confident that Havmor Ice creams consumer-centricity and extensive reach will complement our capabilities in creating innovative products to enhance the overall value offering for the customers." Terming the partnership as a win-win initiative for both the and their channel partners, Havmor Ice cream Managing Director and CEO Komal Anand said it helps ITC Master Chef enhance availability during winter season while also allowing Havmor Ice Creams' channel partners generate incremental revenues during winter months. "Expanding pushcart operations is an integral part of Havmor Ice cream's strategy to enhance its reach. Given that the frozen supply chain in India is evolving, leveraging the existing eco system to expand reach at optimized cost will continue to remain a focus area," Anand 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.) co-founder prima facie misused his official position to acquire a valuable property at an "inadequate consideration", a special court here has said while denying bail to businessman Gautam Thapar, his co-accused in the case that pertains to the sale of a property at a prime location in Delhi. Special CBI court judge M R Purwar denied bail to Thapar on Tuesday and the detailed order was made available on Wednesday. The case pertains to the allegations about the sale of a property situated on Amrita Shergill Marg in Delhi to a company owned by the wife of Rana Kapoor, for which a separate FIR was registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Mumbai. Thapar was named in the charge sheet filed by the central probe agency. After perusal of the charge sheet and other documents, the court noted that prima facie it came to light that Rana Kapoor, the then MD and CEO of Yes Bank, abused his official position to acquire a valuable property at an inadequate consideration although its actual value was higher. Further, Gautam Thapar (accused number 2), promoter of Avantha Realty, and Rana Kapoor's wife Bindu (accused number 4), through their respective abetted in the commission of the said offences by Rana Kapoor, the court said. As per the CBI investigation, it came to light that Rana Kapoor, in conspiracy with Thapar and Bindu Rana Kapoor, was able to fraudulently induce the bank to release the property for sale at an inadequate value. It has also come to light that further abused his official position to give additional loans to various group of Gautam Thapar, which were not utilised for the purpose for which it was given and major portion was used for ever greening of the existing loans with Yes Bank, the CBI said. The Kapoors were also able to induce the bank to grant the loan of Rs 400 crore, to Avantha Realty against a sham rental agreement entered between two group of Avantha Group and thus cheated Ltd, it said. "In this view of the matter, from the charge sheet and connected papers thereto prima facie, the allegations are to the effect that the applicant along with co-accused indulged in the commission of offence, which resulted in serious dent to the financial health of the state," the court said. Another allegation is to the effect of grant of loan of Rs 530 crore to a firm called Solaris, although it utilisation was for different purposes than it what was sanctioned for. Thus, the applicant (Thapar) is involved in a grave and serious economic offence affecting the economy of the country, the court said. "Considering the facts of the matter, the gravity and nature of the offence and in the larger interest of the society, I am not inclined to allow the prayer by using discretion in favour of the applicant. The application is, therefore, deserves to be rejected," the court added. Thapar is currently in judicial custody and is lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail after being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in August. The ED is also probing the alleged transaction between Thapar's Avantha Realty, and the latter's wife, and has filed a money laundering case after taking cognisance of an FIR filed by the CBI. Rana Kapoor is in judicial custody after being arrested by March 2020 in case pertaining to scam at the bank. (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.) State-owned on Wednesday dispatched the first shipment of 51 loco wheels to the from its forged wheel plant (FWP) located at Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh. Visakhapatnam-based Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL) has set up the plant at a cost of around Rs 1,700 crore with a production capacity of one lakh pieces of forged wheels per annum. The first dispatch of 51 loco wheels was flagged off to Lucknow workshop of the on Wednesday from FWP in Lalganj, Raebareli, General Manager (Projects) Sanjay Kumar Jha told PTI over the phone. The consignment was flagged off by its Director (Commercial and Personnel) D K Mohanty and its Director (Operations) A K Saxena, he said. The production will help reduce dependence on imports, making India 'Aatmanirbhar' in the production of forged wheel and save foreign exchange (forex) outgo, Jha said. RINL, under the Ministry of Steel, produces special steel, including wire rod coils, rounds, billets of different grades and dimensions. It is the first shore-based integrated steel plant in the country. (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.) Steel made at Tata Steel's Port Talbot plant in Wales is behind the world's largest offshore wind farm due to be completed by 2026, the Indian steel major said on Wednesday. The Dogger Bank Wind Farm, capable of providing green energy for 6 million homes in the UK, will make use of steel processed into hollow sections at the Indian steel major's Corby and Hartlepool sites in north-east England and fabricated to build the first two phases of the wind farm. said hundreds of tonnes of its products, able to endure the harsh North Sea conditions, will be used for the giant wind farm project located 130 km off the north-east coast of England. We are proud to be able to help support UK jobs and manufacturing through this project, said Sandip Biswas, Chairman of the Board of UK. Huge amounts of steel will be needed to help the UK achieve its net-zero goals to build everything from renewable energy and low-CO2 transportation to hydrogen production and distribution. At the same time, we have targets for our own decarbonisation as a steelmaker. "Our own transition to a decarbonised future will rely on a secure supply of competitively priced renewable energy whether that be to create hydrogen for future steelmaking or power new low-CO2 furnaces. The more we can help in delivering these landmark projects the better, he said. The Dogger Bank wind farm is being developed in three 1.2 gigawatt (GW) phases Dogger Bank A, B and C. This is another great example of how we're taking advantage of UK skills and expertise to build the world's largest offshore wind farm, said Steve Wilson, Dogger Bank Wind Farm Project Director. Our transition pieces are among the largest to be installed on an offshore wind farm, and this UK-manufactured steel will form some of the supporting components," he said. Dogger Bank A and B is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40 per cent), Equinor (40 per cent) and Eni (20 per cent). In November 2021, SSE Renewables and Equinor, 50-50 joint venture partners in Dogger Bank C, announced Eni will take a 20 per cent stake in the final phase, with SSE Renewables and Equinor maintaining 40 per cent stakes each, in a deal which is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2022 subject to regulatory approvals. In the first two phases of construction the vast GE Renewable Energy turbines, each one rated at 13 megawatts (MW) enough to power a home for two days with a single rotation will sit on foundations featuring products used in safety-critical transitions pieces. These steel structures form the junction between the tower above the surface of the sea and the foundations below the water. Fabrication Sif and Smulders were awarded contracts to provide the wind turbine foundations for the first two phases of Dogger Bank in November last year, with Dogger Bank C awarded a year later. Tata Steel is one of Europe's leading steel producers, with steelmaking in the Netherlands and the UK, and manufacturing plants across Europe. The company supplies high-quality steel products to the most demanding markets, including construction and infrastructure, automotive, packaging and engineering. The work for the wind farm is being carried out by one of its many contract (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.) Validus Wealth plans to grow AUM five times in next 3 years Mumbai, Dec 22 (PTI) Validus Wealth, a private firm launched by the key management team of DSP Merrill Lynch led by Atul Singh after its merger with the Swiss private banking major Julius Baer, is eyeing to grow the assets under its custody at least five times over the next three years. The company has crossed the USD 1-billion mark in three years of operations. The three-year-old company manages funds of a little over USD 1 billion (around Rs 7,550 crore) from around 1,500 rich families across its 11 offices now which include cities such as Chandigarh, Salem, Goa and other major metros. Crossing the first USD 1 billion was a challenge but we have done that within the three years of launching the business in November 2018. In fact, 70 per cent of these assets came to our custody in the past 12-18 months as we had closed March 2020 with Rs 2,500 crore which doubled to Rs 5,000 crore in March 2021 and since then topping Rs 7,500 crore mark as of last month, Atul Singh, the founder & chief executive of Validus Wealth told PTI on Wednesday. He attributed the spike in AUM to the higher risk appetite of the rich since the pandemic hit the world. "Going forward we have an internal target of growing to be amongst the top private wealth managers in the country with at least Rs 40,000 crore of assets under our custody over the three five years, which will be an over five-fold jump from where we are now," Singh said. But he was quick to add that it does not mean overtaking the entrenched players like IIFL Wealth, Edelweiss Wealth and Kotak Wealth, which respectively are the top three players in the USD500-billion strong professional wealth advisory industry in the country. As much as 60 per cent of the funds are parked in equities and the rest in debt, Singh said. It can be recalled that in 2012, Bank of America had agreed to sell its overseas operations to the Zurich-headquartered Julius Baer and the sale and merger of its India business along with 150 employees and USD 6.5 billion AUM in March 2015. Atul Singh was heading the private banking vertical of the Wall Street major at that time and after the merger sale to he also headed Julius Baer India till 2017 when he decided to launch Validus. Validus was earlier known as WGC Wealth when it was promoted by Wadhawan Global Capital, which was also the promoter of troubled Dewan Housing Finance Corp. Validus later bought out by its employees, resulting in its new avatar. Singh said the company has reached operating breakeven in June this year, which will lower its capital requirement now. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ltd on Wednesday said it plans to raise up to Rs 1,000 crore through (NCDs). In this regard, the company is holding a meeting of its duly constituted committee of the directors next week, Ltd said in a filing to the BSE. "The company proposes to offer rated, secured, redeemable, non-cumulative, aggregating up to Rs 1,000 crore," the filing said. The above issuance is pursuant to the board of directors' resolutions passed at their meeting held on May 7, 2019, and October 3 last year. Ltd is a diversified natural resources company whose business primarily involves producing oil and gas, zinc-lead-silver, copper, iron ore, aluminium and commercial power. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener has ruled out the possibility of a pre-poll alliance with the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Goa, but said he may think of tie-ups with non-BJP outfits post-results if the ensuing assembly elections throw up a fractured mandate in the coastal state. He said the AAP will contest on all the 40 seats of the Goa assembly and the party's chief ministerial candidate will be declared in time to come. The Delhi chief minister praised BJP stalwart late Manohar Parrikar and said those who are feeling "suffocated" in the state's ruling party can join the AAP. Talking to PTI during his visit here, Kejriwal said his party may go for post-poll tie-ups with non-BJP outfits in Goa if there is a fractured mandate and "if it is very necessary". "Post-elections, if it is a fractured (verdict) and it is very necessary, we may ally with non-BJP parties, Kejriwal said. The Delhi chief minister ruled out the possibility of a pre-poll alliance with the TMC, whose chairperson Mamata Banerjee is projecting the opposition alliance led by her party as the main anti-BJP bloc in Goa. The TMC has tied up with Goa's regional outfit MGP for the polls due in early 2022. Why should we go in for an alliance with the TMC in Goa? We are not forging an alliance with them, the AAP leader asserted. Kejriwal said there is "no understanding, discussions...nothing is happening" with the TMC from the AAP's side. Pointed out that he had once referred Banerjee as like his elder sister, Kejriwal said, I had said Mamata didi was like my elder sister, but that does not mean we will have an alliance with her in Goa. I have several elder sisters, elder brothers in the country, I don't have alliance with everyone of them. Political alliance is something different, he stated. Asked whether he considers the TMC as a 'like-minded' party, the 53-year-old bureaucrat-turned-politician said, It's not about that. There are so many like- minded people. There is nothing of the TMC in Goa. Kejriwal said the AAP has no tolerance for corruption and money that would come in the state coffers would be diverted for welfare of the people of Goa like it is happening in Delhi if his party comes to power here. Asked about the BJP's statement of the AAP-ruled Delhi being a "half state", the CM said, If Delhi was a full state, we could have given more things free. If we can handle health and education, we can also handle police and land (which fall in the Centre's domain). It is not a rocket science to run a government, he said. Kejriwal said the only thing that is required to run a government is to have clean intentions. He described former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar as one of the great leaders. Late Manohar Parrikar's ideology has been discarded by the BJP. It is shameful that his son has to plead to the party for a ticket (to contest polls), he said. Kejriwal said, Those who are thinking that the BJP has neglected the legacy of Parrikar and are feeling suffocated (in the saffron outfit) can join the AAP. (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 is planning to identify and train at least one ' Steward' in each district across the country amid rising Omicron scare. The initiative aims to empower all healthcare workers engaged in management and administration with the essential knowledge and skills to ensure rational utilisation and avoid any wastage of medical Oxygen, especially in resource constraint settings. These trained professionals would be responsible for leading the training on therapy and management in their respective districts and also support audit of oxygen delivery and preparedness for a surge scenario. "Oxygen is life saving and critically important in the treatment of several illnesses, not just Covid-19. The country witnessed an increased oxygen demand during the pandemic. Hence, the rational use of oxygen has become mandatory and need of the hour", said Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr Bharti Pravin Pawar while inaugurating the National Oxygen Stewardship Programme on Wednesday. Commenting on the programme, Dr. Pawar said, "It will enhance the skills of our healthcare workers in Oxygen therapy with necessary focus on essential knowledge and skills. This will also train our participants to avoid wastage or overuse of oxygen in resource constraint settings." Detailing the Government's efforts in ensuring increased oxygen availability, the Union Minister said: "Government of India has sanctioned more than 1500 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen generation plants of which 1463 have been commissioned which include, 1225 PSA plants which have been installed and commissioned under PMCARES Fund in every district of the country." The states have also been asked to install PSA plants in public health facilities and facilitate installation of PSA plants in private health facilities, she added. Dr. V.K. Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog underscored that resource constraint is faced by all countries but it is important that the available resources are used prudently. Towards this effort, he lauded this initiative for its focus on ensuring efficiency in oxygen administration. He also highlighted the recently launched 'Oxycare' dashboard as another important initiative towards oxygen administration. ---IANS avr/shb/ (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.) Chip-maker has reportedly notified employees that those who are unvaccinated will have to get the jab or submit an exemption by January 4, else they will be put on unpaid leave. According to a report in The Oregonian, the tech giant told workers that those who don't receive an exemption for religious or medical reasons will be on unpaid leave, beginning in April. "It told employees that they had a January 4 deadline to be vaccinated or seek an exemption, citing a government mandate for federal contractors," the report mentioned late on Tuesday. will review employees' exemption requests until March 15. Google has also told its employees that they will lose their salaries and eventually be fired if they fail to fully vaccinate themselves and follow Covid-19 rules as mandated by the US administration. Google reportedly said that they will be placed on a 30-day administrative leave if they fail to get vaccinated or submit an exception by January 13. "If they're still not in compliance after the 30 days, they could face unpaid leave for up to six months and then be terminated," according to an internal memo. Most US employees will fall under their vaccine requirements, which stems from President Joe Biden's executive order. The US administration has ordered companies with 100 or more workers to ensure their employees are fully vaccinated or regularly tested for Covid-19 by January 18. Google has asked its more than 1,50,000 employees to upload their status to its internal systems. As the Omicron variant threat looms, Google is also reconsidering its plans to ask full-time employees to return to offices by January 10.--IANS na/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.) As many as 80 medical doctors from different parts of the country have appealed to the government to disallow events, which are to be organised in January. The letter addressed to Chief Minister MK Stalin and the minister of health, medical education, and family welfare Ma Subramanian points out that the potentially super-spreader spectacles pose a grave health risk to the public. "Prohibiting non-essential activities such as events, which lead to unnecessary mass gatherings, is essential to prevent the rapid spread of Covid-19 and to protect public health as well as to ease the pressure on health-care professionals," says Dr Deepshikha Chandravanshi, one of the doctors who signed the letter. According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, the plea comes in the backdrop of several countries around the world imposing new safety guidelines in response to rising COVID-19 cases and the threat of the Omicron variant. "Non-essential events such as have no place in a country battling a deadly contagious virus," says PETA India CEO Manilal Valliyate. "PETA India is calling on officials to heed the professional opinions of these medical doctors and call off jallikattu events to protect the bulls from cruelty and the public from a life-threatening disease." Since the government legalised jallikattu in 2017, at least 22 bulls and 69 humans have reportedly died, while more than 4,696 humans have been injured, a PETA India statement noted. The animals' rights organisation has documented extreme cruelty to bulls during these events, which are attended by up to thousands of people. Video footage of 2021 events show masses of unmasked people in close proximity, conditions ripe for the spread of Covid-19, particularly the easily transmissible Omicron variant. PETA India claimed that it has extensive video footage which shows that during jallikattu, participants force terrified bulls into the arena by biting their tails, yanking their nose ropes, and jabbing them with weapons. The panicked bulls often slam into humans and barricades, often breaking their bones or dying, the statement observed. Jallikattu is organised every year in January, in Tamil Nadu, as a part of Pongal celebrations. In the traditional event, a bull is released, and people try to grab its hump on and hang as it attempts to escape. It was banned several times but is being organised after an ordinance was brought in 2017. --IANS pvn/shb/ (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.) Four more patients infected with Omicron variant of have been found in Jaipur out of whom a foreigner is undergoing treatment in Delhi. Principal of SMS Medical College, Jaipur, Dr Sudhir Bhandari told reporters here that genome sequence test has confirmed four people to be infected with the Omicron variant. He said three of them have been admitted to the RUHS hospital here for treatment while the foreign national is undergoing treatment in Delhi. Also, Bhandari said all the three infected persons admitted in Jaipur are asymptomatic. "They do not have any major symptoms of nor do they have any travel history," he said. The state currently has 217 active cases of infection. So far, 8,961 deaths have occurred due to the infection in the state. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Faced with a vaccine evading Omicron variant, Oxford university and AstraZeneca announced that they have begun the work to develop a Covid shot that specifically targets the new strain. Early this month, all major drug makers including Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, and AstraZeneca had announced plans to quickly investigate and adapt their shots to the highly mutated Omicron variant. "Like with many previous variants of concern, and together with our partners AstraZeneca, we have taken preliminary steps in producing an updated vaccine in case it is needed," Sandy Douglas, a research group leader at Oxford, was quoted as saying to the Financial Times. "Adenovirus-based vaccines [such as that made by Oxford/AstraZeneca] could in principle be used to respond to any new variant more rapidly than some may previously have realised. [They have] really important advantages, especially where need and logistical challenges are greatest," he added. A study published in the journal The Lancet on Monday showed that the protection offered by the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, named Covishield in India, declines after three months of receiving two doses. The findings by a team of researchers led by University of Edinburgh suggest that booster programmes are needed to help maintain protection from severe disease. The results are consistent with several studies rendering two doses of nearly all widely used vaccines less effective against the highly transmissible variant. However, a third messenger RNA shot has shown to increase antibody levels. "Together with Oxford university, we have taken preliminary steps in producing an Omicron variant vaccine, in case it is needed and will be informed by emerging data," AstraZeneca was quoted as saying by the newspaper. The AstraZeneca shot, with partnership from Oxford and India's Serum Institute, was widely deployed with more than 2 billion doses globally - the majority being supplied in poorer nations. However, several countries restricted its use after the emergence of a rare side effect involving blood clots, the report said. In a yet to be peer-reviewed paper posted on preprint on Tuesday, Douglas's team highlighted the speed at which it would be possible to make a new adenovirus-vectored vaccine such as AstraZeneca's at scale. According to researchers, "their work will help the vaccines to hit the 100-day development target, taking little more than three months from pathogen identification to mass production, potentially including the distribution of millions of doses from manufacturing sites globally", the report said. Meanwhile, US top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci, this week, said that existing vaccines and booster shots against Covid are sufficient to prevent Omicron infections. He advised against changing the vaccines to fight the new, highly contagious strain of the virus at this time. "Our booster vaccine regimens work against Omicron. At this point, there is no need for a variant-specific booster," Fauci said. Data from the UK Health Security Agency showed that a booster dose increases protection against symptomatic disease to 75 per cent. Even the European Medicines Agency has warned that it would take time to reach a global scientific consensus on whether Omicron-targeted shots are needed, the report said. --IANS rvt/skp/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Fourteen more Omicron cases have been reported in Telangana, taking the total number of cases of the new variant in the State to 38, the State Health Department said on Wednesday. Of the 14 cases, 12 are passengers who arrived at the international airport from countries other than those declared at risk by the Centre, while two are from "at risk" countries, it said in a bulletin. The bulletin said four samples are awaited with regard to their Omicron status. Meanwhile, reported 182 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the tally to 6,80,074, while the death toll rose to 4,017 with one more fatality. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 91, followed by Hanumakonda (18) district, a bulletin said, providing details as of 5.30 PM today. The number of recoveries outnumbered fresh cases with 196 people recovering from the infectious disease. The cumulative number of recoveries till date was 6,72,447. The number of active cases was 3,610, the bulletin said. It said 37,353 samples were tested today and the total number of samples tested till date was 2,93,95,688. The samples tested per 10 lakh population was 7,89,782. The case fatality rate was 0.59 per cent and the recovery 98.87 per cent. According to the bulletin, of the 2,77,67,000 target population for vaccine coverage, 2,74,49,556 have received the first dose which is 99 per cent. It said 1,70,41,233 have taken the second dose which is 61 per cent. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid the emergence of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, a Delhi-based doctor said that a booster dose of COVID vaccine is a must as the protection cover of two doses declines over three to six months. Speaking to ANI, Dr S K Sarin, Director, ILBS Hospital, Delhi said, "In my opinion, a booster dose is a must. When you have two doses of any vaccine, your protection level, especially after three to six months goes down. If you have a third dose or a booster, then the chance of having a severe infection, hospitalisation reduces." "We have to consider this in the context of the Omicron in India. I think healthcare workers, frontline workers and people with some comorbidities must get a booster shot. I believe the government must be thinking about it," Dr Sarin added. Meanwhile, India reported 6,317 fresh COVID-19 cases and 318 deaths in the last 24 hours, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday. The country's active caseload currently stands at 78,190, the lowest in 575 days. With 6,906 new recoveries reported across the country in the last 24 hours, the total recoveries mounted to 3,42,01,966. The new fatalities pushed the COVID death toll to 4,78,325. According to the Ministry, 213 cases of Omicron variant of have been reported in the country so far. Out of this, Delhi topped the list with 57 confirmed cases followed by Maharashtra (54 cases) and Telangana (24 cases). With the administration of 57,05,039 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 138.96 crore. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought the response of the city government over a plea seeking direction to the authorities not to force Covid-19 vaccination citing the petitioners are suffering from some ailment and unable to take the jab. Justice Rekha Palli was hearing a petition filed by a craft instructor and a drawing teacher in two different government educational institutes filed through advocate Abhimanyu Yadav. Listing the matter for February 3, she asked the respondents including the to file a reply in the matter. However, the court refused to stay the two government orders issued in September, and October for mandatory vaccination of all government employees including frontline and healthcare workers, teachers, and other staff working in schools or colleges by October 15. In the plea, the teachers claimed that such directions are arbitrary and not in consonance with the spirit of the Constitution. It further said that the grounds for making Covid-19 vaccination mandatory and whether such mandatory action can adversely affect the right of the petitioners or citizens to earn their livelihood, is an issue that requires consideration. Additional standing counsel Anuj Aggarwal appeared on behalf of the --IANS jw/vd (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi on Wednesday reported 125 fresh Covid-19 cases, highest in last six months. According to the health department, the city had reported 134 Covid cases on June 22. The capital city has seen a steady everyday rise in cases since the outbreak of new Omicron variant of the However, no Covid related death has been reported in the last 24 hours. Delhi's death toll remains at 25,102. The infection tally, however, has climbed to 14,42,515 in the capital city. The number of active cases has also seen a surge at 624, highest in last five months. As per the Delhi Health Department data, the city had total 657 active cases on July 16. Delhi's Covid infection rate continues to be at 0.2 per cent in the last two days. With 58 patients recovering in a day, the total number of recoveries has gone up to 14,16,789. A total of 289 Covid patients are being treated in home isolation at present. With 98.21 per cent recovery rate, the active Covid rate in Delhi stands at 0.043 per cent. The Covid death rate in the city stands at 1.74 per cent. The total number of Covid containment zones has increased to 184 in the city. Meanwhile, a total of 63,313 new tests -- 56,511 RT-PCR and 6,802 Rapid Antigen - were conducted in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of Covid tests to 3,21,64,981 so far. Out of 1,17,481 vaccine doses administered in the last 24 hours, 37,295 were first dose and 80,186 second dose in the national capital. The total number of cumulative beneficiaries vaccinated so far stands at 2,51,08,956, according to the health ministry data. --IANS avr/skp/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) is set to achieve the milestone of providing at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine to all eligible people, according to government data. According to Co-WIN dashboard, 1,47,86,476 people in the national capital have taken at least one dose of Covid vaccine by 7:30 pm on Wednesday. According to district authorities, 1,48,33,713 people, aged above 18, are eligible for vaccination against the novel infection. Also, as per the draft roll published on November 1, 2021, the total number of electors in stand at 1,47,95,949. Over 2,52,14,677 crore doses have been administered in the city since the inoculation exercise started on January 16. As many as 1,04,28,201 people have received both the doses. Over 1.02 lakh people were vaccinated against the infection in on Wednesday. Authorities in northwest Delhi district administered the maximum number of doses (29.63 lakh) followed by southwest Delhi (29.36 lakh) and west Delhi (27.22 lakh). In view of the threat posed by the new Covid variant, Omicron, the authorities have increased the pace of vaccination in the city in the last few weeks. Government officials said district authorities have set up special facilities to contact people who are eligible for the second dose, but have not taken it. "We call up such people and ask them to take their second dose immediately," an official said. The authorities are also identifying clusters having low vaccination rate. "Anganwadi workers, self-help groups and non-government organisations go to such clusters and convince people to get vaccinated," the official 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.) Bihar Chief Minister on Wednesday launched a statewide social reform campaign against alcoholism, dowry, and child marriage from Motihari in East Champaran district. India's first civil disobedience movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in Champaran district in 1917 to protest against the injustice meted out to tenant farmers in the area. Addressing a public meeting at Gandhi Maidan here, the chief minister declared that there would be no compromise on total prohibition in the state. Without social reforms, development becomes meaningless, he said. Kumar recalled that the state had its first brush with prohibition in 1977 when his mentor Karpoori Thakur ruled Bihar. With a regime change, the ban on liquor was done away with. We reimposed the same following demand from women. This has resulted in manifold benefits for the people of Bihar," said the chief minister. The government had on April 5, 2016, banned the manufacture, trade, storage, transportation, sale, and consumption of liquor in the state. We introduced prohibition in the state since alcohol is a bad thing. I know that majority of people are in favour of a liquor ban in the state. Mahatma Gandhi said liquor destroys lives. Pleas from our women had made us take the decision, Kumar said. The chief minister said "some people are always up to mischief and they indulge in acts that go against our well-intentioned move. Strict action is being taken against those who are violating the prohibition law in the state, he said. The chief minister also urged people, particularly women, to make efforts to eradicate social evils like child marriage, dowry, and all types of addictions including liquor consumption. He further said that he would attend only those marriage functions where no to dowry' is prominently mentioned on invitation cards. Further, the chief minister instructed officials that permission for holding marriage receptions should be given only after taking declaration from the parties concerned that "no dowry demand has been made". Kumar appealed to the villagers and the Anganwadi workers to report cases of child marriage to the police and help prevent such a social evil by convincing parents about the ill effects of child marriage. The chief minister's campaign will culminate with programmes in Patna and Nalanda on January 15. After addressing the public meeting, the chief minister chaired a review meeting on liquor prohibition and other social reforms taken up by the state government in East and West Champaran districts. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre does not agree to conclusions drawn by Reporters Without Borders about press freedom in for various reasons, including very low sample size and little or no weightage to fundamentals of democracy, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting told Lok Sabha on Tuesday. In a written reply to a question on being placed at 142 out of 180 countries in the Index, compiled and published by the Reporters Without Borders this year, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said the adoption of the methodology by the publisher of the report is "questionable and non-transparent". "The Index is published by a foreign non government-organisation, Reporters Without Borders. The government does not subscribe to its views and country rankings and does not agree to the conclusions drawn by this organisation for various reasons, including very low sample size, little or no weightage to fundamentals of democracy, adoption of a methodology which is questionable and non-transparent, lack of clear definition of press freedom, among others," he said. The minister asserted that the government is committed to ensure right to freedom of speech and expression enshrined under Article 19 of the Constitution of Replying to questions on the safety and freedom of journalists as well as on Tripura police recently booking 102 people, including media persons, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, he said, "Police and public order are state subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, and the state governments are responsible for prevention, detection, registration and investigation of crime and for prosecuting the criminals through their law enforcement agencies." The central government attaches "highest importance" to the safety and security of "every citizen of the country, including journalists", he said. "An advisory specifically on safety of journalists was issued to states/UTs on October 20, 2017, requesting them to strictly enforce the law to ensure the safety and security of media persons," Thakur added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A high-level delegation of the (IOC) from Delhi and a forensics team on Wednesday began probing the cause of fire in Haldia Refinery in Purba Medinipur district that claimed the lives of three people and caused burn injuries to 44 others on the previous day, officials said. The condition of 38 injured workers who are undergoing treatment in various super-specialty hospitals in Kolkata, with some having 15-25 per cent burn injuries, is stated to be stable and they are under observation; while maintenance work in other units of the refinery is undergoing despite some protests by workers over safety concerns, they said. The state government demanded that a compensation package for the dead and injured workers be announced, to which the IOC said that it is being prepared and will be made public soon. State minister and Tamluk MLA Saumen Mahapatra visited the site and held talks with the high-ranking IOC officials who came from Delhi. He demanded compensation for the affected workers, and complained that IOC was not geared for such an accident as their hospital did not even have a burns ward, and urged the officials to establish it. "The family members of the three contractual workers who unfortunately lost their lives in yesterday's incident have been contacted for extending all possible support in this hour of grief. "The senior IOC management is continuously monitoring the situation, and we will provide all necessary assistance, relief and compensation to the affected workers. We are working on the compensation package and it may be announced soon. There were some protests by workers over safety concerns but maintenance job in other units is on stream," an IOC spokesperson said. A private hospital in Kolkata, in which 10 injured IOC workers are being treated, said that a medical board comprising plastic surgeons, pulmonologists and critical care consultants have been formed and a dedicated clinical and nursing team is round-the-clock monitoring the patients admitted in the burns ICU unit. IOC had on Tuesday said in a statement that the primary cause of the incident at the motor spirit quality (MSQ) improvement unit of the Haldia Refinery seemed to be a flash fire. The 47 injured people were given first aid and shifted to the Haldia Refinery Hospital, where three of them succumbed to their injuries, while the rest were brought to Kolkata through a 'green corridor'. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condoled the deaths of the three workers, and wished for the speedy recovery of those undergoing treatment. (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 high-level team of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) on Wednesday arrived at West Bengal's Haldia from Delhi to probe the cause of the refinery fire that claimed the lives of three people and caused burn injuries to 44 others on the previous day. Among those injured in the blaze, 38 are undergoing treatment at various super-specialty hospitals in Kolkata and their condition is stated to be stable, while three contractual workers were discharged after preliminary treatment, an IOC spokesperson said. "The family members of the three contractual workers who unfortunately lost their lives in yesterday's incident have been contacted for extending all possible support in this hour of grief. "The senior management of the Indian Oil Corporation is continuously monitoring the situation, and IOC will provide all necessary assistance, relief and compensation to the affected workers," the spokesperson added. IOC had on Tuesday said in a statement that the primary cause of the incident at the motor spirit quality (MSQ) unit of the Haldia Refinery seemed to be flash fire. The 47 injured people were given first aid and shifted to the Haldia Refinery Hospital, where three of them succumbed to their injuries, while the rest were brought to Kolkata through a 'green corridor'. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condoled the deaths of the three workers, and wished for the speedy recovery of those undergoing treatment. (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 has imposed a fine of less than 1 million euros on European missile maker MBDA for delay in fulfilling its offset obligations under the Rafale aircraft deal, sources said on Wednesday. French aerospace major Dassault Aviation is the manufacturer of the Rafale jets while MBDA supplies the missile systems for the aircraft. India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with in September 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore, and the offset obligations were part of the contract. As a part of the deal, 50 per cent of the total contract value has to be reinvested in India as offsets in each year between September 2019 and September 2022. The sources said the has imposed and collected a fine of less than 1 million euros from MBDA for delaying its offset obligations for the September 2019-September 2020 period. MBDA has deposited its penalty but has also lodged its protest with the defence ministry, they said. MBDA did not respond to PTI's request for a statement on this matter. The first batch of Rafale fighter aircraft came to India in July last year. The CAG had in September last year said that Dassault Aviation and MBDA are yet to fulfil their offset obligations of offering high technology to India under the Rafale aircraft deal, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General's report released on Wednesday. In its report tabled in Parliament, the auditor had said that Dassault Aviation and MBDA proposed in September 2015 to discharge 30 per cent of their offset obligations by offering high technology to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), but the two firms were yet to do it. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The former royal family's property dispute worth Rs 15000 crore, going on for nearly two and a half decades, has been settled with the mediation of the In the settlement of this property dispute, the grandson of late Maharani Gayatri Devi has been given the ownership rights over the Jaimahal Hotel. At the same time, the has also settled the dispute over Rambagh Palace, in this agreement. With this decision, the dispute over property worth thousands of crores has come to an end. Along with this, the estrangement that arose due to property disputes in the former royal family is also expected to reduce. The dispute started about 24 years ago after the death of Jagat Singh in 1997. Former Maharaja Mansingh handed over his property to Jagat Singh, the only son of Maharani Gayatri Devi. But after the death of Jagat Singh, this matter continued in the courts for almost 24 years. Jagat Singh was married to Priyanandana of the Thailand royal family. However his marriage with Priyanandana did not last long. After the separation of Jagat Singh and Priyanandana, their children Devraj and Lalitya started living with Priyanandana in Thailand. Priyanandana had moved the court because during her stay in Thailand, the Jaimahal Palace was taken over by Vijit Singh, son of Prithviraj Singh, who was Maharaj Mansingh's second wife's son. After this, Priyanandana moved the court to get the rights of her children in this property. Now, the settlement has come through the mediation of Justice Kurian Joseph, a retired judge. According to the agreement former Maharaj Mansingh of the royal family and former Maharani Gayatri Devi's grandson Devraj and granddaughter Lalitya are the successors of late Jagat Singh. According to the agreement, the full rights of Jaimahal Palace, now a five-star hotel located in the heart of city, have been handed over to Devraj and Lalitya. The control of Vijit Singh from Jaimahal Palace has been completely removed. The share rights of Rambagh Palace Hotel have been handed over to Jai Singh, son of Maharaja Mansingh and Vijit Singh, son of Prithviraj. Devraj Singh and Lalitya have also been mentioned in this Supreme Agreement and a clause about compensating them from the share of Rambagh Palace has been mentioned. Both the hotels are under the Tata Group presently. Both entities have accepted the decision, confirmed officials. --IANS arc/bg (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the Winter Session of Parliament concluded on Wednesday, a day ahead of the schedule, the productivity of was registered to be approximately 82 per cent and that of was nearly 48 per cent. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi shared the information while briefing media after both the Houses were adjourned sine die. "The productivity of was approximately 82 per cent and that of was approximately 48 per cent," Joshi said. The Minister said the Winter Session 2021 of Parliament which commenced on November 29 and was scheduled to adjourn on December 23, has been adjourned sine die today (Wednesday). He said the session was curtailed one day earlier than scheduled on completion of essential government business. The session provided 18 sittings spread over a period of 24 days, said Joshi while adding that 13 Bills (12 Bills in and one Bill in Rajya Sabha) were introduced during the session and a total of 11 Bills were passed by both the Houses of Parliament. The passed Bills include the Appropriation Bill relating to the Supplementary Demands for Grants for the year 2021-22 which was passed by Lok Sabha, transmitted to and will be deemed to have been passed by both Houses after the expiry of 14 days under Article 109(5), the Minister said. Three Bills replacing the Ordinances, namely, the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 (9 of 2021), the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 (10 of 2021) and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 (8 of 2021) which were promulgated by the President before Winter Session, 2021 were considered and passed by the Houses. One Bill namely the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was referred to the Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament. Some of the other important Bills including three ordinances replacing Bills passed by Houses of Parliament are the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021; the Dam Safety Bill, 2021; the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulations) Bill, 2021; the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2021; the Institute of Phar Bill, 2021; the High Court and Supreme Court Amendment Bill, 2021; the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021; and the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 Two Short Duration Discussions under Rule 193 were also held in Lok Sabha on COVID-19 pandemic and various aspects related to it, and Climate Change. In Rajya Sabha, the Minister said one discussion on the situation arising out of cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 virus in the country was held. Joshi stressed that the Opposition did not participate in any of the Short Duration discussions, despite themselves demanding it in the all-party meeting. He also added that the first priority was given to the price rise discussion. The BJP leader also took a dig at Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien who threw Rajya Sabha rule book on reporters' table during the discussion on the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that all FIRs in 99 per cent of police stations are registered on the central government's online portal CCTNS, which is accessed by all 16,347 police stations in the country. Chairing a meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs on the topic 'Cyber Crime: Threats, Challenges and Response' here, Shah said that the work of making analytical tools against cyber crimes has been completed up to 40 per cent. He said that in the last seven years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has taken many important steps to tackle cyber crime, an official statement said. "In the last seven years, the work of setting up the infrastructure to deal with cyber crimes in the country has been completed fully up to the police post level," he said. Shah said efforts are being made to train police personnel and lawyers for the prevention of cyber crime. "Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) has been implemented in all 16,347 police stations in the country. In 99 per cent of police stations, including newly established police stations, 100 per cent FIRs are being registered directly in CCTNS," he said in the meeting attended by several MPs. The home minister said as public representatives, it is the responsibility of the MPs to try to spread awareness about cyber crimes. "The central government under the leadership of Prime Minister is committed to deal with every aspect of this new menace," he said. Shah referred to various e-initiatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs to deal with cyber crimes such as the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) which facilitates victims and complainants to report cyber crime online. So far more than 6 lakh complaints have been received and 12,776 FIRs have been registered, he said. The home minister said the National Cybercrime Threat Analysis Unit (NCTAU) has issued 142 cyber crime prevention advisories and has blocked 266 mobile apps while 3,800 forensic services were provided by the National Cybercrime Forensic Laboratory (NCFL). He said that seven Joint Cybercrime Coordination Groups (JCCTs) have been constituted which include all States and Union Territories. Shah said the National Cybercrime Training Center (NCTC) registered 8,075 police personnel for online training and issued 1,877 certificates. The home minister said 960 cyber security tips were issued by the authorities and these are constantly being issued on social media. The initiatives focusing on cyber awareness and cyber hygiene promotion among general public through social media handle of MHA @CyberDost, regular SMSs to citizens, etc. are being taken so as to strengthen the mechanism to deal with cyber crimes in a comprehensive and coordinated manner were discussed. During the discussions, the MPs gave constructive suggestions for further strengthening and improvement of response mechanism to effectively deal with the menace of cyber crimes, challenges and response, including the importance of cyber hygiene for prevention of cyber crimes. (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.) blocked railway tracks at various places in for the third day on Wednesday, affecting the movement of 128 trains. According to Ferozepur division railway officials, 59 trains were cancelled, 34 trains short originated and 35 trains were short terminated. Out of 128 trains which were affected, 104 trains were mail or express trains, while 24 were passenger trains. Divisional Railway Manager (Ferozepur division) Seema Sharma said the railways have established help desks at all stations to provide all possible guidance to the passengers. We are trying to run the trains between short distance stations to avoid any hassle to the passengers, she said. under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee launched the agitation on Monday, demanding a complete loan waiver, compensation to families of those who died during the year-long anti-farm laws stir, and withdrawal of criminal cases slapped against them. They are also demanding a compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre for damaged crops, release of pending dues for sugarcane crop and abolition of contract system. The have been squatting on railway tracks at different places in Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur since Monday. But on Wednesday, they started their protest at Moga and Fazilka railway stations also. Farmer union leader Satnam Singh Pannu said the protesters will not leave the tracks till their demands are fulfilled. A delegation of farmers also had a meeting with senior police officials, but it remained inconclusive. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai on Wednesday reported 490 new positive cases, a jump of more than 160 from the previous day, but did not record any fatality caused due to the infection, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said. The city had reported 204 cases on Monday and 327 on Tuesday. With the addition of cases, the overall infection count in the city climbed to 7,68,148, while the death toll stands at 16,366, he said. A total of 45,014 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, taking their cumulative number in the city to 1,32,91,717, the civic official said. Mumbai now has 2,419 active cases after 229 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day following recovery. So far, 7,46,784 patients have recuperated in Mumbai and its recovery rate is 97 per cent. The overall growth rate of the COVID-19 infection stood at 0.03 per cent between December 15 and December 21, while the case doubling rate was 1,962 days, he said. The civic body said that presently Mumbai has 14 sealed buildings (where more than five residents have tested positive in each of them), but no containment zone in slums and 'chawls' (old row tenements) since the past few months. This year, Mumbai reported the highest cases at 11,163 on April 4 and most number of deaths at 90 on May 1 during the second wave of the pandemic. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British Prime Minister has confirmed that he will not introduce any further Covid restrictions in the before Christmas, but warned that the situation remains "finely balanced" ahead of the new year. In a video posted on social media by Downing Street, the Prime Minister said: "People can go ahead with their plans". However, he urged caution and suggested people should take a test before meeting elderly relatives. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister warned that the rapid spread of the variant meant curbs could still be imposed after Christmas, Xinhua news agency reported. Another 15,363 cases have been found in the UK, the biggest daily increase since the Covid-19 variant was detected in the country, taking the total cases found in the country to 60,508, the Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed Tuesday. The reported 90,629 cases in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 11,542,143, according to official figures released on Tuesday. The country also reported a further 172 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in the UK now stands at 147,433, with 7,801 Covid-19 patients still in hospital. More than 89 per cent of people aged 12 and over in the UK have had their first dose of vaccine and more than 81 per cent have received both doses, according to the latest figures. More than 52 per cent have received booster jabs, or the third dose of a vaccine. --IANS int/shs (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.) Chief Minister on Wednesday said his government will not allow any drug trafficker to go scot-free and the law will take its own course in a case against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia. Majithia (46) was booked under the relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on Monday on the basis of a 2018 status report on a probe into a drug racket operating in the state. The report was filed in the and Haryana High Court by the anti-drug Special Task Force (STF) chief, Harpreet Singh Sidhu. Majithia is the brother-in-law of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and the brother of former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal. He had earlier denied all the charges against him. Addressing a gathering here, Channi reiterated his government's commitment to eradicate the menace of drugs from Punjab, while adding that there is no "political vendetta" as far as the case against Majithia is concerned. The SAD has alleged that the case was filed due to "political vendetta". Channi also took a dig at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal for withdrawing his statement against Majithia with a written apology. In 2018, Kejriwal had tendered an apology for having levelled "unfounded" allegations of involvement in the drugs trade against Majithia, following which the latter had decided to withdraw a court case against the Delhi chief minister. "See the kind of politics the AAP is indulging in. It apologised to a person who was facing accusations of pushing youngsters towards drugs," the chief minister said. He also asserted that his government will not let the culprits involved in heinous acts of sacrilege to run away from the clutches of law. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said the Congress government in the state is now gradually winning the trust of people when it comes to governance, which had touched the "lowest ebb due to misrule, coupled with gross inefficiency during the regime of (Parkash Singh) Badal as well as Amarinder Singh". Transport Minister Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also hit out at the Badals. "The reign of terror unleashed by the Badals has been suppressed to a considerable extent and it would disappear in the times to come provided the Congress is given another chance to serve the people of Punjab," 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.) Amid a rise in cases and the threat of its Omicron variant, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Wednesday directed district magistrates to ensure no Christmas and New Year gathering takes place in the national capital. However, restaurants and bars will continue to operate with up to 50 per cent of the seating capacity. Marriage-related gatherings are permitted with a maximum of 200 people in attendance. The DDMA directed the district magistrates (DMs) to identify potential COVID-19 superspreader areas ahead of Christmas and New Year. "All social/political/cultural/religious/festival related gatherings are prohibited throughout NCT of Delhi... All district magistrates and DCPs shall ensure that no cultural event/gatherings/congregation takes place for celebrating Christmas or New Year in the NCT of Delhi," the DDMA order stated. The national capital logged 125 cases on Wednesday, the highest since June 22, when it had reported 134 cases of the infection. The district magistrates and deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) have also been directed to tighten the enforcement machinery to ensure people follow social-distancing norms and wear masks. "All district magistrates shall conduct an intensive survey of the entire area under their jurisdiction and identify those pockets, colonies markets and crowded places which have the potential of becoming superspreaders of and its Omicron variant," the DDMA said in the order. It said concerted action shall be taken in identified pockets according to the prescribed protocol which includes test, track and treatment, prompt and effective containment measures and enforcement of Covid-appropriate behaviour. It stated all DMs and DCPs shall deploy a sufficient number of enforcement teams on the field for keeping utmost vigil at public places to enforce strict adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour to avoid any possible surge in COVID-19 cases. Taking note of incidents of violations, DDMA said that since restrictions are not being strictly complied with, all DMs and DCPs will conduct surprise checks and take strict penal action against defaulters. India has so far recorded 213 cases of the Omicron variant of across 15 states and Union Territories out of which 90 people have recovered or migrated, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. Delhi has recorded a maximum of 57 cases of the Omicron variant followed by 54 in Maharashtra, 24 in Telangana, 19 in Karnataka, 18 in Rajasthan, 15 in Kerala and 14 in Gujarat. The national capital's first case of Omicron was reported on December 5 when a 37-year-old fully-vaccinated man who arrived in the city from Tanzania was found infected with the latest variant of coronavirus. The DDMA also directed authorities to convene meetings with RWAs, market associations and inform them about "persistent increase" in Covid cases and also the emergence of the Omicron variant. They should also be requested to take all requisite steps ensuring strict compliance of Covid appropriate behaviour such as wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing and frequently hand sanitising. "MTAs (Market Traders Associations) should implement 'No Mask No Entry' policy at shops and workplaces," the DDMA said. Following a meeting of the DDMA on Monday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that samples of all Covid-positive patients would be sent for genome sequencing. The genome sequencing of all positive cases started on Tuesday. He had also made an appeal to the public to not let their guards down and wear masks to arrest the spread of coronavirus. In an order issued on December 15, DDMA had extended till December 31 midnight its COVID-19-related curbs such as the ban on social and cultural gatherings and the cap on bars and restaurants to operate with 50 per cent of seating capacity. In an order, the DDMA said the currently permitted and restricted activities in Delhi will continue up to the intervening night of December 31 and January 1. Under a phased reopening with an improved COVID-19 situation in the city, the DDMA has permitted most of the activities. However, political, social, cultural, religious and such other gatherings are still not permitted. (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.) Even as the newly reported Omicron variant is poised to replace Delta as the dominant variant across the world, a study led by an Indian-origin researcher shows that many mutations in the variant allow it to bond with human cells far more efficiently than previous strains. The Omicron variant was first identified in South Africa in late November, and has since spread rapidly to 106 countries. The variant is now the dominant strain in many countries including the US, the UK, Denmark among others. Of all the variants of coronaviruses so far, Omicron is the most heavily mutated with more than 30 mutations on its spike protein, which the virus uses to enter human cells. The variant also harbours a high number of mutations in regions of the spike protein that antibodies recognise, potentially dampening their potency. Researchers from the University of British Columbia, Canada, studied Omicron using cryo-electron microscopy -- a technique that provides images of the virus at incredibly high resolution. The results, published pre-print and not peer-reviewed yet, showed that "Omicron has far greater binding affinity than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus" due to new bonds created between the virus and human cell receptors, Dr Sriram Subramaniam, lead scientist, was quoted as saying to the Daily Mail. In addition, the researchers tested Omicron against human and monoclonal antibodies, finding that the variant is more resistant to these immune system particles than other variants. "The Omicron variant is unprecedented for having 37 spike protein mutations - that's three to five times more mutations than any other variant," Subramaniam, a biochemistry professor at the University, was quoted as saying in a statement. According to Subramaniam, the increased mutations on the spike protein are important for two reasons: "Firstly, because the spike protein is how the virus attaches to and infects human cells. Secondly, because antibodies attach to the spike protein in order to neutralise the virus." The team probed Omicron's mutations through microscopic imaging, and found that some of the mutations create additional bonds between the virus and ACE2 receptors - a human cell receptor located throughout the body, the report said. These new mutations appear to "increase binding affinity", Subramaniam said, indicating that Omicron can attach more strongly to human cells. The researchers compared Omicron's binding affinity to that of the Delta variant and the original strain of the "Overall, the findings show that Omicron has far greater binding affinity than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus, with levels more comparable to what we see with the Delta variant," Subramaniam said. Subramaniam's team also examined the Omicron spike protein's ability to evade both human antibodies and antibodies from monoclonal antibody treatments. This analysis confirmed real-world data, showing that Omicron is more capable of evading antibodies than previous variants - meaning that treatments are less successful, the report said. "Notably, Omicron was less evasive of the immunity created by vaccines, compared to immunity stemming from natural infection in unvaccinated Covid patients," Subramaniam said, adding "this suggests that vaccination remains our best defence against the Omicron variant." Both the Omicron variant's increased binding affinity and its capacity to evade antibodies are "likely contributing factors to its increased transmissibility," Subramaniam said. --IANS rvt/svn/bg (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister on Wednesday invited suggestions from students and alumni of the IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology), ahead of his visit to the institutes' Kanpur campus in Uttar Pradesh on December 28. The Prime Minister will be addressing the convocation ceremony of Calling upon students of IIT-Kanpur, other IITs and the IIT alumni network spread globally to share ideas for the Prime Minister's speech, PM Modi in his tweet said, "I look forward to being at on the 28th of this month to address the convocation ceremony. This is a vibrant institution, which has made pioneering contributions towards science and innovation. I invite everyone to share suggestions. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia's Sputnik-V vaccine and its one-shot version Sputnik Light booster demonstrates high virus-neutralising activity (VNA) against the highly-contagious Omicron variant of COVID-19, providing a strong defence against severe disease and hospitalisation, according to a study. The Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), an investor in Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines, in an article titled Sputnik Light booster after Sputnik V vaccination induces robust neutralising antibody response to B.1.1.529 (Omicron) SARS-CoV-2 variant said that the vaccine is expected to provide a strong defence against severe disease and hospitalisation. The study was conducted using sera with a long period after vaccination (more than 6 months after vaccination) as an indicator of Sputnik V's long-lasting protection, Sputnik-V said in a statement on Wednesday. Sputnik V elicits a strong and long-lasting T-cell response, and as 80% of epitopes in the spike protein are not affected by the mutations in the Omicron variant, Sputnik V is expected to provide long-lasting protection against severe disease by Omicron, it said. Sputnik V's long-lasting T-cell immunity contributes to 80% efficacy against Delta on months 6-8, the statement said. Sputnik Light as a booster significantly increases virus neutralising activity against Omicron based on sera 2-3 months after revaccination. Virus neutralising activity against Omicron 2-3 months after a Sputnik Light booster in this preliminary laboratory study is higher than VNA against the wild-type virus 6 months after Sputnik V vaccination. Based on these data the expected efficacy of Sputnik V with Sputnik Light booster against Omicron infection could be more than 80%, as Sputnik V showed the efficacy of more than 80% against wild-type virus 6 months after vaccination, according to the study. Individuals who are 100% revaccinated with Sputnik Light as a booster developed neutralising antibodies against Omicron and demonstrated their high level 2-3 months after the revaccination. Sputnik Light booster is expected to provide strong protection against infection, severe disease and hospitalisation by Omicron. Sputnik Light booster is recommended to strengthen the efficacy of vaccines against Omicron. Boosting by Sputnik Light can strengthen and lengthen the quickly waning efficacy of many vaccines in light of the combined Delta and Omicron challenge. Sputnik Light is a universal booster to other vaccines, including Sputnik V. Sputnik V and Sputnik Light were developed on the basis of a safe and well-studied over 30 years of technology and have not been associated with rare serious side effects as myocarditis or pericarditis, the study said. Sputnik Light has already been registered in more than 20 countries as a standalone vaccine and a universal booster to other vaccines helping to increase their efficacy (including in Argentina, UAE, Bahrain, the Philippines, and San Marino). Sputnik V has been authorised in 71 countries with a total population of over 4 billion people. Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Sputnik V efficiency against omicron. (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.) As many as 104 people who arrived in Tamil Nadu from various countries have tested COVID-19 positive till date, of whom 82 were detected with the 'S gene drop' variant of coronavirus, state Minister Ma Subramanian said on Wednesday. The samples of the 82 passengers have been sent to the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (inStem), Bengaluru, for genomic sequencing analysis, the Minister for Medical and Family Welfare said. "All the 82 passengers are fine", he told reporters. On test samples already sent to inStem, Bengaluru last week, he said the department has received the results of 13 people who were tested, of which one was confirmed to have the 'Omicron' variant of the coronavirus, the 'delta' variant in eight and four 'non-sequence'. On December 15, Tamil Nadu declared its first Omicron variant of coronavirus, which was a 47 year-old passenger who arrived from Nigeria. Meanwhile, to step up surveillance at international airports, the government has requested the Centre to allow the health department to conduct COVID-19 tests of all international passengers arriving to Tamil Nadu, as against the current practice of testing those arriving from 'at risk' countries, the minister said. On the vaccination front, he said the 16th state-wide mega vaccination camp would be held on December 26 (Sunday), targeting 93 lakh people who are eligible to receive the second dose of vaccination. Earlier in the day, Subramanian declared open 'digital display boards' at the Government Kilpauk Medical College premises, following the announcement made in the state assembly. In the first phase, 25 government medical college hospitals would be equipped with such digital display boards, totally costing Rs 1.25 crore, which would inform patients about the services offered in the respective hospitals, he said. The information displayed on the boards would be in Tamil and English, 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.) Omicron effect: bans gatherings for Christmas, New Year celebrations Amid a rise in cases and the threat of the Omicron variant, the Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Wednesday directed district magistrates to ensure no Christmas and New Year gathering takes place in the national capital. It ordered the district magistrates (DMs) to identify potential COVID-19 superspreader areas ahead of Christmas and New Year. Read more I-T raids continue on Chinese mobile firms, OPPO says cooperating With the Income Tax department conducting searches at several premises of Chinese mobile companies across the nation, smartphone brand OPPO said on Wednesday it will continue to cooperate with authorities as per procedure. According to sources, the smartphone companies were allegedly violating rules and norms to evade taxes and were on the radar of several probe agencies, including the I-T department. Read more Appropriate public issue pricing crucial: chief to investment bankers Seeking to send out a strong message, Chairman Ajay Tyagi on Wednesday said it was incumbent upon the merchant banker community to not only follow the regulations in letter but also in spirit as he emphasised that appropriate pricing is crucial for public issues. While urging merchant bankers to engage in wider consultations as for a proper balance between the issuers' aspirations and investors' interests, he also said that "needless to say, will not shy away from taking required action if it finds any intermediary not adhering to its mandate". Read more High-level IOC team in Bengal's Haldia to probe refinery fire A high-level team of the (IOC) on Wednesday arrived at West Bengal's Haldia from to probe the cause of the refinery fire that claimed the lives of three people and caused burn injuries to 44 others on the previous day. Among those injured in the blaze, 38 are undergoing treatment at various super-specialty hospitals in Kolkata and their condition is stated to be stable, while three contractual workers were discharged after preliminary treatment, an IOC spokesperson said. Read more Private equity and venture capital investment may hit record $70 bn in 2021 Private equity and venture capital investment will hit a new high of $70 billion in the calendar year 2021, according to projections by Bain & Company which analyses trends in private equity investing. Out of this, about half has flowed into just two sectors: consumer technology (e-commerce, edtech, fintech) and IT services and SaaS (software as a service) which has become an attractive business for investment. Read more variant three times more transmissible: Centre warns states The Centre has told states that the variant of coronavirus, based on current scientific evidence, is at least three times more transmissible than the Delta strain, asking them to ensure prompt and focused action if there is any sign of a surge. Read more IPO hard sell: boasts Rs 37-trillion before overseas investors Ahead of its initial public offering (IPO), Life Insurance Corporation of Indias (LICs) top management is impressing upon potential global investors the scale and size of the insurance behemoth that trumps the size of many economies in the world. At a closed-door meeting with global investors, the largest asset manager in the country boasted of its nearly Rs 37 trillion assets under management (AUM). Read more How India negotiated work-life as Covid kept hitting back-to-office plans Another uneasy year gone in a heartbeat. A year when the goalpost kept shifting. When we swung from hope to despair many times over, and came to settle somewhere in between. As the January of 2021 dawned on us with the promise of a Covid vaccine, a partial return to office appeared a possibility. And hybrid became the dominant concept in any conversation around office life. Read more IPO pipeline expected to swell by over Rs 2 trillion in 2022: Report After the record-breaking IPO rally with as many as 65 issuers collecting a whopping Rs 1.35 trillion so far this year, the market frenzy is set to continue next year with new issues worth over Rs 2 trillion ($26 billion) in the pipeline, according to a report. Read more Disinvestment's tough climate call: The hurdle in govt's fund-raising path Among the many reasons for Prime Minister Narendra Modis meeting with private equity and venture capital fund managers on Friday last week was to get a sense of how they read the governments plans. At this stage, the of BPCL, the Mumbai-based oil and gas producer, is likely to take place only in financial year 2022-23, although it was originally slated to be complete by this financial year. Read more While it is known that Covid infections give natural antibodies, a new study has shown that people who are unvaccinated but were previously infected by the Covid variant may have very little protection against the new vaccine-evading Omicron. To measure antibody levels, researchers from the Medical University of Innsbruck, in Austria, compared the blood of those who had beaten against Omicron, Daily Mail reported. Only one out of seven samples produced enough of the infection-fighting proteins to neutralise Omicron. "This essentially means the antibodies did not recognise Omicron as a threat due to its heavily mutated nature compared to the variant," the researchers said. On the contrary, Covid survivors who were also fully vaccinated showed an increased ability to combat the strain, suggesting that prior infection alone offers virtually no protection against catching Omicron, the report said. The team also tested two doses of the Pfizer jabbed with Omicron and found that it fared better - nine out of 20 samples produced enough antibodies to fight off the new Covid variant before it caused infection. A similar test for two doses of the Moderna jab showed only one out of 10 was successful in generating antibodies against Omicron, the report said. Overall, the best results were found in five samples taken from those who had both survived a previous Covid infection and then later got a vaccine - a group of people the researchers dubbed the 'super-immune', the report said. Although the study has small numbers, it added to research demonstrating Omicron's ability to dodge immunity, Professor Lawrence Young, a microbiologist from the University of Warwick in the UK was quoted as saying. He stated it was "dangerous" to infer any findings from the study, and added that the study reinforced the importance of getting a booster. "It's dangerous to extrapolate what this data means for immune protection in vaccinated individuals other than reinforcing the value of booster - which is likely to be similar to the super immune individuals in this study," Young noted. --IANS rvt/vd (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Microsoft co-founder has warned against the rising cases around the world, saying that the world could be entering the worst part of the pandemic as the variant will result in the "worst surge" the world has seen so far. In a series of tweets, said he has cancelled most of his holiday plans after his close friends have been infected with the variant. " is spreading faster than any virus in history. It will soon be in every country in the world," he said. Noting that the "big unknown" is how lethal the variant is, Gates claimed: "Even if it's only half as severe as delta, it will be the worst surge we have seen so far because it's so infectious." He advised people to take booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine, saying it gives the best protection. "In the meantime, we all have to look out for each other, especially the most vulnerable, whether they live down the street or in another country. That means wearing masks, avoiding big indoor gatherings, and getting vaccinated. Getting a booster gives the best protection," he tweeted. also claimed that the pandemic wave due to Omicron would last less than three months. "If there's good news here, it's that omicron moves so quickly that once it becomes dominant in a country, the wave there should last less than 3 months. Those few months could be bad, but I still believe if we take the right steps, the pandemic can be over in 2022," he further said. Omicron, which was first detected in South Africa in November, has been declared as a "variant of concern" by the WHO. Speaking at a briefing on Monday, WHO head Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there was no evidence that the variant was "spreading significantly faster" than the previous dominant version, Delta. The World Health Organization has urged people to cancel some of their holiday plans to protect public health, as the Omicron variant spreads globally. "An event cancelled is better than a life cancelled," said Ghebreyesus, adding that "difficult decisions" must be made. (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 major crackdown on mobile manufacturers and distributors in India, the Income Tax department has conducted raids on the offices and manufacturing units of mobile phone-making firms from Greater China -- Xiaomi, Oppo, OnePlus, Dixon, Foxconn, and Rising Star India -- across the country on Tuesday and Wednesday. The raids are being conducted at more than 25 locations in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Guwahati, among others. Offices of some fintech companies were also reportedly raided. The search was based on tip-offs regarding concealed income and tax evasion; in some places, digital data on concealed income was seized. According to sources, state investigation wings of the income tax department were not aware of these raids. A senior income tax official said that raids are still going on in several places and the department will update once the search and seizure operations are over. Top officials of some of these companies like Xiaomi and Oppo are also reportedly being interrogated. A Xiaomi spokesperson said: As a responsible company, we give paramount importance to ensuring that we are compliant with all Indian laws. As an invested partner in India, we are fully cooperating with authorities to ensure they have all the required information." An Oppo statement read: "As an invested partner in India, we highly respect and abide by the law of the land. We will continue to fully cooperate with authorities concerned as per the procedure." E-mailed queries to the others remained unanswered until the time of going press. The raids started on Tuesday evening when I-T officials conducted a surprise raid at several offices of Redmi, Oppo, and Foxconns manufacturing unit at Sunguvarchatram near Sriperumbudur. In August, similar raids were conducted at several offices of the Chinese government-controlled telecom vendor ZTE in India. Top executives of the company, including its Chief Executive Officer Li Jian Jun, were interrogated over alleged tax evasion to the tune of hundreds of crores and also reported failure to deduct tax at source (TDS) for several financial years. The telecom major was allegedly making profits on the trading of telecom equipment over the years but reporting losses on books. The Indian smartphone market is mainly dominated by Chinese players with Xiaomi having around 23 per cent, Vivo nearly 15 per cent, Realme around 15 per cent, and Oppo having around 10 per cent market share, based on Mobile Devices Monitor data. According to the media reports, the Indian government had sent notices to major Chinese players like Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi, and OnePlus, asking for details on the data and components used in their phones. In 2020, too, Chinese companies faced heat when the government banned as many as 220 Chinese applications in India, including top social media platforms with millions of Indian users. As many as 1.32 crore candidates were trained and oriented across the country as on November 21 this year under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Parliament was informed on Wednesday. Under Mission, the ministry is implementing PMKVY with an objective to impart short duration training and certification to youth including rural poor and unemployed youth, and to make them employable for better livelihood across the country. Under the scheme, there is provision to provide facilities to target groups such as conveyance cost, boarding and lodging, transportation, post placement support, reward money, etc. in the country covering rural areas. "Under PMKVY, as on November 21, 2021, around 1.32 crore candidates (0.67 crore trained in short term training and 0.65 crore oriented in recognition of prior learning) trained / oriented across the country," Minister of State for and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrasekhar said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. He also said that under PMKVY, placement opportunities are being provided to STT (short term training) certified candidates, while RPL (recognition of prior learning) is not linked with placements as it recognizes the existing skills of candidates. (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.) Chief Minister has directed the officials concerned to prepare a concrete action plan for setting up a drone unit in the state. In a meeting with senior officials on Wednesday, he has also directed them to chalk out plans to compile the rich history of villages and cities in the state, a government spokesperson said. The chief minister proposed the drone unit, given the importance of unmanned aircraft in various fields such as disaster relief, agriculture, and law and order, the spokesperson said. He has also mulled over starting certificate or diploma courses on drone technology in industrial training institutes, for which necessary help will be taken from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. According to the spokesperson, Adityanath has also directed the officials to chart rules and regulations on use of drones. Meanwhile, in a bid to document the rich mythological, historical and cultural history of cities and village panchayats in the state, the chief minister has sought compilation of data in this connection. "Every village, every city has its own story of settlement and it should be written down," the spokesman said, quoting Adityanath. Further, the chief minister has directed the urban and rural development departments to chalk out plans to celebrate 'Gram Diwas' and 'Nagar Diwas' respectively on lines of Day, the spokesman 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 Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur - ranked 5th in the Engineering category by NIRF Ranking 2020 and 58th by QS 2021 Asia Ranking - has recorded the highest placement offers in the history of accounting to 1,600 job offers with the highest CTC of Rs 2.4 crore per annum. Around 35 international job offers were also received. According to a statement issued by the premiere institute, two students received the package of Rs 2 crore per annum whereas more than 21 offers were in the range of Rs 1 crore per annum. Due to the early progress, has concluded the first phase of placement for this year by December 11 and the second phase is proposed to start in the second week of January 2022. It started with the Career Development Centre (CDC) of receiving 276 pre-placement offers (PPO) where students were given eight-weeks internship opportunities with the beginning of placement for the academic session 2020-21. Over 30 companies participated on the first day, extending over 130 placement offers to the final year students. placed 1,500 plus students on the seventh day (i.e December 7, 2021) of its placement drive which surpassed all the previous years' total placement figures. IIT Kharagpur students bagged over 22 offers in the CTC range of Rs 0.9 - Rs 2.4 crore of which over 10 offers were made by domestic companies. The total number of international offers is more than 35. The average number of hires per company has also increased, leading to an overall increase in the number of offers per day. More than 245 companies have participated in this placement season thus contributing to this milestone. This year companies across all sectors including software, high-level coding, analytics, consulting, core engineering companies, banking/finance, high-frequency trading, etc, have participated in the process. Recruiters such as Barclays, Goldman Sachs, Honeywell, Microsoft, MasterCard, Dr Reddy's, Tata Steel have offered more than 10 PPOs each. By Day-8 of the placement drive, over 1000 offers have been bagged by the students, out of which 30 are international offers from countries such as Japan and Taiwan and companies including Accenture, TSMC, Sony, Rakuten, and Valuance. In the first phase of the placement session, Google, Microsoft, Micron Technology, Uber, Honeywell, Excel and many more valuable partners have led to this successful run, the statement said. --IANS sbg/skp/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Declaring the results for recent for the Panchayat Samiti members in four Rajasthan's districts, the state Election Commission on Tuesday said that 278 candidates and 165 candidates have won the polls. Other winners in the for 568 members in 30 Panchayat Samitis in the four districts -- Baran, Kota, Ganganagar and Karauli -- included 97 independents, 14 BSP candidates, and 13 of CPI(M), the poll panel said. With the ruling dominating the panchayat elections, state president Govind Singh Dotasra described the poll results as encouraging and claimed that his party will 20 out of 30 panchayat samitis' Pradhan seats. state president Satish Poonia too hailed the result saying that it was a splendid performance by any opposition party in the Panchayati Raj in the state's history. Elections for Zila Parishad members too had been held in these four districts, where counting was done on Tuesday at the respective district headquarters. According to the information available on the website of the Commission, voting was held for 106 members in the four Zila Parishads. Of these, Congress has won 59 and 35 seats. Full results are yet to come. Rajasthan's four districts -- Baran, Kota, Ganganagar and Karauli had gone to polls for the elections of Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti members. The elections were held in three phases in which a total of 2,251 candidates had tried their luck. Of these, 1,946 candidates were in the fray for Panchayat Samiti members and 305 were in the fray for Zila Parishad members. Three out of 106 Zila Parishad members and six out of 568 Panchayat Samiti members were elected unopposed. "The results of Panchayati Raj elections in four districts are encouraging for us. In more than 20 out of 30 panchayat samitis, the Congress is going to make its pradhans." Dotasra said in a tweet. This victory is a victory of people's faith in the Congress party and the good governance by its government. Many thanks and congratulations to all the voters and party workers for this," he added. BJP state president Poonia too said this is a splendid performance of any opposition party in Panchayati Raj elections in the history of the state. He said the Congress had Zila Parishad boards in these four districts, but now the BJP has snatched two Zila Parishad boards from Congress with the blessings of the people. The BJP's resounding victory in Kota and Baran Zilla Parishad elections will give a big boost to the BJP from Hadoti division to entire Rajasthan, he said. He said out of total 33 Zila Pramukhs in the state, 17 are from BJP and now with two more Zila Parishad boards are formed in Kota division, BJP will have 19 Zila Pramukhs. Poonia said the BJP has also performed brilliantly in the Panchayat Samiti elections. The results of Panchayati Raj elections in all the phases so far are against the ruling Congress government. It is clear from this that the public has given a mandate against the Congress government in coming times, 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.) Chief Election Commissioner of India Sushil Chandra and Election Commissioners Rajiv Kumar and Anup Chandra Pandey on Tuesday reviewed preparedness in for the upcoming Assembly polls. The EC team held meetings with representatives of political parties and district level officials, a release said. During the day, the EC launched various Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) initiatives, including a fusion song on ethical voting that is a mix of rap, jazz and traditional cultural music. It also launched a folder on 'Assured Minimum Facilities in English and Braille, a guide for BLO (Booth Level Officers) on PwD (person with disabilities) appropriate behavior and accessible election in Braille, a special poster on how to use EVM/VVPAT etc. A video tribute to BLOs and a song 'Math Maruya Re' was also released, along with several IT initiatives for poll management developed by the chief electoral officer of in association with prestigious institutes in the state, a release from the commission said. It also started an online course on 'Democracy and Electoral Management in India' designed and conducted in association with University, as well as a 'Booth Election Management Plan (BEMP)' portal for polling officials. The Webcasting Data Analytics system, designed to capture real time information from webcasting feeds, to help in tracking crowding inside polling stations and counting of voters, was also launched. Goa Foward Party general secretary Durgadas Kamat said his outfit, during the meeting, told the EC to not impose the poll code of conduct during Christmas and New Year season as it would adversely impact business. He also said the GFP has informed EC the recruitment being done in state government departments currently must be seen as a move to induce people to vote for the ruling BJP. Polls to the 40-member Goa Assembly is likely to be held in early 2022. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) When the 2017 Assembly elections were held in Goa, the had put up a good show by emerging as the single largest party with 17 seats in the 40-member House, but it failed to form government and could also not keep its flock together, with its strength now reduced to just two. However, the party is still trying to put up a strong face ahead of the Assembly polls due early next year, saying it is not deterred by the desertions. On Monday, Pradesh Committee's working president Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco became the latest MLA to quit the party over the last five years. Notably, his name had figured in the first list of eight candidates announced by the last week for the forthcoming state polls. Before Lourenco's resignation, BJP's election in-charge Devendra Fadnavis had said, The Congress has been reduced to a rickshaw party with three wheels, and soon it will turn into a bicycle party with only two of them remaining." Fadnavis had predicted that Pratapsingh Rane will also quit the Congress. But, Rane is still with the Congress. The biggest jolt the Congress came in 2019 when a group of its 10 MLAs, led by then leader of opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar, left the party together and joined the ruling BJP. This year, as the next Assembly election draws closer, more MLAs quit the Congress one after the other. Following the 2017 Assembly polls, Vishwajit Rane, Goa's current health minister, was the first to resign from the Congress as well as from the Assembly soon after taking oath as an MLA. After him, two other MLAs Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte also resigned from the party. All the three were later re-elected in by-elections on the BJP's ticket. Recently, Luizinho Faleiro and Ravi Naik, both former chief ministers, also left the Congress. The party is now left with only Pratapsingh Rane and Digambar Kamat, both of whom are also former CMs. On Tuesday, the Aam Aadmi Party's national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took a dig at the Congress, saying, "Fifteen are sold, only two are remaining, they are the last stock. Little stock is remaining. However, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat has remained unfazed and expressed confidence that he will lead the Congress to a thumping victory in the 2022 state polls and that his party will form government. The Congress has successfully faced many storms, floods and tsunamis. Our functionaries have the strength and mettle to defeat opportunists, Kamat recently 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.) Aam Aadmi Party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday assured a "corruption-free and honest" government in Goa, if the is voted to power in the Assembly polls due next year. Kejriwal told reporters here that the guarantee was made based on the track record of the AAP's Delhi government, where its own minister was sacked for seeking a bribe from a shopkeeper. Ministers or MLAs won't be spared from punishment, if they are found demanding bribe, the Delhi chief minister said. "We will provide the first corruption-free and honest government in Goa," he claimed. If the is voted to power in Goa, its government will also stop petty level corruption by introducing doorstep delivery of services, Kejriwal said. We have already introduced doorstep delivery of services in Delhi. All the government services would be available at your doorstep, he said. In Delhi, government officers visit an applicant's residence to collect the documents, and a similar system will be introduced in Goa, he said. "Right from your panchayat work to the assistance from chief minister, everything will be at your doorstep, he said. The leader also claimed that if his party comes to power in Goa, people will see huge changes within a month in the way of the government's functioning. The government will also help the industrial houses to conduct their business in the state, he said. The AAP government would facilitate the re-entry of industries, which have left the coastal state, by providing them all the required assistance, Kejriwal said. On pre-poll alliance with the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which has jumped into the fray in Goa, he claimed the Mamata Banerjee-led party is "not even in the race". There are 1,350 parties in the country, should I start mentioning everyone, he said, when asked about his silence on the TMC. Kejriwal said the TMC does not have even have one per cent vote share. You cannot win the election merely on posters. You need to work and take your achievement to the people while asking for votes, he said. The AAP had contested the 2017 Goa Assembly elections, but did not win a single seat in the 40-member House. The TMC has announced that it will contest all the 40 seats in the forthcoming elections in the coastal state. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Vadra on Wednesday recalled the iconic dialogue from Bollywood movie 'Deewar' to counter critics that her party had lost base in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, saying, "Mere Paas Behen Hai" (I have sister). In a video clip uploaded by the Congress general secretary on her twitter handle, a journalist is seen seeking her response to the rival parties' remarks that the Congress had been speaking about women in its rallies as it had no base left in To this, she asks the journalist whether he has heard the dialogue from Deewar in which Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor played brothers. "Amitabh tells Shashi Kapoor, 'mere paas gaadi hai, mere paas bangla hai, yeh hai, woh hai, toh Shashi Kapoor ne kaha, mere paas maa hai (I have a car, I have a bungalow... so Shashi Kapoor says, I have mother). "Toh main keh rahin hun, mere paas behen hai (I have sister)," Priyanka said in a apparent reference to women in "I have sisters ....sisters will bring change in politics. #ladki hoon lad sakti hoon," her tweet in Hindi read. The Congress has already announced 40 per cent reservation for women candidates in the 2022 polls. On Tuesday, Priyanka had said the prime minister's programme in Prayagraj on women empowerment showed that Modi had bowed before them and that the unity of the sisters will usher in a revolution. Priyanka, who is also the Congress in-charge for Uttar Pradesh, had earlier released the party's election manifesto for women titled 'Shakti Vidhan'. (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 entry of Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in ahead of the ensuing Assembly elections jazzed up the colourful politics of the coastal state during the year. The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also vying to dethrone ruling BJP in the state and has embarked on a campaign to repeat its performance in Delhi Assembly elections. Elections to the 40-member Assembly are due in two months. Recent visits by Banerjee, Kejriwal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi heated up things in the otherwise susegad (derived from Portuguese word sossegado, meaning quiet) atmosphere in the small state. The fag end of the year witnessed a series of resignations by MLAs switching political affiliations ahead of the Assembly elections. The strength of the Assembly was reduced to 34 as six MLAs quit recently. Congress MLAs Luizinho Faleiro and Aleixo Lourenco joined Trinamool, while Ravi Naik joined BJP. The ruling party lost MLA Alina Saldanha to AAP and another BJP MLA Carlose Almeida also quit on December 21. Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte joined BJP. After emerging as the single largest party in 2017 Assembly polls by winning 17 seats, the decline of the Congress, which now has just two MLAs, has baffled political observers. Besides BJP, Congress, and AAP, Forward Party, Nationalist Congress Party, and Goa Su-Raj Party are also in the fray for the February polls. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda also visited the poll-bound state. As many as 188 people died at the Goa Medical College and Hospital between May 9 and 14 amid interruptions in oxygen supply. The state has since ramped up oxygen capacity in various hospitals. On a positive note, Goa became the first state to cover all eligible population with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. A semblance of normalcy on coronavirus front saw the resumption of tourist season. Chartered flights began arriving to the beach destination ahead of the New Year celebrations. The state education department also gave its nod to resume schools in a phased manner. Classes for eighth to 11th standard have resumed in the state. While the BJP-led government earned credit for bringing the coastal state's economy back on track, it also faced criticism for alleged scams. The government put on hold recruitment in the Public Works Department after ruling and opposition MLAs alleged massive corruption. BJP minister Milind Naik resigned from the state cabinet after Congress claimed he sexually exploited a woman. There were protests after the state government approved three infrastructure projects cutting through Western Ghats amid concerns over loss of biodiversity. The opposition accused Chief Minister Pramod Sawant of backing these projects at the cost of environment. The projects, which will cut through Mollem National Park and the adjoining Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary, include the expansion of a national highway from the capital Panaji to Belgaum in neighbouring Karnataka, the doubling of a railway track that will run through Goa's Mollem forest and Karnataka's Kali tiger reserve, and building a power transmission line through the forest. Modi was in Goa on the state's 60th Liberation Day, celebrated to mark the success of 'Operation Vijay' of the Indian military which freed Goa from Portuguese rule on December 19, 1961. While the day is always celebrated with much enthusiasm, this year's celebrations had an added dimension with Assembly elections a couple of months away. (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 Secretary of State on Tuesday (local time) spoke with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte and reaffirmed the importance of robust defense and economic relations between the counties. "Secretary Blinken and Prime Minister Simonyte reaffirmed the importance of our robust defense and economic relations for the security and prosperity of the Transatlantic region and the world," US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement. "The Secretary underscored ironclad U.S. solidarity with our NATO Ally and EU partner Lithuania as it faces geopolitical challenges to regional stability, security, and economic prosperity," read the statement. Blinken noted troubling public reports that People's Republic of (PRC) customs authorities are not clearing Lithuanian shipments or shipments with Lithuanian components, and that they are rejecting import applications from Lithuania, the statement said. Blinken underscored that such measures would raise serious concerns, including under trade principles, and appear to constitute a form of economic coercion. Blinken highlighted U.S. support for Lithuania in the face of these actions and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to work with like-minded countries to push back against the PRC's coercive diplomatic and economic behavior, the statement 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.) has issued a new regulation under which all foreign organisations or individuals will be banned from spreading religious content online in the country, citing national security interests, a media report said on Wednesday. No organisation or individual will be allowed to disseminate information about religious ceremonies on the internet unless they have a licence from China's religious regulator, Hong Kong-based South Morning Post reported quoting new regulations. The regulations are the first of their kind to tighten control of online religious affairs, coming two weeks after a national religious work conference attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, in which he called on to strengthen the management of online religious affairs. In his address to a national conference on work related to religious affairs on December 4, Xi stressed upholding the principle of developing religions in the Chinese context, and providing active guidance for the adaptation of religions to socialist society. He said it is imperative to further uphold the principle that religions in China must be Chinese in orientation, strengthen the management of online religious affairs, and effectively address prominent problems that affect the sound inheritance of religions in China, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The new rules, titled Measures for the Administration of Internet Religious Information Services, state that people applying for a licence to disseminate religious content online must be an entity or individual based in China and recognised by Chinese laws, and its main representative should be a Chinese national, the Post report said. State security authorities will manage domestic organisations and individuals and prevent them from conspiring with foreign bodies to use religion to conduct activities that endanger national security on the internet, the regulations said. Under the rules, applications must be made to the religious affairs department of the local government for a licence that will be valid for three years. Content prohibited under the rules includes that which uses religion to incite subversion of state power, oppose the Communist Party's leadership, undermine national unity and social stability and promote extremism, terrorism or national separatism. The new measures said that except for licensed religious groups, religious schools, temples and churches, no organisation or individual may preach on the internet, conduct religious education and training, and publish or repost preachers' comments, the report said. Organising and conducting religious activities and live broadcasting or recording religious ceremonies such as worshipping Buddha, burning incense, chanting, mass and baptism will be banned, it said, adding that no organisation or individual is permitted to raise funds in the name of religion on the internet. China is currently in conflict with the US, EU and western countries over issues related to religion, especially human rights violations against Uygur Muslims in Xinjiang. Over the years, Beijing, which is cagey about the spread of Christian sects in China, also faced criticism for a periodic crackdown on churches. On Tuesday, China announced sanctions against four members of the United States Commission on Religious Freedom, a federal commission that monitors religious freedom, in response to Washington's latest sanctions over Xinjiang. Xiong Kunxin, a professor of ethics studies at Minzu University in Beijing, said the new measures, especially the ban on foreign organisations and individuals' religious activities online, underlined Beijing's focus on national security and religious order. Today's situation is very complicated. European countries and the US have slandered us just to hinder China's development some religious forces will certainly cooperate with their political goals, Xiong told the Post. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese leader on Wednesday endorsed Hong Kong's first legislative elections held under new laws ensuring that only patriots who have shown loyalty to Beijing could run as candidates. Sunday's elections for the 90-seat Legislative Council were swept by politicians backed by China's ruling Communist Party. Just 20 seats were directly elected, and the turnout of 30.2% was the lowest since the British handed over to in 1997. All candidates were vetted by a largely pro-Beijing committee before they could be nominated. Xi told Chief Executive Carrie in Beijing on Wednesday that after the elections, he is certain Hong Kongers will join in realising the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The execution of the new election system adheres to the one country, two systems principle," Xi said, referring to the increasingly threadbare framework under which was to retain its own political, social and financial institutions for 50 years after being transferred from British rule. Our fellow Hong Kong citizens will promote the glorious tradition of loving their country and Hong Kong," Xi said. The elections had been postponed for a year ostensibly due to a spike in COVID-19 cases after the opposition swept elections for district counsellors. They followed widespread and increasingly violent anti-government protests in 2019 that prompted Beijing to impose a sweeping National Security Law on Hong Kong, followed by a reorganisation of the electoral process and transformation of the makeup of the Legislative Council to stack it with pro-Beijing loyalists. The opposition camp criticised the elections, with the largest pro-democracy party, the Democratic Party, fielding no candidates for the first time since the 1997 handover. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Monday there were multiple reasons for the decline in voter turnout. It is not only the impact of the pandemic, but also the disruption and sabotage of anti- elements in Hong Kong and external forces, Zhao said at a daily briefing. Some overseas pro-democracy activists, including London-based Nathan Law, had urged a boycott of the vote, saying the elections were undemocratic. Under the new election laws, incitement to boycott the voting or to cast invalid votes could be punished by up to three years in jail and a 200,000 Hong Kong dollar ($26,500) fine. Prior to her departure for Beijing, Lam, who is under a US visa ban, said she expected to cover a wide range of issues on this particular duty visit because through two very decisive acts of the central authorities, Hong Kong is now back on the right track of 'one country, two systems'". In a joint statement released by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the foreign ministers of Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States expressed grave concern over the erosion of democratic elements of Hong Kong's electoral system and growing restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly. Protecting space for peaceful alternative views is the most effective way to ensure the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong, they 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.) issued a alert Wednesday, forecasting strong winds and heavy snow over the weekend amid keen attention from the outside world about whether leader will again visit Mount Paektu on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of his ascension to power. Extreme cold weather is expected from Friday night to Sunday, with the temperature in the region of Mount Paektu, the highest peak on the Korean Peninsula, likely to drop to as low as minus 35 to minus 40 degrees Celsius on Saturday morning, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Kim has a history of visiting the mountain, considered one of the most sacred places in the country, ahead of major political decisions, reported Yonhap news agency. Speculation arose that he could do so again in the run-up to a plenary session of the North's ruling Workers' Party later this month where the could announce its key domestic and foreign policy directions for the new year. This month's meeting comes as is set to mark the 10th year since Kim took over the helm of the reclusive regime. The 37-year-old formally rose to power on December 30, 2011, 13 days after his father Kim Jong-il died. In October 2019, Kim rode a white horse to visit Mount Paektu -- eight months after his failed summit with the US in Hanoi -- and slammed Washington for imposing "ceaseless sanctions and pressure" on Pyongyang. He visited the mountain again in December that year followed by a four-day plenary session of the ruling party at which Kim said he no longer sees a reason to stick to his earlier commitment to suspend nuclear and long-range missile tests. --IANS int/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.) Singapore suspended quarantine-free travel bookings and Australia boosted its readiness on Wednesday by announcing new vaccination funding for clinics and pharmacies. As surging Omicron infections just days before Christmas forced authorities to impose new curbs and expedite booster shots, Israel said it would administer a fourth dose of vaccine to people over the age of 60 and medical personnel. It has become the first nation in the world to do so on such a widespread basis. Meanwhile, Frances health minister Olivier Veran said the country could soon have around 100,000 new Covid-19 cases a day, up from around 70,000 currently as the country battles a fifth wave of the epidemic. Governments globally have tightened social mobility restrictions and made urgent pleas for citizens to vaccinate as Omicron emerges as the dominant strain of the coronavirus, upending reopening plans that many hoped would herald the start of a post-pandemic era in 2022. In Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific Airways said it would cancel some passenger flights in January after the Asian financial centre tightened quarantine rules. Wednesday also saw Japan report its first suspected case of community transmission of Omicron. Countries are also looking to shorten the time between second vaccination shots and boosters. However, wary of public lockdown fatigue, there is reluctance to return to the strict curbs imposed during the spread of the Delta variant earlier this year. In fact, the British government from Wednesday reduced the Covid-19 self-isolation period to seven days from 10 days for people in England who get a negative result on a lateral flow test two days in a row. Another nine people have been reported dead, bringing the total deaths due to severe flooding in to 17, authorities in Selangor state said. Selangor state Chief Minister Amirudin Shari said at a press briefing more bodies have been found as floodwaters start subsiding, adding that the state government has mobilized all necessary resources to aid the victims, Xinhua news agency reported. "At this time, our focus is to ensure search and rescue operations are carried out effectively and that they reach all who need it," he said. The number of displaced persons due to flooding in has risen to over 69,400 in seven states plus the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur as of 10:00 p.m. local time Tuesday, according to data from the Malaysian social welfare department. The worst-hit state is Pahang along the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia, with over 42,000 people being evacuated to flood relief centers, followed by Selangor state with over 23,000 evacuated. The country's meteorological department has warned of more rain in the Peninsula Malaysia, with rain and storms expected in several states on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob told a meeting with chief ministers this morning that it was found that states such as Terengganu, Kelantan and Pahang had been prepared to face the floods, especially during this time of the year, according to state news agency Bernama. He said while east coast states have been prepared to face annual floods, the situation in Selangor state is unexpected, and acknowledged that there have been problems with the disaster management response. "I don't deny (the weakness) and will improve in the future. The responsibility is not that of the federal government alone, but also the state governments and the frontliners in the districts." "In Selangor, there is a problem. We are transparent about this, and I do not want to cover for anyone," he said. --IANS int/shs (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.) European equities edged slightly higher on Wednesday, with optimistic that the Omicron variant would only have a limited economic fallout, even as global cases surged and more countries announced restrictions. Europe's STOXX 600 rose 0.1% at 0857 GMT and the MSCI world equity index, which tracks shares in 50 countries, was also up 0.1%. Asian shares were broadly higher amid thin year-end liquidity. But London's FTSE 100 was down 0.2% and Wall Street futures were in the red. The slight gains in Europe come even as Germany, Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, the Netherlands and South Korea have reimposed lockdowns or other restrictions on activity in recent days. "It looks like each successive lockdown has been less severe in terms of economic impact than the previous ones. I think that's partly because there's been a lot of adaptation in the economy," said Arnab Das, global market strategist at Invesco. Das said were holding on to that hope this time around as well. "Maybe the restrictions won't be as severe, as comprehensive or as long-lasting as in 2020 and 2021," he added. The World Health Organization's chief scientist said on Monday that it would be "unwise" to conclude from early evidence that Omicron is a milder variant than previous ones. An Imperial College London study likewise found that the Omicron variant has shown no sign of being milder than the Delta variant. Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden warned Americans about the fatal risk of being unvaccinated and brought military personnel to support overwhelmed hospitals. Currency market moves were generally muted as trading slowed before the Christmas holidays. The U.S. dollar index was a touch higher, up 0.1% on the day at 96.547, while the euro was down 0.2%. The Australian dollar, which is often seen as a liquid proxy for risk appetite, was slightly lower at $0.7149. The Turkish currency was highly volatile again, as traders digested measures proposed by President Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish central bank to guard local currency savings against precisely such swings. A measure of expected volatility jumped to its highest on record. German Bund yields hovered near three-week highs amid improved risk sentiment in equity markets, while hawkish comments from the European Central Bank also helped. European gas prices hit a new record high after a major pipeline for Russian gas coming to Europe switched direction to flow east. Oil prices were steady. Some western politicians and industry experts have accused Russia of withholding gas deliveries to Europe amid political tensions over Ukraine, as well as delays in the certification of another pipeline, Nord Stream 2. Russia denies any connection. Over the Christmas period, investors will be paying attention to any unexpected increase in tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Invesco's Das said. Russia rejects Ukrainian and U.S. accusations that it may be preparing an invasion of Ukraine as early as next month by tens of thousands of Russian troops poised within reach of the border. Elsewhere, cryptocurrencies picked up slightly, with bitcoin up 0.7% at $49,273.32, still well below the all-time high of $69,000 hit in November. Graphic: Global asset performance http://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/COMMODITIES-ASSETS/010031B62XZ/index.html#section/assets Graphic: World FX rates http://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/GLOBAL-CURRENCIES-PERFORMANCE/0100301V041/index.html (This story corrects typo in headline) (Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft; Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa) (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ambassador of to the UN TS Tirumurti on Tuesday (local time) said that the aspirations of the Palestinian people for Statehood and Israel's security concerns can be fulfilled through an open and direct dialogue based on the internationally agreed framework. Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on Palestine, Tirunurti said, "Both the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for Statehood and Israel's legitimate security concerns can be fulfilled through an open and direct dialogue between Israel and Palestine based on the internationally agreed framework. We reiterate that there is no alternative to direct peace negotiations between the parties." Ambassador of to the UN highlighted that thirty years ago, the community helped open a channel for direct talks between Israel and Palestine through the Madrid peace conference. A similar effort is required now to overcome the present impasse. stands ready to support all efforts aimed at resumption of direct negotiations and facilitating the peace process to achieve a two-State solution, he stressed. Talking on the implementation of resolution 2334, Tirunurti said, "Resolution 2334 was adopted by this Council to reaffirm the community's firm commitment towards preventing the erosion of the two-State solution. It calls upon parties to prevent all acts of violence against civilians, stresses that all settlement activities must cease, and underscores the need to exert collective efforts to launch credible negotiations on all final status issues." Tirunurti further stated that the recent developments on the ground, as revealed in the Secretary-General's report, indicate that resolution 2334 is yet to be implemented in its letter and spirit. "Violent attacks against Palestinian and Israeli civilians have continued during the reporting period. So have the acts of destruction, provocation and incitement. We condemn all such acts. Prospects of possible eviction of the Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah remain high. Tension continues to prevail at the holy sites of Jerusalem. Settlement activity has resumed after a brief hiatus," he added. Tirumurti further said, "We call upon the parties to immediately make concrete efforts to reverse these negative trends. Unilateral actions that unduly alter the status quo on the ground pose serious challenges and undercut the viability of the two-state solution. These must be avoided in the interest of peace and stability. Instead, parties must engage in constructive steps that create conducive conditions for the resumption of peace talks." "We acknowledge that some steps have recently been initiated in this regard. The Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority have opened a channel of communication. Steps have been taken to stabilise the fiscal situation of the Palestinian Authority and improve the socio-economic conditions of Palestinians, including through progressive easing of restrictions in the Gaza Strip for commodities and construction materials and increasing work permits for Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza. Successful conclusion of the prisoner exchange talks would help the process further. We encourage everyone to build on such measures and create more avenues of co-operation, which can help overcome the trust deficit," Tirumurti said.India's support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict is consistent and well known. We believe that durable and long-lasting peace can be achieved between the people of Israel and Palestine only through a two-state solution which entails the establishment of a sovereign, viable and independent State of Palestine, within recognized and mutually agreed borders, living side by side with Israel in peace and security, Tirumurti 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.) Oil prices settled more than 3% higher on Tuesday, rebounding on renewed risk appetite the day after a sharp fall, but investors remained cautious as the variant cut holiday travel plans, dimming the near-term fuel demand outlook. "This is a pragmatic market that wants to be bullish but knows relief rallies, like the one this morning, will not last," said Tamas Varga, oil analyst at London brokerage PVM Oil Associates. "The upside is likely to be limited and more restrictions will be greeted with renewed selling," he added. Brent crude settled up $2.46, or 3.4%, at $73.98 a barrel, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $2.51, or 3.7%, to $71.12 a barrel. Countries across Europe were considering new curbs https://www.reuters.com/world/omicrons-global-spread-prompts-renewed-lockdowns-delayed-reopenings-2021-12-21 on movement as the fast-moving variant swept the world days before Christmas, throwing travel plans into chaos and unnerving financial "Measures are likely to be temporary thanks to the rapid rollout of boosters in many countries, not to mention the number of people that will contract it if it continues to spread at the rate it has," said Craig Erlam, senior analyst at OANDA. infections are multiplying rapidly across Europe, the United States and Asia. In Japan, a single cluster at a military base has grown to at least 180 cases. Still, Moderna Inc https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/moderna-says-booster-dose-its-covid-19-vaccine-appears-protective-vs-omicron-2021-12-20 stirred hope on Monday when it said a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine appeared to protect against the Omicron variant in laboratory testing. On the supply front, OPEC+ compliance with oil production cuts rose to 117% in November from 116% a month earlier, two sources from the group told Reuters, indicating production levels remain well below agreed targets. U.S. crude oil inventories were expected to have fallen for a fourth consecutive week, while distillate and gasoline stockpiles likely rose, a preliminary Reuters poll showed on Monday. The poll was conducted ahead of reports from the American Petroleum Institute, an industry group, due on Tuesday, and the EIA, the statistical arm of the U.S. Department of Energy, due on Wednesday. (Additional reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London; Jessica Jaganathan in Singapore; Editing by Kirsten Donovan, Lisa Shumaker, David Evans and David Gregorio) (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.) Russian President warned that was prepared to take military steps in response to unfriendly Western actions over the Ukraine conflict, in a sharp escalation of rhetoric. He also called for serious negotiations on Russian security demands put to the United States and during his first call with new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who in turn called for de-escalation. Meanwhile, Russian and US negotiators will sit down for talks early next year to discuss Moscows demand for Western guarantees precluding Natos expansion to Ukraine, Russias top diplomat said on Wednesday. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that in January will also start separate talks with to discuss the issue, adding that separate negotiations under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will also be held. The Russian president has for weeks accused the United States and the Washington-led military alliance of stoking tensions near Moscows borders. Putin told defence ministry officials that if the West continued its obviously aggressive stance would take appropriate retaliatory military-technical measures. Putin has denied having plans to launch an attack but has described Natos expansion to Ukraine and weapons deployment of the alliance weapons there as a red line. Russian President and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed European security issues and the Ukrainian situation during a phone conversation on Tuesday. According to a Kremlin press release, Putin informed Scholz of Russian proposals for long-term and legally binding security guarantees that prohibit the North Atlantic Treaty Organization from expanding eastwards and deploying offensive weapons near They also discussed the problems of resolving the internal conflict in Ukraine, and Putin told Scholz that "Kiev is still stubbornly evading the fulfillment of its obligations under the 2015 Minsk agreements." As for Russian-German relations, the leaders expressed common interest in further developing bilateral ties and maintaining contacts through various channels. Earlier in the day, Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron also held a phone conversation to discuss European security issues and the Ukrainian situation. (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.) United States Secretary of State on Tuesday (local time) said there will be "massive consequences" for if it engages in further acts of aggression against "We are working in very close coordination with allies and partners not only to show our shared concerns but to put in place what would be a meaningful and massive response if commits renewed acts of aggression against Ukraine," Blinken said during a press briefing. "We have seen statements coming out of NATO, European Union, and G7 -- all making clear that there will be "massive consequences" for if it engages in further acts of aggression against Ukraine," he said. "We are engaged in diplomacy and deterrence. President Biden when he first met with President Putin in Geneva some months ago. Biden said to Putin that our strong preference is for a more predictable and stable relationship between Russia and the United States. But if Russia continues to engage in reckless, regressive actions, we will respond and will respond strongly," Blinken added. Earlier this month, during Biden and Putin's video call, Biden warned that the US and its allies would respond with "strong economic and other measures" if Russia acts militarily against (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 defense minister, Ben Wallace, met with Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss the situation near Ukraine's border, the Ministry of Defence said. "The Defence Secretary @BWallaceMP spoke to Secretary General @jensstoltenberg this afternoon to discuss the situation on Ukraine's border. The and are united in support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity," the ministry tweeted on Tuesday. Wallace noted that the United Kingdom and NATO will continue to observe the escalation of the situation near Ukraine's border and stressed to "remain deeply concerned by the buildup of Russian troops on Ukraine's border." Tensions between Russia and the West have worsened in recent weeks amid reports on Russian troop buildup near the Ukrainian border. Moscow pointed to NATO's expansion of military activity near Russian borders, which it deems a threat to its national security. On December 17, the Russian Foreign Ministry unveiled proposals to the United States and NATO on security guarantees, which, in particular, stipulate the alliance not expanding into Ukrainian territory. On Monday, Wallace said that in case of escalation on Ukraine's border, it is unlikely for any member country of the alliance to send its troops to to challenge Russia, because is not yet a NATO member. Therefore, he added, member countries are doing everything in their power to prevent such an event, like imposing economic sanctions on Russia. has been aspiring to join NATO since the 2008 Bucharest summit when the alliance agreed that both Ukraine and Georgia would one day become its members, however neither country has entered the formal process for membership yet. (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 the months after Boris Johnson signed his post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union, the coronavirus masked the economic damage of leaving the bloc. As the pandemic drags on, the cost is becoming clearer and voters are noticing. Brexit has been a drag on growth. The prime minister had hailed the signing of the trade accord as the moment when took back control of its destiny. But a November poll by Savanta Comres shows a majority of the British population would now vote to re-join the EU. In recent days, David Frost, Johnsons key partner in negotiating Brexit, resigned, becoming the third Brexit minister to quit. A year on from the signing of the trade deal, here is a look at how Brexit affected British business and the Trade Britains trade with the EU has declined since the country quit the bloc, with firms hit by new customs paperwork and checks. As of October, UK goods trade with the EU was 15.7 per cent lower than it would have been had stayed in the EUs single market and customs union, according to modelling by the Centre for European Reform, an independent think-tank. Even before completed its split from the EU at the end of 2020, Brexit had reduced the size of the UK by about 1.5 per cent, according to estimates from the Office for Budget Responsibility. That was due to a fall in business investment and a transfer of economic activity to the EU in anticipation of high trade barriers. Brexit has exacerbated a crunch in the UK labour supply. 200,000 European nationals left Britain in 2020, pushed away by tougher immigration rules. Brexit has pushed financial firms to move at least some of their operations, staff, assets or legal entities out of London and into to the bloc but the shift has been smaller than predicted, in part because the pandemic has hampered staff relocations. UKs financial firms, meanwhile, are still waiting for full access to the EUs single market. US President on Tuesday (local time) said that people who are "not fully vaccinated" have "good reason to be concerned" about the spread of the variant. "If you're unvaccinated, you're at a high risk of getting sick. And if you get sick you're likely to spread it to others, including friends and family. We should all be concerned about Omicron, but not panicked," Biden said in White House remarks. Biden said that unvaccinated people have a "significantly higher risk" of ending up in the hospital or dying from COVID-19. "If you're among the majority of Americans who are fully vaccinated and especially if you got the booster shot, the third shot... you have much, much less reason to worry. You have a high degree of protection against severe illness," Biden said. He further said that because the variant "spreads so easily" that even fully vaccinated individuals will get COVID-19. He added that they have seen breakthrough cases at the White House but these cases among the vaccinated "are highly unlikely to lead to serious illness." "Vaccinated people who get Covid may get ill. But they're protected from severe illness and death. That's why you should still remain vigilant," he said. Biden further stated that because the variant "spreads so easily" fully vaccinated individuals will get COVID-19. He said that they have seen breakthrough cases at the White House but these cases among the vaccinated "are highly unlikely to lead to serious illness." "Vaccinated people who get Covid may get ill. But they're protected from severe illness and death. That's why you should still remain vigilant," he added. He also urged the Americans to get their booster shots amid a surge in coronavirus cases. "Folks, the booster shots are free and widely available," he said. "I got my booster shot as soon as they were available. And just the other day, former President Trump announced he got his booster shot. Maybe one of the few things he and I agree on. People with booster shots are highly protected. Join them. Join us," Biden stated. 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'. (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 is rolling out new measures to fight COVID-19 variant by providing an additional USD 580 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to support seven partners who are working tirelessly in the global fight against This additional USD 580 million is a significant contribution to turn vaccines into vaccinations; strengthen public health capacity; support communities in need, and provide urgent, life-saving relief, read a statement by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Multilateral organizations are playing an indispensable role in these efforts, and with this additional USD 580 million, the US is supporting seven such partners to continue and accelerate the critical work they are doing to help end the pandemic, strengthen public health capacity, and provide urgent relief. With the emergence of the variant and continued challenges like equitable access to life-saving care and vaccines, the world is at a critical point in the global response to this virus. The US funding includes USD 280 million for the World Health Organization (WHO), including USD 50 million for the Contingency Fund for Emergencies; USD 170 million to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF); USD 75 million to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO); USD 20 million to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP); USD 20 million for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); USD 10 million to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); and USD 5 million to UN Women to assist their efforts to support women and girls. These resources reflect the deep commitment of the and the American people to a healthier, more secure world, in keeping with President Biden's commitment to elevate our global ambition to end the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, added US Secretary of State's statement. Blinken further said, "Later today I will host a meeting with foreign ministers to discuss and coordinate how we are addressing the variant. COVID-19 is not only a health crisis, but a security, economic, humanitarian and development crisis. I call on my counterparts to fulfill and bolster their commitments in fighting the pandemic. We must work together, and we must act quickly, to end this pandemic." To date, the US has shared over 330 million safe and effective vaccine doses to more than 110 countries and economies worldwide. The Government is providing more than USD 19.6 billion for life-saving health, economic, and humanitarian COVID-19 assistance to our partners to fight this virus and its impacts. These funds are delivering shots in arms, lifesaving supplies to hospitals, and support that reaches most vulnerable communities, read the statement. Earlier this month, President Joe Biden accelerated efforts to fight this pandemic, promising to deliver 200 million vaccine doses in the next 100 days. "Since his announcement, we have shared more than 50 million doses. While we know vaccines are a critical aspect to help end this pandemic, we also need to work with our partners to increase testing and surveillance, get life-saving equipment and resources to those most in need, and ensure that the most vulnerable have access to vaccination sites," said Blinken. "The rapid spread of the Omicron variant reinforces that we must all continue to accelerate our efforts to end this pandemic and that none of us are safe until all of us are safe. This is a global pandemic that requires global solutions," added Blinken. (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.) Both the primary and secondary markets may be in for correction in the coming weeks, says Raamdeo Agrawal, chairman, Motilal Oswal Financial Services. He tells Ashley Coutinho that foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) may return once the market corrects 10-15 per cent from current levels. Edited excerpts: What is your outlook for Indian equities? We have had a wonderful last one year from Diwali to Diwali and there might be some consolidation from here on. Foreign portfolio investors have stepped up their selling as they consider India to be among the most expensive markets in the ... The price of 10 gram of gold decreased by Rs 230 on Wednesday, with 24 carat gold trading at Rs 48,410 and 22 carat at Rs 47,410. The price of 1 kg of silver decreased by Rs 500 and the precious metal is selling at Rs 61,400. In Delhi, the price of 24-carat gold stands at Rs 51,700, while in Mumbai it is at Rs 48,410, according to the Goodreturns website. The price of 10 gram of 22-carat gold in Delhi and Mumbai is at Rs 47,450 and Rs 47,410, respectively. In Chennai, 10 gram of 24-carat gold is selling at Rs 39,680 on Wednesday, while 10 gram of 22-carat gold is selling at Rs 45,540. In Kolkata, 24-carat gold is selling at Rs 50,510, while 22-carat gold's price is at Rs 47,450, according to the Goodreturns website. The price of gold varies across the country due to excise duty, state taxes, and making charges. In Chennai, the price of 1 kg of silver is at Rs 65,200, while in Delhi and Mumbai, the metal is selling at Rs 61,400. Silver is selling at Rs 61,400 per kg in Kolkata and Bengaluru, while in Hyderabad, the metal is selling at Rs 65,200 a kg. Shares of surged 9 per cent to Rs 192.35 on the BSE in Wednesdays intra-day trade after billionaire investor Radhakishan S Damani (RK Damani), Gopikishan Shivkishan Damani & family increased their stake in the company to 22.76 per cent at the end of December 20, 2021, according to disclosure made by the company to the stock exchanges. Since March 30, 2020, they have acquired an additional 6.30 million equity shares or 2.03 per cent stake in via open market purchases, the company said. CLICK HERE FOR FULL DETAILS Meanwhile, as on September 30, 2021, RK Damani (11.34 per cent), Gopikishan Shivkishan Damani (8.46 per cent) and RK Damani & Gopikishan Shivkishan Damani (1.34 per cent) collectively held 21.14 per cent stake in India Cements, as per the shareholding pattern data. Despite today's run-up, the company's stock has underperformed the market by falling 4 per cent, as compared to 3 per cent decline in the S&P BSE Sensex in the past one month. In the last six months, it declined 5 per cent, as against 8 per cent rise in the benchmark index. For July-September quarter (Q2FY22), had reported a soft operating performance, mainly led by the sharp increase in input costs and weak realizations. EBITDA declined by 43 per cent on year and 18 per cent sequentially to Rs 134 crore. Blended EBITDA/tonne softened to Rs 566 vs. Rs 1,114 in Q2FY21 and Rs 833 in Q1FY22. The loss of volumes in the core markets, together with the increase in the price of coal and dilution of selling prices, resulted in the EBIDTA margin coming down during the September quarter. The company's on-going efforts in controlling the fixed cost, administrative overheads, marketing overheads and contract labour continued during the quarter under review, India Cements said while announcing Q2 results on November 11, 2021. Cement demand is expected to remain on track with the Centre and states giving push to infrastructure spending and affordable housing. At the same time, the risk of cost pressures is staring at the industry due to high fuels and petcoke costs and constraints in the availability of coal. All these factors are expected to put pressure on output and earnings margins in the coming months, the company had said. '"While an improvement in capacity utilization on a sequential basis aided it to improve its unitary freight, employees and other expenditures on better operating leverage, a sharp increase in input costs weighed on the company's overall performance," an analyst at Reliance Securities had said in Q2 result update. Notably, the planned capacity expansion in the Central region is still not in sight and the company will have to choose either to accord priority to plant upgradation or capacity addition. Thus, we found no reason to raise the target multiple, the analyst said. At 10:09 am; India Cements was trading 5 per cent higher at Rs 185.85 on the BSE, as compared to 0.62 per cent decline in the S&P BSE Sensex. Trading volumes on the counter jumped an over three-fold with a combined 9.18 million equity shares having changed hands on the NSE and BSE. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 232.05 on November 10, 2021. Shares of hit a record high of Rs 1,179, on rallying 7 per cent on the BSE in Wednesdays intra-day trade on healthy outlook. The stock of auto ancillary company was quoting higher for the fifth straight trading day, gaining 18 per cent during the period. Thus far in the calendar year 2021, the stock has zoomed 196 per cent, as compared to 18.9 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. In past 11 trading days, the stock has surged 37 per cent, after the company announced a fresh round of capex and investment spends. The auto components maker announced on December 10, 2021 that it has entered into a joint venture (JV) agreement with FRIWO AG Germany to manufacture and supply various electric vehicle components in the Indian subcontinent with a planned capex of Rs 390 crore in the next six years. expects surge in two wheel electric vehicles (EV) over next 5-6 years in India. The company plans to invest Rs 71 crore in one or more tranches as equity investment to partly fund the above expenditure. The remaining funding requirement will be met through mix of internal accruals, equity investment and debt. The joint venture will help the company to further strengthen EV product portfolio and accelerate development and manufacturing of various EV components in India to fulfil increasing client requirements and to offer high-quality customized e-solutions in record speed. Minda will benefit from PLI scheme incentives for its investments in advanced technology components and EV parts. The company is awaiting more details from the government before finalizing investments. Minda is increasing alloy wheel capacities from 180,000 MT to 280,000 MT by March 2022. It is increasing Bawal plant capacity from 120,000 MT to 180,000 MT and Gujarat plant from 60,000 MT to 100,000 MT. Amid strong demand, further capacity expansions are expected, said analysts at Emkay Global Financial Services in Q2 result update. The brokerage firm expects growth momentum to continue over FY22-24E with revenue CAGR of 22 per cent, driven by a cyclical upturn in underlying PV/2W segments, higher content in core businesses such as switches, lightings and acoustics, improving presence in alloy wheels, sensors and controllers, and growing content per vehicle led by EV penetration. Central Bank of India has entered into a co-lending partnership with Ugro Capital to offer loans to MSME borrowers under priority sector, subject to the compliance with the applicable law(s) including the applicable guidelines issued by the RBI. As per the bank's press statement, the participation from both the entities in this co-lending arrangement will result in greater expansion of portfolio by Central Bank of India (CBI) and Ugro Capital. Ugro Capital is a RBl regulated non-banking finance company with pan India branch network and has a track record of good customer acquisition. Under this arrangement, Ugro Capital will originate and process loans to MSME borrowers as per jointly formulated credit parameters & eligibility criteria and Central Bank of India will take into its book 80% of loans under mutually agreed terms. Ugro Capital will also service the loan account throughout the life cycle of the loan. This co-lending arrangement is expected to help both the entities to offer convenient experience to the customers as well as help expand their reach across India. Central Bank of India reported a 55.5% jump in net profit to Rs 250.02 crore on a 3.8% decline in total income to Rs 6,503.39 crore in Q2 FY22 over Q2 FY21. Central Bank of India is a public sector bank. The Government of India held 93.08% take in the bank as on 30 September 2021. Shares of Central Bank of India rose 0.95% to Rs 21.20 while Ugro Capital gained 1.77% to Rs 201.55 on BSE. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India Cements rallied 5.46% to Rs 186.25 after billionaire investor Radhakishan Damani and family acquired 62,98,686 equity shares or 2.03% stake in the company from 30 March 2020 to 20 December 2021. Post transaction, ace investor Radhakishan Damani and family increased their shareholding to 7,05,56,435 equity shares or 22.76% stake from 6,42,57,749 equity shares or 20.73% stake held in India Cements. The deal was executed as open market purchase. Radhakishan Damani has been increasing his stake in the cement company marginally since last year. Mr Damai held 19.89% stake in the company in the March quarter of 2020 and raised it to 20.4% in July 2020. India Cements' consolidated net profit declined 56.8% to Rs 32.53 crore in Q2 FY22 from Rs 75.38 crore posted in Q2 FY21. Net sales rose 13.3% to Rs 1,234.85 crore in Q2 FY22 from Rs 1,089.96 crore posted in Q2 FY21. India Cements is primarily engaged in manufacture and marketing of cement and cement related products. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ugro Capital announced that it has signed a co-lending agreement with Central Bank of India. Under this partnership, the two entities aim to disburse upto Rs. 1000 crore to UGRO Capital's varied MSME segments under its programs like Pratham, Sanjeevani, Saathi, GRO MSME and Machinery financing, in next 12 months. The Co-lending arrangement with Central Bank of India will work towards providing formal credit to underserved MSMEs at affordable rates across all product categories of U GRO Capital. For the same, the bank will leverage U GRO's digital technology platform driven by a Data Tripod of GST, Banking and Bureau, in addition to the company's deep sectoral understanding and multi-channel distribution reach. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) leader will be in on a two-day visit commencing on Wednesday during which he will also visit his Lok Sabha constituency Wayanad. leader will be on a two-day visit to Kerala, from today his parliamentary constituency in Kerala''s Wayanad At 10 am, will attend the remembrance meeting of C Moinkutty, an Ex-MLA in Parish Hall, Engapuzha, Kozhikode. Thereafter, at 11 am, Gandhi will flag off Rahul Brigade's Ambulance at Engapuzha, Kozhikode. The MP from Wayanad will travel to his own constituency at 3 pm and inaugurate the office of an MLA, T Siddique from Kalpetta LAC, Wayanad. After the office inauguration, Gandhi will also inaugurate Achoor (Athimoola) - Chathoth Road under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana at Pozhuthana, Wayanad at 4 pm. (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.) Tech giant now lets users customise how its Voice service handles incoming calls. According to Engadget, users can now configure the app to forward calls from either individual or groups of contacts to a linked phone number or your voicemail. Separately, users can set a rule that plays custom voicemail greetings for specific contacts. And if they want to avoid taking calls unless necessary, they can tell it to screen individuals. The tech giant said the new options allow users to route incoming calls in ways that complement their existing workflows. To start using the feature, users can head over to the Voice website and click the cog icon located toward the top of the interface. Then click "Calls," followed by "Choose a rule." Note that on the mobile app, it's only possible to view rules you have already set; you can't establish new ones -- at least not yet, the report 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.) Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 22 (ANI/PRNewswire): Greenway Health announces its Board of Directors has named Pratap Sarker as Chief Executive Officer effective January 1, 2022. Sarker, who has served as President of Greenway Health since August 2020, succeeds Richard Atkin who has served as CEO since 2018. Atkin will transition to the role of Executive Chairman of the Greenway Health board. "Pratap Sarker brings the ideal combination of leadership, experience and vision as the new Greenway Health CEO for this next chapter in the evolution and growth of the company," said Atkin. "As we continue to enhance our product offerings, invest in our technology platform and deliver measurable client outcomes, we are uniquely positioned for continued growth in 2022. With a seamless transition to CEO, Pratap's leadership will continue to be invaluable to the expansion of solutions we offer our clients nationwide." "Greenway Health is primed for growth and market opportunity," said Sarker. "Together with a strong senior management team, we will continue to evolve our company and transform the healthcare technology sector with products and services that enhance practice growth and deliver innovative, client-centric solutions. I look forward to guiding Greenway Health into its next phase as an industry leader in this exciting market." Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., U.S., this leadership update comes at the one-year anniversary of Greenway's global expansion to Bangalore, India, in December 2020. "We established our India Center of Excellence to help drive continued growth for Greenway in the new, global and competitive landscape among health technology providers, and we have already made great strides in hiring some of the best and brightest talent located in India," said Sarker. "With continued opportunities for career advancement and growth across all Greenway departments and locations, we are building a team that is prepared to meet the market growth and industry needs to come, as we continue to deliver innovative, customizable health technology solutions and services to our clients." Sarker joined Greenway Health in 2020 as President. His vision and ownership for client relationship building and his passion for growth has revolutionized the Greenway brand, helping to actualize the company's purpose of creating successful providers and empowering patients, resulting in healthier communities. Prior to joining Greenway Health, Sarker spent three years as President at Conduent, where he led a multi-billion-dollar business in mission-critical technology and BPO services. Sarker, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from Savitribai Phule Pune University, has over 25 years of experience and achievements garnered from helping organizations drive results through strategic development and a focus on execution. This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], December 22 (ANI/Mediawire): Students who have given the ISCE ISC semester 1 exam are all set to advance the preparation for semester 2 exams. ICSE ISC Semester 2 Board Exams 2022 will be conducted in March or April 2022 as per the bifurcated syllabus uploaded on the official website of CISCE. Students can also get a glimpse of the marking scheme from the website. CISCE keeps on updating the new information regarding the ISCE ISC Semester 2 Board Exams. Some of the recent updates are discussed below for better awareness. Specimen Sample Papers Released CISCE has released the Latest SyllabusICSE ISC Specimen Sample Papers Class 10 & 12 For Semester 2 Board Exams 2022 on its official website. These Latest SyllabusICSE ISC Specimen Sample Papers For Semester 2 are designed as per the reduced and bifurcated syllabus discussed by CISCE. The semester 2 exams will be conducted descriptively. And based upon this the questions in the specimen paper are also descriptive. Students should check these specimen sample papers at the earliest to have a better glimpse of the paper pattern and the typologies that will be asked in the exam. For more information they also visit their official website or click here (https://www.cisce.org/publications.aspx) Once the students are done with the entire preparation, then these sample papers will be very useful. Sample papers will make sure that your preparation is aligned with the type of questions being asked in the board exams. Students can visit the official website of CISCE and check these official specimens without any hassle. Chapter-wise mock tests are available Once the students are done with the particular chapter, then they need not to wait till the end to check the command on a particular chapter. Additional mock tests are also available on the official website. These mock tests are designed in a chapter-wise format. Students can check out these mock tests for a better understanding of each chapter. These are available for both the ISC and ICSE Semester 2 Board Exams 2022. Students can prepare with these available mock tests to enhance their preparation for the upcoming exams. Mock tests will offer the opportunity to the students to answer writing. As in semester 1, the exams were taken in the MCQ format only. So, the students need to practice descriptive answer writing to succeed in the ICSE ISCSemester 2 Board Exams 2022. To get more information about the chapters and the topics for the semester 2 exams, students can visit the official website of CISCE. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAuPjjQZKGE) Students can also start doing their preparation with Latest SyllabusOswaal ICSE ISC Question Bank for Semester-2Board Exams 2022 in which, the students will get different benefits: * Strictly as per the Semester-2 syllabus for ICSE ISC BoardExams 2022(March-April) * These ICSE ISC Question Bank for Semester-2Board Exams 2022IncludeQuestions of the both -Objective & Subjective Types Questions * Chapter-wise and Topic wise Revision Notes for in-depth study * Modified & Empowered Mind Maps & Mnemonics for quick learning * Unit wise Self -Assessment Tests * Previous Years' Board Examination Questions and Marking scheme Answers with detailed explanation to facilitate exam-oriented preparation. * Examiners comments & Answering Tips to aid in exam preparation. * These ICSE ISC Question Bank for Semester-2Board Exams 2022Include Topics found Difficult & Suggestions for students. Here is the recommended link for Latest SyllabusICSE Question Bank Class 10 for Semester 2 board exams 2022, click here (https://bit.ly/3eai2ft) Here is the recommended link for Latest SyllabusISC Question Bank Class 12 for Semester 2 board exams 2022, click here (https://bit.ly/3mq9mGj) Final Thoughts To excel in the board exams, it is very important to take both semesters seriously. The latest specimen and mock tests are available for the students on the official website. Students can check them out and have better clarity about the exam pattern and marking scheme. For further updates, keep on visiting the official website and study tuned!! This story is provided by Mediawire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Mediawire) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 22 (ANI/NewsVoir): Renu Electronics has announced the acquisition of Phoenix Contact HMI IPC Technology GmbH to form Renu Electronics GmbH. This will be a 100% owned subsidiary in Germany. Renu Electronics now gets to add 50 more members to its increasing base of manufacturing and engineering capabilities in Europe. Phoenix Contact and Renu Electronics have been working together for several years. Phoenix Contact HMI IPC Technology GmbH (formerly known as Sutron Electronics GmbH) has been a part of the Phoenix Contact Group since 2008. Part of the HMI portfolio of Phoenix Contact has been developed and produced by Renu Electronics. This move further strengthens the business relationship between the two companies. Both companies will use the synergies for further strategic development in their respective technologies. The deal is expected to be completed by December 31, 2021. Ajay Bhagwat, CEO of Renu Electronics Pvt. Ltd., said, "We are very pleased that we can strengthen our base in Europe with this acquisition. It enables us to have excellent manufacturing and development capacities in Germany with which we can better support our customers. We look forward to growing our business relationships with Phoenix Contact and various other European customers from Germany, supported by our business activities in India." Renu Electronics is a fast-growing global company headquartered in Pune, India. It provides electronic products and services in the fields of factory automation, home automation, and automotive electronics. The main strengths of the company lie in the areas of engineering and manufacturing. For the past 31 years, Renu Electronics has served customers around the world, fulfilling its mission of "Making Humans Efficient". For more information please visit website (https://renuelectronics.com/?utm_source=PRArt2 & utm_medium=pr & utm_campaign=PRDec2021 & utm_id=PR). Phoenix Contact is the global market leader for components, systems and solutions in the field of electrical engineering, electronics and automation. The family company currently employs around 17,100 people worldwide and achieved sales of 2.4 billion euros in 2020. The product range includes components and system solutions for the generation, transport and distribution of energy, device, and machine construction as well as control cabinet construction. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], December 22 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Tesla Power USA hosted the "India Business Meet" at the Pride Plaza Hotel in Aerocity, New Delhi. The program was attended by John H. Vratsinas, MD & Global CEO, Kavinder Khurana, Managing Director, India, Sandeep Avasthi, Business Head, India. "We are gearing up for installing 5000 Two-Wheeler EV Charging Points Pan-India in the near future at our Franchise-owned Tesla Power Shops. This is our commitment to encourage the use of EV's and contribute to as much sustainability of the environment as we can. Our support to power these vehicles is hundred percent and we look forward to offer them charging points support to increase the acceptance of EV 2-Wheelers," said Kavinder Khurana, MD. Sandeep Avasthi, Business Head, stated, "The major factors that's helping us to spread our horizon PAN India is the-Longest warranty with the largest service network." John H Vratsinas (MD and Global CEO) announced, "This is the first time in modern Indian history that India is leading the world in new technologies and infrastructure for the growth of E-Vehicles. I believe India will create the best model of EV charging infrastructure that the West will follow." Tesla Power USA Inc. is among the fastest growing brand of batteries in India. They have 200+ Distributors and 250+ Tesla Power Shops in 20+ States in India. Tesla Power Shop, as a concept, is a hybrid and unique model of service, sales revival & EV Charging Points. This hybrid Retail model is being adopted across the country and appreciated internationally. The Company launched their American Technology-based products such as Inverter Batteries, Automotive Batteries, Two-Wheeler Batteries, Tractor, Trucks, Solar, Hybrid VRLA, SMF VRLA Batteries, Lithium Ion Batteries, Home UPS, Solar UPS, and Industrial UPS. Their quality products and continuous expansion policy helps Customers, Dealers, Distributors, Franchisees and C & Fs join Tesla Power USA. Keeping in mind skill development and a young vibrant people culture, the Tesla Thunderbolt Program offers full time employment opportunities to young engineers of the country. The program is a full time all-round mentorship and employment. The Program plans to induct 500 young engineers and set them on a competent career path within the organization. To Watch the Video, Click on the Link Below: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpdTrM_uu2k & feature=youtu.be) Tesla Power USA Inc. Announces Entry into EV Scooters and EV Charging Stations | Tesla Power USA This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], December 22 (ANI/NewsVoir): Silicon Valley-based The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) has announced its Rajasthan chapter as the 'Best Chapter' amongst 61 other chapters across 15 countries in the recent TiE Annual Chapter Excellence Awards held concurrent to TiE Global Summit 2021 in Dubai. Dr Ravi Modani, President, TiE Rajasthan received the award on the chapter's behalf. Kumar Mangalam Birla was conferred with the 'Global Entrepreneur of the Year' award during the TiE summit. "It is an honour to receive this prestigious award in a year that has witnessed unprecedented changes. TiE Rajasthan has been nurturing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the state for almost 20 years and this award comes as a testimony to the vision, energy and enthusiasm of our preceding chapter leaders, members and present team. We are poised to expand our outreach, connect with and empower more student founders, women entrepreneurs as well as successful business owners in tier-2 and tier-3 cities of the state," said Dr Modani in his acceptance speech. Notably, TiE Rajasthan has also announced the winner of 'Best Chapter Champion Award' for TiE University, a Global startup program for collegiate students during the summit. The world's tallest building Burj Khalifa was specially illuminated with TiE colours for this world's largest entrepreneurial summit by TiE. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid a steep rise in the incidents of cyber frauds, the Reserve Bank of India has come up with a new rule to make the online transactions more secure. It has asked all the merchants and payment gateways to remove customer data on debit and credit cards saved with them. The central bank has asked them to use encrypted tokens for all transactions starting January 1 next year. But after the auto debit rule, this new regulation will only add to the woes of consumers and merchants. We take a look at how these rules will impact you and the digital commerce sector as a whole. From hassles, lets now move to what is happening in the world of markets as the year 2021 comes to an end. Foreign portfolio investors, or FPIs, have been taking some money off the table since the indices hit new all-time highs and valuations surpassed historically high levels. So far in December, FPIs have sold equities worth over Rs 33,000 crore and this trend is expected continue for the rest of 2021. So the question is, when can investors get a respite from FPI selling? Not just markets, this year was also great for startup companies. At least 42 of them went on to attain the unicorn status. More startups entered this coveted club in 2021 than all previous years combined. India is now home to about 80 unicorn startups. Without a doubt, this has been the most successful year for Indias startup ecosystem. Unlike Indias evolving unicorns, the giant Siberian rhino which may have been the origin of the unicorn myth could not adapt to changing climate and went extinct about 39,000 years ago. Now, as countries realise the harmful effects of global warming, they are moving towards net-zero emissions. Recently, India also pledged to cut its emissions to net zero by 2070 at a global summit on climate change in Glasgow. Heres an explainer for you on net-zero emissions and what it may take for India and the world to achieve this target in this episode of the podcast. Indian cities' air pollution was even higher than the WHO set standards and worse than most cities even on the days pollution was at its lowest The C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute invites scholars, software developers, and researchers to advance the science of digital transformation with artificial intelligence (AI) designed to harden information security (Infosec) and secure critical infrastructure. Cybersecurity is an existential issue, said Thomas M. Siebel, Chairman and CEO of C3 AI, a leading enterprise AI software provider. We are assembling the best minds on the planet to develop innovative AI to attain a step-function improvement in securing IT, OT, and critical infrastructure systems. Advanced AI and machine learning offer the best opportunity to design robust defensive systems, said C3.ai DTI Co-Director S. Shankar Sastry of UC Berkeley, whose area of research expertise is cybersecurity. This call for proposals will help design the defenses necessary to securely shield the digital transformation of our economy. We aim to develop AI techniques to identify and neutralize malware, ransomware, phishing attacks, and prevent the weaponization of innocent insiders, said C3.ai DTI Co-Director R. Srikant of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an expert in AI and networks. Immediate Call for Proposals: AI to Transform Cybersecurity and Secure Critical Infrastructure. Topics for research awards may include, but are not limited to, the following: AI techniques to identify previously unknown malware, ransomware, and zero-day vulnerabilities, enabling isolation and neutralization AI-enabled network and system crawlers that can continuously search and identify persistent access mechanisms (backdoors), bots, remote access toolkits (RATS), stagers, and Trojans AI forensics and attribution techniques to identify sources of attacks AI techniques to automate simulated adversarial attacks to identify system and network vulnerabilities AI techniques to accurately identify and enable the neutralization of phishing attacks Change management techniques to prevent the weaponization of innocent insiders AI techniques to detect the presence of advanced persistent threats and insider threats AI-enabled network and/or system crawlers that access and continuously evaluate system security levels AI techniques, perhaps in supervised or unsupervised learning, to provide early detection of system and/or network anomalies that might be indicative of unauthorized access, denial of service, or data exfiltration Techniques and methods to enable the development of AI algorithms that are resilient to adversarial attacks AI techniques to identify concentration risk in the software and computer supply chain Change management to transform organizational behavior to manifest best practices in cyber hygiene Techniques to respond to attacks at the organizational and societal level This third call for proposals is open now, with a submission deadline of February 7, 2022. Researchers are invited to learn more about C3.ai DTI and how to submit their proposals for consideration at C3DTI.ai. Award winners will be announced in March 2022, with a start date around June 1, 2022. Award winners may take part in the annual C3.ai DTI Research Symposium, to be held March 22-24, 2022, in Miami, Florida. Up to USD $10 million in cash awards will be funded from this third call, ranging from USD $100,000 to $1,000,000 each. In addition to cash awards, C3.ai DTI recipients will be provided with significant cloud computing, supercomputing, data access, and AI software resources and technical support provided by Microsoft and C3 AI. This will include unlimited use of the C3 AI Suite hosted on the Microsoft Azure Cloud, and access to high-performance computing resources at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. All science developed from C3.ai DTI funded projects accrues to the public domain. Establishing the New Science of Digital Transformation C3.ai DTI focuses its research on AI, machine learning, IoT, big data analytics, human factors, organizational behavior, ethics, and public policy. The Institute supports the development of ML algorithms, data security, and cybersecurity techniques. C3.ai DTI research analyzes new business operation models, develops methods of implementing organizational change management and protecting privacy, and amplifies the dialogue around the ethics and public policy of AI. About C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute represents an innovative vision to take AI, ML, and big data research in a consortium model to a level that cannot be achieved by any one institution alone. Jointly managed by the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, C3.ai DTI attracts the worlds leading scientists to join in a coordinated and innovative effort to advance the digital transformation of business, government, and society, and establish the new science of digital transformation. To support the Institute, C3 AI will provide $57,250,000 in cash contributions over the first five years of operation. C3 AI and Microsoft will contribute an additional $310 million in-kind, including use of the C3 AI Suite and Microsoft Azure computing, storage, and technical resources to support C3.ai DTI research. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211221005200/en/ Desktop Metal (NYSE:DM) and the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) today announced a partnership to accelerate the industrialization and adoption of additive manufacturing (AM) in South Korea starting with the installations of the Desktop Metal Shop System and Production System P-1 platforms. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211221005388/en/ Created by the inventors of binder jetting and single-pass inkjet technology, the Production System is an industrial manufacturing platform powered by Desktop Metals patent pending Single Pass Jetting (SPJ) technology. It is designed to achieve speeds up to 100 times those of legacy powder bed fusion additive manufacturing technologies and enable production quantities of up to millions of parts per year at costs competitive with conventional mass production techniques. The platform consists of two printer models including the P-1, a solution for process development and serial production applications. (Photo: Business Wire) KITECH is a leading research institute that facilitates the development of manufacturing technologies for companies across South Korea, with a focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The installation of Desktop Metals state-of-the-art binder jet solutions will enable KITECH to help drive adoption of these production-focused technologies with SMEs to address use cases in automotive, consumer electronics, heavy industry, and oil & gas market segments. KITECH plans to leverage Desktop Metals solutions to manufacture components at industrial scale volumes and develop new materials for a variety of AM applications. We at KITECH are very excited to partner with Desktop Metal on the installation of its industry-leading metal AM solutions, said Dr. Chung-Soo Kim, Project Manager and Sr. Researcher at the 3D Printing Manufacturing Process Center, KITECH. Metal binder jetting is disruptive to most other metal AM technologies because of its ability to produce components at unprecedented speeds and low costs. The adoption of binder jetting will change the development environment in the additive manufacturing industry in South Korea. With Desktop Metals solutions, we can extend our capabilities beyond the limitations of laser-based additive manufacturing solutions and make significant contributions to the future of key South Korean industries, including automotive, shipment building, oil & gas, and consumer electronics, said Dr. Dong-Hyun Kim, Head and Principal Researcher at the 3D Printing Manufacturing Process Center, KITECH. Metal binder jetting is ripe for adoption in Asia-Pacific, and we are honored to partner with KITECH to further scale the technology in South Korea," said Ric Fulop, Founder and CEO of Desktop Metal. With our shared vision, the installation of these binder jet solutions will serve as a catalyst for innovation, development and commercialization of AM 2.0 technologies in the region, and accelerate the transformation of the manufacturing industry worldwide. Created by the inventors of binder jetting and single-pass inkjet technology, the Production System is an industrial manufacturing platform powered by Desktop Metals patent pending Single Pass Jetting (SPJ) technology. It is designed to achieve speeds up to 100 times those of legacy powder bed fusion additive manufacturing technologies and enable production quantities of up to millions of parts per year at costs competitive with conventional mass production techniques. The platform consists of two printer models: the P-1, a solution for process development and serial production applications, and the P-50, a large form factor mass production solution for end-use parts. The Production System combines Desktop Metal engineered binders with an open material platform, allowing customers to produce high-performance parts using the same low-cost metal powders used in the metal injection molding industry. An inert processing environment enables compatibility with a variety of materials, including high-performance alloys and even reactive metal powders, such as aluminum and titanium. Featuring the most advanced single-pass print engine in the binder jetting market, the Shop System offers a turnkey solution for producing complex, end-use metal parts in a fraction of the time and cost of conventional manufacturing and comparably priced legacy AM technologies. The system includes all of the equipment machine shops need to begin binder jetting - from printing through sintering - and is designed to scale throughput with a range of build volume configurations. In addition, Desktop Metal software for build preparation and sintering simulation, in combination with metal powders and process parameters optimized to deliver exceptional part quality and repeatability, make it easy for businesses to get up and running with binder jetting in days instead of weeks or months. For more information on Desktop Metals metal binder jetting technologies, please visit www.desktopmetal.com. About the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) KITECH (Korea Institute of Industrial Technology), founded in 1989, endeavors to contribute to the industrial development of Korea by supporting the development and application of production technologies and nurturing global SMEs. We implement technology transfers and dissemination to SMEs, provide technology support utilizing its technology, human resources, and infrastructure, develop technologies to overcome technological hardships experienced by SMEs, and conduct in-depth research for demand-oriented production technologies. For more information, visit https://eng.kitech.re.kr/main/. About Desktop Metal Desktop Metal, Inc., based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is accelerating the transformation of manufacturing with an expansive portfolio of 3D printing solutions, from rapid prototyping to mass production. Founded in 2015 by leaders in advanced manufacturing, metallurgy, and robotics, the company is addressing the unmet challenges of speed, cost, and quality to make additive manufacturing an essential tool for engineers and manufacturers around the world. Desktop Metal was selected as one of the worlds 30 most promising Technology Pioneers by the World Economic Forum, named to MIT Technology Reviews list of 50 Smartest Companies, the 2021 winner of Fast Companys Innovation by Design Award in materials and Next Big Things in Tech Award for sustainability. For more information, visit www.desktopmetal.com. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words believe, project, expect, anticipate, estimate, intend, strategy, future, opportunity, plan, may, should, will, would, will be, will continue, will likely result, and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks, uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this document, including but not limited to, the risks and uncertainties set forth in Desktop Metal, Inc.'s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Desktop Metal, Inc. assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211221005388/en/ IQM Quantum Computers (IQM) strengthened its European leadership and opened its fourth European office in Paris. This news follows the most recent announcements from the company: IQM opened an exclusive quantum fabrication facility in Finland. IQM has delivered the first milestone of the Finnish quantum computer co-innovation project with VTT; the 5-qubit quantum computer is now operational. IQM, as part of the Q-Exa consortium, is building a quantum computer in Germany that will be integrated into an HPC supercomputer for the first time. IQM France will collaborate closely with customers in the aviation, space, and cybersecurity verticals using IQMs co-design approach. IQM is also part of Atoss Scaler program, and this subsidiary will focus further on HPC integration and offer quantum accelerators to supercomputing centers worldwide. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211221005096/en/ IQM Quantum Computers (Photo: Business Wire) Through this new subsidiary, IQM joins the French quantum ecosystem that consists of world-renowned universities and research institutes and a fast-growing start-up scene and provides excellent industry infrastructure. IQMs expertise and reach, combined with this vibrant ecosystem, will create significant opportunities for partnerships and collaboration in Europe and across the globe. In the first phase, IQM France aims to tap into the extended talent pool of quantum students, postdocs, and experienced professionals. The plan is to start with a core team of business developers, products managers, quantum scientists, and engineers in 2022. The aim is to create a center of excellence in specific industry verticals and systematically grow in subsequent years. IQM Frances office will be in the central hub at Spaces Les Halles on 40 rue du Louvre, Paris. Dr. Bjorn Potter will take on the role of Country Manager for France in addition to his role as Global Head of Products at IQM. Dr. Potter, who recently joined IQM, holds a PhD in physics and has extensive experience with digital technologies in the Aerospace and Cybersecurity industries. Dr. Potter has held several international leadership positions with a focus on technology and innovation, among others at Airbus. I am excited to see IQM start its French operations in the Paris region, where I have been working for several years. The Paris team will build the bridge between the various IQM teams around Europe and the high-quality French quantum ecosystem. The team will enable local operations for collaborative IQM projects in strategic industrial areas, said Dr. Potter. Speaking about this announcement, Dr. Jan Goetz, CEO and cofounder of IQM, said, France plays an integral role in the quantum scientific research and has been on our roadmap for a while. Im extremely pleased to announce the operations of our French entity today, especially at a time when the French quantum plan is gaining momentum. This French subsidiary together with our co-design teams in Bilbao and Munich and the quantum hardware and software teams in Espoo, Finland, will strengthen European quantum leadership. The Paris region is proud to welcome a major European quantum computing player to the epicenter of the French quantum ecosystem. We support IQMs local setup and growth to help them make the most of the excellent research and talent available. We are also convinced that IQM will thrive in Frances #1 aerospace region, said Alexandra Dublanche, President of Choose Paris Region and Vice President in charge of Recovery, Attractiveness, Economic Development, and Innovation of the Paris Region. We are very thankful to Choose Paris Region and also Business France for the active, pragmatic, and timely support, which allowed us to set up IQM France in a very short time, Dr. Potter added. In March 2021, Dr. Goetz presented on deep tech and building global tech leaders topics at the Scale-Up Europe event, where President Emmanuel Macron was an attendee. This presentation was part of the Scale-up Europe initiative facilitated by Sifted. About IQM Quantum Computers: IQM is a Pan-European leader in quantum computers. IQM provides on-site quantum computing for research labs and supercomputing data centers and offers full access to its hardware. For industrial customers, IQM delivers the quantum advantage through a unique application-specific co-design approach. IQM is building Finlands first commercial 54-qubit quantum computer with VTT, and an IQM-led consortium (Q-Exa) is building a quantum computer in Germany that will be integrated into an HPC supercomputer to create an accelerator for future scientific research. IQM has offices in Bilbao, Munich, and Espoo and employs over 130 people. More information: www.meetiqm.com Links to the quoted press releases: IQM opens its exclusive quantum fabrication facility in Finland IQM has delivered the first milestone of the Finnish quantum computer co-innovation project with VTT; the 5-qubit quantum computer is now operational. IQM, as part of the Q-Exa consortium, is building a quantum computer in Germany that will be integrated into an HPC supercomputer for the first time. Registered office: IQM Finland Oy, Keilaranta 19, 02150 Espoo, Finland Choose Paris Region is the agency in charge of promoting the attractiveness of the Paris region in terms of international business. The agency works in partnership with all the regions key players to create an appealing and coherent territorial offer, ensure promotion of the region, and offer a tailor-made service to support international businesses and professionals in their expansion. https://www.chooseparisregion.org/ Headquarters: Choose Paris Region, 18 rue de Londres, 75009 Paris [email protected] - +33 800 019 011 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211221005096/en/ DSG Japan Corporation celebrates its first anniversary since launching Mirafeel in December 2020, the worlds most advanced baby pants diaper using the finest Japanese technology a revolutionary refastenable pants diaper with front reclosable seams enabling the best fit possible for babies of all sizes. Designed and manufactured in Japan, Mirafeel comes with soft pleated waist gathers and a cushiony soft 3 dimensional topsheet providing an unrivalled gentle touch for babies delicate skin. In addition, its proprietary Thin Dry absorbent core is one of the thinnest and most efficient absorbent cores available in the market. Besides delivering the best functionality, Mirafeel places equal importance to product aesthetics, commissioning renowned Japanese artists in designing both its product and packaging. As a digital pioneer, Mirafeel is the first brand in Japan to launch exclusively online, available to be purchased only via its home website and social media channels. With the convenience of consumers in mind, both single purchase and subscription delivery services are offered together with unparalleled customer service. Having been well received in the market, Mirafeel was awarded both the Good Design Award 2021 and Good Parenting Award 2021, a testament to both its product quality and its relentless focus on supporting the needs of families in Japan. Statement from the Founder of DSG Japan Mr. Brandon Wang: Throughout our 48-year history we pride ourselves on being the first mover in terms of product innovation and supporting the needs of families. Our most recent venture in Japan strikes at the heart of our beliefs Japanese technological innovation is amongst the best in the world, and we are honoured to have been able to establish our facility here and serve Japanese consumers over the past year. In addition to forming close connections with our end users, we are also proud to have Ms. Chihiro Kondo (a well-known actress and model) as our Brand Ambassador. As a mother of 2 children, I believe she can also share her candid parenthood experiences with families with young children, which would bring us even closer to our consumers daily lives. For more information https://mira-feel.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211219005128/en/ Whats new: China Three Gorges Corp. (600905.SH) plans to invest nearly 41.2 billion yuan ($6.47 billion) in building three offshore wind farms in southeastern Chinas Guangdong province, the state-owned energy giant said Monday. Each of the wind farms, planned for the ocean near Yangjiang city, will have capacity to generate 1 million kilowatts of electricity. They are expected to start operation in 2024. After completion of the projects, China Three Gorges Corp.s Yangjiang new-energy unit will have total wind power capacity of 5 million kilowatts, becoming the worlds largest offshore wind farm operator. The background: China has been offering generous subsidies for wind power projects as the worlds biggest energy consumer aims to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. With advances in technology and operation, the cost of offshore wind projects has fallen. China has slashed subsidies in recent years and will end them in 2021 to make producers of electricity from renewable sources compete with coal-fired utilities and achieve grid-price parity. Without central government subsidies, the expected return rate on investments in offshore wind projects will fall to 6% from 8%10%, consulting group Wood Mackenzie said. China installed 300 million kilowatts of new wind power capacity in the first 11 months of 2021, according to data released by China Electricity Council, an increase of 29% from the same period last year. Quick Takes are condensed versions of China-related stories for fast news you can use. To read the full story in Chinese, click here. Contact reporter Denise Jia (huijuanjia@caixin.com) and editor Bob Simison (hello@caixin.com) Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go. Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter. Debt / In Depth: How one Chinese province is struggling to deal with its debt mountain Southwest Chinas Guizhou province is renowned as the home of iconic liquor maker Kweichow Moutai Co. Ltd., the most valuable company on the Shanghai stock exchange. But its also renowned for being one of the poorest provinces in the country and one of the most heavily indebted. In December 2019, the cash-strapped government received a generous and controversial present from Kweichow Moutai, which is controlled by the provinces state-owned assets watchdog. The company handed over 50.2 million shares, worth 57 billion yuan ($8.9 billion) at the time, which market participants said aimed to help the authority repay its borrowings and demonstrated how local governments could leverage their assets to clean up their debts. But the gift has had little impact on improving Guizhous finances and the province is still struggling to cope. And not only with financing its official spending obligations, but also with controlling the debts of dozens of local government financing vehicles (LGFVs). FINANCE & ECONOMY A housing development under construction in Huaian, East Chinas Jiangsu province, on Dec. 5. Photo: VCG Property / Chinese property markets liquidity struggles continue despite signs of policy easing Chinas real estate market is still cooling, although several policy curbs have been eased and the financing environment is looking brighter. Although sales and investment shrank and inventory rose during the week of Dec. 10-16, new housing sales by floor space in 58 surveyed cities dropped 0.1% compared with the same period last year, which is a slower contraction rate than the 25.7% and 25.2% declines in the previous two weeks, analysts with brokerage Huaxi Securities Co. Ltd. wrote in a Sunday note. Developers land purchases remained sluggish last week, falling 75.4% year-on-year to 39.7 billion yuan ($6.2 billion) in 100 surveyed cities, the note said. Davos / World Economic Forum puts off Davos event until summer The World Economic Forum postponed its annual gathering of world leaders and business executives to early summer in light of continued uncertainty over the omicron outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Davos, Switzerland, event was scheduled to take place Jan. 1721. The organizers didnt specify new meeting dates. The omicron variant has been spreading rapidly worldwide, prompting travel restrictions involving many countries. An online series of State of the World sessions will be held instead, to focus on shaping solutions to the worlds most pressing challenges, the organizers said. Quick hits / Richard Lis FWD withdraws U.S. IPO plan with pivot to Hong Kong BUSINESS & TECH A Tsingshan booth at an Expo in Shanghai on June 5. Photo: VCG Carbon / China prices for carbon credits hit four-month high as trade surges Prices of carbon dioxide equivalents in China reached a four-month high Monday as companies rushed to buy carbon credits before the first compliance period comes to an end. The price jumped 5.4% from the previous day to close at 49.18 yuan ($7.71) per ton Monday, the highest since ending the day at 50.20 yuan Aug. 24, according to official figures (link in Chinese). Trading volume on the national emissions trading system (ETS) has also surged. During the week through Dec. 17, volume totaled 53.67 million tons and accounted for 41% of the cumulative trading amount this year. On Thursday, volume hit a new high of 20.48 million tons, with a total value of 817 million yuan. Sexual harassment / China drafts rules to outlaw pick-up artists, workplace sexual harassment Chinas top lawmakers are deliberating draft revisions to a law that would provide greater protection for women against workplace discrimination and sexual harassment as well as better protecting their personality rights and helping guard against psychological manipulation. The amendments to the Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women were submitted Monday to the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) for a first reading. Drafts usually go through three readings before being passed by the legislature. Zhihu / China hauls in New York-listed Zhihu for publishing illegal information Cyberspace regulators in Beijing summoned Quora-like question-and-answer site Zhihu Inc. for repeatedly allowing the publication and spread of what it described as illegal information on its site. At the meeting, which was held at the direction of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), Zhihu was ordered to immediately rectify the issue, according to a statement (link in Chinese) Monday by the Beijing municipal cyberspace information office. Corruption / China seeks to end revolving door of graft between politics and business Chinas top anti-graft authorities warned government officials against using the revolving door between politics and business to seek illegal profits, highlighting the case of a senior disciplinary inspector in the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration who was punished for such acts. Stressing the importance of self-discipline in preventing corruption, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and National Supervisory Commission noted in an article (link in Chinese) published in their affiliated magazine that the chain of interests surrounding the officials should be resolutely cut off. Quick hits / China rare-earths pact spurs speculation of bigger consolidation Nature lists Chinas Mars mission chief as one of 2021s most important scientists GALLERY Super Typhoon Rai pummels Hainan province Recommended newsletter for you / China Green Bulletin Premium - Subscribe to join the Caixin green community and stay up to date with the most exclusive insights on ESG, energy and carbon. Sign up here. Thanks for reading. If you havent already, click here to subscribe. As Southeast Asian countries reopen their borders and ease pandemic restrictions, demand for imports from China is rising and ports are growing congested, driving up shipping costs. As of Monday, the shipping rate for Chinese exports to Southeast Asia climbed to nearly $4,000 per container, 10 times as much as in previous years, Caixin learned. Costs started surging in early November and more than doubled within a month as there have been few ships available, a Shanghai-based freight forwarder told Caixin. A shipment of farm machinery was delayed two weeks, during which freight rates skyrocketed, he said. Cruise ship operator Royal Caribbean has offered a 25% refund to about 2,500 passengers after they were made to wait for almost a day to get a Covid-19 test Wednesday in Hong Kong. The ship, which set sail on Sunday, was ordered to cut its journey short and return to dock at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, after local health authorities found that the passengers included nine close contacts of Covid cases. All nine tested negative Jan 06, 2022 05:04 PM Californias legal cannabis industry is in dire territory. Licensed businesses are already struggling with the states high taxes, which have made it nearly impossible to compete against a behemoth black market. Those levies are about to increase on Jan. 1. The cultivation tax for flower per dry-weight pound will increase from $154.40 to $161.28. This comes on top of an existing 15% excise tax on retail. Cannabis industry leaders have warned lawmakers and the governor that the industry is nearing collapse. Some have threatened to pull out of California and boycott the state. Some cities and counties that rely heavily on the industry have joined them in calling for immediate relief. The City of Rio Dell in Humboldt County passed a resolution Tuesday, December 14, calling on the state to reform its cannabis tax system. This is a case where what is going up should be going down, and whats going down needs to be going back up, said Rio Dell Mayor Debra Garnes. Its upside down. The state needs to correct this. The state needs to respond. They are by far taking the lions share of cannabis tax receipts and they risk killing the concept of the small legal cannabis farmer. Thats not good for anyone in Humboldt. Weve been able to pave roads and invest in public safety, in good part because of cannabis legalization and how weve approached it, added Rio Dell city manager Kyle Knopp. But the states taxation system is now putting these local benefits at risk, perpetuating the black market and shutting down legal North Coast cultivators. State Sen. Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) has also called the current tax structure unsustainable. He plans to introduce legislation that would shift the cultivation tax to the excise tax an idea that one critic characterized as rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Read more at the Times-Standard. The five nominees in the category will be announced on February 8, 2022, with the Oscars ceremony to follow on March 27. Here are the shortlisted films, in alphabetical order by title: Affairs of the Art Joanna Quinn (U.K./Canada) Angakusajaujuq: The Shamans Apprentice Zacharias Kunuk (Canada) Bad Seeds Claude Cloutier (Canada) Bestia Hugo Covarrubias (Chile) Boxballet Anton Dyakov (Russia) Flowing Home Sandra Desmazieres (Canada) Mum Is Pouring Rain Hugo de Faucompret (France) The Musician Reza Riahi (France) Namoo Erick Oh (U.S.) Only a Child Simone Giampaolo (Switzerland) Robin Robin Dan Ojari, Mikey Please (U.K.)( Souvenir Souvenir Bastien Dubois (France) Step Into the River Weijia Ma (China/France) Us Again Zach Parrish (U.S.) The Windshield Wiper Alberto Mielgo (U.S./Spain) Heres a few thoughts on the the winners and losers in the shorts category: Winners Netflix: The streamer, which won the short category last year with If Anything Happens I Love You, offered just one film this year the charming Aardman special Robin Robin and its shortlisted. After scoring 51 Annie Award nominations earlier today, Netflix is now well positioned in the Oscar race as well. National Film Board of Canada: The venerable government-funded Canadian filmmaking institution has three shortlisted films: Claude Cloutiers Bad Seeds, Sandra Desmazieress Flowing Home, and Joanna Quinns magnificent Affairs of the Art. The latter is one of the greatest works of hand-drawn animation Ive seen in many years and I fully expect this film to go all the way. International animation: Twelve out of the fifteen shortlisted films were made outside of the United States. Some of them we anticipated, like Affairs of the Art, Robin Robin, and Souvenir Souvenir. But theres also quite a few surprises, like Angakusajaujuq: The Shamans Apprentice, Boxballet, Only a Child, and Step Into the River. Also surprising: the Chilean film Bestia, an excellent film that we predicted would be shortlisted, but also half-expected it not to be because of its challenging subject matter. All in all, this category has greatly benefitted from the expansion from ten to fifteen films, opening the doors for quirky films that may have otherwise been overlooked. Reza Riahis The Musician: Speaking of quirky films, The Musician is not only unique for being cut-out animation, a technique that is rarely recognized by the Academy, but also because its director is Iranian. If nominated, Riahi (who grew up in Iran and now lives in France) would become the first Iranian nominated in the animated short category. Iranian and Iranian diaspora artists and filmmakers have been nominated 22 times at the Oscars, winning three times, but theyve yet to be recognized in the animated short category; The Musician is a unique and thought-provoking film that has a shot at breaking that barrier. Losers Pixar: The beloved Disney-owned studio has either been nominated or won in this category for the last six years in a row. This year, its two submitted productions Twenty Something and Nona were both left off the shortlist. While both films are significantly lacking in the story department, that hasnt stopped the Academy in the past from nominating Pixar shorts. But Academy members woke up this year and didnt give an automatic slot to Pixar. Its not a total loss for Disney though; Walt Disney Animation Studios had one of its two submissions Us Again shortlisted. Apple: The tech giant, which was nominated in the last edition in the animated feature category with Wolfwalkers, had pegged its 2022 animation Oscar hopes on a single short, Blush. Its a solid production and could have been a likely Oscar contender if not for the baggage associated with the film. Blush, you see, is the first new production from the John Lasseter-led Skydance Animation, and by the looks of it, Academy voters arent quite ready to welcome Lasseter back with open arms into the industry. Starting next year, Apple will release Skydances first two Lasseter-produced features Luck and Spellbound and well be watching closely to see how the Academy reacts to those films. Another hugely notable development: the European animated documentary Flee, the years most acclaimed indie animated feature, made the shortlist for both international film (as Denmarks entry) and documentary feature. It is also qualified for animated feature, meaning it can now potentially be nominated in all three categories. Among critics groups, Flee has won six times for animated feature, six times for documentary, and twice for international feature, so its been competitive in all categories. How the Academy places the film will say a lot about the organizations tastes. The ten films shortlisted in the visual effects category are listed below in alphabetical order by title: Black Widow Dune Eternals Free Guy Ghostbusters: Afterlife Godzilla vs. Kong The Matrix Resurrections No Time to Die Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Spider-Man: No Way Home All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view 10-minute excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on Saturday, January 29, 2022. Branch members will vote on the final nominees. Correction: Only A Child was incorrectly identified as a British film. It is a Swiss film. The director Simone Giampaolo lives in the U.K. Pictured at top: Affairs of the Art, Flee Photo: The Canadian Press Brigadier-General Jennie Carignan of the Canadian Armed Forces joins soldiers during a lunch with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, Ont. on Monday, July 15, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick The Canadian Armed Forces is facing fresh calls to create an exception for victims of sexual misconduct and their confidantes from having to report incidents to their commanders. The request is one of dozens of recommendations contained in a new report released today following nearly two years of consultations involving survivors and military officials. The government agreed to the consultations as part of its $600-million settlement deal with Armed Forces members and defence personnel who experienced inappropriate sexual behaviour in the workplace. The report says the so-called duty to report was a "recurring topic of concern" during the consultations, echoing past criticisms about forcing victims and their confidantes to report incidents when they are not ready or dont want to. It also raises concerns about the effect on support services for victims given longstanding ambiguity around whether the requirement also applies to military medical personnel and clergy. While the military has previously resisted changing the duty to report, Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan, who is leading culture change in the Armed Forces, has indicated an exemption could be coming. Photo: Contributed A Chilliwack man received a five-year prison sentence for nearly stabbing another man to death over loud music. The B.C. Supreme Court judge found it 'ludicrous' that David Jonathan Michael Kehoe, 30, claimed the aggravated assault was actually an act of self-defence. According to the court judgment, Kehoe was returning to his home after a night that involved a few beers in August 2018 when he heard loud music outside his suite. Outside were three young men, including the victimwho is identified in the court decision as a Mr. Sagrott. Kehoe began yelling at them. When they did not appear to notice him, he threw eggs at them, Supreme Court Justice Alan Ross said in his decisions for sentencing. The egg-throwing didnt get much attention either. Kehoe then went to an apartment door to confront them, which led to a physical confrontation involving a Taser baton by one of the three men. They then left. Kehoe returned to his apartment only to emerge again, this time wearing a hoodie with a large kitchen knife in the pocket. He was caught on surveillance video trailing the three. As he approached, he produced the knife. The intoxicated Sagrott stopped, possibly in an attempt to calm things down. He posed no threat to Mr. Kehoe, Ross said. Kehoe stabbed Sagrott twice, once in his chest and once in his side. He was immediately taken to hospital. He suffered a traumatic right punctured lung, internal bleeding, a liver laceration and leakage of injected medication into the surrounding tissue. Without surgery, he would have died, Ross said. The court heard Kehoe has a history of violent offences and that he attempted to go after the others after stabbing Sagrott. He was only deterred by being struck on the head by Mr. Silvester's baton, Ross said. With credit for time already in jail, Kehoes time to be served is 1,434 days or 3.9 years. Photo: The Canadian Press Despite rising cases of the Omicron variant in the province, B.C.'s top doctor says people should not get tested if they don't have symptoms. While the province has seen a significant rise in the number of fully vaccinated individuals contracting COVID-19, health officials don't recommend everyone gets tested for the virus even if they have mild symptoms. But that doesn't mean that they should continue their regular activities. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry told reporters in a press briefing on Tuesday (Dec. 21) that the recently identified strain poses a threat to public safety. "Right now, there are a number of respiratory viruses circulating. And COVID is one of them," she said. "If you're vaccinated [and] you have mild symptoms, self-isolation and self-monitoring and caring for yourself... are important things that you can do. "You don't necessarily need to get a test." In particular, asymptomatic individuals should not be going for testing, emphasized Henry. "We need to make sure that we're testing those people where this makes a difference in the care that they get. Whether they need to be monitored more carefully [and] whether they need more support." B.C. ramping up testing in wake of soaring cases of COVID-19 The province is also gearing up to dramatically expand the use of rapid antigen COVID-19 testing in the coming months as the variant spreads while supplies of tests grow. In addition, the province is already expecting 200,000 Panbio Rapid POC antigen tests from Ottawa by Dec. 31. Also, B.C. has itself purchased 500,000 BTNX nasal-swab tests with an expected delivery of late December. As case counts continue to climb, Henry noted that the public health's ability to do "one-on-one testing and follow-up on a daily basis" goes down. As a result, the province is developing support to manage the increased caseload, which will involve redeploying people to support testing. B.C. will also be coming out with additional information for people on self-care and regarding when to go for testing and seek medical attention. Find out more information about if you should get tested for COVID-19 with the BC Centre for Disease Control online. Photo: The Canadian Press Travelers look at the arrival and departure screens at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported more than 3,500 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday as the number of daily new cases tripled over the week. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday said California will require healthcare workers to get booster shots against the coronavirus. With Omicron on the rise, were taking immediate actions to protect Californians and ensure our hospitals are prepared, the Democratic governor said in a news release. California follows New Mexico in the new mandate, his office said. The most populous state already required all healthcare workers to be vaccinated by September, with exemptions for medical reasons or personal beliefs. His office would not say when the new requirement would take effect or if there would be an option for frequent testing instead, promising more details during an event Wednesday. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. APs earlier story follows below. California is poised for a surge in new coronavirus infections as a far more contagious version of the disease spreads among holiday parties and family gatherings forced indoors by a series of winter storms. But experts say the nation's most populous state is likely to avoid the worst scenario spikes in hospitalizations and deaths because most Californians have either been vaccinated or already been infected. That gives the state a higher level or protection against the omicron variant that, while not guaranteeing people won't get sick, means they are less likely to need to go to the hospital. It's a highly transmissible respiratory virus and people are going to get it. And they are going to get it every winter, said Dr. Monica Gandhi, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of California, San Francisco. We have to go toward measuring our true success with a disease, which is how we're doing with hospitalizations. California has fared far better than many other states so far, with areas in the Midwest and Northeast seeing the biggest surge in cases and hospitalizations amid frigid temperatures that have kept people indoors. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists California as a place with high transmission of the virus, along with nearly everywhere else in the country. But in the last week California averaged 114 new cases per 100,000 people, less than half of the national rate. Meanwhile, coronavirus related hospitalizations have been rising slowly in California, up 9% in the last two weeks to 3,523. Thats less than half of what it was during the late summer peak fueled by the delta variant and one-fifth what it was a year ago, before vaccines were widely available. But while hospitals overall have fewer patients than last winter, many have fewer workers to treat the patients they do have. The staffing shortage comes as businesses in general are having trouble finding workers, including hospitals. A recent study by the University of California-San Francisco estimated the state's nursing shortage could persist until 2026. The staffing shortages we are experiencing are worse than ever, said Kiyomi Burchill, group vice president for policy for the California Hospital Association. More than 70% of the state's nearly 40 million residents have been fully vaccinated while 42% have gotten a booster shot. But as of Monday a new variant, omicron, is now the dominant version of the coronavirus in the United States. Much about the omicron coronavirus variant remains unknown, including whether it causes more or less severe illness. Scientists say omicron spreads even easier than other coronavirus strains, including delta. Early studies suggest the vaccinated will need a booster shot for the best chance at preventing an omicron infection but even without the extra dose, vaccination still should offer strong protection against severe illness and death. Computer models used by state officials to forecast the virus say hospitalizations will stay steady through the holidays and dip slightly in mid-January. I'm on the fence a little bit about how horrible is this, said Dr. Brad Pollock, associate dean for public health sciences at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. Were going to have more people infected because of the more transmissible variant. It may be a little less virulent, which means it causes less symptoms. Indeed, on Monday, the state reported about 26,000 new cases, the largest single-day tally in nearly a year. In San Diego, researchers recently discovered the highest levels of coronavirus since February in a wastewater treatment plant that serves about 2.3 million people. Every time we've seen that kind of increase in the wastewater, a couple of weeks later we see an increase in cases, said Rob Knight, a professor at the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine. Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom, who imposed the fist statewide shutdown order in March 2020, warned that cases would likely rise and re-imposed a rule requiring everyone to wear masks at public indoor gatherings. Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest city, once again canceled its in-person New Year's Eve celebration, moving to a virtual event as the number of daily new cases tripled over the week. Mayor Eric Garcetti said Tuesday that he didn't anticipate another lockdown because I think we're so much better protected than we were." However, Garcetti said he believed restrictions such as masking indoors will continue into February and perhaps even March, depending on vaccination, hospitalization and infection rates. While 70% of Californians have been fully vaccinated, that still leaves 30% or roughly 12 million people who haven't. The California Department of Public Health says people who are not vaccinated are seven times more likely to get infected, nearly 13 times more likely to be hospitalized and nearly 16 times more likely to die from the coronavirus. Places in California with lower vaccination rates, including Riverside and San Bernardino counties, have seen jumps in hospitalizations recently. The problem is there are counties in California, particularly in central California and eastern California, where they have had neither high vaccination coverage or a lot of prior infections, said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. We can expect in those communities that there may be an increase in hospitalizations for people at high risk for severe consequences. Photo: The Canadian Press Housing Minister Ahmed Hussen. Canadas housing minister says the federal government plans to take a tougher stand on investment properties to help cool housing prices. The broad strokes of the agenda were outlined in the mandate letter the prime minister gave to Housing Minister Ahmed Hussen. Among the marching orders to Hussen was to dissuade Canadians from snapping up income properties by reviewing rules around down payments and policies to curb "excessive profits." Hussen says tamping down on the rush for investment properties and flipping, as well as discouraging foreign investors from holding on to vacant homes, is also part of a push to rein in rising home prices. He says the government would draw a line between mom and pop-style landlords and large real estate trusts that own hundreds of units as a passive investment vehicle and may not care whether they are occupied. The point is to reduce the speculative demand in the market and help cool these astronomical increases in prices, Hussen said in an interview Tuesday. The Canadian Real Estate Association projected in a report this month that the national average home price will have risen by 21.2 per cent year-over-year to $687,500 by the end of 2021. The high cost of housing, particularly in major urban centres like Toronto and Vancouver, drove political parties to promise multiple measures to address housing affordability concerns. The governments economic update last week included a one-per-cent tax on foreign-owned vacant homes, which the Finance Department estimates will bring in $200 million in the 2022-2023 fiscal year. Hussen says other measures the Liberals have in mind are beyond the reach of the federal government and will require negotiations with provinces and territories. Among these are a promised ban on blind bidding when sellers opt not to reveal the details of competing bids or the right to a home inspection prior to purchase. Hussen is familiar with such negotiations, having been part of the federal push to sign child-care deals with provinces before getting a new ministerial mandate after the Sept. 20 election. But he is equally no stranger to going around provinces directly to municipalities with funding, and may do so with a proposed $4-billion fund to accelerate the development of affordable housing projects. The money could help offset the cost of land to build new projects, help local governments hire more planners to speed up approvals, or let cities rewrite zoning rules to push builders to add affordable units to a proposed development. If cities dont want to go along with the governments plan and give in to Not In My Backyard sentiment, Hussen said, they wont have a chance to apply for the cash. There has to be a national conversation, I believe, to overcome, sometimes what I think is unreasonable opposition to affordable housing in neighborhoods, Hussen said. These are well thought out, well regulated, well supported plans and sometimes, I find, that there is NIMBYism that goes on. It's just discouraging. Hussen said hell be looking for feedback on the governments plans when he speaks with provinces, cities and housing providers at a summit early next year. Photo: The Canadian Press Dutch prosecutors on Wednesday demanded life sentences for four suspects in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014. Prosecutors said the four recklessly used a Russian missile to bring down the passenger jet, killing all 298 passengers and crew. Public prosecutor Manon Ridderbeks made the sentence demand at the end of a three-day presentation of evidence. The suspects are being tried in absentia. The downing of MH17 with a Buk missile brutally ended the lives of all 298 people on board. Incredibly deep and irreversible suffering has been caused to the next of kin, Ridderbeks told the court. Prosecutors accuse Russians Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinskiy and Igor Pulatov as well as Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko, who were separatist rebels fighting Ukrainian government forces in 2014, of forming a team that aimed to bring down Ukrainian planes using a missile system trucked in from a Russian military base. Prosecutor Thijs Berger told judges earlier Wednesday that it's legally irrelevant that the suspects wanted to shoot down military and not civilian aircraft. Legally speaking they were ordinary citizens, they were not allowed to commit any violence, he said. The trial is being held in the Netherlands at a high security courtroom near Schiphol Airport because nearly 200 of those on board were Dutch citizens. Wednesdays sentence demands came amid soaring tensions between Moscow and the West over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine that has drawn fears of an invasion. Russia has denied plans to attack its neighbor. Defense lawyers for Pulatov, who is the only suspect who is represented in court, will make their presentation to judges in March. Verdicts aren't expected until September next year at the earliest. Prosecutors had spent the previous two days explaining in meticulous detail the indictment and evidence backing it up to the panel of judges. Prosecutors plotted in detail the route they say the Buk missile took to and from the launch site in an agricultural field near the village of Pervomaiskyi, using witnesses, social media posts, photos and video and intercepted phone calls and mobile phone location data. They also discussed the forensic evidence gathered from the wreckage and bodies of victims that were recovered from eastern Ukraine and returned to the Netherlands for examination. Earlier in the trial, judges visited a hangar on a Dutch military airbase where the wreckage is stored to view the mangled wreckage fragments. The prosecutors concluded that the plane was shot down by a Buk missile belonging to the Russian 53rd Anti Aircraft Missile Bridade that was driven to the launch location by orders of and under guidance of the suspects. The prosecutors also cited tapped conversations between Dubinski and Kharchenko discussing shooting down what they initially thought was a Ukrainian war plane. Prosecutors argue that Girkin and Dubinskiy were senior separatist rebels while Pulatov and Kharchenko were their direct subordinates. Together they are responsible for the deployment of the Buk telar used to shoot down flight MH17, prosecutors said in a written summary of their arguments. Photo: WVPD West Vancouver police are asking for the public to help identify a suspect who perpetrated an unprovoked assault on a senior. The incident happened just out of nowhere at 7:30 a.m. Dec. 18, outside the Eddie Bauer store at Park Royal mall, police say. The victim, an 80-year-old man, was walking alone when he noticed a stranger walking toward him. The victim said a friendly Good morning, The other guy didnt say anything. The suspect turned and walked beside the victim for a little bit and then just turned and shoved him to the ground and walked away, police said in a press release. This incident is particularly disturbing, given that this assault was totally unprovoked. The victim was left with a sore hip but declined the offer of an ambulance. The incident was captured by surveillance cameras at the mall. Investigators have shared the video with other police departments in hopes the attacker is known to police elsewhere. Police describe the wanted man as six-foot-one with a slim build. He was wearing black pants and a black jacket with orange shoulders and an orange hood. Anyone with information is asked to call West Vancouver Police at 604-925-7300 regarding police file 21-14296. Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, arrives with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland . The Trudeau government is pushing back at U.S. President Joe Bidens televised message to vaccinated Americans that they can gather safely for the holidays despite the spread of the Omicron variant. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and top health officials are urging Canadians to limit contacts during the holidays to control the spread of COVID-19 and ease effects on exhausted front-line health workers. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says Canada is not the United States and has a lower death rate from COVID-19 than its neighbour. In a televised address viewed far beyond the U.S. on Tuesday, Biden said Americans can safely celebrate the holidays with friends and loved ones if they are fully vaccinated, especially if they have a booster shot. Biden also told unvaccinated Americans to get a COVID-19 shot, saying it was their patriotic duty to do so. Biden said the arrival of vaccines means Americans are now protected from hospitalization and death, which was not the case at the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Photo: CTV News As British Columbia ramps up for COVID-19 booster shots, Interior Health is calling on qualified health-care workers to help with immunizations and provide support at immunization clinics throughout the region. B.C took a hard line with unvaccinated health care workers by setting an Oct. 26 deadline for workers to get at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, those who did not comply were placed on unpaid leave and given until Nov. 15 to get their first dose or be fired. Now Interior Health is looking for qualified health-care providers who may include: Retired nurses Midwives Practicing and non-practicing physicians Nursing students Dentists Dental hygienists First responders, including paramedics and firefighters Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians Chiropractors "Qualified health-care providers residing in the Interior Health region who are interested in helping with the provinces continuing immunization efforts are encouraged to reach out to Interior Health," states a news release from Interior Health. The province plans to introduce enhanced rapid testing and booster shot programs to fight the highly contagious Omicron variant. "It's about buying us time to understand and prepare," Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday at a news conference. "We need to protect our health care system for everybody who needs care." Exploding numbers of Omicron cases in Ontario, Quebec and the United Kingdom helped persuade officials to take stronger action to help slow the variant. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has blamed the United States for creating a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan that is affecting millions of people and allowing it to worsen. "A man-made crisis is being created despite knowing that it can be averted if (Afghanistan's) accounts (in the US) are unfrozen and liquidity is put into their banking system," the Prime Minister said, Dawn newspaper reported. The Prime Minister made these remarks at a ceremony held at Foreign Office to celebrate the successful holding of the extraordinary session of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers on Tuesday. On the other hand, amid the deteriorating economic situation in Afghanistan, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday (local time) said that Washington is looking intensely at ways to put more liquidity into the Afghan economy so as to provide money to the people of the cash-strapped nation. "We are looking intensely at ways to put more liquidity into the Afghan economy to get more money into people's pockets. And doing that, with international institutions, with other countries and partners, trying to put in place the right mechanisms to do that in a way that doesn't directly benefit the Taliban but does go directly to the people," Blinken said during a press briefing. He further stated that Afghanistan is facing a difficult humanitarian situation. "We're very conscious of the fact that there is an incredibly difficult humanitarian situation right now, all it could get worse as winter sets in, and so that's an area of intense focus for us, working closely with allies and partners," Blinken said. US Secretary of State said, "I am focused right now on the situation in Afghanistan, including the humanitarian situation, we continue to be the largest single providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan." The Taliban took over control of Kabul on August 15 and following this the country has been battered by deepening economic, humanitarian and security crises. A combination of a suspension of foreign aid, the freezing of Afghan government assets, and international sanctions on the Taliban have plunged a country, already suffering from high poverty levels, into a full-blown economic crisis. The international community, from governments to non-governmental organizations, has been providing various assistance to the Afghan people. Despite a general amnesty by the Taliban, announced in August, mutiple reports say that more than 100 killings of former Afghan national security forces and others associated with the former Government have taken place. At least 72 killings were attributed to the Taliban, and in several cases, the bodies were publicly displayed, UN News reported. According to the UN, women and girls face great uncertainty when it comes to respecting their rights to education, livelihoods and participation. Some 4.2 million young Afghans are already out of school, the majority of them are girls. (ANI) Also Read: Pak opposition demand Imran Khan's resignation over bad governance, high inflation Cemex signs five-year agreement with HCL Industries 22 December 2021 HCL Industries has signed a five-year agreement with Cemex, which will see it focus on global end-to-end transformation of IT lifecycle management, including IT managed services, digital transformation, infrastructure and application services, alongside end-user support. Cemex selected HCL Technologies because we have a vision of working smarter to cater to the global companys fast-growing operations, said Fausto Sosa, vice-president of Information Technology at Cemex. HCL is the best partner for us on our digital transformation journey because it has the right expertise. With the delivery of platforms like Cemex GO, well see a 21st century digital adoption in the construction industry. Published under This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions With the help of downtown businesses and the Chattanooga Police Department, the Chattanooga Fire Department was able to swiftly apprehend the suspect believed to be connected to a string of recent arson cases. Brandon England, 23, has been arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated arson. England was located at a homeless camp in the 2100 block of Market Street. He admitted to starting the fire "due to having personal life issues and mad about a city garbage truck hitting him and his bicycle four days prior." The string of intentionally-set fires in downtown Chattanooga forced the evacuation of two apartment buildings very early Tuesday morning and had Chattanooga Fire Department companies working at multiple locations. There were 11 dumpster and trash fires from Main Street to Cowart Street. It is believed the fires were all set at the same time, around midnight. Two apartment buildings (one at 14th & Market and the other at East Main & Market) had to be evacuated because smoke from the dumpster fires went throughout the structures, setting off the fire alarms and sprinkler systems. Both buildings were ventilated to clear out the smoke. At this time, all of the fires are out and there are no injuries. CFD investigators were on the scene. Chattanooga Fire Department Green Shift units worked to get all of the fires out quickly. Our firefighters did an outstanding job responding to so many fires in different locations all in the same timeframe and they were able to get everything extinguished quickly. Our investigators then worked to build the case and bring this to a close, said CFD Operations Chief Rick Boatwright. We appreciate all of the assistance we received from the community and CPD. Most people go to their local citys Facebook page expecting to find the latest information and important updates affecting the community. However, during the month of December, anyone searching on the City of Collegedales Facebook page also found, to their enjoyment, the Collegedale Christmas Story posts featuring Santa and the Grinch.The idea was conceived as the Collegedale Community Development Center staff was decorating the office for the holidays and the Parks and Recreation Department team showed up in their Santa suits.We took a funny picture that day giving a shout-out to the building department, said Kirsten Ert, senior community planner and social media coordinator for the City. We posted that the Santas are here to get permits for their shop expansions right here in Collegedale.Ms. Ert soon realized that posts like this could be something special by including all the departments in the city, bringing some Christmas cheer to the staff and the community. She pitched the idea to Christina Clark, supervisor of Parks and Recreation Department, and the Collegedale Christmas Story on Facebook began.I thought about a rough storyline and how I could incorporate all departments to highlight the wonderful work they do every day, said Ms. Ert. As it is in many small cities, we all do more than our traditional job descriptions so since the social media coordinator role was added to my responsibilities, Ive tried to find ways to connect more with our residents in positive ways. I hope this helped spread some Christmas cheer.Once the filming and taking photos began, the story really became refined. Ms. Ert and Ms. Clark made sure every post had at least one staff member make an appearance in the story of an intruder (the Grinch) spotted at City Hall stealing Christmas presents. Santa Clause is alerted and without hesitation, he flies in from the North Pole to assist in finding and returning all Christmas presents to City Hall.As Christmas Day is soon approaching, the Collegedale Christmas Story will come to an end. The final post will feature Santa at the Collegedale Airport where he will be flying off to get started on his big day.To learn more about this Collegedale Christmas Story, go to Facebook or Instagram @CityofCollegedale. The Hamilton County Health Department thanked the community and recognized the one-year anniversary of administering the COVID vaccine. Sabrina Novak, Hamilton County Health Department administrator, said, "As we move forward into a new year, we want to take this time to pause and reflect on the successes, difficulties and losses our community has endured during this pandemic. "Until late December 2020, the tools we had to fight this virus were COVID testing, masks, hand washing, and social distancing. In late 2020, the Health Department received news that we would soon begin to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. The sense of excitementthat we were finally reaching a turning point in the pandemicprovided a light of hope in such bleak times. "The Health Department is now close to giving a total of 200,000 vaccines to individuals in Hamilton County, which accounts for over 42 percent of the total number given, numbers that seemed so daunting in the beginning. This milestone is due to the dedication and commitment of Health Department staff and volunteers, community members coming to be vaccinated, and our partners who saw the need for our community and opened their doors to us. These partnerships allowed us to safely and efficiently provide both testing and vaccine to residents. There are too many partners to adequately list, but they spanned the gamut from local government and faith based organizations, to nonprofits and private businesses. They played a pivotal role in the Health Department being able to react quickly to this virus and provide the community with tools needed to curb its rapid spread. "The past two years have taken a heavy toll on all of us. Nothing in this pandemic has been straightforward or consistent, other than the fact that it required all of us to be flexible and adapt to an ever-evolving situation, sometimes daily. From losing loved ones to COVID-19, to the connections our staff made with residents, only to find out that they passed away from COVID a few days later. This year has not been easy but has proven our resolve and tenacity. We recognize the very real losses and express our condolences to everyone who has lost someone to COVID. Each one of the 744 Hamilton County deaths from COVID as well as the 800,000 deaths in the U.S. is a life gone- a real loss to their friends, family and community. "We understand that COVID fatigue is real and that people are tired and ready for a sense of normalcy, but now is not the time to be complacent. Omicron is another reminder that COVID is still very real and still spreading across the globe. We encourage people to meet this holiday season and enjoy time with loved ones, but as you do, please continue to practice good public health measures like washing your hands, wearing your mask, testing for COVID before you gather, and most importantly, getting your vaccine." Vince Dean announced on Tuesday that he will seek another term as the Hamilton County Criminal Court Clerk. Mr. Dean has served in this office since leaving the Tennessee General Assembly in 2014. He said, "I look forward to four more years of doing what my life calling has been: serving the citizens of Hamilton County." Mr. Dean spent 27 years as a Chattanooga Police officer. While an officer, he served part time on the East Ridge City Council, where he was appointed Mayor in 2005. In 2006 he was appointed to the Tennessee General Assembly as the District 30 State Representative. He served there until winning the seat he currently holds in 2014. Since taking office, Mr. Dean has gained the respect and admiration of most all of the attorneys that serve the Hamilton County Court System. He has worked closely with defendants to reduce the amount of outstanding debt to the court system. He streamlined the payment process by creating a one stop shop where defendants can pay both Sessions Criminal fines and Circuit Criminal fines in one location. Just recently he announced that a similar office will open for expungement services after the first of the year. Retaining qualified Deputy Clerks, paying competitive wages and being good stewards of taxpayer dollars, has been a top priority, Mr. Dean said. I think we have done an excellent job of that. We are constantly searching for ways to make our office run more efficiently, while not sacrificing the excellent service we provide. Public service has not just been a way of life for me, it has been my entire life. I sincerely appreciate the trust that has been placed in me and am committed to continue my dedication to this office. The Chattanooga City Council on Tuesday confirmed Mayor Kellys appointment of Tom Hutka as incoming administrator for the Department of Public Works, effective January 2022. Mayor Kelly said, The around-the-clock mission of Chattanooga Public Works is critically importantclean water, safe streets, diverting our waste from landfill. Identifying experienced and transformational leadership for DPW has been a top priority since taking office, said Mayor Kelly. Toms proven track record as a civil engineer and public works administrator will be a major asset for our ability to manage and improve the bedrock infrastructure and services that Chattanoogans rely on every single day. Mr. Hutka has more than three decades of experience serving in local government, coming to Chattanooga most recently from Broward County, Fl., where he was the director of Public Works for a jurisdiction of nearly two million residents. Over the course of his career, he has also served in the capacities of city manager, deputy county manager, commissioner of Engineering and Construction, and Capital Program manager across various cities and counties. Im very excited about the opportunity to work for the residents of Chattanooga, and look forward to providing the very best customer service for a great community, said Mr. Hutka. Mr. Hutka holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Princeton University and a masters in Public Administration from Harvard University. He will transfer his professional-engineering license for practice in Tennessee. "Throughout the hiring process, Tom consistently expressed a strong commitment and enthusiasm for getting to know and working alongside everyone currently serving on the Public Works teamto both keep our city running smoothly and safely, as well as to help improve performance, morale, and work toward Mayor Kelly's vision for One Team and One Chattanooga, said Mayor Kellys COO Ryan Ewalt. Involving more of Chattanooga and increasing ease of access when it comes to serving in the citys government was addressed during Tuesdays City Council agenda session. The Chattanooga City Councils Education and Innovation Committee discussed ways of diversifying the voices within various city boards and leadership positions in the government. Administrator Chris Anderson said there are currently 39 boards and commissions used by the city of Chattanooga. These various boards and commissions are responsible for the way our city grows and how rules are interpreted and forced, Mr. Anderson said. The makeup of these boards is obviously very important, and we want them to look like the rest of Chattanooga. He said that according to information the city has collected, 50 percent of board members are male, 26 percent are female, and 24 percent has not been collected yet. He said 53 percent of these members are Caucasian, and 13 percent are African-American, and the rest are unknown yet. Mr. Anderson said data collection is ongoing. He said the city is 31 percent African-American, and they make up only 19 percent of the Commissions. He said Hispanic people make up around nine percent of the population, but only make up one percent of board members. Last week, Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod expressed her concern over what she called a lack of diversity and equality when it came to appointing people of color and women into government roles. Were in situation where we have these boards that dont reflect the communities they serve, Mr. Anderson said. And by extension, they dont reflect what people look like or identify with who come before them to be heard. Mr. Anderson said the E&I committee will be working with the office of equity and inclusion to expand and diversify the recruitment pool. He said the two committees will work to create material that is easily shared in Chattanoogas communities. For anybody who might be interested in serving the city on a board or commission, you the council members will be able to get that info out there to them, Mr. Anderson said. Hopefully well be able to pull from a larger pool of Chattanoogans, and we get boards and commissions that look more like the city we serve. Councilman Darrin Ledford said that some boards and commissions require what he called background experience, which is something that can limit who would be qualified to serve on that board. He suggested that the boards that need people be in contact with the council, so they know what kind of candidates they need to reach out to. Im thinking of the process more than anything, Councilman Ledford said. I think some people jump on these boards thinking its one thing, and then jump off once they realize its a lot of work and is volunteer and it takes time away from their families. Anderson said the boards need to do a better job of explaining what they do, and what they require when it comes to candidates. Certain boards, such as Form Based Code, will only consider candidates with a background in that area. Councilwoman Carol Berz said that a notable issue in the past is having people who simply apply for a board or commission position in order to fill out their resume, and then having those people simply be absent after getting the position. Mr. Anderson said the citys managers now have the ability to track attendance for their boards and commissions. If we find out someone missed something like eight of 12 meetings, most boards have bylaw language that allows us to remove that person for inactivity and replace them with someone who will consistently be there, Mr. Anderson said. Councilwoman Jenny Hill said there will be a clarified description of the job that a candidate can get, and he said that Chris will be available for consultation. If we all keep this at the front of our minds as we do this work, we will chip away at this imbalance and build a better Chattanooga, Councilwoman Hill said. In time for the holiday season, local emergency responders and fire departments in Hamilton and Marion Counties and Catoosa and Walker Counties have received $11,000 through Tennessee American Waters Firefighting Support Grant program. The grants provide supplemental funding for critical equipment, training and community education in communities served by Tennessee American Water. As a water provider, we are proud to support our local heroes with additional gear and resources to save lives and protect our community, said Grant Evitts, president of Tennessee American Water. The following area departments received funds: Hamilton County Chattanooga Fire Department - special flotation baskets for the new fire/rescue boats which are positioned for prompt responses to areas above and below the Chickamauga Dam East Ridge Fire Department pike poles for safer and more efficient fire suppression Elder Mountain Volunteer Fire & Rescue rescue tools to safely lift, haul, or extricate patients from low angle falls and vehicle accidents Catoosa County Catoosa County Fire Department CPR Pocket masks for Catoosa County citizens who participate in their free CPR/AED courses Walker County Rossville Fire Department new pagers for timely response to emergency calls Marion County Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department fire/rescue boat purchased with Tennessee American Water grant and Marion County government funds Jasper Highlands Volunteer Fire Department 1.5 nozzles for the two cross lays on the truck Sequatchie Volunteer Fire Department new safety vest and repair of pagers for safety of firefighter and response times to emergency calls Suck Creek Mountain Volunteer Fire Department replacement of fire hall air compressor to properly maintain pressure on fire truck air brakes West Valley Volunteer Fire Department updated storage equipment to properly store uniforms and for easier cleaning Whitwell Volunteer Fire Department thermal imaging camera to locate smoldering fires behind walls Governor Bill Lee appointed Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Robert Philyaw to serve as chair of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth (TCCY) for the remainder of his three-year term. He joined TCCY in 2020 as a commission member. Its nice anytime the Governor looks your way, but its more exciting to think about what we do at TCCY, said Judge Philyaw. I have the opportunity to be even more involved in the research and work that they do at the statewide level, and see how it affects children and families across the state. The Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth advocates to improve the quality of life for children and families, and provides leadership and support for other child and family advocates. It consists of 21 commissioners from across the state, who volunteer their time. It consists of 21 commissioners from across the state, who volunteer their time. The staff does a really good job up there. Historically, TCCY has lobbied the legislature and picked issues they want to champion, push hard for, or push hard against, said Judge Philyaw. A couple years ago, we decided to walk that back a little. Our role is not so much to lobby, but to be the experts with the information to help the legislature, Governors office and youth agencies make good decisions. Prior to his role with the Juvenile Court, Judge Philyaw worked with youth in a variety of roles. Its important to him to advance the TCCY mission of leading systems improvement for all children and families through data-driven advocacy, education, and collaboration. I want to continue the great work, but I really want to take that and have the reputation of being available with the best information, the best data, the best practices, said Judge Philyaw. What we hope to do at TCCY is to be the repository of vast data and proven practices, and be there to provide that information and assist decision makers at every level. Judge Philyaw received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from Christian Brothers University. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, where he received the Deans Award for Academic Excellence and the Deans Distinguished Service Award. Sister Wives fans called Christine Brown and Kody Browns November 2021 separation ages ago. The decision to part ways didnt come as a surprise. In fact, the only real surprise is that Meri Brown and Kody havent called it quits, too. While the separation wasnt shocking, Brown family followers still have questions. They want to know how a polygamist divorce works. Paedon Brown, Christine and Kodys adult son, recently explained it on Instagram. Who is Paedon Brown? Paedon Brown is Christines third child and Kodys seventh. He is Christines only biological son. Paedon joined the National Guard shortly after graduating from high school and appears to now live in Utah, along with several of his siblings. All the photos were terrible. What a bunch of goofballs #SisterWives pic.twitter.com/7kyxf5sA6f Christine Brown Sister Wife (@SWChristine2020) January 27, 2020 Paedon is one of the more polarizing members of the Brown family and doesnt always get along with his family. He has had very public battles with several of his sisters on Instagram and Twitter. His conservative views are vastly different than the views of Gwen and Mariah Brown, both of whom have publicly dragged Paedon. Paedon Brown explains exactly how a polygamist divorce works for curious Sister Wives fan Paedon was feeling open and honest recently. The 23-year-old took to Instagram to answer fan questions about polygamy. One follower questioned how spiritual divorces worked. Paedon explained that while his parents were never married according to the government, they were married according to their church. He said they would seek a spiritual divorce through the church, the same way they entered into a spiritual marriage through the church. He did not mention where his parents are in that process. Christine Brown and Kody Brown on Sister Wives | TLC Legally, there is nothing to be done. Christine was never married to Kody. She doesnt have the same legal avenues as someone seeking a traditional divorce. Instead, Kody and Christine are pretty much left on their own to hash out money and property details. While Kody signed the deed over to Christine for her Flagstaff home before she sold it, the mother of six appears to own a slice of Coyote Pass still. How the former flames will deal with that remains to be seen. Is Meri Brown going to leave Kody Brown, too? Christines decision to leave Arizona and settle near her kids in Utah has been praised by family followers who have watched the Browns devolve further and further into dysfunction. Now that Christine is forging head with an independent life, fans are waiting for another wife to do the same. For years, it has looked like Meri, Kodys first wife, was on her way out. So, is she going to leave too? Meri Brown, Sister Wives | TLC It doesnt look like it. Meri recently addressed the belief that she will separate from the Browns. She even noted that her sister wives have repeatedly brought the topic up. Meri insists she is in it for life. In a recent Sister Wives segment, she revealed that she doesnt plan to spiritually separate from the family. She said, Im not going anywhere, yall. Youre stuck with me. Whether you like it or not. RELATED: Sister Wives: Brown Family Followers Are Stymied by Robyn Browns Pettiness After She Appears to Take Swipe at Ysabel Brown Disney+s venture into Korean dramas has hit hot water. BLACKPINKs Jisso and Jung Hae-ins K-drama Snowdrop is facing controversy once again after its premiere on Dec.18. In March, rumors circulated of the K-dramas synopsis that angered netizens. Snowdrop occurs during a pivotal point in South Korean history during the Democratic movement. Netizens petitioned for the K-dramas cancelation. They believed it distorts historical facts and glamorizes a main character who is a spy. JTBC responded to the rumors and proceeded with the drama. Since its premiere, netizens have petitioned again for its cancelation. Actors Jung Hae-in and Jisoo in Snowdrop K-drama | via JTBC What is Snowdrop K-drama about? Snowdrop takes place in the backdrop of the 1987 Democatrica Movement in South Korea. The protests and actions of citizens called for a stop to an authoritarian government and pushed for the first democratic elections. The K-drama begins with Im Soo-ho (Jung Hae-in). He stumbles into an all-female dormitory after being wounded. Soo-ho happens to meet freshman Eun Young-ro (Jisoo). She willingly helps him hide from the government despite its serious repercussions. But Soo-ho hides a secret that puts both of them in peril. Amid political turmoil, the two characters start to fall in love. Netizens petitioned to end Snowdrop K-drama over its synopsis RELATED: Disney+ Is Venturing Into the World of K-Dramas In March 2021, Snowdrop faced controversy as an unfinished synopsis circulated online. According to Soompi, the K-dramas supposed storyline caught the attention of netizens who became angered over its distortion of historical facts. Netizens created a petition to stop the production of the K-drama and its premiere. JTBC addressed the Snowdrop K-drama controversy and explained netizens took parts of the synopsis out of context. Snowdrop is a black comedy that satirizes the presidential elections taking place in the 1980s under a military regime during the North-South tension on the Korean peninsula. It is also a melodrama about the young men and women who were victims of that situation, said JTBC. Based on the synopsis, netizens believed, the male lead is a spy who has infiltrated the activist movement, while another male character is a team leader at the Agency for National Security. In their public announcement, JTBC explained netizens accusations are far from the truth about the K-dramas storyline and not the intention of the production staff. The resurfaced petition has gained over 200,000 signatures to stop the K-drama JTBC Releases Statement Regarding The Controversy Surrounding K-Drama "Snowdrop", Denying Any Historical Distortionhttps://t.co/dGc1BV61gV Koreaboo (@Koreaboo) December 21, 2021 RELATED: How Squid Game Is Breaking the One-Inch Barrier With Golden Globes Nomination While Snowdrop has gained attention for its sweet and developing love story between Soo-ho and Young-ro amid a tense atmosphere, the K-drama faces backlash. After premiering two episodes, netizens brought back the original petition to have the K-drama canceled. According to The South Korean Herald, a petition was posted on Cheong Wa Daes website (the executive office and official residence of the Republic of Koreas head of state). The petition states JTBCs original statement about the K-dramas storyline is false. JTBC claimed Snowdrop would not focus on the pro-democracy movement in its K-drama storyline. However, the female lead character saves the life of a North Korean spy after mistaking him as an activist in the pro-democracy movement in the first episode, states the petition. Many activists were tortured and died after being falsely accused of being North Korean spies. I believe that the content of the drama defames the value and reputation of the democratization movement. Since its posting, the petition has received over 200,000 signatures. It meets the requirements for Cheong Wa Dae to respond within 30 days. JTBC responded and states the storyline will be resolved in future episodes. DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince were trailblazers in the world of hip-hop music. They won the first ever Grammy for rap, but Will Smith boycotted the ceremony because the rap categories werent televised. Smith shared other groundbreaking moments in his music career in his new autobiography, Will. Will Smith | Matt CampbellAFP via Getty Images Will Smith was the first rapper to stay at this hotel chain As hip-hop rose in popularity in the 80s, rap artists went on tours selling out major venues. By this decade, rock stars already had reputations for trashing hotel rooms. Smith said some chains flat out refused to book rappers, until mogul Russell Simmons sold them on the Fresh Prince. When the Four Seasons Hotels would not allow rap artists to stay during their tours, Russell convinced them to allow DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, opening the doors for future hip-hop artists to use the chain, he wrote. Russell Simmons was orchestrating the global destruction of all barriers to hip-hop, and me and Jeff were one of his battering rams. We were the Clean group, the respectable group for Russell, we were the perfect weapon against all naysayers. We were at the tip of the spear. Will Smith broke more barriers than just hotels The Four Seasons was just one in a list of milestones Smith wrote about in his book. These included television and radio, too. RELATED: Will Smith Let His Son Trey Name Jaden, but Trey Almost Chose a Horrible Name First We launched Yo! MTV Raps, blasting hip-hop into daytime television, he wrote. Daytime radio was terrified to put rappers on live, so they always forced rappers to prerecord interviews to make sure we didnt say anything crazy. Me and Jeff were among the first wave to be allowed to speak live on the radio during the day. On tour with more volatile artists In 2021, The Four Seasons would banning entire industries of artists from staying with them seems outrageous. To better understand the 80s, consider the political backlash against rap. One of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Princes earliest tours put them on a bill with Public Enemy and 2 Live Crew. Part of Public Enemys act included hanging a man in a Ku Klux Klan outfit. 2 Live Crews explicit lyrics and simulated sex acts also provoked controversy. This was an era when authority be it government, business, law enforcement, even many parents was skeptical and fearful of the growing influence of hip-hop and hip-hop artists, he wrote. Rap concerts were met with stringent scrutiny, particularly when we toured through southern states. When youre on tour with Public Enemy and 2 Live Crew in Georgia, South Caroline, Mississippi, and Alabama, rest assured your ass was gonna get stringently scrutinized. RELATED: Will Smith Shares the Hilarious Reason His Father Gave Him No Credit for the Success of Independence Day Smith recalled meeting with local authorities in every city in which they performed. DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince werent in the crosshairs themselves. However, they paid attention to how their fellow artists navigated the issue of free speech. Given the high stakes, these meetings would inevitably escalate into social debate and legal interpretation, he wrote. Chuck D knew the law he had local advocates, community leaders, and legal scholars arming him with the counterarguments and information necessary to defend his First Amendment rights. And when all else failed, he had bail money preorganized. But what was not gonna happen was some local sheriff telling him he couldnt perform his show exactly the way he wanted to perform it. He hung a Klansman every single night of that tour. People wait to be vaccinated by a member of the Western Cape Metro EMS (Emergency Medical Services) at a mobile "Vaxi Taxi" which is an ambulance converted into a mobile COVID-19 vaccination site in Blackheath in Cape Town, South Africa, Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. The omicron variant appears to cause less severe disease than previous versions of the coronavirus, and the Pfizer vaccine seems to offer less defense against infection from it but still good protection from hospitalization, according to an analysis of data from South Africa, where the new variant is driving a surge in infections. (AP Photo/Nardus Engelbrecht) Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., center, shakes hands with Deputy Chief Bryan Warner on Dec. 20 after signing an executive order asserting the tribes treaty right for Cherokee citizens to hunt and fish within the reservation. Sometimes, it can feel like you cant win when it comes to helping a person in pain. It can feel like saying anything will just add more hurt. (As we outlined yesterday, there are definitely some sayings to avoid.) It may feel as if the best course of action is just to avoid the person, but that will make an isolating situation feel even more so for them. Here are four life-giving ways to respond to someone in pain: Offer the ministry of presence. When we look at the story of Job and his friends and all they got wrong, there is a brief moment when they got it right. In the first week, they showed up, mourned beside him, cried with him. They knew there was nothing they could say or do to fix his pain so they simply showed up. Pastor Rick Warren says it this way, The deeper the pain, the fewer words needed. Offer the ministry of absence. There is a time to be there and a time to step away, to release loved ones from the expectation of social events, meetings, small group gatherings, etc. Check in, but give permission to others to take all the time they need. This allows the Holy Spirit to move in the silence and space. Keep showing up. Grief and pain, no matter what kind it is, can impact everyone differently. Some need to be around others. Some self-isolate. Some want to talk. Some dont want to talk at all. Your efforts of texts, meals, or phone calls can be met with radio silence or little feedback and so often that can be taken as they dont want my support. But grief moves like scribbles across a page and while one day a person may need to be alone in the safety of their own darkened room, another day they can need someone to reach out. So be consistent. Check in. Dont give up and dont take it personally if it feels as if your efforts are rebuffed. Let them know: Im here, Im waiting and Im willing to walk beside you in your pain. It can be the very thing God uses to remind them of His presence in the dark. Practice compassion and patience. We all deal with our hurt and disappointments in unique ways. While you may not fully understand your grieving friends pain or their emotional response to it, you can choose to use it as an opportunity to practice compassion and patience. The word compassion means to, suffer with and like Jesus had compassion on the crowds of hurting people he encountered (Matthew 20:34; Matthew 14:14; Mark 8:2; Matthew 9:36), we too can enter into the pain of another, choose to feel what they feel, be patient with them in their healing and act like Christ in that moment. And friend, if you are the one in grief, show yourself some compassion, patience, and kindness as well. We live in a world full of all kinds of hurts and brokenness. We all know what it is like to have our pain worsened by the unhelpful, well-meaning words of another which is why learning to enter the pain of others is such an important practice for us. Becoming beacons of hope and comfort in hurt is exactly what a brokenhearted world is looking for and may be the very thing that brings healing to the deepest of wounds. This season, support the work of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College, which provides resources like the Spiritual First Aid course for pastors and church leaders. Pastors Brian From and Aubrey Sampson host The Common Good podcast Monday through Friday from 4 to 6pm (CT) on AM1160 Hope for Your Life. Aubrey is the author of The Louder Song: Listening for Hope in the Midst of Lament and the upcoming Known: How Believing Who God Says You Are Changes Everything. Brian leads Four Corners Community Church in Darian, Illinois. They are passionate about civility, compassion, and unity in a divided world. How should parents talk to their kids about Santa Claus? Al Mohler weighs in Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler Jr. suggested to Christian parents that they shouldn't treat Santa Claus as an imaginary figure. In an episode of his podcast The Briefing that was posted on Friday, a listener asked Mohler about his views on how parents should talk to their children about Santa Claus. Mohler recommended that parents do not speak of Santa Claus as an imaginary figure, but instead, when asked about him, focus on the historical figure of Saint Nicholas. There is something you're able to say to a child which is, you know, there was an early Christian who lived long ago who was very kind to children and gave gifts, Mohler explained. But the reality is, you don't have to say there never was a Santa Claus, you just have to say, you know, our attention at Christmas isn't toward any particular human being at all. Mohler went on to state that Christmas is about the baby born in Bethlehem's manger and that is something that took place, not just as a story but is true. Christians need to be generous. The reality is that Christians need to love children. And so, we don't have to go around talking about how much we don't believe in Santa Claus; we go around talking about how much we do believe in Jesus, he added. Mohler was also asked by a different listener about whether Nativity displays violated the Second Commandment, which prohibits the creation of any graven image. The Southern Baptist leader explained that while he was not fond of putting images of Jesus in his office or home, he did not consider the practice to be inherently wrong. I'll simply say, I do not believe that having a Nativity scene in your home obscures the truth of Christmas, said Mohler. But it does need to be the opportunity to tell the truth about Christmas. Recently, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Noto, which is based in Sicily, issued an apology when its bishop told a group of children that Santa Claus did not exist and that his red outfit was created primarily to help market Coca-Cola. I express my sorrow for this declaration which has created disappointment in the little ones, and want to specify that [Bishop Antonio Staglianos] intentions were quite different, said diocesan spokesman the Rev. Alessandro Paolino in a post shared on the diocese's Facebook page. He also said that the diocese certainly must not demolish the imagination of children, but draw good examples from it that are positive for life. Santa Claus is an effective image to convey the importance of giving, generosity, sharing. But when this image loses its meaning, you see Santa Claus aka consumerism, the desire to own, buy, buy and buy again, then you have to revalue it by giving it a new meaning, Paolino said. Lutheran LGBT ministry suspends ELCA's first trans-identified bishop over alleged 'racist' actions Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A group that supports LGBT Lutheran clergy has suspended the membership of the first trans-identified bishop in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, accusing the church leader of racist actions and words. Bishop Meghan Rohrer, the head of the California-based ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod who uses they/them pronouns, was suspended by the Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries board of directors last week. ELM is an organization that organizes queer seminarians and rostered ministers to confront barriers and systemic oppression. As a result of the suspension, Rohrer will not be included in the ELM Proclaim communications and events and will not be invited to events exclusively sponsored by ELM. Additionally, ELM asked Rohrer to remove any references to the LGBT Lutheran group from any of the bishops articles, biographies, publications and reports. In a statement Monday, the ELM board claimed that Rohrer was suspended due to an existing pattern of behavior that put the bishop at odds with ELMs Mission, Vision, and Values specifically as it pertains to being an anti-racist organization. This suspension is not only a response to recent harm done by the Sierra Pacific Synod Council and Bishop Rohrer to the Latinx community in Stockton, CA. This is a decision that ELM staff and Board have been discerning for much of 2021, continued the board. The Accountability Team has attempted to work with Bishop Rohrer to specifically address how the bishops racist words and actions have harmed members of the ELM staff, board, and community. In September, Bishop Rohrer declined the Accountability Teams invitation for continued work to repair these relationships. The board stated that its members hope and pray that ELM and Bishop Rohrer can work together to repair our relationships and proclaim together the liberating, life-giving gospel of Jesus Christ. The boards statement didnt elaborate on what Rohrers racist words and actions were. Recent reports have indicated that the Rev. Nelson Rabell-Gonzalez of Mision Latina Luterana in Stockton, California, was fired by Rohrer on Dec. 12. In May, Rohrer was elected to head the ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod, winning the fifth ballot with 209 votes, narrowly defeating the Rev. Jeff R. Johnson, who received 207 votes. Before the election, Rohrer served as pastor of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in San Francisco and was the community chaplain coordinator for the San Francisco Police Department. All of us are proud of our colleague, Bishop-elect Megan Rohrer, who made history as the first openly transgender person elevated to the role of Bishop by a major Christian denomination in the U.S., tweeted the police department at the time. Rohrer was installed as bishop in September, saying in a statement that taking on the new leadership position would not be possible without a diverse community of Lutherans in Northern California and Nevada prayerfully and thoughtfully voting to do a historic thing. My installation will celebrate all that is possible when we trust God to shepherd us forward, stated Rohrer at the time. Rohrers election and installation did not come without criticism, as the Exposing the ELCA blog labeled it a complete slap in the face to God. The ELCA is thumbing its nose at God, His Word and Truth and effectively showing that they are part of the uber left and its rejection of Christianity, posted the blog. How can God-fearing, Bible-believing individuals remain in the ELCA? How can churches remain? Christian Rep. Madison Cawthorn calls higher education a scam, urges conservatives to drop out Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Partially paralyzed Republican Congressman Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, who attended a Christian college for one semester before dropping out, urged conservative youth on Tuesday to drop out of college if they arent studying medicine, law or engineering because higher education is a scam. People will call me a radical for believing that you should be a Christian, you should get married young, you should have as many kids as possible, you should try and have a great job, you should be as successful as you possibly can. Theyll say Im extremist for that, Cawthorn said at AmericaFest 2021. The large patriotic celebration of all things red, white and blue was organized under the banner of Turning Point USA and held in Phoenix. I genuinely just care about dining room politics, the 26-year-old added. I care about that young family whos sitting around the dinner table. And what are they thinking about when theyre seeing their young children eat? Theyre thinking about 'am I going to be able to send them to a good school?' he continued before boasting about being homeschooled. One, I think you should home school. I was homeschooled all the way through, he said to cheers. I am proudly a college dropout. If you are not becoming an engineer or a doctor or a lawyer, I highly encourage you to drop out. Its a scam. While some may find the congressmans comments shocking, his attitude towards higher education isnt uncommon, as many former students have been left with diminishing financial returns in post-college employment and large student debts. Some 32.1% of the U.S. population 25 years of age and older holds at least a bachelors degree, according to data from the American Community Survey. In recent reports, however, as college-educated women grapple with the diminishing returns from degrees, many men have cited diminishing returns as they are now completely choosing to forgo college. If I was going to be a doctor or a lawyer, then obviously those people need a formal education. But there are definitely ways to get around it now, Daniel Briles, 18, who graduated in June from Hastings High School in Hastings, Minnesota, recently told The Wall Street Journal. There are opportunities that werent taught in school that could be a lot more promising than getting a degree. But in a September report titled The Great Divide: Education, Despair and Death, husband and wife research team, Anne Case and Nobel Prize winner Angus Deaton Princeton University, contend that Americans who dont have a college degree face a bleak and deadlier future compared to those who do. They found that increasing deaths by drugs, alcohol and suicide, known as deaths of despair, are largely concentrated among Americans without a college degree. Meanwhile, a college degree appears to act as a talisman against them. The research built on previous work examining the relationship between mortality and education in America. Cawthorn was left partially paralyzed at age 18 after a 2014 car crash, which occurred while returning from spring break with a friend in Florida. In a deposition cited in The Citizen-Times in Aug. 2020, Cawthorn revealed that he had enrolled in Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Virginia, in 2016 but dropped out after only one semester. The small evangelical Christian school is a magnet for homeschoolers because it is known to place graduates into federal government positions successfully. Cawthorn, who was studying political science at the time, earned mostly D letter grades. He testified that his injuries from the crash that left him paralyzed affected his ability to learn. When he was further questioned about his reason for leaving the school by an insurance-company lawyer, he said it was because of Heartbreak. He said his then-fiance left him for another classmate because she didnt get along with my mother. In his speech to the crowd on Tuesday, Cawthorn urged conservatives to save America by embracing the America-first doctrine. The MAGA doctrine that Donald Trump started, when people say Donald Trump is the leader of the Republican Party, I say, 'I think he started a revolution in this country where now we are the leaders of the conservative movement,' he said. Ill tell you, Im a devout Christian. Ive got a great relationship with my Lord and Savior. And so, of course, I love being able to help people. I love taking care of people. I think we should send missionaries out into the world. We should bring people to Christ, he continued. Cawthorn said he believes America should have a strong economy and the way we should do that is by encouraging people to be able to go out and take risks. Instead of taking out that $100,000 student loan as an 18-year-old, which is worthless as an 18-year-old, why doesnt the government allow us to be able to take out a $10,000 business loan at 18 to be able to go and create an economy and create work and create all these great things, he said. Cawthorn argued that there needs to be a greater focus on domestic issues, like taking care of veterans, rather than the U.S. trying to police the whole world. He also dismissed the notion that the U.S. is not a nation of Christians. I think the most important thing for us to do is to save souls for Jesus Christ. But thats our jobs as Christians, and I believe we are a Christian nation, he said. Almost every single one of the signers, they were regular church-attending Christians. If anybody wants to tell you they were atheists or deists, theyre idiots. Dont listen to them. When people say were not a Christian nation and were founded by racists, by evil men, thats wrong, he maintained. The people who founded this nation should be revered and they should talk to the next generation as the heroes of the 18th century. He also urged followers of Christ to engage in civil disobedience. I used to pray all the time. I would say, God, why did you not let me be alive in the 1940s fighting against World War II or be alive during the revolution. I want to be a warrior for you. I want to save my country. I want to do all these great things. But you have me born in 1995, the height of the most peaceful and prosperous time the world has ever known, he said. [Well] guys, Im sorry for praying that prayer. I think God has answered in a big way. He said, you know what? Heres tyranny, here are people trying to censor your speech, here are people trying to control every bit of your life. Cawthorn said he was aware some Christians might point to Scripture that calls them to obey the government placed over them but argued that it isnt that simple. I understand that, but does anybody know what the preamble to the constitution says? What are the first three words? We the people, he recited. So in our founding documents, it says we are the authority. It says that people like me, a congressman, I serve you, and so, when the government is not working on your behalf, it is your duty to disregard their orders. The catalytic incarnation Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The incarnation of God and His Kingdom in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth is the merger of the Transcendent and the immanent. In His incarnate state, Jesus has both eternal Being and temporal existence. Jesus The Christ, therefore, is the Great Singularity: perfectly God and perfectly human. This means the incarnation of Jesus Christ is a singularly profound Event with catalytic implications for individuals and the civilizations, nations, societies, institutions, cultures, and environments they build and inhabit. Oddly enough, the exponentially expanding technology of our times provides a powerful apologetic for the reality of the pre-existent, catalytic Christ. In my book, Who Will Rule the Coming Gods,I quote Dr. Seth Lloyd, an MIT Professor and physicist who describes the universe as a quantum processor. Quanta are bits of information. However, the computer does not create the information, but the information is used to build the computer. Computer technology came into existence because of the pre-existence of information Therefore, information must exist prior to its processor, hence, God precedes the creation of the universe, and is its Creator and Programmer. So, as John writes, In the beginning was the Logos (Word, Information), and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God... All things came into being through Him ... And the Logos became flesh flesh, and dwelt among us. John 1:1-14 reveals the stunning apologetic: The Logos-Word was already present before the beginning, as information precedes and even calls for the machine that can utilize it. The Logos-Word brought into existence everything that exists just as information is the stuff of life, in the form of DNA, and the electronic content without which a computer would not exist. The Logos-Word was and is catalytic, transforming darkness into light and the very nature of creation, including the human. The Logos-Word entered creation in the Person of Jesus Christ, the Agent of catalytic transformation. So, the program enters the machine and catalyzes its operations. The incarnate, catalytic Agent transforms all into whom He enters and all who enter into Him, both instantaneously and progressively. On the heavenly scale the man and woman who have received the catalytic Christ are seen in the eyes of the Father as being as holy as His only begotten Son, and, on the finite, immanent scale, as one who is in the process of sanctification the inner and outer working of relationship with Christ. The great question this Christmas is whether civilization can exist without the catalytic Logos-Word made incarnate in Christ and conformed to His singular nature through the work of the Holy Spirit. Many have pondered that issue in other historic periods. General Douglas MacArthur was charged with transforming Japan from the state Shinto worldview that many thought led to that nations involvement in the Second World War, and MacArthur asked for missionaries and Bibles. In 1967 I had a direct encounter with the fruit of the effort in Japan to look to God for transformation. I met Mitsuo Fuchida, a leading fighter pilot in the Pearl Harbor raid. I encountered Fuchida at a most unlikely place a Southern Baptist Church in Alabama. Fuchida was there to preach the Gospel of Christ, whose catalytic effect had transformed him and his worldview. A decade later I met another participant in the Second World War who came under the transforming power of the catalytic Incarnation, Wernher von Braun. This rocket scientist pondered the tragedy of Germany, his native country, and the role he played in it. He would ultimately announce that contemplating science led him to Christ: For me, the idea of creation is not conceivable without invoking the necessity of design ... It would be an error to overlook the possibility that the universe was planned rather than happening by chance. Stan Grant, an Australian Aboriginal, writes about the receding of Christianity in his native Australia, and its impact on Christmas. The decline of Christianity and the spread of secularization reflects a cynicism that has pervaded society and has fractured bonds of tradition and family and community and faith, particularly Christian faith.[1] David Kupelian surveys the intensified secularism in the United States and Western civilization now and writes that the problem is the societys decline of family, community, and particularly Christian faith ... In short, quoting sociologist Philip Rieff, we have swapped a sacred order for a social order. The result is an ignoring of reality at every turn, and people manifesting an abiding contempt for biology, the lessons of history, the fundamental laws of economics, the transcendent value of human life, and especially for God and His laws.[2] And that raises a crucial question: Is civilization in its highest form even possible without the acknowledgment and transforming power of the catalytic Person born in Bethlehem 20 centuries ago, and living continually among us through His Holy Spirit? We will find out in the years ahead if the sense of transcendence dims and the power of the machine intensifies exponentially. [1]With Christianity receding and many abandoning hope, today's Christmases are not like those of my childhood - ABC (AU) News [2]Restoring election integrity: The one and only way to save America from tyranny and destruction | GLA NEWS | Shines A Light On Truth Christian women's shelter won't be forced to admit trans-identified males, federal judge rules Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Amid a yearslong legal battle, a federal judge ruled this week that the city of Anchorage, Alaskas nondiscrimination ordinance barring LGBT discrimination does not force a Christian battered womens shelter to admit trans-identified biological males. In an order handed down Monday, Judge Sharon Gleason of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska determined that Downtown Soup Kitchen Hope Center of Anchorage does not have the standing to sue the city over a revision to its ordinance declaring that places of public accommodation cant discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity because the center is not a place of public accommodation. Therefore, the faith-based homeless shelter created to serve battered women fleeing domestic abuse and homeless women, part of a ministry to the underprivileged that includes a soup kitchen, will not have to admit trans-identified males. Gleason granted in part a motion from the city to dismiss the case due to lack of standing as the municipality contends that the statute does not apply to the Hope Centers shelter operations. According to the ruling, the city cited the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling this past summer in favor of a Catholic foster care agency removed from Philadelphias foster program over policies preventing placement of children with same-sex couples. The municipality contended that the Supreme Court ruling makes clear that Hope Center is not a public accommodation. The judge ruled that the Hope Center may seek damages for its self-censorship based on that provision for the limited time period between the ordinances passage and the Municipalitys disavowal of prosecutorial intent because section 5.20.020 arguably applies to Hope Centers conduct. Attorneys for Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative religious liberty legal nonprofit representing the center, praised the judges order. Vulnerable women deserve a safe place to stay overnight, and were pleased that they can sleep soundly, at least for the time being, due to the courts order, ADF Senior Counsel Kate Anderson said in a statement. Downtown Hope Center serves everyone, but its overnight womens shelter exists to provide a safe place for women, many of whom have survived sex trafficking, rape, or domestic violence at the hands of men. Anderson said that Anchorage officials have twice targeted the center for operating according to its religious beliefs and for serving the citys homeless population. She hopes that the courts order puts an end to this. Faith-based nonprofits should be free to serve consistently with their faith without fear of unjust government punishment, stated Ryan Tucker, director of ADFs Center for Christian Ministries. This is especially true for ministries that help homeless women who have suffered sexual abuse or domestic violence. Because no woman should be forced to disrobe next to a man, we are pleased the court has allowed Downtown Hope Center to continue protecting women and operating according to its religious beliefs. Mondays decision stems from years of litigation that began when a trans-identified male, referred to as Jessie Doe in the lawsuit, filed a complaint with Anchorages Equal Rights Commission in 2018. Doe alleged that Downtown Soup Kitchen Hope Center violated the Anchorage Municipal Code by refusing admission to the shelter. Doe allegedly showed up drunk and injured. The charity contends that it referred Doe to a hospital and paid for a taxi ride. At the time, the municipal code declared it unlawful for a place of public accommodation to refuse, withhold from or deny to a person any of its accommodations, advantages, facilities, benefits, privileges, services or goods of that place on account of sex [or] gender identity. The Equal Rights Commission filed a complaint against Downtown Soup Kitchen Hope Center, accusing it of unlawful discrimination. Later that year, the center filed a lawsuit against the city. ADF insisted in a legal brief that the shelter did not have to abide by the nondiscrimination provision because it was not a public accommodation but a religious ministry. While a federal court sided with Downtown Soup Kitchen Hope Center in 2019 and city officials subsequently dropped their lawsuit on behalf of Doe, the city amended the municipal code earlier this year in what religious liberty advocates saw as an attempt to force the shelter to admit trans-identified males. The Anchorage Assembly altered the definition of public accommodation to include facilities of any kind, whether licensed or not, whose goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages or accommodations are made available to the general public. Previously, the definition of public accommodation only applied to a business or professional activity. In a previous interview with The Christian Post, attorney Christy Allen alleged that Anchorage was displeased with the earlier court ruling finding that the initial laws did not apply to Downtown Hope Center and they rewrote the law to basically include homeless shelters within those definitions. The change to the definition prompted the Downtown Hope Center to file another lawsuit against the city, the claims of which Gleason addressed in her Monday ruling. This week in Christian history: Christmas Conference,' Pius IV elected Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Throughout the extensive history of the Church, there have been numerous events of lasting significance. Each week brings anniversaries of impressive milestones, unforgettable tragedies, amazing triumphs, memorable births, notable deaths and everything in between. Some of the events drawn from over 2,000 years of history might be familiar, while other happenings might be previously unknown by most people. This week Dec. 19 through Dec. 25 marks the anniversary of the Methodist Churchs Christmas Conference, the election of Pope Pius IV, and the conversion of a pioneering Irish preacher to Methodism. 1 2 3 4 Next Postcard from Beaumont Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment If Beaumont is known at all, its known for its contribution to the Texas oil boom during the first half of the last century. This medium-sized city (population 115,282) sits near the Gulf of Mexico coast in southeast Texas, a short drive from the border with Louisiana. It was here where oil was discovered in 1901. The eruption of the Lucas geyser transformed what had been a very small town literally overnight. With oil as the industry, Beaumonts fortunes have ebbed and flowed. One legacy of the past is a spectacular church the kind of landmark you would never expect to find in Beaumont. At first glance, St. Anthonys Cathedral Basilica (Roman Catholic) looks somewhat typical. Built between 1903 and 1907 using bricks salvaged from Civil War-era buildings, the church with its dedication to Anthony of Padua was elevated to the dignity of a cathedral upon the creation of the Diocese of Beaumont in 1966. It later received its minor basilica title from Pope Benedict XVI in 2006 after an extensive renovation was carried out by Rolf Rohn of Rohn & Associates. With the Basilica of St. Clement, an ancient church in Rome, serving as inspiration, the $6 million renovation transformed the cathedral of a diocese in flyover country into what it is today. So much so that casual connoisseurs of all things ecclesiastical architecture and religious art are surprised, as they generally think churches like this can only be found in Europe. While parts of the design are compromised by the liturgical changes of the Second Vatican Council the altar faces westward toward congregants in the pews and the communion railings are long gone the interior is up there with the best churches anywhere in the United States. Among the most notable details are the baldachin, as the canopy above the altar is called, and the apse at the east end with its painted murals. There is also a small collection of holy relics, as typically found at a Roman Catholic cathedral or basilica. Outside, the west fronts bronze doors, which were crafted in Poland, feature numerous reliefs. Besides St. Anthonys, also worth visiting are St. Marks Church (Episcopal) and First United Methodist Church. In particular, the Methodist church combines the familiarity of Gothic pointed arches with modernist architecture a welcome deviation from the brutalist style that dominated buildings around the time of its construction in 1968. Outside of the churches, the interwar-era Temple Emanuel (Reform Judaism) has beautiful stained-glass windows depicting the prophets Jeremiah, Elijah, Elisha, Ezekiel, Moses and Isaiah. If you go Besides Sunday masses and other regular services, St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Docents are available for free guided tours if arrangements are made ahead of time. The closest major airport is about 90 miles away in Houston. From New Orleans and Dallas, the drive is four and five hours respectively. Stay at the Holiday Inn & Suites Beaumont-Plaza. Dennis Lennox writes a travel column for The Christian Post. Follow @dennislennox on Twitter. Why are some pastors dying by suicide? Understanding the tragic trend Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment 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. SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRISTIAN POST PODCAST ON EDIFI 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: Listen to more Christian podcasts today on the Edifi app and be sure to subscribe to the Christian Post Podcast on your favorite platforms: Edifi Anchor Breaker Google Podcasts Apple Podcasts Pocket Casts RadioPublic Spotify Senators soften language in Build Back Better bill restricting religious childcare, pre-K funding Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Senate committee has removed some of the controversial language in the Build Back Better bill that would restrict funding and aid for faith-based childcare and pre-K programs unless they adhered to federal anti-discrimination law. The proposed federal legislation had garnered concern from multiple faith groups that argued the bill would ban faith groups from obtaining federal assistance due to their religious views. According to a report by the Washington, D.C.-based Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance (IRFA) published Monday, two developments have emerged regarding the legislation. On Dec. 11, according to IRFA, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee released revised language that removed the proposed nondiscrimination requirements that would have banned religious hiring and religiously selective admissions in child care and pre-K programs. Child care certificates are confirmed to be indirect government funding that allows child care providers to include religious teaching and activities. However, religion continues to be banned from the pre-K program, which is a grant-funded program, explained the Alliance. The language for both programs stresses the many legal obligations of participating programs without clearly emphasizing the protections for faith-based organizations and small organizations that will enable a wide range of them to know they are welcome in these programs. IRFA noted that while they approve of the changes made to better include religious groups, they still maintain some concerns about the proposed legislation as written. Championed by the Biden administration, the Build Back Better Act is a major piece of proposed legislation that creates programs and establishes funding for a host of issues, including education, child care, taxes and immigration. On Dec. 1, an interfaith coalition sent a letter to Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Richard Burr, R-N.C., the chair and ranking member of the Senate HELP Committee, respectively, expressing concerns over how the BBB bill would impact their childcare and education services. According to the letter, the current child care and universal pre-Kindergarten (UPK) provisions in the Build Back Better Act will suppress, if not exclude, the participation of many faith-based providers; and faith-based providers are what more than half of American families choose for child care. While language in the BBBA does not preclude parents from selecting sectarian providers, the subsequent provisions in the bill text make it virtually impossible for many religious providers to participate, stated the letter. According to the faith groups, the bill would define all providers as recipients of federal financial assistance, whether the funds come via certificates (in the child care program) or direct grants (in the prekindergarten program), which would trigger federal compliance obligations and non-discrimination provisions. Additionally, according to the letter, BBB would apply nondiscrimination requirements to both the child care and universal pre-K sections that do not generally attach to FFA. Signatories of the letter included Catholic Charities USA, two committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Council of Christian Colleges & Universities, the National Association of Evangelicals, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, and the Council of Islamic Schools in North America, among others. Although the bill passed the House, it has become stalled in the Senate, in part because Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., expressed opposition to it. Top CBP official tells Congress fentanyl seizures at border up 308% in fiscal year 2021 Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment An official with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection told members of Congress Wednesday that fentanyl seizures at the United States-Mexico border have increased by 308% in the fiscal year 2021. Troy Miller, the senior official performing the duties of commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, appeared before the House Appropriations Committees Homeland Security Subcommittee to discuss the continued surge in crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border and the resources that CBP needs to respond to the situation and carry out its duties effectively. Members of the committee asked Miller questions about various topics, including the seizure of illegal drugs by CBP officials. Our fentanyl seizures are up 308% in fiscal year 21, Miller said. He also noted that heroin seizures have increased by 14%, cocaine seizures have increased by 100%, and methamphetamine seizures have increased by 20% in the same period. Miller shared the statistics regarding drug seizures following a question from Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., about the huge gaping holes in our southern border where we dont know whats coming over. According to Palazzo, The COVID pandemic obviously did not keep the cartels from working overtime. He cited statistics finding that in the fiscal year 2020, CBP seized [58,000] pounds of Cocaine, 5,700 pounds of heroin, 177,000 pounds of methamphetamine and 4,700 pounds of fentanyl. As Palazzo noted, the amount of fentanyl seized by CBP last year is enough to kill every American two times over. The congressman also expressed concern that as our CBP agents and others are misdirected, criminals and hard narcotics have an easier time entering the country. As the amount of drugs seized at the border continues to increase, the number of encounters between immigration officials and migrants continues to rise. CBP Data shows that more than 178,000 migrants were apprehended at the southwest border in April, marking a 3% increase from March, when 173,348 people were apprehended. So far, in the fiscal year 2021, which began last October, there have been 749,613 encounters at the southwest border. In all of the fiscal year 2020, there were just 458,088 such encounters. In all of the fiscal year 2019, there were over 977,000 encounters. Critics of President Joe Biden attribute the surge in border crossings to actions taken by the new administration to reverse the Trump administrations immigration policies, including his rescission of the former presidents national emergency at the border, the reversal of a policy requiring asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while their claims are adjudicated and the suspension of construction of the border wall. While Bidens critics have blamed the president for the surge in crossings at the border, some contend that the rise in border crossings is consistent with a pattern of seasonal changes combined with a backlog created by the border's closing during the pandemic. Former President George W. Bush pointed the finger at Congress for the situation during a recent appearance on Fox News. He alleged that the system is broken because Congress has failed to act. California Pastor Samuel Rodriguez, who heads the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, argued in March that Biden's "words and actions" have given a haphazard and de facto green light to human traffickers around the world to apply their profane trade on the dreams of the most vulnerable. The border surge led to overcrowding at shelters that hold unaccompanied minors who cross the border illegally. The crowding at CBP facilities, including a facility in Donna, Texas, came as the U.S. continued to grapple with the coronavirus. While the pods in the Donna facility had capacities of 260 people, one pod held more than 400 unaccompanied children at one point during the border surge. The overcrowding at the Donna facility and other similar locations raised concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, as migrants tested for the virus earlier this year had a higher positivity rate than the American public as a whole. In Brownsville, Texas, migrant families tested had a 12% positivity rate. At the time, the positivity rate among the American public at large was 3.5%. A group of migrants who arrived at a shelter in Harlingen, Texas, in February reportedly had a 25% positivity rate. The border crisis has seemingly reflected negatively on the Biden administration. A Real Clear Politics average of polls taken over the past month shows that most Americans (51%) express disapproval of the presidents handling of immigration policy. At the same time, the Real Clear Politics average of polls shows that a majority of the American people (53%) approve of Bidens performance as president overall. Christian gift box sales raise $1.2M for Israeli businesses as thousands close during pandemic Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Although many cant travel abroad due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions, Christians can have a taste of the Holy Land delivered to them this Christmas season, and at the same time, support struggling Israeli businesses as thousands have closed due to declining tourism. The quarterly Artza subscription gift boxes provide customers with nine artisanal goods from the Holy Land and the stories behind them as well as provide a source of revenue for Israeli businesses and charities. The past 20 months have been brutal on Israeli small businesses, Itai Schimmel, the founder of Artza, told The Christian Post in a recent interview. Over 40,000 businesses have been forced to close permanently and an additional 20,000-plus have had to close temporarily. It has been totally heartbreaking to see more and more storefronts boarded up each morning, Schimmel described. Those [are] small businesses that rely so heavily on the tourist industry. Borders into Israel have been closed for almost two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The cities of Bethlehem and Nazareth, which usually host tourists all year round, particularly during the Christmas season, have struggled with zero source of income. Over 70% of both Bethlehem and Nazareth inhabitants businesses rely on tourism. To see the Bethlehem markets empty for a second year in a row is truly heartbreaking, the Israeli resident stressed. Artza gift boxes are meant to help local artisans stay afloat. The boxes contain food, crafts, and other items made by Israeli artisans. To date, Artza has helped over 42 small businesses and seven charities. Subscribers have raised over $1.2 million for small businesses. Helping small businesses and charities is one of our two core missions at Artza, Schimmel said. With every box, we source products from a different region or city in Israel and source the most beautiful hand-crafted gifts, ceramics, foods, spices art and more from the local small businesses and charities that bring that city to life. Schimmel told CP that theyve had business owners cry with gratitude on to phone ... as we placed our orders, claiming that the organization has helped provide them with enough revenue to remain open for a few more months. We feel truly grateful to be able to connect people from across the world to these businesses and charities in Israel, he said. Our other core mission is to bring the stories of the Bible to life, to connect our subscribers to their faith, to the places, stories, characters and Land of the Bible, he added. Every box brings another region to subscribers, allowing them to visualize, taste, feel, smell each region. Accompanied with photography and stories, each box teaches the history of each region and alludes to Scripture related to those regions. It is a box with meaning. So that next time you read the Bible, you can say, Hey, I know this place. I have experienced it myself. Schimmel stated. Schimmel established the idea for the faith-filled boxes in March 2020 during the early days of the pandemic. He noticed how small businesses were being affected and how tourists could no longer visit Israel. He wanted to help. He recalls thinking, How can we keep people connected? We decided we would create a quarterly subscription box that arrived once every three months to your doorstep, Schimmel maintained. And each box brings another area of Israel and the Bible to life in a meaningful, immersive and fun way, one which you can share with others, and at the same time, support small local businesses and charities in Israel. It is a journey, the gift that keeps on giving. Christian women's shelter sues city over complaint saying it must admit transgender females Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A faith-based women's shelter in Alaska has filed a lawsuit against the state's most populous city for pressuring it to admit men who identify as women. The Downtown Soup Kitchen Hope Center of Anchorage filed the lawsuit earlier this month in response to issues surrounding a complaint against the nonprofit over a recent incident in which staff sent a trans-identified person to a hospital rather than allow the biological man to stay at the facility. "The Anchorage Municipal Code prohibits public accommodations from denying services based on sex or gender identity or stating those services will be denied. It also forbids property owners or their agents from communicating any preference or limitation on the use of real property based on sex or gender identity," read the lawsuit, in part, which was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. "Hope Center has not violated this law. It is not a public accommodation, and the code exempts homeless shelters, like Hope Center. But the last eight months, Anchorage has used the code to investigate, harass, and pressure Hope Center to admit men into its women's only shelter, and to stop Hope Center's exercise of its religious beliefs." Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative law firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona, which is representing Hope Center, directed The Christian Post to a statement on their website. "If Anchorage succeeds, it would not only force a religious ministry to abandon its mission and message, but also force homeless women to sleep alongside and interact with men in intimate settings even though those women may have been beaten, raped, or sexually assaulted by a man the day before," said the ADF. The district court lawsuit came in response to a complaint filed against Hope Center by the transgender person before the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission earlier this year. Identified in court documents as "Jessie Doe," according to the plaintiffs, the person showed up drunk at the shelter in January and was then given a cab ride to a hospital paid for by the shelter. Dee Ennis, deputy municipal attorney for the Municipality of Anchorage, provided a statement to CP on Thursday, explaining that the commission's investigation was still pending, but had not been completed "due in large part to the noncooperation of the Hope Center." "No decision had been reached by the AERC or enforcement action taken prior to the filing of this complaint in federal court," continued the statement. "There is strong federal policy not to intervene in local agency proceedings prior to any enforcement action or state court review of local code interpretation. Just as filing of this lawsuit was premature, so is requesting injunctive relief from the federal court." Fentanyl overdose leading cause of death for 18- to 45-year-olds in the US Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Fentanyl became the top killer in American adults aged 18 to 45 between 2020 and 2021, with drug overdoses exceeding the number of COVID-19 deaths in the age group, according to an analysis of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 79,000 people between the ages of 18 and 45 died of fentanyl overdoses between April 2020 and April 2021, according to Families Against Fentanyl, which analyzed the government data. While 37,208 people in that age group died of fentanyl overdoses in 2020, the number rose to 41,587 in 2021. The founder of the opioid awareness organization, James Rauh, who lost his son to an overdose, called it a national emergency, according to Fox News. Americas young adults thousands of unsuspecting Americans are being poisoned, he said. It is widely known that illicit fentanyl is driving the massive spike in drug-related deaths. A new approach to this catastrophe is needed. A fact sheet created by Families Against Fentanyl details that illicitly manufactured fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, or IMFs, are present in most street drugs. Most fentanyl, which is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin, is manufactured in chemical or pharmaceutical companies in China. While legal fentanyl is prescribed to numb the effects of extreme pain, just two milligrams of fentanyl can kill a person. On the other hand, it would take 30 milligrams of heroin to cause a fatal overdose. In the first five months of this year, over 42,600 people died of fentanyl overdose an increase of more than 1,000 fentanyl deaths per month compared to the same time period in 2020. Overdose fatalities rose possibly due to prolonged and widespread lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last December, the CDC issued an emergency health advisory, saying This represents a worsening of the drug overdose epidemic in the United States. In May 2020, the Well Being Trust, a mental health advocacy group, estimated a possible 75,000 additional deaths of despair, including suicide as well as drug and alcohol abuse, over the ensuing several years, due to the shutdown measures. Families Against Fentanyl has launched a petition asking the U.S. government to designate illegal fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction, which it reports would enable the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Department of Defense and other relevant federal agencies to better coordinate their efforts and immediately publish the necessary administrative directives to eliminate the threat posed by these deadly substances. As the southern border became more porous in 2021, federal authorities have seized a record amount of drugs. Data compiled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection reveals that authorities confiscated 11,201 pounds of fentanyl, up from 4,791 pounds the year prior. In a statement released last week, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced that it seized more than 20 million counterfeit pills containing fentanyl this year. President Joe Biden issued an executive order Wednesday, authorizing sanctions against any foreigner engaged in illicit drug trafficking or production. I find that international drug trafficking including the illicit production, global sale, and widespread distribution of illegal drugs; the rise of extremely potent drugs such as fentanyl and other synthetic opioids; as well as the growing role of Internet-based drug sales constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, the order reads. Christian filmmaker Devon Franklin and wife Meagan Good to divorce: 'Thankful to God for the testimony' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Hollywood filmmaker and preacher DeVon Franklin and his wife, actress Meagan Good, announced Tuesday that they're filing for divorce. The couple shared identical posts on Instagram Tuesday night announcing their split. They posted a photo of themselves embracing while sitting down together outdoors with their backs turned away from the camera. The divorce comes after nine years of marriage. "After much prayer and consideration, we have decided to go into our futures separately but forever connected," Franklin and Good shared in the joint statement. "We celebrate almost a decade of marriage together and a love that is eternal, they continued. The couple met while working on the 2011 film Jumping the Broom. Franklin and Good got engaged in May 2012 after courting for a year and were married a month after their engagement. There's no one at fault, the two shared of their split, adding, We believe this is the next best chapter in the evolution of our love. "We are incredibly grateful for the life-changing years we've spent together as husband and wife. We are also extremely thankful to God for the testimony being created inside us both and for blessing our lives with each other," the statement concluded. There was much speculation online that the high-profile Christian couple was headed toward divorce, but as recently as Dec. 2, Franklin celebrated his wife on her new Amazon Prime series, Harlem. "I'm so proud of my love @Meagangood! She's one of the most talented actors on the planet AND she's funnier than you may know but I'm so glad you finally get a chance to see her do it all as Camille Parks in the new Amazon show #Harlem," the Breakthrough filmmaker posted on Instagram. Good and Franklin co-wrote the book, The Wait, where theyshared the importance of waiting until marriage to be intimate. The news of their divorce comes as a shock to many because, in 2019, Good revealed that she and Franklin were ready to start a family. As a guest on STEVE, the Steve Harvey show, with her Intruder co-star Michael Ealy, the conversation segued into talking about whether Good and Franklin would start a family. I'm going to say this, and its funny because I usually dont talk about it because I was one of those people who knew I would be a mother later in life, Good told Harvey after he asked her about it. We talk about it a lot. Like, [Ealy] basically tried to convince me to start like last year. But now I think Im in a place now where Im actually ready. Miss Florida praises God for her success but says she never prayed to win pageant Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Miss Florida pageant winner Ashley Carino acknowledged this week that God is the reason she is where she is today but added that she never specifically asked God to win the statewide beauty pageant. I was raised in the Church, Carino, the second runner-up of the recent Miss USA contest, shared in an interview Tuesday with CBNs PrayerLink. The Puerto Rican native, who moved to Florida when she was 5, stressed that life is about serving God despite the challenges that come our way. For me, God has always been my stepping stone. Religion and faith have been an important part of my life, and I know I am not where I am today if it wasnt for Him, the 27-year-old testified. She added that her New Year's resolution has always been "for God to give me new opportunities and this year, I actually asked that." "I had already signed up for Miss Florida USA. But instead of asking, 'God, I want to win Miss Florida USA,' I was just asking for opportunities," she said. "He delivered an abundance of that." God has opened doors to so many opportunities. Its just been a whirlwind, Carino continued. One of the things God has blessed Carino with is a bigger platform to launch anti-bullying campaigns. Carino said she was bullied in middle school and high school because she wore a back brace due to scoliosis. But it was the love and support of her parents that got her through that difficult time. Ever since she has dedicated her platform to speaking out against bullying. I experienced emotional abuse to name-calling, to pushing and it escalated to physical abuse, she revealed during a press conference earlier this month with the Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez addressing an incident that happened at a high school in her hometown. But what helped me is the support of my parents ... that they didnt chuck it up to simply childs play. The reality is that bullying can have serious effects. Carino, who works as a psychosocial rehabilitator, is partnering with Osceola County School District to implement an anti-bullying campaign in classrooms. Not every child has the same coping mechanism. So it is important that as parents and as teachers, we dont just consider this childs play or a rite of passage, she explained. At our school systems, we will have zero tolerance for bullying. With aspirations to one day work for NASA, Miss Florida, who studied aerospace engineering at the University of Central Florida, was asked during the CBN interview to respond to those in the scientific field who dispute God and faith. "Science is man-made. It's an explanation that we've created for natural phenomenons. For me, science is there to test our faith. It's definitely not there to dispute the existence of God. That is something that I always tell people ... to remember that science is something that man has created for explanations as to what's going on in the world." Crowned Miss Florida earlier this year, Carino has publicly praised God for her blessings. I look back on my life and this past year and I cant believe how incredibly blessed I have been, Carino wrote in an Instagram on her birthday in August. Not only have I had the great fortune to share my life with my amazing family and friends, but I have been able to see this year turn my dreams into reality, and I know the best is yet to come! I want to thank God for all He has done for me, for His unconditional love and outpour of blessings, she continued. [B]ecause of Him wherever I go my steps are sure; I dont need sight because I walk by faith. California university fires medical ethics director amid lawsuit over COVID-19 vaccine mandate Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The University of California-Irvine has fired a professor of medical ethics who has been contending that the school's vaccine mandate is unconstitutional given the science of natural immunity. In a Friday essay on his Substack, Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, the now-former professor of psychiatry at UC-Irvine School of Medicine and director of the medical ethics program at UCI-Health, bid farewell to the university where he has enjoyed teaching for over a decade. Kheriaty filed a federal lawsuit in August against the university's vaccine mandate. The lawsuit failed at the district court level and is appealed to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. He makes a constitutional claim that the vaccine mandate violates his equal protection as established by the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. Kheriaty told The Christian Post in a phone interview this week that he caught COVID-19 in July 2020 and recovered soon thereafter. He contends that the immunity he has to the virus is longer lasting and more robust than any immunity conferred by the vaccines. Because he already had the virus, he did not feel it necessary to take the vaccine. "And yet I'm being unjustly discriminated against because I [have] this form of immunity rather than the form of immunity that is supposedly conferred by the vaccines. With each passing week, the efficacy of these vaccines, particularly against the new variants, becomes more apparent," Kheriaty said. "But the university has not revised its policy or changed its approach to COVID mitigation even in the face of mounting and what is now irrefutable evidence that the vaccine efficacy against infection was short-lived, unfortunately. I wish that wasn't the case, but it's undeniable now." The Christian Post reached out to UC-Irvine for a statement on Kheriaty's termination. The university declined in an email Monday evening, saying that the institution doesn't comment on personnel matters. The California psychiatrist until very recently was the director of UC-Irvine's Medical Ethics Center. He is now working with the right-of-center think tank Ethics & Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. as the Bioethics and American Democracy Program director. He emphasized that natural immunity is more robust than vaccines because when someone is exposed to the whole virus, that person makes antibodies and forms an immune response involving both antibodies and T-cells against all the different parts expressed on the virus, the epitopes. By contrast, the COVID-19 vaccines were designed to produce antibodies against the spike protein part of the virus. It is now known that the spike protein mutates to avoid vaccine immunity, Kheriaty said. "The variants that are going to be selected for are going to be the variants that have a better chance of escaping vaccine immunity," the professor said. "It's much harder to escape natural immunity by viral evolution because natural immunity has far more weapons against the virus than does the vaccine immunity." Immunologists understood and predicted that this virus, like other viruses, will mutate and become less deadly because if it kills off too many of its hosts, it cannot propagate, Kheriaty continued. He noted that this is now happening with the emerging variants like omicron. Those variants may be more transmissible but are not as severe or lethal. He believes the virus is well on its way to becoming endemic, meaning that everyone is eventually going to be exposed to it and form natural immunity in addition to whatever immunity that vaccines conferred temporarily. "We have to do whatever we can to protect the most vulnerable, those who are in high-risk categories. Particularly the aged have access to really excellent treatments when they are inevitably exposed. But for the rest of us, it's time to get back to normal life. It's time to recognize that this virus is not going away but moving into a phase where we can all manage to live with it and manage it when people get sick." "We have to stop discriminating against people on these arbitrary bases and forcing a minimally effective therapeutic like the mRNA vaccines on people that are not high risk from COVID or have natural immunity or have other concerns about these vaccines," he continued. Kheriaty felt he had to take legal action in light of his profession as a medical ethicist. "If I don't practice what I preach, I have no credibility to speak on these things," he told CP. "That's what it came down to for me. Do I really believe what I say when I get up in the lecture hall to the medical students when I talk about moral integrity, doing the difficult thing, following your conscience when it is unpopular?" When asked why there has been such widespread inattention to the science of natural immunity, Kheriaty suggests three possible answers. The first is that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has posited that any step before vaccination, such as testing people for antibodies or T-cells or asking people for prior tests, could slow down the efficiency of the "needle in every arm" rollout, he said. Public health authorities wanted simple messaging an all-or-nothing policy that was not tailored or individualized to people's specific circumstances, Kheriaty added. Thus, any step in the process that would have slowed down that efficiency process was seen as unnecessarily cumbersome. A second possible reason, Kheriaty opined, is that the CDC was worried that people would deliberately get infected with COVID-19 rather than get the vaccine. "We need to give people accurate information, in that sometimes people act in ways that are contrary to what we might advise, but that is no reason to mislead or lie to them about what science shows," he said. "The issue around natural immunity is not whether people will go and get infected with the virus deliberately, but what about the people who have already been infected with the virus. That's the relevant group that we're talking about here." Kheriaty's third theory, which he believes is most operative, is that acknowledging the science of natural immunity would be an admission of policy failure. "These are people who will never, ever admit that they were wrong, no matter how much evidence there is to support that conclusion. The two most basic statistics in epidemiology that every student learns in every new disease that students learn about is incidence and prevalence," he explained. "Incidence is the number of new cases that happen over a time period, how many people are getting infected with COVID every month. Prevalence is the total number of cases, not just new cases, over a given time period." "It's amazing that two years into this pandemic that we don't know with any degree of certainty how many people have had COVID," he continued. "It's possible to discover that through population-based randomly sampled T-cell testing or through what the CDC should have been doing sequential population-based randomly tested antibodies. But they never did that, and they are not doing it. Once you acknowledge natural immunity, the natural next question is, 'How many people have it?' And the CDC would be forced to answer that question." The California doctor estimates that the percentage of Americans who have gotten the virus is approximately 60% of the population, perhaps higher with the new wave. "The CDC would see that as an admission that all of these COVID measures that we took from the lockdown to masks to social distancing and so forth, which did enormous harms, didn't stop this virus or the spread," he said. "Still, a majority of Americans have been infected with COVID, and most of them, almost all healthy Americans under the age of 50, have had no problem with the virus." Recognizing natural immunity, he contends, is "disincentivized by all the various people who will make a lot of money off the vaccines." "We know that there are hundreds of billions of dollars are at stake in terms of the vaccine rollout, and if suddenly half of your market or more than half of your market no longer needs the vaccine, that's taking $100 billion profits and cutting them in half," he detailed. "That's a lot of money, and that kind of money buys a lot of influence." Earlier this year, Kheriaty and his lawyer sent a Freedom of Information Act request to the CDC inquiring about the number of people infected with COVID-19 more than once who subsequently transmitted the virus. Though the number of reinfection cases is small, the CDC admitted that there had been zero cases of reinfection and transmission of the virus to another person. Meanwhile, what is known as "breakthrough" infection those cases which break through the vaccine protection can subsequently transmit the disease. Those who have survived COVID-19 and have natural immunity are the safest people to be around, Kheriaty maintains. "The [COVID] vaccines do not produce what is called sterilizing immunity, which means not only do I not get reinfected, but I don't transmit," he said. He criticized the rhetoric encouraging people to get vaccinated for the "sake of other people." "The COVID vaccines don't prevent transmission," he said. "I think that social solidarity type of argument would have more force for a sterilizing vaccine [like] the measles one. But it doesn't work when you're talking about the COVID vaccines, at least the ones we have right now." He predicted that "maybe in five years we'll have a sterilizing vaccine for COVID." "But that's not where we are with the current vaccines, and that is becoming clearer every day," he said. Texas AG investigating push to prescribe experimental puberty blockers not approved by FDA for kids Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment 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. Texas begins building its own border wall to curb surge in illegal immigration Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the state has begun construction on a border wall, which it's working to build to counter what it views as the Biden administrations lackluster enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. Texas has officially started building its own border wall, Abbott announced in a tweet Friday. [President Joe] 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 governments job. Texas has officially started building its own border wall. 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 governments job. https://t.co/K7CbIPs75p Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) December 17, 2021 Abbott also shared a series of photos originally posted by Fox News reporter Bill Melugin showing the construction. Texas has officially started building its own border wall, he said. The first wall panels have gone up in Starr County in the [Rio Grande Valley]. Melugin noted that while the construction is occurring on state land with state money, the contractor building the wall was building the wall spearheaded by the Trump administration until Biden stopped construction of the wall when he took office. The Fox News reporter included a picture of the first panels in what will be a 1.7 mile stretch designed to help fill gaps where there is no federal wall. These are the first panels in what will be a 1.7 mile stretch designed to help fill gaps where there is no federal wall. More projects planned. Governor Abbott will be at the construction site tomorrow to hold 12pm ET announcement/details. @FoxNews will air it live. pic.twitter.com/gG5yggbDcp Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) December 17, 2021 Shortly before former President Donald Trump left office, then-Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf announced the completion of the 450th mile of new border wall system built under this administration. In a statement, Abbotts office elaborated on the states effort to pick up where the Trump administration left off by restarting the wall's construction. Open-border policies have led to a humanitarian crisis at our southern border as record levels of illegal immigrants, drugs and contraband pour into Texas. The state of Texas is working collaboratively with communities impacted by the border crisis to arrest and detain individuals coming into Texas illegally. Our efforts will only be effective if we work together to secure the border, make criminal arrests, protect landowners, rid our communities of dangerous drugs, and provide Texans with the opportunity and support they deserve. Texas first announced plans to construct a border wall at a press conference in June, with Abbott authorizing a $250 million down payment. The governor described the construction of a wall as necessary because of concern that the problems people are continuing to suffer on the border are just continuing to get worse. At the time, the most recent statistics from U.S. Customs and Border Protection showed that more than 170,000 migrants illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in April. The crossings continued to increase throughout the summer, reaching a record high of 213,593 in July. While the number of encounters between illegal migrants and law enforcement officials had dropped to 173,620 in November, the most recent month with statistics available, the number of border crossings remains significantly higher than the 101,099 recorded in February 2021, Bidens first full month in office. Critics of the Biden administration have attributed the border surge to the Biden administrations reversal of two of the Trump administrations immigration policies, in addition to the halting of wall construction. The Migrant Protection Protocols required migrants seeking asylum to wait in Mexico while their asylum cases were adjudicated, while Title 42, implemented during the coronavirus pandemic, allowed border officials to turn away illegal immigrants due to a concern about public health. A federal court ruling forced the Biden administration to restart the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the Remain in Mexico policy, earlier this month. The Department of Homeland Security has vowed to vigorously contest the ruling and criticized the Migrant Protection Protocols for its endemic flaws, imposed unjustifiable human costs and failure to address the root causes of irregular migration. Public opinion polling suggests that Abbott is not the only one dissatisfied with Bidens immigration policies. The RealClearPolitics average of polls taken over the past month-and-a-half reveal that the presidents approval rating on the issue of immigration is deeply underwater, with 34.7% of Americans approving of his immigration policy and 60.6% expressing disapproval. The net disapproval rating of 26% on the issue of immigration is far higher than his overall disapproval rating, as well as his disapproval ratings on the economy, foreign policy and the coronavirus pandemic. Abbott is scheduled to appear at the construction site Saturday to offer more details on the project. He has previously described the states border wall construction project as the most robust and comprehensive border plan the nation has ever seen. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment There are 8 planets in our solar system, and NASA estimates that there are at least 100 billion planets in our Milky Way galaxy. God decided to make Earth habitable, and to create man to live on this particular planet. In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth (Genesis 1:1). Why is Earth singled out in the first verse of the Bible? Why is this one planet so much more important to God than all the other planets in the Universe? Theoretical physicist Paul Davies said, Scientists are slowly waking up to an inconvenient truth - the Universe looks suspiciously like a fix. The issue concerns the very laws of nature themselves Change any one of them and the consequences would be lethal. Fred Hoyle, the distinguished cosmologist, once said, it was as if a super-intellect has monkeyed with physics. Frank Tipler is an American mathematical physicist and cosmologist, and the author of The Physics of Christianity. Tipler said, When I began my career as a cosmologist some 20 years ago, I was a convinced atheist. I never in my wildest dreams imagined that one day I would be writing a book purporting to show that the central claims of Judeo-Christian theology are in fact true, that these claims are straightforward deductions of the laws of physics as we now understand them. I have been forced into these conclusions by the inexorable logic of my own special branch of physics. James Joule, propounder of the first law of thermodynamics, was a devout Christian. Joule said, It is evident that an acquaintance with natural laws means no less than an acquaintance with the mind of God therein expressed." In addition to one planet, God used one star in His divine drama to point the way to the Messiah. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him' ... the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him" (Matthew 2:1-2; 9-11). With billions of stars in the Milky Way, God selected one of these stars, or some other heavenly body or extraordinary stellar event, to guide the Magi to the exact location of the Savior's birth. Dr. D. James Kennedy said, "The star of Bethlehem was a star of hope that led the wise men to the fulfillment of their expectations, the success of their expedition. Nothing in this world is more fundamental for success in life than hope, and this star pointed to our only source for true hope: Jesus Christ. The most important piece of the equation is not one planet or one star, but one Savior. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus because he will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). The Incarnation involved God taking on human nature in order to ultimately be sacrificed on the cross for sinful man. Bethlehem and Golgotha, the manger and the cross, the birth, and the death, must always be seen together (J. Sidlow Baxter). The Apostle Peter proclaimed, Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Jesus said, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6). One planet, one star, one Savior. George Truett said, Christ was born in the first century, yet He belongs to all centuries. He was born a Jew, yet He belongs to all races. He was born in Bethlehem, yet He belongs to all countries. Do you marvel at the splendor of the Universe, while failing to see the glory of the babe born in Bethlehem? Nature confirms that there is a God, but you will need to know the Savior if you desire to be reconciled to God (John 8:19; 10:14; 14:7). Robert Baer said, Bethlehem was God with us, Calvary was God for us, and Pentecost is God in us. Everything is lined up for you to believe in Christ as your Savior. God arranged one planet, one star, and one Savior so that you could enjoy an eternal relationship with your Creator. Like the wise men, will you approach Bethlehem in humility? Will you bow down in repentance and worship the King as you receive Christ by faith? If you refuse to open Gods gift to you this Christmas, you may never again be presented with this opportunity. Like a shooting star in the sky, this window in time to meet the Messiah will come and go. Spiritual blindness and the curse of sin cause people to reject Gods free gift of forgiveness and perfection in Paradise (2 Cor. 4:4; Romans 6:23). Why not break the spell today as you reach out to God with these words from your heart: God of Heaven and Earth. Your majestic wonders are far above my capacity to fully appreciate them. I believe you came here Jesus to die on the cross for my sins, and then rise on the third day. Wash away my sins. I desire to follow you as my Lord and Savior. You are the only one who can save me Jesus. Forgive me, lead me, and fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit in order to live as your disciple. Amen. In the words of the marvelous Christmas hymn: O come all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem. Pastor hails victory as court throws out $21K fine for holding worship service for homeless Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A magistrates court in central England has thrown out a case against a pastor whom police had fined $21,000 for holding a church gathering for the homeless in a car park during the COVID-19 lockdown. Nottingham Magistrates Court has ruled that Pastor Chez Dyer, 47, who organized an outdoor service for the Church on the Streets in Nottingham during the February lockdown, that she will not have to pay the fine and ordered the government to pay her legal fees, said the Christian Legal Centre, which supported the clergy. I am so relieved that this case has been thrown out and justice has finally been served, Chez was quoted as saying. We stood in the gap for the most vulnerable when others would not or could not. We had people who urgently needed our support and some who said we had prevented them from committing suicide. We were the spiritual doctors who were not on furlough. People were suffering and needed us. Around 30 people took part in the outdoor service Chez held in February, for which she was handed the fine. Officers from Nottinghamshire Police said at the time that tents and a sound system had been set up, and food was being served. While churches in England were permitted to hold limited in-person services during the lockdown, Nottinghamshire Police said at the time that the pub car park was evidently not a place of worship. They said the event had taken place despite previous warnings and that the fine was issued as a last resort. The pastor said at the time that a place or worship includes premises when being used for religious gatherings, even when their primary purpose is not for religious gatherings, such as a community center. However, she was convicted in her absence and was unaware of the proceedings against her, CLC said, adding that the court had fined her $21,000 in her absence. This Christian ministry was supporting the most vulnerable in their community materially, emotionally and spiritually during the lockdown. How was it that they were the ones chased down by police in riot vans? CLC Chief Executive Andrea Williams asked. It is state overreach to shut down Churches and their ministries when they are very often the final hope. Williams added that she hopes the outcome of this case sends a clear message to the government and police of the vital role Christian ministry plays in our communities and how it must be protected, supported and encouraged at all times. Chez added: We reach people with the Good News of Jesus Christ during the toughest of times. This is what the church is and what the church should do. For this, however, I was treated like a criminal. We are a church with limited financial resources, so to face fines of this magnitude for helping the homeless was devastating. I hope my story can show people the vital role Christian street ministry plays in our country. 17 Missionaries leave Haiti after kidnapping, everyone doing reasonably well CAM reveals Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The 17 missionaries who were kidnapped in Haiti are now all doing reasonably well and have left the troubled Caribbean nation where they spent each day of their captivity praying, singing and calling on their kidnappers to repent, said David Troyer, general director of the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries, on Friday. A U.S.-flagged plane left Haiti with the remaining freed hostages yesterday afternoon. Everyone, including the 10-month-old baby, the 3-year-old and the 6-year-old boys, seem to be doing reasonably well, Troyer revealed in a statement formally confirming the release of all the missionaries who were kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo gang on Oct. 16. The international charity first announced the release of the final 12 missionaries 11 days after the release of three others on Dec. 5. Some two weeks prior to that, the gang released two missionaries described as sick adults. Troyer, who took the opportunity to thank a long list of supporters during the two monthslong hostage crisis, did not say whether a ransom of $1 million for each missionary was paid to the gang for their release, but he said the group forgives them. We do not know all of the challenges you face. We do believe that violence and oppression of others can never be justified. You caused our hostages and their families a lot of suffering. However, Jesus taught us by word and by His own example that the power of forgiving love is stronger than the hate of violent force. Therefore, we extend forgiveness to you. The hostages told you plainly how you can also be forgiven by God, if you repent, Troyer said, choking up. Our desire is that you and all who hear or read this statement may come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Savior, the Son of God, and the Prince of Peace. Jesus died for all so that all can be saved. He further explained that on Oct. 16, when the missionaries realized that they were being kidnapped after leaving an orphanage where they had gone to verify aid was received from the charity, the group began singing the chorus, The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them, based on Psalm 34:7 and it became one of their favorite anthems during their captivity. Troyer said the missionaries also spent much of their time together during their captivity and prayed for the gang, among other things. The hostages were able to spend their captivity together as a group. They spent many hours of each day praying, singing and encouraging each other. Unfortunately, they did not have a Bible, but they recited Bible verses by memory among themselves. They prayed for their captors and told them about Gods love and their need to repent, he said, asking for continued prayers for the missionaries as they return to normal life. In discussing best practices learned from the kidnapping of the missionaries, which included 16 Americans and one Canadian, Troyer acknowledged that while all the missionaries were aware of the dangers of working in Haiti before, and tried to take proper security precautions, they intend to improve their security protocols. We appreciate the desire of our staff to minister, even in dangerous places. However, this event has given us a heightened awareness of the need to strengthen our safety protocols and better instruct our people about the dangers involved, Troyer explained. He asked the media to give the missionaries privacy as they return to normal life and noted that a press conference will be held at the headquarters of Christian Aid Ministries in Berlin, Ohio, at 10 a.m. on Dec. 20, where more information will be provided. The steel industry came roaring back in 2021 after bearing the brunt of the pandemic last year, taking succor from a strong revival in end-market demand and an upswing in steel prices. The pandemic put most commodities on a slippery ground last year and steel was no exception. A slowdown in demand across major end-use industries put a dent on the steel industry for much of the first half of 2020. In particular, the pandemic dealt a fresh blow to the U.S. steel industry, which reeled under the effects of the U.S.-China tariff war. However, demand for steel picked up on the resumption of operations across major steel-consuming sectors such as automotive, construction and machinery, following the easing of lockdowns and restrictions globally. Steel prices have also witnessed an unprecedented surge this year on the back of an upturn in demand across key markets, tight supply conditions and low steel inventory throughout the supply chain. Stocks of several steel companies have also popped this year driven by the positive momentum of the industry. Notable among them are Commercial Metals Company CMC, EVRAZ plc EVRZF and United States Steel Corporation X. The rebound across major end-use industries such as construction and automotive represents a tailwind for the steel industry. An upturn in industrial activities is driving demand for steel. Demand remains robust across construction and manufacturing sectors. The automotive industry has rebounded following pandemic-led shutdowns on the back of strong customer demand. Order activities in non-residential construction and equipment also remain strong. Demand in non-residential construction is nearing pre-pandemic levels. Steel makers are also seeing improved conditions in the energy markets. However, the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus may disrupt economic activities and impact steel demand over the near term. Steel prices have also escalated to record highs this year. Strong demand and persistent supply shortages have also led to a spike in U.S. steel prices this year to historically high levels, allowing domestic steel companies to churn out record profits despite an uptick in costs of raw materials, including ferrous scrap and headwinds from supply-chain and logistics issues. After plummeting to a pandemic-led low of roughly $440 per short ton in August 2020, the benchmark hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices witnessed a significant rally, breaking above the $1,900 per short ton level in August 2021 on the back of a mismatch between supply and demand. However, HRC prices have come under pressure since October after peaking in September 2021, pulled down by shorter lead times and a downturn in demand in automotive, resulting from production cuts by carmakers in the wake of the semiconductor shortage. Nevertheless, HRC prices (currently hovering below $1,700) remain elevated notwithstanding the recent correction, as they are well above the year-ago levels and nearly four-times higher than the August 2020 low. Despite a slowdown in steel demand in the automotive space amid the ongoing chip crunch, healthy demand in other end markets including construction and supply disruptions due to mill outages and scheduled maintenance are likely to lend support to HRC prices through the balance of 2021 and into 2022, driving the profit margins of steel companies. The massive infrastructure development project is also expected to be a significant catalyst for the American steel industry and U.S. HRC prices in 2022. On Nov 15, President Joe Biden signed the more than $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill into law following months of debate in Congress. The bill includes about $550 billion in new spending on roads, bridges, tunnels and the electric grid, as well as airports, broadband and other infrastructure improvements. The U.S. steel industry has been urging for infrastructure package since the early days of the pandemic. The massive infrastructure spending would have a beneficial effect on the domestic steel industry, given the expected increase in consumption of the commodity that is used to make almost everything from rail tracks to roads to bridges and tunnels. Per the American Iron and Steel Institute, demand for domestic steel could increase by as much as five million tons for every $100 billion of new investment. 3 Steel Stocks Set to Run Higher The steel industry has pulled off a comeback after being hobbled by the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic last year. Strong demand across major markets aided by higher industrial activities, still-elevated steel prices, and a sizable infrastructure investment augur well for the industry heading into 2022. Based on strong fundamentals, we have shortlisted stocks that are expected to continue their winning streak in 2022. For this, we have taken the help of the Zacks Stock Screener to choose stocks that have a market cap of more than $1 billion and currently carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy). Our research shows that stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 offer the best investment options. Moreover, these stocks have gained more than 20% this year. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Here are the three steel stocks that meet the criteria: Commercial Metals: Texas-based Commercial Metals, sporting a Zacks Rank #1, is gaining from robust steel demand, driven by elevated spending on the residential and construction sector in North America and recovery in the manufacturing sector. It continues to witness stellar demand for steel products across most end markets. In North America, the company is gaining from strong rebar demand, supported by the solid construction growth along with robust merchant bar and wire rod demand. Strength across the key end markets in both North America and Europe is supporting solid steel sales volumes. CMC also continues to gain from its ongoing network optimization efforts. It also has solid liquidity and financial position, and remains focused on reducing debt. These factors have contributed to its share price rally of around 65% this year. Commercial Metals has expected earnings growth of 10.5% for fiscal 2022. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2022 earnings for CMC has been revised 6.6% upward over the last 60 days. The company has also outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters. In this time frame, it has delivered an average earnings surprise of roughly 7.4%. EVRAZ: U.K.-based EVRAZ, carrying a Zacks Rank #1, is benefiting from higher steel, vanadium and coal product sales prices and improved activities in steel-consuming industries. Cost-reduction, productivity and customer focus initiatives are also driving its margins. EVRZF also remains focused on de-leveraging its balance sheet and is on track with its key development projects. These factors have contributed to its share price appreciation of around 27% this year. EVRAZ has expected earnings growth of 9.5% for 2022. The consensus estimate for earnings for 2022 for EVRZF has been revised 31.9% upward over the last 60 days. United States Steel: Pennsylvania-based United States Steel, carrying a Zacks Rank #2, is gaining from strong demand across end markets, its Best for All business model and higher domestic steel prices. It is witnessing strong consumer-driven demand. The investment in Big River Steel is also expected to be accretive to Xs earnings and will generate significant synergies. Cost-saving initiatives and efforts to improve operation efficiency are also driving its results. Driven by these factors, its shares have popped roughly 35% year to date. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings for United States Steel for 2022 has been revised 60.3% upward over the last 60 days. X has also surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average being 24.5%. Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2022 In addition to the investment ideas discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 top picks for the entirety of 2022? From inception in 2012 through November, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks gained an impressive +962.5% versus the S&P 500s +329.4%. Now our Director of Research is combing through 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank to handpick the best 10 tickers to buy and hold. Dont miss your chance to get in on these stocks when theyre released on January 3. 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 United States Steel Corporation (X): Free Stock Analysis Report Commercial Metals Company (CMC): Free Stock Analysis Report EVRAZ (EVRZF): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved In the latest trading session, Crown Castle (CCI) closed at $198.58, marking a -1.76% move from the previous day. This change lagged the S&P 500's 1.78% gain on the day. At the same time, the Dow added 1.61%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.95%. Prior to today's trading, shares of the operator of wireless communications towers had gained 11.09% over the past month. This has outpaced the Finance sector's loss of 3.34% and the S&P 500's loss of 2.63% in that time. Crown Castle will be looking to display strength as it nears its next earnings release. The company is expected to report EPS of $1.72, down 26.18% from the prior-year quarter. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $1.62 billion, up 8.73% from the year-ago period. CCI's full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of $6.89 per share and revenue of $6.31 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of +1.62% and +7.99%, respectively. Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Crown Castle. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the company's business outlook. Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. 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. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection remained stagnant. Crown Castle currently has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). In terms of valuation, Crown Castle is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 29.34. This valuation marks a premium compared to its industry's average Forward P/E of 17.9. It is also worth noting that CCI currently has a PEG ratio of 2.93. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. The REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry currently had an average PEG ratio of 2.9 as of yesterday's close. The REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry is part of the Finance sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 113, putting it in the top 45% 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. You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com. 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 7 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 Crown Castle International Corporation (CCI): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) The pipeline is built and being filled with natural gas. But Russias Nord Stream 2 faces a rocky road before any gas flows to Germany, with its new leaders adopting a more skeptical tone toward the project and tensions ratcheting up over Russias troop buildup at the Ukrainian border. The pipeline opposed by Ukraine, Poland and the U.S. awaits approval from Germany and the European Union to bypass other countries and start bringing natural gas directly to Europe. The continent is struggling with a shortage that has sent prices surging, fueling inflation and raising fears about what would come next if gas supplies become critically low. The U.S. has stressed targeting Nord Stream 2 as a way to counter any new Russian military move against Ukraine, and the project already faces legal and bureaucratic hurdles. As European and U.S. leaders confer on how to deal with Russia's pressure on Ukraine, persistent political objections particularly from EU members like Poland add another challenge to one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's key projects. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed the pipeline, and the country's new leader, Olaf Scholz, did so as her finance minister. But his new government took a more distanced tone after the Greens party joined the governing coalition. The Greens' campaign position was that the fossil fuel pipeline doesn't help fight global warming and undermines strategic EU interests. New German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock have said the project doesnt meet EU anti-monopoly regulations. Nord Stream 2 was a geopolitical mistake, Habeck recently told the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. The question is open if it will be able to start operating, adding that further aggression meant nothing is off the table. Officials have not said what sanctions or other tools might be used on top of existing U.S. sanctions against ships connected to the project. As chancellor, Scholz has been cautious in his comments, and its not clear if hes willing to go as far as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has said it's very unlikely that gas will flow if Russia renewed its aggression" toward Ukraine. Pressed on whether an invasion would halt the pipeline, deputy German government spokesman Wolfgang Buechner said Nord Stream 2 is an undertaking of a private business that is largely completed and that regulatory approval has no political dimension. He stressed that military aggression would have high costs and sanctions," without saying what those might be. Scholz "never makes things completely clear, said Stefan Meister, an expert on Russian energy policy at the German Council on Foreign Relations. So I am not sure under which conditions he would really agree to stop the pipeline." Still, Meister said, there was a new tone, a new rhetoric from the new German government. The pipeline would double the volume of gas pumped by Russian-controlled gas giant Gazprom directly to Germany, adding to a similar pipeline under the Baltic Sea and circumventing existing links through Poland and Ukraine. Gazprom argues it would allow more reliable long-term supply and help save billions in transit fees paid to Poland and Ukraine. Gazprom says the pipeline is part of its role as a long-term supplier of affordable energy to Europe, which is heavily dependent on natural gas imports. Pipeline critics say it increases Russias leverage over Europe, pits member states against each other and deprives Ukraine of key financial support. Europe also went into winter with scant gas reserves that have sent prices soaring to eight times what they were at the start of the year, with Putin using the crunch to underline his push for final approval of the project. Gazprom didn't sell gas above its long-term contracts this summer, further increasing unease about Russian motives. Analysts say existing pipelines have enough capacity for Gazprom to have sent more, but it filled domestic reserves first. For now, the approval process for the pipeline is on hold. German regulators say they can only approve a company formed there, so the Swiss-based Nord Stream 2, owned by a Gazprom subsidiary, is creating a German arm. A decision wont come in the first half of 2022. The European Union's executive commission then must review the project. Analysts say those decisions are legal, bureaucratic ones not subject to politics. Critics say Nord Stream 2 doesn't meet an EU requirement to separate the gas supplier from the pipeline operator to prevent a monopoly that could hurt competition and mean higher prices for consumers. Nord Stream said it undertakes all necessary efforts to ensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations" and has permits by the four EU countries it passes through. Even if the pipeline clears regulators, it's not necessarily in the clear because of Polands opposition. EU members can sue in the European Court of Justice if they disagree with regulators, said Alan Riley, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and a lawyer specializing in European antitrust and energy issues. EU anti-monopoly rules could bring years of litigation, even a ruling temporarily halting pipeline operations until the case is decided. This could go on for some time, Riley said. Final approval is not a slam-dunk by any means. Konstantin Kosachev, a deputy speaker of the upper house of Russian parliament, deplored the artificial obstacles against quickly launching Nord Stream 2. While some argue that Europe has grown more dependent on Russian gas, the country has met all its obligations, he said. The opponents of gas projects by Russia and the EU nations fear not that Russian supplies would fail, but just the opposite, that all problems would be solved, leaving no opportunity to accuse Moscow of harboring ill intentions or using energy as a weapon, Kosachev said. Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz accused Russia's Gazprom in an EU complaint of abusing its dominant position on the European gas market. The company alleged in a statement Wednesday that Gazprom aimed to create an artificial deficit of gas" to pressure Europe into approving Nord Stream 2. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Germany has treated the pipeline as a purely commercial project and voiced hope that the certification process would steer clear of politics. We just need to be patient, Peskov said in televised remarks, adding that the pipelines operator stands ready to meet German regulators demands. We hope that the project will be certified once the regulator completes its work. Even if it never starts, Nord Stream 2 has been worth it for the Kremlin's geopolitical goals because it has sowed division among EU members and between Germany, the EU and the U.S., said Meister of the German Council on Foreign Relations. Without being online, the pipeline has already repaid the Kremlin, he said. Politics and security always trump the economy in Russia. ___ Associated Press journalist Yuras Karmanau contributed from Kyiv, Ukraine. WASHINGTON - While the country grapples with the latest coronavirus explosion due to the fast-spreading omicron variant, Anthony Fauci on Tuesday reassured those Americans who are vaccinated and boosted that they would have considerable protection from serious illness. But the nation's top infectious-disease expert joined other public health officials nationwide in reiterating to the millions who remain unvaccinated that they are "very vulnerable" to infection from the country's new dominant variant. Fauci went one step further in predicting that omicron, which is even faster-spreading than the delta variant that sent infections spiking earlier in the year, "is going to find" those who are unvaccinated. "That's why I worry about the people who refuse to get vaccinated. When you're dealing with any SARS-CoV-2 or covid-19 virus, it's a problem," he said to MSNBC's Alicia Menendez. "When you're dealing with one that spreads so rapidly and you are unvaccinated, the virus is going to find you." His comments come as many Americans are flooding pharmacies and test centers for shots and at-home test kits ahead of the Christmas holiday. Similar warnings have been issued by President Biden and health experts in states such as Alabama and Arizona who fear what the latest surge in cases could mean for the unvaccinated. "If you are not vaccinated, you are out of luck," Jeanne Marrazzo, director of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told AL.com. Biden insisted Tuesday that the United States would not lock down or close schools, and he announced plans to distribute a half-billion free at-home tests. But he also told unvaccinated Americans that they have a "patriotic duty" to get vaccinated. "You have an obligation to yourselves, to your family and frankly, I know I'll get criticized for this, to your country," he said in the White House State Dining Room. "Get vaccinated now. It's free, it's convenient. I promise you, it saves lives." Although early reports suggest that many people infected by omicron experience only mild symptoms - and that those who are boosted appear to be protected against severe illness - the White House is bracing for a new surge of hospital patients in the coming weeks. That surge is likely to be driven by unvaccinated Americans, as well as those with limited immune protection. More than 189,000 new covid infections were reported Tuesday in the United States, bringing the country's seven-day average to 155,467, according to data tracked by The Washington Post. The country's cases have increased by about 27 percent in the last seven days; states such as New York, Illinois and Ohio are reporting the most new daily infections. While more than 69,000 people are currently hospitalized, the rate of hospitalizations remains about the same compared to last week, data showed as of early Wednesday. Deaths, however, are increasing, as about 1,330 people are now dying each day of the virus. In Texas, Harris County Public Health reported this week that an unvaccinated Houston-area man in his 50s may be the first U.S. fatality publicly attributed to omicron. Sixty-two percent of the country is fully vaccinated. Twenty-seven states have a vaccination rate that trails the national figure. Less than a third of the fully vaccinated population has received an additional vaccine dose. In Alabama, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country at 47%, the omicron onslaught is raising concern after the state's health-care system was pushed to the brink during the delta-driven surge in September. Marrazzo emphasized to local media that monoclonal antibody treatments that showed success in limiting hospitalizations months ago are not effective this time around against omicron. "The best thing you can do is make sure you are as boosted as possible," Marrazzo told AL.com. "I think if we can get enough people to embrace the tools we have, we can as a society hopefully avoid anything looking like a total lockdown." In Arizona, which has a vaccination rate of 57%, health experts are warning of a potential increase in cases and hospitalizations, even as both remain lower than they were last week. Will Humble, executive director of the nonprofit Arizona Public Health Association, told KTVK that he feared hospitals would be overrun from the omicron surge next month. "January of 2022, I think, is going to be the worst of the entire pandemic," Humble said. When asked about omicron, Humble added: "I liken it to those 'outbreak' movies that you see, where everyone is walking around in ignorant bliss for a period of time, before it really hits. I think that's where we are right now." But even as omicron spreads across the United States, some Republicans and conservative pundits have pushed back on the repeated warnings from Biden, Fauci and other public health experts. Florida's state-sponsored commercials promoting vaccination have been pulled from the air and replaced with new ads that make no mention of vaccines, according to WPLG. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., accused the president Tuesday of vilifying unvaccinated Americans. "To me, it is immoral, it's disgusting, and it is absolutely sickening to me that the president of the United States would try to vilify people who are trying merely to exercise a health-care choice," Biggs told Fox News. When Ben Carson was asked on Fox about whether testing should not apply to those not showing any coronavirus symptoms, the former housing secretary during the Trump administration said officials should consider altering current recommendations for who gets tested. "I personally think we should seriously give thought to not testing people who are asymptomatic," said Carson, a former neurosurgeon. "We're going to end up with a real problem. We're going to have massive numbers of people who test positive. What are we going to do? Are we going to shut everything down? It doesn't make any sense." On MSNBC, Fauci said he foresees an abundance of "breakthrough infections" among the vaccinated population. He then directed attention back toward the unvaccinated population, which may suffer only "minimal symptomatology" and brush off the seriousness of omicron. "But there are a lot of people that are going to get seriously ill if you are unvaccinated," he said, "and that's the reason, why despite the recalcitrance on the part of so many people to get vaccinated, we continue to encourage them, particularly in the context of this new variant, to please get vaccinated." With the omicron variant spreading rapidly, the United States is all but certain to see a sharp rise in breakthrough coronavirus infections among vaccinated people. These cases were relatively rare in the pre-omicron days, but the new variant has shown an ability to slip past the body's first line of immune defenses. That means many Americans who have gotten the shots will at some point test positive. Coronavirus vaccines act like a shield against disease, not an impenetrable barrier, and they offer protection against the omicron variant. Health authorities say booster shots of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are the best defense against serious illness, providing robust protection against severe disease. Your likelihood of developing a breakthrough infection is lowest if you have gotten the additional shot. The initial two-shot vaccine regimen still offers protection, but it's not as effective against the omicron variant without boosters. If you do get a breakthrough infection, here's some advice on how to navigate it. - What should I do if I test positive for the coronavirus? While some breakthrough cases are asymptomatic, experts say most tend to bring mild to moderate symptoms. A cough, a sore throat, muscle aches and a low fever are common, but keep in mind that breakthrough symptoms do not always resemble the version of covid-19 seen in unvaccinated people. Some patients report headaches, nasal congestion and sneezing - signs of illness more typically associated with colds or allergies. When you are feeling sick, or when you think you have been exposed to the coronavirus, the most important thing you can do from the get-go is to get tested. Laboratory-based polymerase chain reaction tests, or PCR tests, are most accurate, but at-home tests do a good job detecting symptomatic cases, too. "Even if you think it's just allergies, it would be best for you to go ahead and get a covid test and make sure you don't have it before you go to work or school or church, because those symptoms can be very mild," said S. Wesley Long, medical director of diagnostic microbiology at Houston Methodist hospital. A positive test, whether done at home, in a doctor's office or at a testing center, should be taken seriously, said Rob Murphy, an infectious-disease expert at Northwestern University. Whether you have symptoms or not, you should first contact your health-care provider to determine the next steps. If you tested positive with a rapid test at home, a doctor may order a lab-based test for confirmation. Depending on your medical history, the doctor may recommend at-home care or clinical treatment. You should also contact family members, friends, colleagues and anyone else you've had close contact with and tell them you have the coronavirus. From there, follow the isolation recommendations from health officials (more on that below). - How long should I isolate or quarantine with a breakthrough infection? If you do not have any symptoms but have tested positive for the coronavirus, you should isolate from others for 10 full days, beginning the day after you took the test. If you develop symptoms during that time, you must start the clock over, according to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you are symptomatic, start the 10-day period after first developing symptoms, the CDC said. There is no doubt it can be tough for some people to isolate, particularly when there are multiple people under one roof. Murphy recommended using a separate bedroom and bathroom if possible and sanitizing high-touch surfaces if you have to share. He also advised wearing a mask and encouraging others in the house to do the same, staying at least six feet from other people and pets and, when weather permits, opening windows for ventilation. The CDC also recommends avoiding sharing personal items such as dishes, utensils and towels. While isolation is for people who have been infected, quarantine is for those who have been only exposed and possibly infected. People who have come into close contact with an infected person may need to quarantine. The CDC defines close contact as being within six feet for 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. Those who have not been fully vaccinated should quarantine for a full 14 days after their last exposure to the person with the coronavirus, according to the CDC. Those who are fully vaccinated do not need to quarantine unless they develop symptoms, but they should get tested five to seven days after exposure and wear a mask indoors in public places for two weeks after exposure or until receiving a negative test result, the CDC said. - If others in my household are sick, too, can we be together? Yes, assuming everyone in the household has contracted the virus, there is no longer a need to separate from them, experts said. - How can I treat breakthrough covid-19 at home? What supplies should I have on hand? Many people with breakthrough infections may not need any special care. There is a good chance your symptoms will clear in a few days. But if you are uncomfortable, some at-home and over-the-counter remedies might help take the edge off. Sterling N. Ransone, a family physician in Deltaville, Va., and president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, recommends getting a thermometer and a pulse oximeter, the fingertip device that measures oxygen in your blood. These can help you send valuable information to your doctor if your symptoms worsen. "If they can get me those kinds of numbers, I can give them much better advice on what we can do," Ransone said. Acetaminophen can help relieve aches and pains, and cold medications with expectorant can loosen up chest congestion. But it is important to note that these will alleviate symptoms only temporarily - they will not get rid of the virus faster. Consult with your doctor before taking them, follow the dosage recommendations on the label, and make sure they do not interfere with any other medications you might be taking. Electrolyte fluids such as Gatorade and Pedialyte can ease symptoms and prevent you from becoming dehydrated. It is good to have a few of these in your fridge. It is also worth keeping extra masks handy. N95s, KN95s and surgical masks are now easy to order online. Putting together a kit with these items can save you a trip to the store if you do end up getting sick. "We have everything ready, so if we were to start feeling ill we could go home and we've already preplanned," Ransone said. "We don't risk exposing our friends and neighbors." - How long will I be contagious? You are considered contagious during the entire 10-day isolation period. Although it's unlikely, if symptoms such as a cough or fever persist past that point you may still be contagious, said Murphy, executive director of Northwestern's Robert J. Havey MD Institute for Global Health. "With these breakthroughs, the whole clinical course is so mild that many of them pretty much recover in a day or two and they're just waiting to get out of isolation," he said. Murphy said it may take a while for a loss of taste and smell to return, but that does not mean you can still spread the virus. - Do I need to test negative before rejoining the community? No. Once you hit the 10-day mark, you should be fine to commingle again, as long as your symptoms are improving and you have gone 24 hours without a fever without using fever-reducing medication. You may still test positive after this point, but health officials say you are not contagious. - Should I ask my doctor about coronavirus therapies? Yes. If you are vaccinated, you are probably going to bounce back from a case of covid-19 without medical intervention. But it can't hurt to ask, especially if you have any conditions that put you at higher risk for severe illness. That said, our armory of tools for combating covid-19 is changing. The omicron variant has hobbled the use of monoclonal antibodies, laboratory-made molecules that excelled against the other variants. Only one monoclonal antibody treatment, sotrovimab, is expected to work against the omicron variant, and it's not easy to get. Other new treatments will become available soon. Federal regulators Wednesday authorized an antiviral drug from Pfizer that appears to reduce the risk of severe illness in high-risk patients when it is administered in the first few days of symptoms. Merck has developed a similar drug that has not yet been authorized. Overall, experts emphasize that vaccines and booster shots are still the best defense. "If you're counting on monoclonals instead of getting vaccinated," said Long, of Houston Methodist, "it's time to get vaccinated so your body can go and make its own, more effective antibodies." - What should I do if my symptoms become more serious? If your symptoms get noticeably worse after a few days, call your doctor. You may need clinical treatment. Trouble breathing is an immediate cause for concern, said Ransone, the family physician. "If they cough so much they can't catch their breath, or they're so short-winded they can't get a whole sentence out, that's something that needs to be evaluated in person," he said. Other signs of an infection becoming more severe include a temperature moving above 102 degrees, confusion and blue coloration in the face. If you feel seriously ill and you can't reach your doctor quickly, head to the nearest emergency room, experts said. Ask a friend or family member to drive you if possible, but note that everyone in the vehicle should be wearing a mask. If nobody is available, don't take public transportation, which could expose more people - just call 911. "If you need medical care, you shouldn't delay, said Amesh Adalja of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. "Call an ambulance." Click here to read the full article. The music shortlists for Oscar consideration, announced Tuesday by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, might just be the most star-studded lineup in history. Nearly all of the 15 songs on the list for potential nomination have been written or recorded by pop superstars, and the approximately 375 members of Oscars music branch are going to have a difficult time paring the list down to five best-song nominees. The most interesting matchup involves spouses Jay-Z (cited for his song Guns Go Bang from The Harder They Fall, Jay-Z also serving as the films producer) and Beyonce (for her Be Alive from King Richard). Three songs on the shortlist are by past Oscar winners: H.E.R., last years surprise victor for Fight for You, has Automatic Woman from Bruised in contention; La La Land songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are co-writers of The Anonymous Ones from Dear Evan Hansen; and Jennifer Hudson is one of the writers on Here I Am (Singing My Way Home) from the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect. Hudson could potentially be in the running for Best Actress come nominations morning. James Bond theme No Time to Die already a Grammy winner for writers Billie Eilish and Finneas is a likely lock for a nomination. Songs from animated movies are always serious contenders, and this year they include Lin-Manuel Mirandas Dos Oruguitas from Encanto and U2s Your Song Saved My Life from Sing 2. Should Miranda go all the way, he would complete his EGOT with the win here. Sparks has So May We Start? from Annette, Ariana Grande Just Look Up from Dont Look Up, and Idina Menzel Dream Girl from Cinderella. Music royalty from earlier generations who could snag nominations include Van Morrison for Down to Joy from Belfast, Brian Wilson for Right Where I Belong from the documentary Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road and Carole King, co-writer with Hudson on the song from Respect. Twelve-time nominee (thus far without a win) Diane Warren is back in the mix with Somehow You Do from the obscure drama Four Good Days, and the well-liked CODA is also on the list with Beyond the Shore, by veteran pop producer Marius De Vries. Most of the 15 original scores on Oscars 2021 shortlist were predictable, including two by Radioheads Jonny Greenwood The Power of the Dog and Spencer and two by movie-music veteran and past Oscar winner Hans Zimmer: the sci-fi Dune and the 007 epic No Time to Die. But this years list was also surprisingly diverse, including one woman and four persons of color: Mexican-American composer Germaine Franco was cited for her colorful Encanto score. Three African-American composers also made the list: Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe for Candyman, Jeymes Samuel for The Harder They Fall and Kris Bowers for King Richard. The only other past Oscar winner to gain a spot on the list is Alexandre Desplat, for The French Dispatch, although four previous Oscar nominees are also included: Daniel Pemberton for Being the Ricardos, Nicholas Britell for Dont Look Up, Alberto Iglesias for Parallel Mothers and Carter Burwell for The Tragedy of Macbeth. Two period pieces round out the list: The Last Duel by Harry Gregson-Williams and The Green Knight by Daniel Hart. Conspicuous by their absence: Nathan Johnsons score for Nightmare Alley, which may have been unveiled too late for most voters to see; and two songs by The National from Cyrano. Music-branch voters chose from 84 eligible songs and 136 eligible scores. Voting for the final five nominees in each category begins Jan. 27, and the nominations will be announced on Feb. 8. The 94th Academy Awards are on March 27. The alphabetical lists follow. The Academy announced only the film titles and song titles, not the specific composers or songwriters. Music (Original Score) Being the Ricardos Candyman Dont Look Up Dune Encanto The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun The Green Knight The Harder They Fall King Richard The Last Duel No Time to Die Parallel Mothers The Power of the Dog Spencer The Tragedy of Macbeth Music (Original Song) So May We Start? from Annette Down To Joy from Belfast Right Where I Belong from Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road Automatic Woman from Bruised Dream Girl from Cinderella Beyond The Shore from CODA The Anonymous Ones from Dear Evan Hansen Just Look Up from Dont Look Up Dos Oruguitas from Encanto Somehow You Do from Four Good Days Guns Go Bang from The Harder They Fall Be Alive from King Richard No Time To Die from No Time to Die Here I Am (Singing My Way Home) from Respect Your Song Saved My Life from Sing 2 Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The Capitol Police gained new powers when Biden on Wednesday signed into law a bill authorizing the police chief to unilaterally request emergency backup from the National Guard and federal law enforcement, an effort to streamline a process that resulted in delays during the Jan. 6 attack. When the bill cleared Congress last week, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said in a statement that Jan. 6 showed us that every minute counts during an emergency. Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police were quickly overwhelmed at the Capitol on Jan. 6 when a crowd filled with Trump supporters breached the building where lawmakers were certifying Bidens election victory, leading to five deaths and dozens of injured police officers. Our report found that Capitol Police officers and their law enforcement partners were left alone to defend the Capitol and our democracy itself from violent insurrectionists, while the Chief of the Capitol Police was delayed in obtaining approval to request help from the National Guard, Klobuchar said. This legislation will help ensure the Capitol Police Chief has the authority needed to call for reinforcements at the Capitol swiftly during emergencies. A bipartisan investigation into the failures of Jan. 6 concluded that the need to await Capitol Police Board approval during an emergency hindered the ability to request National Guard assistance quickly. On Jan. 6, the law required the Capitol Police chief get approval first from the Capitol Police Board, a group that oversees the force and consists of the House and Senate sergeants at arms, the architect of the Capitol, and the police chief. The new law removes that requirement and also mandates that the board appear publicly at joint oversight hearings, something that hasnt happened since 1945, according to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. This bipartisan bill addresses a major security challenge that was evident on January 6th, and is part of our ongoing effort to strengthen Capitol security moving forward, said Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.). HONG KONG (AP) A monument at a Hong Kong university that commemorates the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre was removed by workers early Thursday over the objections of its creator from Denmark. The 8-meter (26-foot) tall Pillar of Shame, which depicts 50 torn and twisted bodies piled on top of each other, was made by Danish sculptor Jens Galschit to symbolize the lives lost during the bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijings Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. Workers barricaded the monument at the University of Hong Kong late Wednesday night. Drilling sounds and loud clanging could be heard coming from the boarded-up site, which was patrolled by guards. The dismantling of the sculpture came days after pro-Beijing candidates scored a landslide victory in the Hong Kong legislative elections, after amendments in election laws allowed the vetting of all candidates to ensure that they are patriots loyal to Beijing. The removal also happened in the same week that Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam traveled to Beijing to report on developments in the semi-autonomous Chinese city, where authorities have silenced dissent following the implementation of a sweeping national security law that appeared to target much of the pro-democracy movement following mass protests in 2019. The Pillar of Shame monument became an issue in October, with the university demanding that it be removed, even as activists and rights groups protested. Galschit offered to take it back to Denmark provided he was given legal immunity that he won't be persecuted under Hong Kong's national security law, but has not succeeded so far. No party has ever obtained any approval from the university to display the statue on campus, and the university has the right to take appropriate actions to handle it at any time, the university said in a statement Thursday. Latest legal advice given to the university cautioned that the continued display of the statue would pose legal risks to the university based on the Crimes Ordinance enacted under the Hong Kong colonial government." The university said that it had requested for the statue to be put in storage and would continue to seek legal advice on follow-up actions. In October, the university informed the now-defunct candlelight vigil organizer, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, that it had to remove the statue following the latest risk assessment and legal advice. The organization had said that it was dissolving, citing a climate of oppression, and that it did not own the sculpture. The university was told to speak to its creator instead. When reached by The Associated Press, sculptor Galschit said he was only aware of what was happening to the sculpture Wednesday from social media and other reports. We dont know exactly what happened, but I fear they destroy it, he said. This is my sculpture, and it is my property. Galschit said that he would sue the university if necessary to protect the sculpture. He had previously written to the university to assert his ownership of the monument, although his requests had gone largely ignored. Over 100 pro-democracy activists have been arrested since Beijing implemented the national security law in Hong Kong. It outlaws secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign collusion to intervene in the citys affairs. Critics say it rolled back freedoms promised to Hong Kong when it was handed over to China by Britain in 1997. The Pillar of Shame monument has been erected for over two decades, and initially stood at Hong Kongs Victoria Park before eventually being moved to the University of Hong Kong on a long-term basis. Each year on June 4, members of the now-defunct student union would wash the statue to commemorate the Tiananmen massacre. The city, together with Macao, were previously the only places on Chinese soil where commemoration of the Tiananmen crackdown was allowed. Over the past two years, the annual candlelight vigil in Hong Kong had been banned by authorities, who cited public risks from the coronavirus pandemic. Some 24 activists were charged for their roles in the Tiananmen vigil last year, during which activists turned up and thousands followed, breaking past barricades in the park to sing songs and light candles despite the police ban on the event. As the Omicron variant continues to turn up in wastewater treatment plants around the city, a growing number of prominent Houston restaurants and bars are temporarily ceasing service out of caution or in response to positive tests among staff for the virus. Popular Heights gastropub Better Luck Tomorrow announced Monday it would be closing indefinitely in response to breakthrough COVID cases detected in its staff. "Despite widespread vaccinations among our staff, COVID has broken through," the restaurant shared in an Instagram post. "We are closed as of today while we take steps to further the health of our staff and guests. We look forward to seeing you all again as soon as possible." The closing follows a rash of similar cessations announced across Houston in the past week. On Sunday, Chris Shepherd's Underbelly Hospitality group announced a temporary halt of service at all Houston concepts, including popular spots Georgia James, the Hay Merchant and One/Fifth. The restaurant group cited Omicron for the stoppage, which began on Sunday and went through Tuesday night. "Thanks to Omicron, all Underbelly Hospitality concepts will be closed Sunday, December 19 through Tuesday, December 21," the group stated. "We're so sorry for the inconvenience, but we're taking every precaution to keep our staff and guests healthy. Please stay safe, and we'll see you soon!" Midtown cocktail bar Double Trouble is slated to reopen Wednesday at noon after closing for the weekend to allow staff time to be tested for the virus. The bar noted the decision to close was a precautionary measure. Other notable closures from the past week include Heights small plates spot Squable and EaDo's Tiny Champions. Squable on Friday announced breakthrough cases among vaccinated staff as its reason for suspending service. The restaurant remains closed as of this writing. As first reported by the Houston Chronicle's Alison Cook, Tiny Champions on Friday sent a text to patrons informing them all reservations would be canceled for the weekend. The restaurant noted on Instagram that Omicron was the reason for the closure and offered a limited interim takeout menu in lieu of in-person dining. Tiny Champions resumed dine-in service Tuesday. New American spot Nobie's in Upper Kirby on Monday also informed patrons it would be closing due to COVID-19. The restaurant plans to reopen Tuesday, December 28 following the holiday weekend. On Monday Judge Lina Hidalgo raised Harris County's official COVID-19 threat status to "Level 2: Orange" and advised residents to remain vigilant after the county recorded its first reported death linked to the Omicron variant. "I know for folks in Harris County this feels like whiplash," Hidalgo said. "I feel the impulse to tune out the latest news and just be sick and tired of all this. But as we've been expecting, the Omicron variant of of COVID-19 has arrived in full force." Steve Prezant/Getty Images A Texas woman who was arrested in late November for allegedly brandishing a firearm in the parking lot of an H-E-B has just been met with a lawsuit delivered by witness Diane Reyes, according to KRIS TV in Corpus Christi. Reyes' report states that on Wednesday, November 24, she drove to the Annaville Corpus Christi grocery store to buy food for Thanksgiving dinner with two friends and her 6-month old daughter in tow. Upon arrival, Rossie Dennis, 60, allegedly pointed a gun at the car and threatened to shoot Reyes over a parking space. Sunday, Dec. 26 On this date in 1864, the Supreme Court of the Territory of Arizona held its first session in Prescott. On this date in 1874, the citizens of Arizona, California and New Mexico petitioned the Postmaster General for daily mail service from San Diego to Mesilla, New Mexico. On this date in 1929, the Southern Arizona Automobile Company at Douglas was destroyed by fire. The loss was estimated at $200,000. Monday, Dec. 27 On this date in 1919, the city of Phoenix attempted an experiment with a municipally operated store selling government blankets, underwear, beans and corned beef in an effort to combat the high cost of living. Tuesday, Dec. 28 On this date in 1866, the Rev. Charles M. Blake held the first Presbyterian Church service in Arizona in a log cabin in Prescott. On this date in 1881, Marshall Virgil Earp of Tombstone was shot in the back and crippled for life. On this date in 1903, a fire started in the furnace room of the Arizona State Capitol. Because of the distance of the building from the nearest fire hydrant, nearly an hour elapsed before firefighters were able to turn their hoses on the blaze. The only loss was two and a half cords of cedar firewood. On this date in 1929, it was announced that military airplanes would be used to make serial photographs of the ancient irrigation canals of the Gila and Salt River Valleys before all traces of them were destroyed by modern farming and irrigation. Wednesday, Dec. 29 On this date in 1863, Gov. Richard C. McCormick, the first Territorial Governor, and a party of newly appointed officials reached Navajo Springs where McCormick administered the oath of office to his party, read his proclamation and raised the flag. On this date in 1919, fire broke out in the 96th Aero Squadron camp at Douglas and 250 aerial bombs exploded, causing $100,000 damage. On this date in 1931, the University of Arizona College of Law was elected to membership in the Association of American Law Schools. Thursday, Dec. 30 On this date in 1853, under the terms of the Gadsden Purchase, the U.S. agreed to pay Mexico $10 million for 45,535 square miles of land below the Gila from the Rio Grande to the Colorado River. On this date in 1911, the Federal Court sat for the last time in Tombstone. After adjourning there the court was scheduled to reopen in Phoenix under a new judge to be appointed by President William Howard Taft. On this date in 1916, as a result of a very close, contested election, Thomas E. Campbell, Republican, and George W.P. Hunt, Democrat, both took oaths of office as Governor of Arizona after which Hunt refused to vacate the Governors office and Campbell opened a temporary office in his home. On this date in 1929, the annual meeting of the Arizona Pioneers Historical Society was held in the Societys new quarters in the University of Arizona stadium building. Friday, Dec. 31 On this date in 1908, Dr. James Douglas was named president of the Phelps Dodge Corp. On this date in 1914, 300 Arizona saloons reported a rush of business as they prepared to close at midnight in compliance with the new prohibition amendment. On this date in 1934, the second earthquake in two days shook Arizona with damage reported from Phoenix to Nogales. Saturday, Jan. 1 On this date in 1875, four convicted murderers escaped from a jail in Tucson. On this date in 1877, the 9th Territorial Legislature, the last one to meet in Tucson, convened. On this date in 1915, giving women the right to vote becomes law in Arizona. On this date in 1921, a damage suit was brought against the Arizona Eastern Railroad alleging negligence. According to the complaint, 34 ostriches died or were killed in transit. On this date in 1927, the first seven in a series of 50 earthquake shocks occurred. The shocks lasted three days and caused extensive damage in areas of Arizona, California and Mexico. CHICAGO (AP) A Chicago firefighter has died days after he was badly burned helping battle an apartment building fire that killed one person and injured two others. After MaShawn Plummer, 30, died Tuesday at the Loyola University Medical Center, his body was moved to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office in a procession that included fire trucks, ambulances and police vehicles. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. (AP) Chuck Hunt, the husband of the first woman to serve as governor of Massachusetts, has died. Hunt died Tuesday in hospice care in his Williamstown home of end-stage kidney disease and surrounded by his family, former acting Gov. Jane Swift said in an email. He was 67. A private man who farmed and worked in construction, Charles T. Hunt III was thrust into the public eye in 2001 when Swift, a Republican who had been elected lieutenant governor, was named acting governor when Gov. Paul Cellucci was appointed U.S. ambassador to Canada. Hunt became a full-time father to the couple's three daughters during his wife's political career. He was the states best-known stay-at-home father during those years, a role he relished," the email from Swift said. "He dedicated himself and his time wholeheartedly to raising his daughters. He was a full-time dad, and he was great at it. He handled the criticism, lack of respect for stay-at-home fathers and mean-spirited press with dignity and grace during that period of his life." A standout athlete in high school, he worked as a high school athletic director, football and baseball coach for a time, operated heavy equipment, and worked at his family dairy farm and several other area dairy farms. Farming was his passion, and he was clearly at peace on his tractor," according to the email from Swift. In fact, it was through a shared commitment to saving the state's dairy industry that Hunt and Swift met, marrying in 1994. Swift asked Wednesday on social media for donations in her husband's name to Wonderfund, a nonprofit that supports children involved with state child welfare officials. Hunt cared (quietly) and deeply about children whose childhoods were marked by abuse & neglect," she wrote. Calling hours are scheduled for Sunday at the Flynn & Dagnoli Funeral Home in North Adams. A funeral Mass is scheduled for Monday morning at Sts. Patrick and Raphael Church in Williamstown. OLD LYME Revisiting America: The Prints of Currier & Ives exhibit can be seen through Jan. 23 at the Florence Griswold Museum, at 96 Lyme St. Currier & Ives, a prolific printmaking firm based in New York City in the 19th century, was founded by Nathaniel Currier in 1834, and expanded by partner James Merritt Ives in 1856, according to a museum announcement. The firm, dubbed the Grand Central Depot for Cheap and Popular Prints, produced millions of affordable copies of more than 7,000 lithographs, the press release said. Revisiting America displays lithographs from the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, which has a collection of nearly 600 Currier & Ives prints donated by Conagra Brands. Currier & Ives the announcement said. Revisiting America provides an opportunity for viewers to contemplate the complexities and contradictions of Americas past, the news release said. For many people, what could be more iconic representations of America than the prints of Currier & Ives? For others, they are reminders of harmful stereotypes of the poor and Indigenous and enslaved peoples. Museum curator Amy Kurtz Lansing has expanded upon the exhibitions original scholarship with a section discussing artist Frances Flora Bond Palmer, examples of how Currier & Ives images were rediscovered and used in the 20th century, an explanation of lithography, and additions pertaining to the Griswold family. Such prints were reproduced on Christmas cards, collectibles, stamps, everyday dishes, and glassware, the announcement said. Examples of these items are on display. Connecticut artist George Henry Durrie, whose snowy views of country homes appeared in nearly a dozen Currier & Ives lithographs, are the among the most commonly reproduced as evocations of Thanksgiving and Christmas, the announcement said. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (until 4 p.m. in January). The museum is closed on Christmas and New Years. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $8 for students, free to those 12 and under. For information and a virtual tour of the exhibit, go to FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org or call 860-434-5542. FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) A former jailer in Webster County is facing charges accusing her of helping an inmate escape. The Fort Dodge Messenger reports that 30-year-old Michelle Renee Valenti of Fort Dodge faces several felony charges in connection with the Dec. 11 incident in which an inmate, 43-year-old Jordan Mefferd of Fort Dodge, was able to break out of the jail. Mefferd was taken back into custody hours later, and now faces a felony escape charge. The jury deliberating at Kim Potter's manslaughter trial in the shooting death of Daunte Wright asked a judge whether the officer's handgun could be freed from an evidence box so they could hold it. Their question Tuesday went to the heart of the former police officer's claim that she made a tragic mistake when she grabbed her gun, instead of her Taser, and shot Wright during a traffic stop April 11 in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center. Prosecutors had highlighted the differences in the look, feel and weight between Potter's gun and Taser, and had promised jurors they would be able to handle them during deliberations. Taser-gun mix-ups are rare but have happened in several states in recent years. Here are some questions and answers about such incidents: 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. The phenomena of weapons confusion is well known in policing, according to the prosecution's use-of-force expert, Seth Stoughton, a professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law. He testified that he knew of fewer than 20 cases since Tasers were introduced in 1993 in which officers used their firearms instead. He said the manufacturer has taken steps to try to prevent such errors and it's become an important part of the training officers get. 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, away from handguns holstered on their dominant hands side. Thats how Potter carried hers. Jurors at Potter's trial heard testimony from a state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agent about the differences between the two weapons and how officers use them, with photographs to illustrate. Sam McGinnis testified that the holsters on Potters duty belt require an officer to take deliberate actions to release the weapons. The gun holster has a snap, while the Taser holster has a lever. The black handgun weighs just over 2 pounds (0.9 kilograms), while the mostly yellow Taser weighs just under a pound (0.45 kilograms), he said. The Taser and gun also have different triggers, grips and safety mechanisms that must be engaged before firing, McGinnis testified. The Taser has a laser and LED lights that display before it is fired, which he demonstrated for the jury, while the handgun does not. WHAT DOES THE DEFENSE SAY? The defense brought in a use-of-force expert to testify that in chaotic situations like Wright's traffic stop, a persons 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. He 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. We are in a human business, defense attorney Paul Engh said. "Police officers are human beings. And thats what occurred. Bill Lewinski, an expert on police psychology and the founder of the Force Science Institute in Mankato, Minnesota, has used the term 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. Theres no science behind it, said Geoffrey Alpert, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina and an expert on police use of force. Its a good theory, but we have no idea if its accurate. Alpert said a major factor in why officers mistakenly draw their firearms is that stun guns typically look and feel like a firearm. WHAT ARE SOME OTHER CASES? In one of the best-known cases, a transit officer responding to a fight at a train station in Oakland, California, killed 22-year-old Oscar Grant in 2009. Johannes Mehserle testified at trial that, fearing Grant had a weapon, he reached for his stun gun but mistakenly pulled his .40-caliber handgun instead. Mehserle was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to two years in prison. His department paid $2.8 million to Grants daughter and her mother. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a white volunteer sheriffs deputy, Robert Bates, said he accidentally fired his handgun when he meant to deploy his stun gun on an unarmed Black man, Eric Harris, who was being held down by other officers in 2015. Bates apologized for killing Harris but described his deadly mistake as a common problem in law enforcement, saying This has happened a number of times around the country. ... You must believe me, it can happen to anyone. Bates was convicted of second-degree manslaughter and sentenced to four years in prison. Tulsa County ultimately agreed to pay $6 million to Harris estate to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit. In 2019, a suburban St. Louis police officer, Julia Crews, said she meant to use her stun gun but mistakenly grabbed her service revolver and shot a suspected shoplifter, Ashley Hall, who suffered serious injuries. Crews resigned and was charged with second-degree assault. That was eventually dropped at Halls request after the victim and the former officer agreed to participate in restorative justice mediation. Separately, the city of Ladue agreed to a $2 million settlement with Hall. ___ Find the APs full coverage of the Daunte Wright case: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-daunte-wright OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Oklahoma health officials announced Tuesday that theyve detected the states first confirmed case of the omicron COVID-19 variant. The Oklahoma State Department of Health didnt release any information about where the case originated or whether the person was vaccinated. The variants appearance in the state had been expected as it has been spreading throughout the United States. Early research is indicating that the mitigation methods weve been using to combat COVID-19 are still the best way to detect and prevent severe illness from the omicron variant," interim Commissioner of Health Keith Reed said in a statement. Getting your COVID-19 shot is the best way to protect yourself and others, even from new variants like this one." Oklahoma was one of the last states to confirm the presence of omicron. Federal health officials said Monday that omicron is now the dominant version of the coronavirus in the U.S., accounting for 73% of infections last week. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Oklahoma declined over the past two weeks, going from 1,245.43 new cases per day on Dec. 5 to 788.14 new cases per day on Dec. 19, but the number of daily deaths increased during the same time period, from 17.71 deaths per day to 28.33 per day, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. About 53% of Oklahomans are fully vaccinated, well below the national average of 61.6%, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. GREENWICH Sammy, a Belgian shepherd, paid a visit to local students recently as part of the Marshall Legacy Institutes annual CHAMPS presentation on the importance of her former work as a mine detection dog. Sammy, who retired from her work in the fall of 2019 as a mine detection dog, visited with the third-, fourth- and fifth-graders on the Stamford campus of North Mianus School on Nov. 17. North Mianus has been actively involved with CHAMPS, or Children Against Mines Program, for the past 11 years and has helped to sponsor three dogs Palmer, Emily and Hawk who are all currently in active service throughout the world. After six years of dedicated and lifesaving work sniffing out landmines in Sri Lanka, MDD Sammy is retired and serves as MLIs canine ambassador. Retired Col. Perry F. Baltimore III, a West Point graduate and one of the founders of the MLI, accompanied Sammy on her visit to the campus. He received a surprise visit there from Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo, who presented him with a proclamation honoring his partnership with Greenwich Public Schools and celebrating his pending retirement from the MLI. We thank Col. Baltimore for his partnership with North Mianus, Principal Angela Schmidt said. His years of dedication to our country and children worldwide has made this planet a safer place to live. The proclamation designated Nov. 17 as Col. Perry Baltimore and CHAMPS Day in town. Camillo praised Baltimore for his 27 years of service in the military and for his work with the MLI, in which he has helped children all over the world who have been exposed to the dangers of land mines. Also, Camillo honored Baltimore for personally supporting several Greenwich elementary schools and forming connections with teachers and administrators. He also noted the friendships that North Mianus School has formed with countries across the world that have experienced the dangers of landmines. The MLI was founded by Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan in 1997 to extend the legacy of Nobel Peace Laureate George C. Marshall by locating, securing and applying skills and resources to alleviate suffering, restore hope and create conditions that nurture stability in countries affected by conflict. In 1999, the MLI launched the Mine Detection Dog Partnership Program. Using government and private donations, dogs are purchased and trained for landmine removal organizations within a mine-affected country. There are currently more than 900 mine detection dogs working in 24 countries; MLI has donated more than 250 of those dogs. The highly trained explosive-sniffing dogs are sent to the neediest of countries, and local handlers are trained to safely and effectively employ the lifesaving dogs to locate the deadly devices so they can be removed. For more information on the Marshall Legacy Institute, a Virginia-based nonprofit, visit www.Marshall-Legacy.org. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) A group has submitted petitions asking Ohio lawmakers to pass a bill allowing adults to legally use and grow marijuana plants. The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol on Tuesday submitted more than 200,000 signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State. That office and county boards of election will verify if the group collected the nearly 133,000 valid signatures from 44 counties required to place the issue in front of lawmakers. INYO COUNTY, Calif. (AP) Altitude sickness and severe storm conditions likely caused a man to fall to his death while trying to climb Mount Whitney in the eastern Sierra Nevada, authorities said Tuesday. The Inyo County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that Eric Goepfert, 50, had planned a five-day, four-night trip in the backcountry. His wife called the sheriff's office when he didn't come home as planned Dec. 17. Two days later, searchers using an avalanche probe found Goepferts body under deep snow at the base of the Ebersbacher Ledges. Investigators said they believe Goepfert was experiencing headache and nausea, which are symptoms of acute mountain sickness. Two major storms also ripped through the eastern part of the Sierra mountain range and the snow, high winds, and single-digit temperatures likely caused him to fall 30 feet (9 meters), they said. Goepfert served in the U.S. Army and was an active Army reservist. Whitney lies on the boundary of Sequoia National Park and Inyo National Forest and is the most frequently climbed peak in the Sierra Nevada, according to the National Park Service. It rises to around 14,500 feet (4,420 meters) and is the tallest peak in the U.S. outside of Alaska. The mountain has claimed several lives over the years. In April, Saulo Sifuentes Escalante, 36, of Conroe, Texas fell to his death during a day hike to the peak. ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) Amid a surge in coronavirus hospitalizations in Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan announced $100 million in emergency funding Tuesday to ramp up hospital and nursing home staffing and make more testing, treatments and vaccines available. As I have been warning for the past few weeks, we are entering another pivotal moment in the fight against COVID-19, Hogan said. We will continue to constantly monitor this surge and take additional actions as needed. Hogan said he's also mobilizing the Maryland National Guard to provide support personnel to expand testing sites and hours. The emergency funding includes $50 million to stabilize hospital staffing and another $50 million to expand the availability of COVID-19 testing, treatment and vaccines at hospitals and nursing homes, Hogan said. The state also will provide $30 million for schools to purchase testing resources, he said. Hogan, who is working from home after testing positive for the coronavirus himself on Monday, made the announcement via video. He said he was only experiencing cold-like symptoms, something he attributes to getting vaccinated. He urged others to do the same. While 91% of adults in the state are vaccinated, staff will continue to work to reach those who still aren't, he said. Right now that remaining 9% is responsible for more than 75% of our COVID-19 hospitalizations, pushing our hospital systems and our health care heroes to the brink," he said. Were pleading with those people. Please do not wait until its too late or until you get too sick. Go out now and get vaccinated. Maryland reported 6,218 new cases on Tuesday, the highest number of cases reported on one day during the pandemic. The seven-day average testing positivity rate grew to 11.6%, a 1.4% change from a day earlier. The National Guard will provide support personnel to expand testing sites and hours. Annapolis and Prince Georges County testing sites will expand operations sites to six days a week, officials said. Testing at the State Center site in Baltimore will also expand, with at-home rapid test kits available on site. Meanwhile, hospitalizations grew to 1,392, an increase of more than 180% in the last month. Hogan said projections show that the hospitalizations could surpass 2,000 with a peak in mid-to-late January, which is typically the peak of flu season. The number of coronavirus deaths has not been updated since Maryland officials took state health department servers offline amid an apparent cyberattack earlier this month. The state reported 11,022 deaths on Dec. 4. Health officials began reporting case numbers and positivity rate data again Monday after a more than two week interruption. ATHENS, Greece (AP) Long before the pandemic and mobile apps, Greeks took pride in their delivery culture, the ease with which hot meals, repaired items, coffees and cold beers could appear in minutes by motorbike or carried on a hanging tray. This Christmas season, a life-saving service has been added to the list. Booster shots are being delivered by taxi as the country races to shore up its defenses before the widely expected impact of the omicron variant. Health services are distributing the shots also using municipal vans or with doctors simply sent out on foot to reach older people, and people with disabilities like Athens resident Eleni Louka. The 74-year-old, recovering from a lumbar fracture, got her booster Wednesday after health care workers arrived in a commissioned cab. I would get it at the (vaccination center) but I have terrible pains and I cant even sit in the car, Louka told The Associated Press from her home in the capitals northern Halandri district. I just do what the doctors tell me: I get my shots and I take my meds. Although only two-thirds of the population in Greece is fully vaccinated, booster-shot uptake has seen a surge in recent weeks with nearly 30% of the population now having received their third vaccine dose. The country is fighting a sharp increase in COVID 19-related deaths with more than 4,000 deaths since Nov. 1 out of a total 20,000 that has put pressure on the public health service. Starting in mid-January, country residents over age 60 will face a 100-euro ($112) monthly fine if they fail to get vaccinated or get their booster shot in time. People with disabilities can qualify for an exemption but doctor and health visitor Evgenia Papadima, who administered the shot to Louka on Wednesday, says they may be among the most vulnerable to illness. With omicron coming, weve got to get people vaccinated and for people who have to remain at home, weve got a solution for them, she said. Weve reached about 100 people with our (local) booster program, so were very pleased. ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) An Iowa man charged earlier for his participation in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was arraigned Tuesday on a new federal indictment that includes a felony count that could carry up to 20 years in prison. Leo Christopher Kelly, 36, of Cedar Rapids, who has been free on pretrial release, appeared via video for his arraignment. His attorney, Kira West, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. The most serious of the seven charges Kelly faces is obstruction of an official proceeding. Two other charges of entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct in a restricted building carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. The remaining charges are misdemeanors carrying up to six months in prison. A plea agreement apparently is no longer under consideration, according to the information that prosecutor Michael Gordon James provided Judge Royce Lamberth during the hearing. The parties have discussed a negotiated plea but that will not occur in this case so this matter should be set for trial, James said. Lamberth said he will set at trial date later. He scheduled a status update hearing for Feb. 25. Kelly was arrested in Iowa on Jan. 18 after participating in an internet interview with members of an anti-abortion organization. Kelly said he followed the Jan. 6 crowd into the U.S. Senate chamber, where he said he remained for 30 minutes to an hour. Kelly said he was caught up in the moment, but that he wasnt armed and didnt vandalize anything. He was released Jan. 19 by a federal magistrate who noted his extremely limited criminal history. Federal prosecutors issued a new indictment on Dec. 3. KINGSLAND, Ga. (AP) A judge in south Georgia has temporarily blocked backers of a proposed rocket launching complex from purchasing any land until a court hearing scheduled for early next year. Superior Court Judge Stephen Scarlett Sr. on Tuesday issued a temporary restraining order barring the purchase of 4,000 acres of land for Spaceport Camden until a Jan. 5 court hearing. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) More than a dozen New Mexico lawmakers are petitioning state utility regulators to study the potential costs and benefits of publicly owned electrical power for the state. The lawmakers in a petition released Tuesday said they believe public ownership of the electrical utilities that serve New Mexico likely would benefit customers, businesses and state, local and tribal governments as mandates aimed at curbing pollution and growing renewable energy development kick in over the next two decades. The lawmakers, most of whom are liberal Democrats, want to make their case before the Public Regulation Commission during a meeting next month. We no longer need to trade off the environment and the economy against each other as we have abundant natural resources in New Mexico," state Sen. Liz Stefanics said in a statement. "We must look at alternative ways to structure the provision of energy so that we can meet our goals as quickly and equitably as possible. The request comes after the Public Regulation Commission issued two major rejections involving the states largest electric provider in recent weeks. The five elected commissioners voted unanimously against Public Service Co. of New Mexico's proposed exit from the coal-fired Four Corners Power Plant and a proposed multibillion-dollar acquisition of the investor-owned utility by global energy giant Iberdrola. The commissioners had voiced concerns about whether the proposals were in the public interest, among other things. Stefanics and her colleagues argue that a formal study would help determine whether implementation of public power would be in the public interest, stabilize electricity rates, generate revenues and result in the deployment of more renewable energy. Supporters of the rejected PNM merger had argued that bringing in Iberdrola and U.S. subsidiary Avangrid would have made available more capital and boosted purchasing power that could help meet emissions benchmarks and renewable energy mandates. But the petitioning lawmakers say that under the current model, plant ownership and energy investments by investor-owned utilities require a return on equity that often creates an incentive not to invest in energy sources with fixed capital costs and no fuel costs. The petition points to two possible models that could be studied a state owned and operated electric power authority with municipal and tribal local control over generation or a community choice system where investor-owned utilities maintain transmission and distribution with the option for municipal and tribal control over generation. The lawmakers say it would be up to the New Mexico Legislature to make the ultimate decision about whether a public power retail electric service at just and reasonable rates is feasible. That process must begin with an understanding of what is possible, the petition states. According to the petition, more than 2,000 communities in 49 states and several U.S. territories have a public power utility and as a whole, public power utilities have lower rates than other types of electric utilities. The petition suggests that the study, if allowed by the commission, should also look at potential downsides such as whether public power adoption could expand the urban-rural divide or decrease market competition. FRANKFORT Michigan Shores Residential Cooperative implemented an energy plan to reduce its carbon footprint and save residents money. Michigan Shores Residential Cooperative reported in a news release that over the last four years areas of excess energy consumption were identified and corrected beginning with lighting. Michigan Shores is a 54-unit residential cooperative apartment complex in Frankfort that was created in 1991 for residents age 55 and older, helping them with independent living. Because lighting accounts for a large part of the community's electrical budget, this was the first area addressed, said Shirley Robert, cooperative manager, in a news release. With the assistance of our electrician, and with rebates from Consumer's (Electric), virtually all of the facility's fluorescent lights were replaced with comparable LED lamps. With a two year payback, the cost of this effort has already been recovered and any future savings of approximately 20% energy consumption flow directly to the cooperatives budget. Next on the agenda was DTE Energy, which supplies natural gas to the community. Robert said DTE installed timed thermostats in 54 Michigan Shores apartments, which allowed for automatic temperature reduction for times when residents were away from home or sleeping, She said that the residents also had low-flow shower and faucet heads made available. "Following these upgrades, DTE also provided a rebate to help offset the installation of high efficiency boilers to provide heat and hot water for all the residents. The rebate and savings were timely as the 30-year-old system had reached the end of its natural life," part of the release states. Robert said two electric vehicle charging stations were recently installed for Michigan Shores residents and guests. Previously, residents were unable to recharge vehicles onsite. The release states that Michigan Shores is one of the first commercial sites in the state to take part in the new Consumers Energy program. More information on Michigan Shores is available at michiganshores.coop. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) An advertising-technology billionaire has formally resigned his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and rebuked the faith over social issues and LGBTQ rights in an unusual public move. Jeff T. Green has pledged to donate 90% of his estimated $5 billion fortune, starting with a $600,000 donation to the LGBTQ-rights group Equality Utah, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Green said in a Monday resignation letter to church President Russell M. Nelson that he hasnt been active in the faith widely known as Mormon for more than a decade but wanted to make his departure official and remove his name from membership records. I believe the Mormon church has hindered global progress in womens rights, civil rights and racial equality, and LGBTQ+ rights, he wrote. Eleven family members and a friend formally resigned along with him. The church didn't immediately return a message from The Associated Press seeking comment Tuesday, but in recent years has shown a willingness to engage on LGBTQ rights that is unusual for a conservative faith. It maintains its doctrinal opposition to same-sex marriage and intimacy, but the faith didn't block a 2019 ban on so-called conversion therapy in Utah and in November high-ranking leader Dallin Oaks called for a recognition of both religious rights and LGBTQ rights. Still, the church has taken positions over the years that have been deeply painful for many in the LGBTQ community. Green, for his part, said most church members are good people trying to do right, but he also worries about the faiths transparency around its history and finances. Green, 44, now lives in Southern California. He is the CEO and chairman of The Trade Desk, an advertising-technology firm he founded in 2009. He also mentioned concerns about a $100 billion investment portfolio held by the faith. It was the subject of an Internal Revenue Service whistleblower complaint in 2019, from a former employee who charged the church had improperly built it up using member donations that are supposed to go to charitable causes. Leaders have defended how the church uses and invests member donations, saying most is used for operational and humanitarian needs, but a portion is safeguarded to build a reserve for the future. The faith annually spends about $1 billion on humanitarian and welfare aid, leaders have said. The church has also come under criticism for conservative social positions. Women do not hold the priesthood in the faith, and Black men could not until the 1970s. In recent years, though, the faith has worked with the NAACP and donated nearly $10 million for initiatives to help Black Americans. It has also worked with Equality Utah to pass a state LGBTQ nondiscrimination law, with religious exemptions. Another prominent onetime Latter-day Saint sued the faith this year, accusing it of fraud and seeking to recover millions of dollars in contributions. James Huntsman is a member of one of Utahs most well-known families and brother of a former governor. The suit was later tossed out. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Federal officials are sending a 23-person U.S. Navy team to Indianas largest hospital to help relieve staffers exhausted and overwhelmed by a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations. The U.S. Army North in San Antonio said Monday that medical personnel from the Navy team, including physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists, will travel to IU Health Methodist Hospital, just north of downtown Indianapolis, at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Indiana Department of Health told the Indianapolis Business Journal that the hospital would receive four doctors, 14 nurses, two registered technicians and three administrative staffers. The hospitals parent, Indiana University Health, had requested staffing assistance from FEMA. IU Health spokeswoman Lisa Tellus said the Navy team will work at the hospital for 30 days, starting this week, and be integrated into its medical units in areas of greatest need." The move comes as Indiana's hospitals have warned that they are running out of beds amid a surge in COVID hospitalizations that has left patient-care workers exhausted. Indiana's hospitalizations from COVID-19 had tripled in recent weeks to 3,029 on Dec. 15. By Monday, that total stood at 3,002. The pandemic high was 3,460 on Nov. 20, 2020. State health officials reported Monday that only 16% of intensive care unit beds were available statewide. Several hospital systems, including IU Health and Ascension St. Vincent, have enlisted the Indiana National Guard for help during the latest surge. On Sunday, three large hospital systems, including IU Health, placed a full-page ad in The Indianapolis Star pleading with Hoosiers to get vaccinated, boosted and tested, and to wear masks. The situation is dire, read the ad, which coincided with the news that Indiana health officials identified the first case of the omicron variant of COVID-19 in an unvaccinated Hoosier. We have more patients in our hospitals than we have beds. Were converting available units into critical care wards, just to make room," the ad said, also stating that health care workers are exhausted and running out of steam. Indiana has the nations ninth-lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate for a fully vaccinated population at 51.7%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) New Mexico's governor signed a nearly $500 milling spending bill Tuesday that draws on federal pandemic relief funds to expand high-speed internet access, bolster roads, upgrade state parks, expand nurse training programs and help teachers pay off their student debts amid a shortage of educators. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, approved all proposed spending in the bill and vetoed a requirement that local governments contribute to related affordable housing projects. The governor said that requirement was unreasonable given economic distress. A bill-signing ceremony in Belen marked a truce in a monthslong standoff between the governor and a handful of state senators over which branches of government can allocate $1.7 billion in federal pandemic aid. Lujan Grisham initially asserted sole authority over the aid approved in March by President Joe Biden and Congress. Legislators including Republican Sen. Greg Baca of Belen and unaffiliated Sen. Jacob Candelaria of Albuquerque challenged the governor at the Supreme Court and successfully defended the Legislature's oversight of the federal relief funds. Baca highlighted a provision of the bill that sets aside $50 million for the possible construction of an acute care hospital in Valencia County, which encompasses rapidly growing communities on the southern outskirts of Albuquerque. The bill signed on Tuesday provides $133 million for high-speed internet infrastructure. Spending can go towards alternatives to underground fiber-optic cable such as satellite networks. It assigned $142 million to road and highway infrastructure projects, $25 million to housing assistance, $20 million for upgrades to the state's network of state parks, $15 million to nurse training programs and $15 million toward advertising aimed at attracting tourists to the state. The state will spend another $10 million to pick up litter, $7 million on outdoor recreation programs and $5 million on food banks. The state already used $600 million in federal pandemic relief to replenish the states unemployment insurance trust fund, avoiding payroll tax increases on local businesses. Lujan Grisham previously authorized spending on sweepstakes prizes for people who got vaccinated and supplementary wages to agricultural workers that harvest and process the states renowned chile crop. Of the state's original $1.7 billion allocation in federal aid, legislators have wrapped more than a half-billion dollars into the state general fund to allow more time for spending decisions in the coming years. Leading legislators are highlighting the need for workforce training and education programs to expand and diversify a state economy that is closely tethered to oil production, tourism and federal military and research facilities. LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) Nigeria destroyed more than 1 million expired doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday after authorities said they could not be used before their expiration date. Faisal Shuaib, head of Nigerias National Primary Health Care Development Agency, said health officials in Africa's most populous country were left with little choice after receiving the donated doses that didn't have much shelf life left. We had developed countries that procured these vaccines and hoarded them," he said. At the point they were about to expire, they offered them for donation. Last week Shuaib had announced that Nigeria would no longer accept such donations, though he did not specify publicly what officials considered too short a shelf life. Only 2% of Nigeria's 206 million people are fully vaccinated, and health officials have set an ambitious goal of vaccinating more than a quarter of the population by February. While hesitancy has been high, the country's vaccination rate has nearly doubled over the past week. Nigeria has been seeing a spike in confirmed infections since it detected the highly-infectious omicron variant in late November, recording a 500% increase in cases over the past two weeks, according to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control. The 2,123 new COVID-19 infections it confirmed on Tuesday was the highest daily tally since last January and the second highest since the pandemic began. If we are going to overcome this COVID-19 pandemic, we have to do better job of ensuring better supply of the COVID-19 vaccines," said Shuaib. "No country will be able to eradicate COVID-19 ... until all countries are able to eradicate it. ___ Follow all AP stories on the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. TRENTON, N.J. (AP) The bipartisan New Jersey commission charged with drawing the boundaries for congressional districts for the next decade voted Wednesday to approve a map put forward by Democrats. The vote was 7-6, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed. Former Supreme Court Justice John Wallace, the 13th and tiebreaking member of the commission, sided with Democrats. He said the decision came down to the Republican map winning 10 years ago and that, to be fair, Democrats should win this time. The new map could result in a nine to three Democratic advantage in the state's 12 U.S. House seats, according to the GOP, though the Democrats did not concede the breakdown. Currently, Democrats hold 10 seats to the GOP's two. Before Democratic pickups up in 2016 and 2018, the map was split evenly, with Democrats and Republicans each holding six seats. Democratic commission chairwoman Janice Fuller said her party was uncomfortably comfortable with the outcome. She said she didn't consider the map to unfairly benefit Democrats and suggested there was political risk for some incumbent Democrats. We did not go in with an extreme gerrymandered partisan Democratic map that we were gonna tweak at the edges, she said. Republican commission chairman Doug Steinhardt said he was disappointed with the vote which he said was the antithesis of empowering voters. Among the changes reflected in the new map is a reshuffle of the typically competitive 3rd District, which previously included Burlington and Ocean counties and is represented by Democratic Rep. Andy Kim. Ocean County was removed entirely from the district and replaced with parts of Mercer and Monmouth, which could help him in a reelection effort as Ocean County is a GOP stronghold. Kim's victory in 2018 was a Democratic gain from Republicans. Another change is the addition of all of GOP-leaning Warren County to the 7th District, which is currently represented by Democrat Tom Malinowski. Malinowski picked up the seat in 2018 for the Democrats, defeating Republican Leonard Lance. The 5th District, where Democrat Josh Gottheimer unseated a Republican incumbent in 2016, no longer has Warren County towns but added a few in Bergen County, the state's biggest county where Democrats have performed well recently. Wallace said he used a handful of criteria to guide his decision, including that boundaries should be geographically whole where possible, and that political subdivisions by town should be maintained. He also said to conform with the federal Voting Rights Act, the map must have sufficient numbers of majority minority districts or places where nonwhite voters are in the majority and that competitive districts should be favored. In the end I decided to vote for the Democratic map simply because the last redistricting map was drawn by Republicans, he said. Steinhardt said after the meeting that Wallace amounted to a 7th Democratic member instead of a true independent. Wallace was selected as the 13th member of the committee by the state Supreme Court under the constitution after the two parties failed to reach a consensus on the tie-breaking member. His name was put forward by Democrats. Republicans had submitted their own candidate for consideration. Micah Rasmussen, the director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, said it was hard to ignore the fact that Democrats have such a big registration advantage over Republicans. We have a million more Democrats than Republicans. There are only so many ways to mask the impact of that with competitive districts. You cant negate that kind of a profound disparity in registration. Youre gonna wind up with a map thats gonna have a Democratic advantage no matter what, he said. Wednesdays vote is a result of the federal census, which happens every 10 years, and the requirement that seats in the House be allotted to states based on their population. New Jerseys population grew from 8.8 million people a decade ago to 9.3 million, a nearly 6% increase. The number of House seats, though, remained unchanged at 12. The commission wrapped up its work early after holding 10 public hearings, some remotely and some in-person. The state constitution gives New Jersey until Jan. 18 to certify its map. LACEY TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday it plans to fine the owners of the shuttered Oyster Creek nuclear power plant $150,000 for security violations at the New Jersey site. The agency would not reveal the nature of the violations, citing security concerns, but said the site's overall security program remains effective. FARGO, N.D. (AP) A Fargo pawnshop worker accused of shooting at a fleeing robber accused in a string of thefts has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless endangerment. Kyle Ramsey was working at the Mister Money pawnshop in June when the store was robbed by Hunter Havisto, police said. Owner Daryn Kapaun has said Ramsey fired at the robbers car to mark it for police. FOLSOM, Pa. (AP) A suspect has been arrested in the shooting death of a smoke shop employee gunned down last week in the Philadelphia-area business, police said. Shawn Williams, 39, of Chester is charged in Delaware County in the death Friday afternoon of 45-year-old Sameer Abdullah, the Ridley Township police department said Tuesday. Police earlier posted a photo of a man they alleged entered the Empire Smoke Shop and Phones store in Crum Lynne and shot and killed an employee. Police said Abdullah, who was found behind the counter, was shot multiple times with a revolver. Police said the motive for the slaying hasn't been determined, but it wasn't a robbery. They said that by all accounts, the victim was hard-working and well-respected." They credited tips from the public that led to what they called the quick arrest of this dangerous individual." Court documents don't list an attorney for Williams, who faces murder and weapons charges. WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) A man accused of firing a handgun as he walked through his neighborhood, striking homes and vehicles, is charged with reckless endangering and weapons offenses, New Castle County police said. Officers were called to East Salisbury Drive in the Edgemoore Terrace community on Tuesday for a report of a person shooting a gun and were notified of other reports of gunfire nearby, police said in a news release on Wednesday. WASHINGTON (AP) Joe Biden will spend his first Christmas as president at the White House with family and is giving up his New Years tradition of sun and St. Croix for the chill of Delaware this year, his spokesperson said Wednesday. The decision to spend Christmas at the White House was unexpected from a president who heads home to Delaware for the weekend as often as possible. During his first year in office, hes spent more than 25 weekends at his Wilmington home or his Rehoboth Beach house, where its easier for friends and family to stop by and for the Bidens to enjoy bike rides or outings to the beach. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) Researchers studying the wreckage of the last U.S. slave ship, buried in mud on the Alabama coast since it was scuttled in 1860, have made the surprising discovery that most of the wooden schooner remains intact, including the pen that was used to imprison African captives during the brutal journey across the Atlantic Ocean. While the upper portion of the two-masted Clotilda is gone, the section below deck where the captured Africans and stockpiles were held is still largely in one piece after being buried for decades in a section of river that hasn't been dredged, said maritime archaeologist James Delgado of the Florida-based SEARCH Inc. At least two-thirds of the ship remains, and the existence of the unlit and unventilated slave pen, built during the voyage by the addition of a bulkhead where people were held as cargo below the main deck for weeks, raises questions about whether food and water containers, chains and even human DNA could remain in the hull, said Delgado. It's a stunning revelation, he said in an interview. The discovery enhances the research value of the Clotildas remains and sets them apart from all other wrecks, Delgado said. The finding was confirmed in a report that was provided to The Associated Press and led to the site becoming part of the National Register of Historic Places in November. Its the most intact (slave ship) wreck ever discovered," he said. "Its because it's sitting in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta with fresh water and in mud that protected it that it's still there. For Joycelyn Davis, a sixth-generation granddaughter of African captive Charlie Lewis and vice president of the Clotilda Descendants Association, the story of what happened more than 160 years ago is best told through the people who were involved, not a sunken ship. But she said she's excited to learn more about what has been discovered, adding: I think it's going to be a surprise for us all. The Clotilda was the last ship known to transport African captives to the American South for enslavement. Nearly 90 feet (27 meters) in length, it departed Mobile, Alabama, for an illegal trip to purchase people decades after Congress outlawed such trade in 1808. The ship had been sent across the ocean on a voyage financed by a wealthy businessman whose descendants remain prominent in Mobile. The Clotilda's captain transferred its human cargo off the ship once it arrived in Alabama and set fire to the vessel to hide evidence of the journey. But most of the ship didn't catch fire and remained in the river. Shown on navigational charts since the 1950s, the wreckage was publicly identified as that of Clotilda in 2019 and has been explored and researched since then, Delgado said. The state has set aside $1 million for preservation and research, and additional work planned at the site in early 2022 could show what's inside the hull, Delgado said. But far more work is needed to determine whether the ship could ever be pulled out of the mud and put on display, as some have suggested. Generally, raising is a very expensive proposition. My sense is that while it has survived, it is more fragile than people think, said Delgado. A recovery could be a very delicate operation and also a very expensive and lengthy process. Freed after the South lost the Civil War, some of the enslaved Africans who were transported to America on the Clotilda settled in a community they started called Africatown USA a few miles north of downtown Mobile. A documentary about the now-impoverished community by Alabama-born filmmaker Margaret Brown titled Descendant will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January, and descendants of the Clotilda captives are planning an annual gathering in February. Work is underway on a new museum that's meant to be a catalyst for tourism and new development in the area. ___ Reeves is a member of AP's Race and Ethnicity Team. Whether youve been naughty or nice, hes coming. As we approach the home stretch before Christmas Eve, children all over the world who observe the holiday are minding their Ps and Qs. To help you know when Santa is coming to your neighborhood (and subsequently when to make sure the kids are asleep, dreaming of sugar plums), there are many tracking services that will begin offering updates on Dec. 24. It all started with a misprint in a department store ad in 1955 when children called the Continental Air Defense Command in Colorado looking to talk to Santa. Since then, NORAD has made sure to keep up with the movements of the red suited elf and his reindeer. In addition to its website that provides up to date information, the organization has launched a mobile app and is active on most popular social media platforms. An easily accessible way to track Santa is available through Google. All December long, the site features a variety of online games, puzzles and holiday features like an online yule log. You can even design your own elf as you watch the countdown to the start of Santas annual journey. Using state of the art technology, you can follow along with precise updates of Santas location around the globe. It can even keep you updated on how many presents he has delivered. The tracker will be going online at 5 a.m. EST on Dec. 24. The app is also available from the Apple and Google app stores. Santa Update provides a way to stay in contact with the big man himself. With updates around the year, Santa Update isnt limited to just Christmas Eve. Through the service, you can email, call or text him with updates on your Christmas list. Make sure to tune in on the morning of Christmas Eve though to hear the start of the live radio broadcast that features reporters around the globe and even a reporter who follows Santas sleigh in real time. SPOONER, Wis. (AP) Officials in Spooner have reopened a middle school after a mysterious chemical leak in November triggered an evacuation and left dozens of students sick. Wisconsin Public Radio reported that the school district announced the school would reopen on Tuesday. But parents said they're upset that the district hasn't provided clear answers about what students were exposed to or whether the problem has really been resolved. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Gov. Tom Wolfs administration has taken the extraordinary step of marshaling state employees to handle investigations for a Philadelphia nonprofit struggling to hire enough caseworkers to field allegations of the neglect or abuse of older people. Secretary of Aging Robert Torres took that step over the summer, after Department of Aging staff raised an alarm internally about how Philadelphia was handling cases. The Associated Press asked about the assignment of state employees to aid the nonprofit Philadelphia Corporation for Aging after reviewing internal department emails received through an open records request. Although the latest state data still has some errors, the nonprofit likely has not been complying with state laws that require caseworkers to promptly see potential victims, limit workers' case loads and set deadlines to resolve cases, according to state officials and data provided by the Department of Aging to the AP earlier this month. I think we have an obligation to help them out, and were making some progress, but not progress that any one of us, especially myself, is satisfied with because obviously we need to move at a quicker pace, Torres told the AP in an interview last week. In August, Torres ordered improvements at the Philadelphia nonprofit, citing three particular cases where state inspectors were worried that caseworkers had not adequately helped people in dire need. Neither Torres, his agency nor the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging has been willing to disclose any details about those cases, including whether those people lived or died. Besides mandating changes, Torres assigned six state employees to help the Philadelphia nonprofit, apart from their normal duties of monitoring how county-level agencies handle allegations of neglect or abuse. The employees have taken on more than 420 cases over four months in Philadelphia, according to the state Department of Aging. As a result, routine duties of monitoring other counties are being put off. Another five state Department of Aging staff are helping the Philadelphia nonprofit with other tasks, the department said. The Philadelphia Corporation for Aging is one of 52 local agencies across Pennsylvania, some of which are county-run while others are nonprofits that have state contracts to carry out what are called protective services cases for people 60 and over. Most calls involve an elderly person who lives alone or with a family member or caregiver. Poverty is often a factor. The Department of Aging discloses little about what it knows about how county agencies may not be meeting standards, and it answers to no other agency. Many of the county-level agencies have seen the pandemic worsen long-term difficulties in hiring and retaining caseworkers, but Philadelphia's situation is particularly acute. The Philadelphia Corporation for Aging itself isn't answering questions about its caseworker ranks, turnover and salary, or its number of open cases. All a nonprofit spokesperson was willing to say Friday in an emailed statement was that, at its peak, 60% of its investigator positions were vacant. It has now narrowed that to 22%, the spokesperson said. The Department of Aging said the Philadelphia nonprofit has 50 investigator positions. As of Dec. 10, the nonprofit had told the state that 32 positions were filled, although five of those caseworkers were on leave, according to information from the Department of Aging. The Philadelphia nonprofit has also hired a contractor for support and protective services workers from other counties to help on a part-time basis, the department said. Still, in recent months, Philadelphias caseloads for individual workers have far exceeded 30 active cases, the limit in state law, state officials say. Cases are supposed to be closed within 20 days, but data in the states case management system showed an eye-popping 3,100 open cases in Philadelphia, according to the Department of Aging. Torres cautioned that, in some of those cases, people have been connected with service providers and caseworkers simply arent updating that information in the system. The Philadelphia nonprofit also is falling far short of meeting the state law when it comes to seeing a potential victim within 24 hours of a case being classified as an emergency or a priority, according to state data. The Department of Aging cautioned that some of the entries were incorrect, and were missing information like a date for when the call was taken or when a face-to-face meeting was conducted. Torres has thus far defended the Philadelphia nonprofit, saying it had an almost a perfect storm of vacancies and turnover in its brass amid the pandemic. Torres, however, could not give a time frame for when Philadelphia must stand on its own or face losing the state's contract. The priority is hiring more caseworkers, and trying new strategies to find eligible applicants, Torres said. So I would like to tell you Id like to see this done within the next three months," Torres said. "I mean, Im sure its something that it cant happen fast enough to my satisfaction. But theres some practical realities that were dealing with here. Thats why it makes it hard for me to tell you in three months, this is going to happen or the contract is going to be gone." But, he said, at some point if performance doesnt improve, then I think theres going to be a different conversation. __ Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/timelywriter. BURTON, Mich. (AP) Two police officers were shot Tuesday in Genesee County during a violent confrontation with a gunman who was killed after a chase on foot, authorities said. One of the injured officers, a sheriff's deputy, was in critical condition while a Burton officer was in fair condition, Sheriff Chris Swanson said. JERUSALEM (AP) The United States and Israel need a common strategy as world powers negotiate a new nuclear deal with Iran, the White House's national security adviser said Wednesday. Jake Sullivan spoke ahead of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and other Israeli security officials in Jerusalem. He said the meeting comes at a critical juncture for both of our countries on a major set of security issues." World powers and Iran renewed negotiations in Vienna last month to restore an agreement to curb Irans nuclear program. Negotiations took a pause last week to allow Irans negotiator to return to Tehran for consultations. Bennett said that what happens in Vienna has profound ramifications for the stability of the Middle East and the security of Israel for the upcoming years. The original deal, struck in 2015, offered Iran relief from sanctions in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program. The agreement unraveled after the United States unilaterally withdrew in 2018 and re-imposed crippling sanctions on Iran. Since then, Iran has resumed its nuclear program, enriching uranium and operating centrifuges beyond the limits set under the deal. Israel has been critical of the attempts to reach a new deal with Iran, saying the international community is giving in to nuclear blackmail. It says any new agreement must make improvements over the original deal, and that the talks must be accompanied by a credible threat by the U.S. to use military force against Iran if necessary. Israel considers Iran its regional arch-enemy, and says it will take any steps needed to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. On Wednesday, Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronoth published an interview with the incoming Israeli Air Force commander, who said Israel was capable of attacking Iran tomorrow and destroying its nuclear facilities. There is no situation in which we operate there and I dont come home and say, I carried out the mission, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar said. Later Wednesday, Sullivan went to the Israeli-occupied West Bank to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas' office said the president raised concerns about Israeli practices that he said undermine hopes for a two-state solution with Israel. These include Israeli settlement construction and its 54-year occupation of territories that Abbas' administration seeks for a future independent state. It said Abbas also pointed out the importance of continuing to work on strengthening bilateral relations with the U.S., relations that suffered under the previous administration of President Donald Trump. Abbas' office quoted Sullivan as affirming the U.S. commitment to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Israel and the Palestinians have not held substantive peace talks in over a decade. Bennett opposes Palestinian statehood, but has said he wants to improve their economy and living conditions. ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) As New Jersey races to grab the leading role in offshore wind energy projects on the U.S. East Coast, a commonly heard criticism is that people don't want to see the structures on the horizon when they're at the beach. On Wednesday, New Jersey energy and environmental regulators addressed those concerns, saying the farther away from the shoreline the turbines go, the more expensive the electricity they generate will be. During an interview with reporters from several media outlets, the state's environmental protection commissioner, Shawn LaTourette, said the roughly 15-mile distance from shore envisioned for the state's early projects is not set in stone. The approach is not offshore wind at all costs, said LaTourette. We must ensure balance. If that means turbines being arrayed in a different way or at a different distance, then that's what it means. It is not a fait accompli. But Joseph Fiordaliso, president of the state Board of Public Utilities, cautioned that even though his board has the power to require the turbines to be placed farther offshore, cost is an important part of the equation in locating them. This energy has to be transmitted back on shore, he said. The farther we go out, the more expensive it's going to be to get that energy onshore. That certainly is a consideration. Most of the turbines proposed for the three offshore wind projects approved thus far in New Jersey will be located about 15 miles from the coast, he said. They are not going to be visual pollution, he said. Probably most people won't be able to see them. In past presentations, government and wind industry officials have said the turbines may or may not be visible from the shoreline, depending in part on weather conditions. But several shore communities including Ocean City, perhaps the center of opposition to offshore wind projects thus far, say today's turbines are much larger than those proposed in the past, and much more likely to be seen from shore. We don't believe them when they say they're all going to be 15 miles offshore, said Suzanne Hornick, a leader of Protect Our Coast-NJ. The lease area is closer than that, and we know they will fill up that whole lease area. It could be as close as eight miles. The group also cites environmental and financial concerns in opposing the projects. Thus far, New Jersey has approved three offshore wind energy projects: two by Danish wind developer Orsted, and one by Atlantic Shores. Those three projects combined aim to provide enough electricity to power over 1.6 million homes. New Jersey has set a goal of generating 100% of its energy from clean sources by 2050, and plans to solicit additional wind energy projects every two years until at least 2028. The next round of applications should happen in the second half of 2022, BPU officials said. ___ Follow Wayne Parry on Twitter at @WayneParryAC Does world's wealthiest man Elon Musk actually live in a modest, sub-$100,000 Texas home like he claims? It's not so simple, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal. In a piece published Wednesday, WSJ Austin reporter Rob Copeland reports that the billionaire has spent the last year staying at the Austin-area mansion of fellow billionaire friend Ken Howery as Musk evaluates property for sale outside the state's capital city. Located on the edge of the Colorado River in the private, gated community of Watersedge, the $12 million property Musk has stayed at features a waterside pool, gatehouses and a private boat slip. "For roughly a year [Musk] has also been living in a waterfront estate in Austin owned by a rich friend nicknamed 'Kenny,' people familiar with the matter say" Copeland writes. "A home so extravagant that it was the most expensive listed in the Texas capital when it was sold just a few years ago." A co-founder of PayPal, Howery is an old associate of Musk's and the living arrangement between the two billionaires has remained a closely guarded secret, according to Copeland, who cited a number of unnamed sources close to Musk with knowledge of the agreement. The Boca Chica, Texas home Musk rents near SpaceX's base of operations in the state allegedly costs $50,000, according to the billionaire. "Mr. Musks stay is so secret that some friends of Mr. Howery said they were unaware of the arrangement," Copeland writes. "Mr. Musk has also engaged a series of real-estate agents to show him Austin-area mansions for purchaseand toured some houses personally, some of the people say." The material possessions and living quarters of the world's richest man have become part of an ongoing narrative surrounding Musk, who this year was awarded "Person of the Year" by Time Magazine in a profile that proudly stated "The world's richest man does not own a home." Musk's decision to rent a home in Boca Chica from SpaceX seemingly coincided with his previous stated desires to pare down the material possessions in his life. In May of 2020, Musk tweeted that he planned to "own no house" in the future and subsequently sold off four of his Los Angeles residences in 2021 for a total of $62 million. In November the billionaire reportedly found a buyer for his seventh and final California propertya $30 million estate south of San Franciscoleaving him, in a technical sense, homeless. Contrary to his "no home" claim, however, Muskwho officially relocated Tesla headquarters to Austin in Decemberhas been evaluating large properties outside the capital city and has taken particular interest in a custom-built mansion owned by jewelry magnate Kendra Scott, according to Copeland. "[Musk's] personal financial advisers have sent a slew of requirements to brokers, including a desire for a large expanse of land that is currently unavailable in properties on the market," Copeland writes. "Mr. Musk has toured several homes in person, two of the people say. Among the homes he expressed interest in, those people say, is a custom-built mansion owned by the noted jewelry designer Kendra Scott." Wherever Musk lands, it seems that large estates are back on the menu for the world's richest "homeless" man. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permanently granted access to abortion medication by mail last Thursday, lifting previous requirements for patients to obtain the pills in-person. While the move is a victory for abortion access advocates, it may not have much of an impact on states like Texas, which currently bans the medication by mail. On Dec. 2, a Texas law went into effect banning the use of abortion-inducing medication after seven weeks of pregnancy. The law, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on Sept. 24, also prohibits mailing the medication. Violators of the law face a state felony punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine of $10,000. Medication abortion, which was approved by the FDA in 2000, allows the termination of pregnancy at or before 10 weeks and typically involves taking the drugs mifepristone and misoprostol. Under current Texas law, abortions are banned at around six weeks into pregnancy. SB 8, which says private citizens can sue doctors or anyone else who helps facilitate an abortion after cardiac activity is detected in the womb, is likely to be challenged in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022. Seth Chandler, a professor at the University of Houston Law Center, says the FDA's latest ruling presents a challenging conflict between what the federal government says is permissible and what the Lone Star State says is prohibited. There's not a clear cut answer on how it will impact the state's law, he says. "It's a difficult question because there's not an explicit conflict between the FDA saying a use is permissible and a state saying it's prohibited," Chandler explained in regards to which rule takes precedent. "Just because the FDA has authorized the drug doesn't mean that states are powerless to regulate the use of that drug." On the other hand, Chandler says the action begs the question as to whether Texas's restriction constitutes an "undue burden" on the current right to get a pre-viability abortion. Fetal viability is the point at which a fetus can survive outside of the womb, which is generally considered to be in the range of 24 to 28 weeks, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an organization that researches reproductive rights. Chandler painted a hypothetical scenario in which a patient who is five weeks pregnant seeks an abortion using the medication. "There's a lot of regulation but ultimately the Texas law permits it and the federal law permits it," Chandler says. "The question is going to be whether it constitutes an undue burden on the right of abortion, to say, 'No, you've got to go see a doctor in person and get the prescription delivered to a pharmacy rather than through some mail order operation.'" Another example of a potential scenario is a person at 10 weeks of pregnancy seeking an abortion by getting the medication prescribed via a telemedicine visit. "The FDA says, 'Fine, go ahead.' But Texas says it's impermissible and, in fact, it's a crime for a person to send [abortive medication] via the mail. However, it doesn't say it's a crime to use it." There are also serious enforcement issues for the state to consider, Chandler adds, such as how it will administer the law against telemedicine doctors in other states who prescribe abortive medication or patients ordering the pill from outside of the country. "Extradition from another state is going to be challenging," Chandler says. "There are also constitutional questions about the extent to which Texas can apply its laws outside of Texas' borders." The ruling also raises questions as to whether telemedicine providers will continue to provide services to Texas patients in light of the FDA's ruling and the state's conflicting laws or if they will be too fearful to do so. "I think a number of legal issues raised by the new Texas law are kind of on the borderline," Chandler says."The issue as to whether the FDA guidance preempts the Texas law is on the borderline. The issue of how does Texas enforce its statute is on the borderline with respect to mailings made outside the state of Texas, and whether prohibiting telemedicine in this context while permitting certain in-person prescriptions of the abortion pill constitutes an undue burden is also on the border." The hunt is on for Elon Musk's new home. The Tesla CEO is reportedly on a hush-hush to buy a private mega-mansion somewhere in Austin, according to a new report by the Wall Street Journal. This is quite different from the public persona Musk has crafted in recent months, during which he claimed to sell off most of his possessions to live in a $50,000 Boca Chica rental house. Though he reportedly has registered to vote in Cameron County, near Boca Chica and the Space X headquarters, it's always been assumed that Musk would eventually land in Austin. Earlier this year, his company Tesla moved its headquarters from Silicon Valley to East Austin. It's possible that he's been here even longer considering Musk and his then-partner Grimes also both tweeted about being in Austin and without power during February's deadly winter storm. Details on exactly where, when, and if he's buying property remain unknown, which seems to be de rigueur when dealing with Musk. What has been confirmed by the WSJ is that the eccentric billionaire has been staying in a West Austin mansion owned by Ken Howery, a fellow billionaire and co-founder of PayPal Holdings. Howery most recently served as the U.S. ambassador to Sweden under the Trump administration. "Since his term ended," the WSJ writes, "Mr. Howery has been traveling the world, including chasing tornadoes and other extreme weather events as a hobby, people who know him say." Because Howery is out chasing tornadoes with Helen Hunt and friends, it's left his massive mansion on the Colorado River free for Musk to tweet and troll and do whatever it is he does. Maja Hitij /TNS According to a host of insiders who spoke to the WSJ on condition of anonymity, Musk has toured a handful of properties, and has expressed interest in buying the custom-built home of Kendra Scott, the Austin-based jewelry designer and one of America's wealthiest self-made women. Scott is amenable to selling her abode, according to the Journal, but Musk has failed to show up to "several" appointments.Whether or not Scott was left bejeweled and waiting patiently for Musk was not disclosed, but it paints a rather vivid picture. And so the quest to find his "trophy property" continues, and Musk and co. have reportedly tapped a series of high-end Austin realtors to help find it. Only problem is it might not exist. "His personal financial advisers have sent a slew of requirements to brokers, including a desire for a large expanse of land that is currently unavailable in properties on the market," writes the WSJ. It hasn't stopped Austinites from gossiping that Musk, who is among the richest people to ever walk the planet, is their new neighbor. Engel & Volkers owner Michele Turnquist, of the biggest players in high-end luxury real estate in the Capital City, was on the receiving end of the gossip this year when she sold a $39 million property, the most expensive listing ever in Austin. According to the WSJ, rumors swirled that the buyer was the Tesla CEO, though they were not true. "Ive had five people tell me, 'You know, Elon bought your listing,'" Ms. Turnquist tells the WSJ. "I tell them that if Elon bought my listing, I wouldnt know." We may never know where Musk ends up, and we'd be willing to bet that most Austinites don't really care. If youve been searching for tickets to the sold out Elton John Farewell Yellow Brick Road concerts in Houston, youre in luck. Weve rounded up tickets you can still buy safely online at fairly reasonable prices. The Elton John concerts in the Toyota Center are all set for Friday and Saturday, January 21 and 22 at 8p.m. and all thats missing is you. By using online ticket resellers like Vivid Seats, StubHub, and Ticketmaster, you can buy sold out event tickets at major Houston venues without the worry of being scammed. For detailed information on the guarantees provided by these online ticket marketplaces, keep scrolling. 100% Buyer Guarantee with Vivid Seats Elton John Concert Tickets - Toyota Center, Houston, TX Vivid Seats vividseats.com Buy Now As of January 4, tickets start at $154. With Vivid Seats 100% Buyer Guarantee, you can purchase resell tickets to the most popular events with peace of mind. Vivid Seats guarantees your tickets are authentic and valid by putting licensed, certified, and professional ticket resellers through a rigorous evaluation process. Should your event be cancelled and not rescheduled, Vivid Seats will refund the full cost of your tickets, including delivery charges. In some cases there may be a restocking fee that will be deducted from your refund. Ticketmaster Verified: A Safe way to buy sold out tickets Elton John Live at the Toyota Center ticketmaster.com Buy Now As of January 4, tickets start at $196. Ticketmaster Verified guarantees your sold out event tickets are 100% authentic and issued in your name after purchase. Once the tickets are yours, they cannot be counterfeited; so you dont have to have anxiety about your tickets authenticity at the entrance. Put simply, Ticketmaster boasts that the seat you buy is the seat you get. Getting the StubHub Fan Protection Guarantee Elton John Concert Tickets - Houston, TX Toyota Center stubhub.com Buy Now As of January 4, tickets start at $175. StubHub customers get valid tickets to any event or their money back with the StubHub Fan Protect Guarantee. Even if an issue arises with your order, the customer service team at StubHub works to find replacement tickets for you. If your event is canceled and not rescheduled, you can count on receiving either a credit worth 120% of the amount you paid for the event or a cash refund. The choice is yours. COVID-19 Protocols at the Toyota Center The Toyota Center does not require patrons to wear masks, although they are strongly encouraged to do so. At the time of publication, the tour promoter is not requiring proof of vaccination, or a negative Covid-19 test to attend the concert. Ticket holders should watch their email for any alerts that update these protocols. More information about Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour If you've never seen (Oscar, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning) Elton John in concert, don't miss your chance! The 74-years young Rocket Man puts on an amazing performance. From the Pinball Wizard to The Lion King soundtrack Elton John's career spans generations of music lovers. Named for his epic 1973 album, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," this tour allows Elton John to say farewell with a set list that takes fans on a musical journey of his greatest hits. Additional concerts in the Lone Star State - Elton John's Farewell Tour in Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston Hearst Newspapers participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. BRANFORD Let the fundraising begin. The Branford Land Trust must raise $1.75 million to buy a rare parcel containing a portion of a scenic salt marsh, part of Medlyn Farm and its more than halfway there to reaching its ambitious goal. The land trust, in partnership with local environmental groups, is purchasing a 20-acre section of Medlyn Farm south of Route 146 along the Jarvis Creek salt marsh, opposite the farm stand. This unspoiled property is unique both in the town and the shoreline, a land trust member and state official agree. There are so few open, flat parcels of farmland like this in town very few, said land trust board member Lauren Brown. It has beautiful views of the marsh, she said. Also its important for marsh migration as the sea level rises. It will offer a place for the Sound waters to go and protect upstream properties. I would say this is a pretty rare property, said Brian Thompson, director of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protections Land and Water Resources Division. There just arent a lot of available open, undeveloped properties like this anywhere on the Connecticut shoreline. Much of the marshland in the state is obstructed by manmade structures, he noted. In a lot of places, marshes are right up against the edge of a road or a seawall theres nowhere for them to go as the sea level rises, Thompson said, adding that rising sea levels is a very slow process. The land trust is working with the Guilford Land Conservation Trust, the DEEP and the Seedlings Foundation. So far, the land trusts Jarvis Creek Farm fundraising campaign has raised $1.15 million, thanks to a $500,000 EPA Long Island Sound Improvement Grant and $650,000 from two Branford families. Raising the remaining $600,000 is an unprecedented effort for the BLT and it is undertaking a communitywide fundraising effort, according to a spokesperson for the land trust. Calling it an all-hands-on-deck effort, the purchase also is supported by Audubon Connecticut, Connecticut Audubon Society, Friends of Historic Route 146, Guilford Land Conservation Trust, Menunkatuck Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut and Save the Sound. Branford has stepped up to protect important properties like this before, land trust President Pete Raymond said in a written statement. He noted that over the years, our residents have come together to help preserve treasured places, such as Beacon Hill, the Hoadley Creek Preserve, Red Hill Woods and the Supply Ponds and Pisgah Brook Preserves. The fields at Jarvis Creek Salt Marsh will be a special attraction for hikers and walkers, according to Brown. The woods are beautiful, she said, but its nice to be out with sky overhead, more places for people to get out and enjoy the outdoors. The public widely enjoys the outdoor spaces that the land trust owns, noted Brown. The pandemic showed us how much people enjoy the outdoors, thats for sure, Brown said, adding that many of the land trusts trails and properties saw an uptick in visitors. This purchase also would help preserve the natural beauty found on Route 146, a state designated Scenic Highway, that is cherished by many people, Brown said. A large part of the reason it got that designation was because of the views along the road: the farms, the historic buildings, the woods, rock outcrops, she said. The purchase of the property, which was put up for sale in 2020, will protect the farmland from imminent development, land trust members said, and noted the family has the option to farm the land for several more years. Salt marshes are more than scenic Salt marshes provide critical ecosystem services such as protecting estuarine water quality, providing places for outdoor education, research and outdoor recreation, critical fish and wildlife breeding and foraging habitat, and flood and erosion control, DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said in a release. Salt marshes like those at Jarvis Creek are critical to coastal resilience and help prevent the marshes from drowning as sea level eventually rises, according to Brown. Preserving non-rocky upland areas allows salt marsh ecosystems to migrate to higher ground and this can help sustain a healthy amount of marsh and provide those critical ecosystem services, according to a land trust spokesperson. The Jarvis Creek estuary also is important to many vulnerable species, including the salt marsh sparrow and smooth cordgrass. Those who walk the nearby network of hiking trails have reported seeing river otters, American bitterns, glossy ibis, peregrine falcons, bald eagles, American kestrels, ospreys, clapper rails, marsh hawks, black bellied plovers and more. The property also is part of the well-trodden Branford Trails Stony Creek section, which allows people to walk from the center of Stony Creek to the Hoadley Creek Preserve and on to the Stony Creek Quarry and Van Wie Preserves, Red Hill Woods and the Westwood Trails in Guilford, almost entirely on protected open space. The land is part of the towns history, as well. Part of the area originally inhabited by the Totoket and Menunkatuck, indigenous communities of Quinnipiac, the first parcel of what is now Medlyn Farm was acquired by John Rogers in 1758, according to the land trust. The Medlyn family has farmed there since 1911, and the farm has been a popular source for fresh produce, dairy products, eggs and firewood throughout the years. Contributions can be made online at www.branfordlandtrust.org, or by sending checks noted Jarvis Creek Farm to the Branford Land Trust, P.O. Box 254, Branford, CT 06405. Donations that exceed the fundraising goal will be added to the BLT Stewardship Fund, ensuring responsible management of BLT properties in perpetuity. CLINTON This is the final week or so of the Beautiful New England: The Oil Paintings of Michael Bilbow-Finucane exhibit at the Henry Carter Hull Library at 10 Killingworth Turnpike. Bilbow-Finucane is a Connecticut native with a focus on all aspects of New England and marine scapes, an announcement said. His connection to nature and love for the local scenery is apparent in this vivid attention to detail, light, movement and texture. Previously known as "implied status", maintained status is a way to extend your stay in Canada. How can I get maintained status in Canada? Previously known as "implied status", maintained status is a way to extend your stay in Canada. How can I get maintained status in Canada? Previously known as "implied status", maintained status is a way to extend your stay in Canada. How can I get maintained status in Canada? Previously known as "implied status", maintained status is a way to extend your stay in Canada. Daniel Levy Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Under Canadian immigration law, all temporary residents have an automatically imposed condition that they are required to leave Canada after their authorized period of stay. However, Section 181 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) states that a temporary resident is able to apply to extend their period of authorized stay in Canada before it ends. Individuals who exercise this ability can remain in Canada until Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) makes a decision on their application. During this process, the applicant is considered to continue to have legal status as a Canadian temporary resident. To benefit from maintained status (previously known as implied status), one must closely follow the laws and guidelines provided by the Canadian government. Get a free legal consultation on how to extend your stay in Canada An applicant needs to be aware of when their temporary status is due to expire, how their extension application may affect their temporary residence conditions in Canada, as well as rules regarding remaining in Canada during the extension process. First, one must be careful to submit their extension application before their existing status expires. IRCC encourages you to submit your application with enough time to spare so that you avoid potential complications to your Canadian immigration status. Second, one needs to understand how their extension application impacts their conditions in Canada. The IRPR states that if an applicant applies to renew their existing work or study permit before their current permit expires, they can continue to work or study in Canada under the conditions of their previous permit while a decision is made. However, if you apply for a different type of permit, then you must stop working on the date that your current permit expires. For example, if a work permit holder now wants to obtain a study permit, then they must stop working when their current permit expires. Third, applicants must understand how leaving Canada may impact their temporary residence status in Canada. Maintained status applies only as long as you remain in Canada. If you are on maintained status and leave the country you may be allowed to re-enter Canada as a temporary resident as long as you have a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or you are exempt from the requirement to have a TRV. But, you will not be able to resume working or studying in Canada until a decision is made on your application to extend your status. In addition, upon seeking to re-enter Canada, you may need to provide the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer with evidence that you have enough financial support to sustain yourself while awaiting a decision on your extension application. Hence, it is important for you to be aware that if you are on maintained status, you give up your right to work or study once you leave Canada. There are two likely scenarios once IRCC reviews your extension application. If your application is approved, you will be provided with a new date for the period of your authorized stay in Canada. If your application is refused, you are considered in status until the day the decision was made on your extension application. In this event, you have lost your status and can not continue to work or study in Canada as per the conditions of your previous permit. You have 90 days to apply to IRCC to restore your status. During the processing of the restoration application, you cannot work or study while you wait for IRCC to make a decision. Finally, proof of your application to extend your status is generally regarded as sufficient to demonstrate you are legally in Canada on maintained status. This may be beneficial if you are asked for proof by your employer or school, or to assist you with re-entry to Canada. Get a free legal consultation on how to extend your stay in Canada CIC News All Rights Reserved. Discover your Canadian immigration options at CanadaVisa.com. Businesses around the world are finding ways to emerge from the global pandemic, from offsetting the talent shortage, to optimizing business models to expedite the digital transformation process. The answer to these challenges may come from Vietnam. Southeast Asias emerging technology hub is one of the worlds fastest-growing economies, and one that has a successful history of weathering COVID-19 far better than most. In March 2021, the International Monetary Funds annual assessment of Vietnams economy reported: Despite COVID-19, Vietnams economy has remained resilient, expanding by 2.9 percent in 2020one of the highest growth rates in the worldand growth is projected to be 6.5 percent in 2021, thanks to strong economic fundamentals, decisive containment measures and well-targeted government support. Digital transformation will be a key contributor to this growth and is very much a focus for Vietnams Government. In June 2020 the Government released its National Digital Transformation Programme with the aim of achieving an average digital economy growth rate of 20 percent by 2025. Leading industry players in Vietnam had already joined forces to drive the countrys digital transformation. In 2019, the five largest ICT companies in the country including FPT Corporation, Viettel, CMC, VNG, and MobiFone, founded the Vietnam Digital Transformation Alliance with the goal of Vietnam being a top four ASEAN country in digitalisation. Vietnam today From a country whose economy was heavily dependent on agriculture 30 years ago, Vietnam has climbed 27 positions in the United Nations Industrial Development Organizations (UNIDO) Competitive Industrial Performance (CIP) Index. GDP growth in 2020 was 2.91 percent, putting Vietnam among countries with the highest GDP growth rate. It has been ranked fourth in Southeast Asia for digital readiness and ninth in a ranking of Southeast Asias digital nations. It has a population of 97 million people, median age of 32.5, and more than 400 universities and colleges. The country has enjoyed a growing trade surplus in recent years. Imports and exports were on par at $US162 billion in 2015 and in 2020 Vietnam recorded $US281.5 billion of exports and a trade surplus of $US19.1 billion. Several recently signed trade partnerships contributed to this result: the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership; the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement; and the Vietnam-U.K Free Trade Agreement, which came into effect in 2020. The Google, Temasek and Bain, e-Conomy SEA 2021 report flags Vietnam to be the fastest-growing internet economy in Southeast Asia in the next 10 years. It estimates that, by 2030, Vietnams internet economy will rank second in Southeast Asia, reaching $US220 billion in gross merchandise value (GMV). While foreign direct investment in 2020 was down 25 percent on 2019 to $US28.5 billion as a result of COVID-19, there have been some very significant projects. In October 2020 LG Electronics and Trung Nam Land JSC inked an agreement to transform Da Nang the biggest city in the Central Coast into a centre of technology and R&D, creating a mini Silicon Valley in Vietnam. Da Nang is also chosen by Vietnams largest ICT firm FPT Software and Japan-based IT solution provider Smart Holdings to develop their joint venture. It provides digital transformation solutions to smart cities, focusing on the manufacturing, automotive and construction industries. In March 2021, Intel revealed plans to invest $US475 million in an assembly and test facility, pushing the companys total investment in the country to $US1.5 billion. In addition to the formation of the Vietnam Digital Alliance, 2019 also saw launch of Make in Vietnam by the Ministry of Information and Communications. It represents a drive to have digital products created, designed and manufactured in Vietnam for both domestic and overseas markets. Dr Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of FPT Corporation, says the Government is aiming, with its National Program for Digital Transformation, for the digital economy to account for 30 percent of Vietnams overall economy within 10 years, and requires digital transformation to be a goal for all levels of the administration The government wants every ministry and every province to have a program for digital transformation. He says the plan also calls for universal access to optic fibre broadband services and 5G, and for Vietnam to have 100,000 digital businesses and a 1.5 million strong digital workforce. To date, Vietnam has 236 universities, 149 of which are offering IT training, adding more than 50,000 IT engineers to the countrys workforce annually. Vietnam is among ten nations with the highest number of IT students in the world. A fast-growing economy, a well-focused government support and a robust talent pool make Vietnam the destination for enterprises seeking to expand their global footprint or shift their supply chain. Many of them have made great strides with the support of Vietnams pioneering IT player FPT. FPT A major digital player in Vietnam FPT was founded in 1988 and is today Vietnams largest information technology service provider, and one of its fastest growing. It has revenues of $US1.3 billion and 36,000 employees, and delivers world-class services in smart factory, digital platform, RPA, AI, IoT, enterprise mobilisation, cloud, AR/VR, embedded systems, managed services and other services from delivery centres across the United States, Japan, Europe, Australia, Vietnam and the Asia Pacific. The company has a strong focus on digital transformation. In April 2021 it set a target to grow its digital transformation revenue from overseas markets to $US209 million in 2021, a 50 percent increase from 2020. As Vietnams leading IT firm, FPT has been contributing significantly to the national digital transformation program. FPT has been working with 40 out of 64 cities and provinces of the country to change the way people work and create a better standard of living. It has initiated seven sub-programs for industry 4.0 infrastructure, digital government, digital economy, digital society and mass digital transformation education. In June 2020, FPT became the first technology corporation in Southeast Asia to form a strategic partnership with Canadas Mila AI Research Institute. The three-year agreement includes plans for the establishment of a world-class AI hub in Vietnam. Dr. Binh said FPT aimed to become the leading AI centre in Southeast Asia with the aid of Mila. Vietnams young technology talents will have opportunities to approach, experience and learn AI in-depth. And FPTs AI applications will be upgraded and improved continuously to help businesses effectively solve operational problems, build digital businesses for breakthrough in the new normal, he said. In tandem with developing Vietnams technology talent pool, FPT also helps global enterprises leverage the dynamic workforce to accelerate digital transformation as a lever to post-pandemic rebound. In 2020, FPT announced a collaboration with German automotive supplier Schaeffler on Schaefflers global pilot project for new digital manufacturing concept deployed at its plant in Dong Nai province. In September 2021, FPT unveiled a strategic collaboration with the global oilfield services provider Halliburton to accelerate digital transformation by lowering innovation costs and time to adoption across the petroleum exploration and production sectors. Most recently, its subsidiary FPT Software has inked an agreement with Airbus to support more than 140 airlines and 9,500 commercial aircraft worldwide in optimizing operations and preparing for a green post-pandemic reboot. Vietnam is going from strength to strength as a digital nation in a world where digital technology will become ever more important. The country looks forward to offering its potentials and capabilities to businesses worldwide seeking success in the digital economy. Learn more Learn more about how to make digital transformation a reality with FPT. In 2019, New York City saw the launch of The City, a local nonprofit news platform built with considerable foundation and donor funding; one of the publications goals has been to engage with New York communities underserved by legacy media outlets. The Citys Open Newsroom initiative, a program dependent on a series of listening sessions in partnership with local libraries and community centers, plays a part in aiming to meet this goal. Nic Dawes, The Citys executive director, spoke with CJR about the Open Newsroom, how The City imagines its audience, and the importance of integrating community engagement as a core function of a newsroom. This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. How does the Open Newsroom model work, and whats unique about it? You know, I dont think Im going to claim that any single element of what we do is unique. But I think were bringing together a bunch of things that other people have tried in a way that really works for the New York context. When The City was first conceived, back in 2018, when the realization started to set in that even in the media capital of the world, we were seeing really deep erosion in local reporting capacity, the first gap that people clearly saw a need to plug was coverage of city agencies and neighborhood stories that had the potential to resonate citywide. At the same time, there was an appreciation from the beginning of The City that there had been no good old days as such. There was a time when there were a lot more reporters covering New York City, but a lot of people were consistently left out of that coverage, or in some cases were framed or treated in that coverage in ways that granted them very little agency, and which reflected a pretty narrow normative framework, of relevance of values, and so on. The Open Newsroom, from the beginning, was an attempt to ensure that we didnt just plug gaps that had emerged in the old model, but to build a new model, one that was pretty distinct, both in its values and its audience and in the way that it went about building its coverage and agenda. When you find ways very intentionally to listen to your audience and develop journalism thats responsive to their concerns, you actually start to think about accountability a little differently. It becomes not just a question of where can you shine the light and where can you generate impact through traditional investigative methodsalthough those remain critical. It can also involve really discovering the information needs of your communities, understanding where their troubles and pain points are, and speaking to elected leaders, city agencies, and other powerful actors in a way thats informed by those inputs. And also, theres an accountability dimension to explanatory work that emerges out of these contexts, because people who are empowered with a sense of how to navigate their city and its processes engage accordingly with those who exercise power and make choices. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Thats really the sort of guiding thread through all of this. At the outset, we started off with in-person meetings at the Red Hook Public Library or the community center in Mott Haven in the Bronx. Wed bring groups of people together for conversations, both generally on whats going on in their world and what matters to them, and sometimes on specific topics. We had a very successful series of events on special education, for example, which also have created a network of sources and a basis for a whole range of coverage on that issue, which has, of course, been especially fraught during the pandemic. And during the pandemic, we migrated these events online, but we continued to work with community groups and libraries in order to bring in a wide array of people to these conversations. What kind of insights emerged from these conversations? One is that it was very quickly clear to us that peoples most urgent concerns during the pandemic were for basic information about what was going on with evictions, with rental assistance programs, and with unemployment. So we developed, essentially, news products out of those listening sessions: text messaging service, both on rental and evictions and on jobs. Jobs and housing came up as the two most urgent concerns in the meetings we conducted during the pandemic. And while a good few thousand people signed up for the emails and text messages, what was really striking was that those explainers and news updates foundby farthe largest search audience of anything on the site. So clearly what was happening in these relatively small off-the-record conversations: the questions that were getting asked there were the ones that people were also asking to a search engine, and that were resonating much more widely. And we found something similar happened when we started conducting Open Newsrooms around New Yorks huge, complex, sprawling citywide election. We held these various conversations that started very open-ended: Whos powerful in your neighborhood? Whom do you yell at when you have a problem? How do you get results? And then delved into things like the technicalities of ranked-choice voting and so on. We developed another newsletter and a whole set of explainers off the back of those conversations, which again found a much bigger audience through search than just about anything else we do. We actually ended up creating a new staff role focused on producing stories that help people to navigate the complexities of New York life. In the new year, we hope to have some kind of regular open-ended sessions in a range of different neighborhoods across New York, primarily choosing neighborhoods which are less covered and less likely to have access. How do you measure that? Well, actually, someones created an open-source coverage map of New York. You can see which neighborhoods get the most mentions. Its a scraping tool. And we can argue about whether its accurate or not, but itll confirm the basic impression that brownstone Brooklyn and Manhattan below the park get a lot more coverage than outer boroughs, generally, and particularly the lower-income, less English-language-speaking parts of the city. How does your partnership with libraries and community centers work? We started with the Brooklyn Public Library, which has many, many branches and an incredibly smart strategic outreach team. And we formed a really good relationship with them. They have some convening power, and they have great spaces. And that relationship really developed and deepened further, during the pandemic, and we launched our largest and most complex Open Newsroom project, called Missing Them, which grew out of the insight that almost all the people who are getting obituaries early in the pandemic were white, often male, affluent. Missing Them was an attempt to memorialize every New Yorker whod been lost to covid-19 in a more equitable way. So we asked people to send in requests for obituaries, and we assembled a team of volunteer editors, journalists, students, and others to create the obituaries with input from the families. It ended up sparking several investigative stories, and we built a kind of online memorial. And then with the Brooklyn Public Library, we did a couple of virtual memorial events where we brought people together, had poetry and music. Brian Lehrer did an amazing show where his listeners read out all of the names on our list over the course of the show, an incredibly powerful thing. That was probably the kind of high-water mark of our collaboration with the library. But the library is very thoughtful about community information needs. They are really open to partnership. And we found a really strong, clear, obvious alignment [with] our mission to serve people relevant information. In the run-up to the election, we did multiple events with libraries. We provided voter guides, we had people on hand to explain ranked-choice voting, to walk people through how to think about the different council candidates, the various other elected officers, public advocate, and so on, in addition to the mayoral race. Libraries also see the kind of two-way exchange, the conversation about what community information needs are and the attempt to build meaningful response to that, as very closely aligned with what theyre trying to achieve. So its just a really natural fit. And if you can, if we can triangulate it a little bit with community groups as well who are able to bring people along who might not otherwise hear about the different work from the library. That just enriches the conversation on one level. Im thinking through how newsrooms think about the idea of a reader or an audience and it strikes me that often theres this one-to-one idea: I have a reader in mind, and this reader always reads me. But it strikes me that some of what youre describing is a little different from that, right? Very much. We are doing work at the moment to be more thoughtful about the different types of readers whom we have, when we meet them, where we meet them, and how we can do things that are useful and relevant to them. One of the things that strikes us coming out of that research is that we have a very diverse coalition of readers. Some of them are people who subscribe to our general newsletter and come to us pretty much every day. Maybe small-dollar donors are people who see themselves as deeply involved in the civic life of the city, and who identify with investigative journalism, also our explanatory and political reporting, and who derive some sense of their own agency from their knowledge of whats going on in city government and city politics and civic affairs. We have a lot of other readers who come to us because they have urgent and specific problems that they need to address. Someone who comes to us to find out about how to deal with a looming eviction has a very different set of needs. Or someone who comes to us because they werent able to afford to place an obituary in a mainstream paper. And we want to be able to serve both. And you could say, on one modelIm presenting sort of two extreme ends of the spectrum hereone is a relatively affluent, highly media-savvy group of people whove been frustrated that they dont have good local news. And now they come to us to get it. And the other is a group of people who are economically vulnerable, often marginalized to varying degrees by the media, who come to us because they have really urgent concerns that we may be able to provide information to address. Of course, theres a huge range of people between those two poles, who may simply want to figure out how to vote someday or may want to understand why the subway that they always take to work is running slower. Or if you want to use our covid tracking tool to see what infection rates in their neighborhood, also, they can make day-to-day risk decisions. We want to be relevant across those different groups. So we dont have a single ideal readerwe might have six different reader types whom we imagine and we need to serve in order to fulfill our mission in a city like this one. What are your takeaways from this process, things that you have learned along the way that you think would be good for newsrooms interested in doing this sort of thing to keep front of mind? One is that I think its critical to have a high degree of integration between the people who are leading the responsive journalism and everything else in the newsroom. It should be seen as a core editorial function, not a clip-on. It should inform your thinking about all your beats, it should inform your choices about your news budget. And there should be really strong processes, not just intentions for sharing information and insights and building new products that come out of this work. It should be central from both a strategy and a crunchy process perspective. The more weve integrated, the more impactful its been for us. And the other thing I would say is sometimes I get the impression that you have one group of people that talks about audience growth and numbers and scale and another that talks about community and mission. My sense from this work is that actually a lot of our most powerful audience growth has come out of community listening. We should be putting these things together: our audience work, our product work, and our community listening work at a fundamental level. And the last thing I would say is that I think weve all had a temptation, understandably, to want to be inventing the future of journalism and claiming the new thing. Or claiming to be the originators of new things. I think were reaching a point with a lot of this work where theres a gathering body of expertise out there in the world. And its starting to be possible to build on that foundation that a lot of incredibly smart and thoughtful people have laid over the last five years at the intersection of community listening, membership work, and mission-driven journalism more broadly. Im not at all embarrassed to say that we dont claim to have invented any of this stuff. But were seeing it come together for us in ways that are customized for New York City and combined in ways that maybe you need us to draw on that growing pool of expertise. And thats a great place to be. The Journalism Crisis Project aims to train our focus on the present crisis, and to foster a conversation about what comes next. We hope youll join us. (Click to subscribe!) EXPLORE THE TOW CENTERS COVID-19 CUTBACK TRACKER: Over the past year and a half, researchers at the Tow Center collected reports of a wide range of cutbacks amid the pandemic. Theres an interactive map and searchable database. You can find it here. Below, more on recent media trends and changes in newsrooms: Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Lauren Harris is a freelance journalist. She writes CJR's weekly newsletter for the Journalism Crisis Project. Follow her on Twitter @LHarrisWrites. Thirty years ago this week, the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Mikhail Gorbachev, its final leader, resigned in a televised address from his presidential office. Actually, he spoke not from his office but a TV facility in the Kremlin that had been mocked up to look like it. According to Conor OClery, a former Moscow correspondent for the Irish Times, nearly thirty staffers from CNN were on hand to film the address. An Associated Press photographer and ABCs Ted Koppel were also hanging around. Tom Johnson, CNNs president, furnished the pen with which Gorbachev signed away his power after his own felt tip ran dry; he then surrendered the nuclear briefcase in a corridor as CNNs crew filed past with its equipment. In the end, only the Western media was still interested in what Gorbachev had to say, OClery writes. The Soviet Union expired in a fake presidential office, crowded with Americans, and with the stroke of a German pen provided by a Western media executive. The dissolution of the USSR had been expected, if not inevitable, for some time, and was all but sealed earlier in December 1991, when the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarusthen still Soviet republicsmet at a snowy hunting retreat and declared the union a dead letter in front of a small group of journalists. Press freedom, long curtailed in the Soviet Union, had started to flourish after the mid-eighties, when Gorbachev initiated the process of glasnost, meaning greater openness in public affairs; he envisioned this as being limited, but lost control of his reform project as journalists started to publish information about the Soviet system. As Ann Cooper, who was NPRs Moscow correspondent at the time, has written, two publications in particular, Ogonyok and Moscow News, pushed the envelope; the latter would sell out so quickly at newsstands that many people had to read display copies in glass cases outside the papers offices. In August 1991, when Communist hardliners tried and failed to take power in a coup, journalists were among those who led the fightback, shooting footage of protests and confronting coup leaders with sharp questions. By that time, the press was incredibly free, and doing good journalism, Cooper told me yesterday. It was such a striking contrast with when everything was controlled by the party and the press was just horribleit was very propagandistic, it was boring, it was gray. New from CJR: Our anniversary issue Recently, Cooper used an image of people reading Moscow News on the street to open a panel discussion that she convened, at Harvards Shorenstein Center, to assess where the press stands now in the fifteen countries that emerged from the USSRs ashesa critical question for the state of democracy in a region of three hundred million people that stretches from the European Union to the borders of China and North Korea. Thirty years ago, she said, there was hope that many of the fifteen countries would institutionalize media freedom, but the reality is not exactly what we imagined back then. The Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have been success storiesReporters Without Borders now ranks them all among the thirty best countries in the world for press freedombut other post-Soviet nations still have harshly repressive media environments, not least Turkmenistan, which RSF ranks as the third worst country in the world for press freedom, and Belarus, where the dictatorial president, Alexander Lukashenko, has led a brutal recent clampdown on independent journalism, as Charles McPhedran has reported for CJR. Other countries, Cooper says, fall in between, boasting dedicated, if small, cadres of independent reporters working through fluctuating political conditions. They include Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The latter country has been in the news in the US a lot lately, due to the specter of Russian invasion along its eastern border, and in November, Ukraines media also made headlines among Western media reporters after Adnan Kivan, a construction mogul, abruptly fired the entire staff of the Kyiv Post, a punchy English-language news outlet that he owns. Brian Bonner, the Posts editor, told CJRs Maria Bustillos at the time that he thinks Kivan got tired of powerful people complaining to him about the Posts aggressive coverage (Kivan denies this); staffers from the paper have since launched a new site, the Kyiv Independent, and pledged to rely on reader donations for funding rather than a rich owner or an oligarch. Oligarchs control much of Ukraines press landscapepart of a broader phenomenon of concentrated media ownership across post-Communist Europe that dates back to the rapid privatization of the early nineties and persists to this day, especially in the TV industry. If the Post symbolized Ukraines culture of vibrant independent journalism, Kivans decision demonstrates its ongoing fragility. Moldova, a small country nestled between Ukraine and Romania, tends to get less Western media attention, but thats started to change in the last year following the election of Maia Sandu, a pro-Europe liberal, as president, beating a candidate openly backed by the Kremlin. There, too, a committed community of investigative journalists has worked to expose corruption and abuse, as much of the rest of the media has remained under oligarchic and political influence. Sandu has promised to root out corruption and has won praise from Western leaders, including President Joe Biden, who namechecked Moldova as a beacon of hope for global democracy in a recent speech at the United Nations. Corina Cepoi, a Moldovan journalist who appeared on Coopers recent panel, said that the government has already started to push for reforms that would create more transparency around media ownership in the country and perhaps begin to diversify it. Cooper told me, however, that other Moldovan reporters with whom shes spoken remain somewhat skeptical that Sandu represents a clean break with the past. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Among the post-Soviet countries, Russia still looms largest. State-backed disinformation campaigns have snaked out beyond the countrys bordersSandu, for instance, has alleged that she was the target of pro-Russian fake news as she ran for election in Moldova last yearas the climate for independent journalism within Russia itself has grown increasingly hostile, with officials tarring many news organizations and journalists as foreign agents and effectively outlawing others while also expelling foreign correspondents, including, recently, the Dutch newspaper reporter Tom Vennink. Dmitry Muratov, a high-profile Russian journalist, came of journalistic age in the Glasnost era; after the USSR fell and press freedom flowered, he cofounded Novaya Gazeta with some financial support from Gorbachev, who donated some of his Nobel Peace Prize winnings to the publication. Two weeks ago, Muratov himself was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, as a prominent example of the official threats journalists now face the world over. Journalism in Russia is going through a dark valley with some reporters fleeing the country, Muratov said in his Nobel lecture. That has happened in our history before. The conditions for independent journalism may differ between post-Soviet states, but its importance is not in question. In many places, it is barely able to survive; where it has taken root, Cooper told me, it is often still dependent on financial support from Western governments and NGOs that started funding post-Soviet media thirty years ago, and might have hoped that it would be able to support itself by now. Its tempting, Cooper said, to look at the media landscape in the former USSR and ask, well, gosh, what really was accomplished? Was thirty years enough? The answer, she says, is that thirty years actually wasnt enough. Below, more on press freedom around the world: The United Arab Emirates: Dana Priest reports, for the Washington Post, that in the months before the Saudi state assassinated the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, officials in the United Arab Emirates detained his fiancee Hanan Elatr and infected her phone with Pegasus, a spyware tool developed by an Israel firm. An analysis of Elatrs phone that was conducted by Citizen Lab, at the University of Toronto, provides the first indication that a UAE government agency placed the military-grade spyware on a phone used by someone in Khashoggis inner circle in the months before his murder, Priest writes. The UAE continues to deny using Pegasus. Dana Priest reports, for the Washington Post, that in the months before the Saudi state assassinated the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, officials in the United Arab Emirates detained his fiancee Hanan Elatr and infected her phone with Pegasus, a spyware tool developed by an Israel firm. An analysis of Elatrs phone that was conducted by Citizen Lab, at the University of Toronto, provides the first indication that a UAE government agency placed the military-grade spyware on a phone used by someone in Khashoggis inner circle in the months before his murder, Priest writes. The UAE continues to deny using Pegasus. Egypt: On Monday, a court in Egypt sentenced two journalists, Alaa Abdelfattah and Mohamed Oxygen, to five and four years in prison, respectively. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Egyptian authorities have held Abdelfattah, a freelance journalist and blogger, and Oxygen, a blogger whose real name is Mohamed Ibrahim, since September 2019, while investigating them under terrorism and false news charges. Mondays verdict cannot be appealed and the terrorism charges remain pending. On Monday, a court in Egypt sentenced two journalists, Alaa Abdelfattah and Mohamed Oxygen, to five and four years in prison, respectively. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Egyptian authorities have held Abdelfattah, a freelance journalist and blogger, and Oxygen, a blogger whose real name is Mohamed Ibrahim, since September 2019, while investigating them under terrorism and false news charges. Mondays verdict cannot be appealed and the terrorism charges remain pending. China: Muyi Xiao, Paul Mozur and Gray Beltran, of the New York Times, obtained documents showing how the government of China has employed private contractors to flood global social media with a campaign to burnish its image and undercut accusations of human rights abuses. Much of the effort takes place in the shadows, Xiao, Mozur, and Beltran report, behind the guise of bot networks that generate automatic posts and hard-to-trace online personas. Chinese officials have used the campaign to track down critics outside China and trace their connections to the mainland, in some cases threatening their family members. Muyi Xiao, Paul Mozur and Gray Beltran, of the New York Times, obtained documents showing how the government of China has employed private contractors to flood global social media with a campaign to burnish its image and undercut accusations of human rights abuses. Much of the effort takes place in the shadows, Xiao, Mozur, and Beltran report, behind the guise of bot networks that generate automatic posts and hard-to-trace online personas. Chinese officials have used the campaign to track down critics outside China and trace their connections to the mainland, in some cases threatening their family members. The UK: Tim Tate, a documentary filmmaker in the UK, has accused the British government of deceitfully withholding documents that would shine a light on its reaction, in the nineteen-eighties, to the book Spycatcher, in which Peter Wright, a former intelligence operative, accused British agencies of various abuses; public files are typically released after thirty years in Britain, but officials have cited legal exemptions to block the publication of documents that Tate is trying to review. The British government tried to block Spycatcher from being published in Australia, and also tried to gag newspapers in the UK from reporting details of Wrights claims. The Guardian has more. Other notable stories: ICYMI: Biden, Manchin, and the stakes behind the slogans Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. Tyler Scott Halsey worked himself to death trimming trees in 96-degree heat, his parents say. They alleged in a lawsuit against his employer, Townsend Tree Service, that his supervisor did not offer enough water or rest breaks and disabled the air-conditioning in work trucks so there was no respite from the stifling heat and humidity of southeast Missouri on a mid-summer day. Missouri employers arent required to pay workers compensation death benefits if there are no dependents, other than $5,000 for funeral expenses. Halseys parents hoped to get around workers compensation exclusive remedy by naming the supervisor, Jeff Alan Richarson as a defendant. Co-employee liability has long been a quirky area in Missouri law, resulting in conflicting court opinions that apparently gave the parents lawyers hope there was a fighting chance of collecting on a wrongful death claim. A panel of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals dashed those hopes Tuesday, finding that the Missouri Supreme Court had closed the door on co-employee v. co-employee lawsuits for all but the most egregious actions in a decision issued Nov. 9. In Brock v. Dunne, the high court ruled that employees can sue only co-workers who intentionally cause injury or purposefully increase danger of injury. Otherwise the duty to provide a safe workplace falls solely on employers. The 8th Circuit panel, reciting portions of the Brock case, said there is no direct evidence demonstrating that Richardson acted with the purpose to cause or increase the risk of injury and any inference he did so would be unreasonable, speculative or forced.' The panel rejected other arguments made in the the appeal and affirmed a decision by the U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau that dismissed the parents lawsuit. Halsey, 23, had worked for Townsend Tree for only four days when he became disoriented and passed out as he and his co-workers were packing up after a day spent trimming trees in Stoddard and Butler counties on July 22, 2016. Richardson said in a deposition that Halsey started speaking gibberish and then keeled over. He was taken to a hospital in Poplar Bluff and died a day later. The coroner determined heat stroke was the cause of death. Halseys body temperature had risen to 108 degrees, the U.S. Occupational Safety Administration said in a press release. The agency fined Townsend Tree $12,471 for workplace safety violations. The agency said Halseys death was the 16th heat-related workplace death it investigated that year. Richardson testified that he had worked for the tree service off and on for five years and did not receive any training on heat injury prevention until the week after Halsey died. Townsend Tree Service paid $23,000 for medical and funeral expenses, according to court filings. Halseys parentsAndrew Halsey and Tammy Kennedyfiled a lawsuit that named Townsend Tree Service, its owner Townsend Corp. of Indiana and Richardson as defendants. Missouri law clearly protects employers from lawsuits filed by their employees if they carry workers compensation insurance, but whether employees can pursue lawsuits against co-workers who are responsible for their injuries has been a murkier area of law. Historically, Missouri statutes did not say that co-workers were immune from lawsuits, but the employer-employee relationship complicated the legal analysis of the duty that employees owe to other employees, the Supreme Court said in the Brock decision. Over the years, appellate case law applying these competing common law doctrines developed and evolved, attempting to delineate the basis for the common law liability for co-employees, the decision says.Unfortunately, this jurisprudence shifted and swung like a pendulum, causing confusion for litigants, employees, and employers. The state legislature added to the confusion in 2005 by adopting a law that required the courts to apply strict construction when interpreting workers compensation statutes. Afterward, trial courts began ruling that co-employees enjoyed no immunity for their role in causing workplace accidents. The legislature amended the law in 2012 to state that co-employees are immune from liability for workplace accidents unless they engaged in an affirmative negligent act that purposefully and dangerously caused or increased the risk of injury. It was not clear until the Brock decision was released last month exactly what that meant. The Supreme Court ruled that because Brock did not show his supervisor removed the safety guard for the purpose of causing injury or increasing the risk, his tort claim must fail. The 8th Circuit said the same principle applies to Richardsons actions. The appellate panel also refused to allow the parents to pursue a tort claimagainst the parent company under a theory that it had assumed control over workplace safety protections at Townsend Tree Service. The panel said Townsend Corp. did offer advice on safety measures, but control was left up to Townsend Tree. The panel also rejected a third theory that the parents lawyers hoped would keep the lawsuit alive. They argued that Halsey was not eligible for workers compensation benefits because the heat stroke that killed him was caused by his obesity, an idiopathic condition. Missouri courts have ruled that workers whose accidents are caused by an idiopathic condition are not eligible for workers compensation benefits. For example, the Missouri Court of Appeals ruled that a carpenter who fell because of a stroke that was caused by a previous motorcycle accident was ineligible. The appellate panel said any decision about whether Halsey suffered an idiopathic condition is best left up to the state Labor and Industrial Relations Commission. The commission decided in 2020 that Halsey was eligible for benefits. Townsend Corp. has posted heat safety advice on its website. In a section devoted to safety tips, the company advises employees who work in the summer heat to protect themselves by drinking water frequently, working in the shade when possible or even sitting in the truck and running the AC. CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP)A plan to build a $1.1 billion seawall around much of downtown Charleston is leaning toward relying on concrete structures, although many would like to see the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers include less intrusive solutions such as living shorelines and enhanced marshes. The Post and Courier of Charleston obtained public comments through a Freedom of Information Act request. Those comments show residents, nonprofit groups and even the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources all want more natural characteristics included. I am seriously concerned that a more naturalistic approach was not the result of this study, one resident wrote in September. The 8-mile (12.8-kilometer) project would include a wall rising 8 feet (2.5 meters) above tidal flood levels. The plan includes dozens of gates that would close and block off roads, streams and walkways when a storm approaches. Pumps would push out water when the gates close. Jaclyn Pennoyer, a spokesperson for the Corps Charleston District, wrote in an email that the agency considered three nature-based protections for the citybuilding living shorelines of oyster reefs, adding sediment to existing marshes and uncovering long-filled tidal creeks. But none of these options would protect Charleston against hurricane surge of several feet, she wrote. Thats the Corps mandate for protection. Some oyster reefs are included in the most recent version of the plan. But they would parallel stretches of the surge wall, not replace it. Reefs, enhanced marshes or improved creeks as stand-alone perimeter protection do NOT appreciably reduce the risk of damages from coastal storm surge, Pennoyer wrote. Additional nature-based solutions could be included and funded by the City of Charleston to address rainfall and tidal flooding. Western Carolina University Professor Robert Young said its true that a reef would be drowned by a strong storm surge. But he said said greener strategies would add environmental benefits. And he said storm surge isnt the only challenge to Charleston. Rising sea levels are already causing more frequent but less severe tidal flooding. Its better to create sort of a multi-layered approach to gray infrastructure than it is to just build a dang seawall, Young said. Living shorelines work best at protecting the edge of a marsh or high ground from erosion. South Carolina is now letting landowners install their own versions to protect property or marsh. In recent years, researchers have started purposefully placing oyster shells and other products to shield marsh, said Peter Kingsley-Smith, a senior marine scientist with the state Department of Natural Resources. Bags of shells, cement castles, logs of coconut fiber and even crab traps have all been tried, Kingsley-Smith told the newspaper. These methods can preserve marsh grasses, which are important wildlife habitats and absorb carbon gases. The Coastal Conservation League commissioned an alternative Charleston plan that proposes oyster reefs to slow down waves, earthen levees and engineered wetlands in different sections of the city. Outgoing executive director Laura Cantral acknowledged thats not enough to stop storm surge. But she argues the wall would work better with those features. The Corps mandate is to address storm surge, we get that, she said. We also believe many of these nature-based solutions make the overall objective of the wall more effective. One issue is that the Corps calculates a cost-benefit ratio to determine which projects are worth paying for. It doesnt account for benefits from greener options, said Natalie Snider of the Environmental Defense Fund. Congress told the Corps to consider incorporating these elements into plans in 2018 and 2020, she said. Weve just seen the Corps be slow on the uptake of really developing and relying on these features, Snider said. The cost-benefit ratio for the Charleston project as now designed is more than 10 to 1, making it one of the most attractive for the federal government to fund in the Southeast. About the photo: Flood waters reflect East Battery as a king tide rolls into the historic Battery causing flooding in Charleston, S.C. Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. Charleston has remained relatively unscathed this hurricane season. That means more time to mull a $1.75 billion proposal by the Army Corps of Engineers that features a sea wall along the citys peninsula to protect it from deadly storm surge during hurricanes. (AP Photo/Mic Smith) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. LOS ANGELES (AP)Drought-stricken California is facing a week of heavy mountain snowfall and widespread rain from another series of the kind of storms that were not expected to be likely this fall and winter due to La Nina conditions in the Pacific Ocean. Successive waves of precipitation moving into Northern California from Tuesdaythe first day of winterthrough Sunday afternoon will coat parts of the Sierra Nevada with 1 to 5 feet (0.3-1.5 meters) of snow and possibly up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) at some higher elevations, the National Weather Service said. The mountain range, where ski resorts had struggled to open this fall, is already sporting glistening peaks after recent storms. The snowfall is important because the Sierras winter snowpack normally is a significant source of Californias water. We had a big storm already recently. Were just getting over shoveling and all that so now were preparing for the next one, said Karla Brennan, owner of The Cork & More, a longstanding deli, cheese and wine store in South Lake Tahoe. I think its going to be a white Christmas. Snow can sometimes hit the area as early as Thanksgiving. It was welcome this year when it finally arrived. Everybodys saying that theyre having a record-breaking December, Brennan said. All of a sudden, it happened in the past two weeks. When the snow came, the cars came up. In October, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that a the Pacific Ocean was showing signs of a new La Nina, the flip side of the El Nino ocean-warming pattern, that tends to cause changes in weather worldwide. Forecasters said much of California would have a 33% to 50% chance of below-normal precipitation, while only the states far northern tier had equal chances of above- or below-normal precipitation. But the storm track has trended farther south than is usual during La Ninas. After a series of mid-December tempests, Californias overall snow-water equivalenta measurement of how much water is in the snowpackjumped from 19% of normal to date on Dec. 10 to 76% of normal on Dec. 17, according to the latest U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook. While the current wet trend is positive, it is too early to know if it will last through January and February. The snowpack normally doesnt reach its maximum until April and last spring there was minimal runoff because much of the water was absorbed by the drought-parched landscape. Forecasters noted that this weeks storms will also have potential for significant low-elevation snow, including over Interstate 5 north of Redding, the northern region where last weeks storms shut down the vital highway for nearly 24 hours. Little break in snowfall is expected after Tuesday and major travel difficulties are anticipated the mountains, the weather service said. Gusty winds will further reduce visibilities during this event with local whiteout conditions possible, forecasters said. Holiday travelers should prepare for winter driving conditions by packing chains, warm winter clothes, and extra food and water. The wet weather pattern will begin to affect Southern California late this week. The Los Angeles weather office said water vapor imagery over the Pacific shows an atmospheric river developing as moisture streamed from an area east of Hawaii. Atmospheric rivers suck up water from the Pacific and dump it in the form of snow and rain when they arrive at the West Coast. Rain and high-elevation snow will likely occur Wednesday through Thursday, followed by unsettled and showery weather through the weekend, forecasters said. About the photo: A pedestrian carries an umbrella while looking toward the skyline from Dolores Park in San Francisco on Dec. 13, 2021. California is facing a stormy holiday week, with heavy mountain snowfall and widespread rain elsewhere. Forecasters say successive waves of precipitation moving into Northern California from Tuesday through Sunday afternoon will coat parts of the Sierra Nevada with 1 to 5 feet of snow and possibly up to 8 feet at higher elevations. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The state Capitol building in Denver is seen on Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. The Mile High City has already shattered its 87-year-old record for the latest measurable snowfall set on Nov. 21, 1934, and was a little more than a week away from breaking an 1887 record of 235 consecutive days without snow. The scenario is playing out across much of the Rocky Mountains, as far north as Montana and in the broader Western United States, which is experiencing a megadrought that studies link to human-caused climate change. Are you a current print subscriber to Columbia Gorge News? If so, you qualify for free access to all content on columbiagorgenews.com. Simply verify with your subscriber id to receive free access. Your subscriber id may be found on your bill or mailing label. 100% Website dtcc.com uses latest and advanced technologies. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 92987 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 331197 bytes (323.43 kb uncompressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-12-22, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. Fanosak.ir scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 10 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. The total number of people who shared the fanosak homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the fanosak homepage on Twitter + the total number of fanosak followers (if fanosak has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the fanosak homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the fanosak homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the fanosak homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if fanosak has a Facebook fan page). Basic Information PAGE TITLE | | | | | | DESCRIPTION | | | | | | KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE Persian UTF-8Persian SERVER Apache OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux The language of fanosak.ir as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Operative System running on the server. Type of server and offered services. Character set and language of the site. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for fanosak.ir by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The URL of the found Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Congratulations, loc.edu got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site: Loc.edu scored 63 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 3/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 28 Mar 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. loc.edu is very popular in Facebook. It is liked by 100 people on Facebook and it has 9 twitter shares. The total number of people who shared the loc homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the loc homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the loc homepage on Twitter + the total number of loc followers (if loc has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the loc homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if loc has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the loc homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. Basic Information PAGE TITLE Homepage | LeMoyne-Owen College | Memphis TN DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS college, student, financial aid, lemoyne, services, financial, march The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Microsoft-IIS/6.0 (ASP.NET) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2003 Type of server and offered services. Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) The language of loc.edu as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for loc.edu by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The type of Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Voorjaarsprijzen.nl scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 1 Apr 2015, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the voorjaarsprijzen homepage on Twitter + the total number of voorjaarsprijzen followers (if voorjaarsprijzen has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the voorjaarsprijzen homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the voorjaarsprijzen homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if voorjaarsprijzen has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the voorjaarsprijzen homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the voorjaarsprijzen homepage on Delicious. Basic Information PAGE TITLE Voorjaarsprijzen DESCRIPTION Culinaire hotelarrangementen, barbecues, relaxpakketten of een vakantie naar Curacao: met de Winpas van de Staatsloterij maakt u kans op 160 prijzen t.w.v. ruim 26.500! KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS wincode, unieke, prijzen, eenmalig een nieuwe, jouw unieke, eenmalig een, een nieuwe The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. Domain and Server DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE Dutch UTF-8Dutch DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Microsoft-IIS/7.5 (ASP.NET) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 R2 Operative System running on the server. The language of voorjaarsprijzen.nl as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site. Type of server and offered services. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for voorjaarsprijzen.nl by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The URL of the found Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND WEST HARTFORD The town will begin a national search for a new town manager as Matt Hart is leaving the position to become executive director of the Capitol Region Council of Governments. Hart was appointed as West Hartfords town manager in 2017, when he came to the town after holding the same position in Mansfield. Mayor Shari Cantor said she will nominate Rick Ledwith, the towns executive director of human resources, to serve as acting town manager in the interim. Cantor said Hart played a big role in some of the most significant economic development projects in the history of the town. Matt has been an excellent town manager, providing steady leadership to West Hartford during an incredibly challenging time, Cantor said in a statement. Matts many accomplishments include keeping West Hartford a safe, vibrant and prosperous community through his unfaltering leadership during the pandemic. I am fortunate to consider Matt a friend and I will miss him, but I look forward to continuing to work with him in his new role. The Capitol Region Council of Governments is comprised of a group of leaders from the Hartford region. The council said it was formed to initiate and implement programs that benefit towns in the area. West Hartford is among the 38 metro Hartford municipalities that guides the council, with Cantor serving as West Hartfords policy board member. New Britains mayor, Erin Stewart, was recently named chair of the council and issued a statement praising Harts appointment. Matt Hart has been an effective and well-known leader from municipal government from the Hartford area, Stewart said. We are excited to have him join CRCOG and look forward to his leadership in helping to advance regional programs that will benefit the residents of our region. Jon Colman, the chair of the councils ad-hoc search committee, said Hart was by far the best candidate they found in their comprehensive search. Hart said hes honored to serve as the councils next executive director. He will begin in the new position on Feb. 28. I look forward to joining the team and working with CRCOGs policy board and staff to advance the organizations strategic priorities and vision, particularly during this extraordinary time, Hart said. Hart will succeed Lyle Wray, who served in the position since 2004. Hart will leave the town manager position in early February. The nomination of Ledwith to serve as acting town manager will likely happen at the next town council meeting. Ledwith, the town said, has served a number of roles in West Hartford since 2001. Ledwith has held the position of executive director of human resources for the last 15 years. The town said Ledwith has worked with every municipal department and the school district while in that role. Ledwith and his wife, Tara, have lived in town for 25 years. West Hartford is incredibly fortunate to have someone of Ricks experience and expertise able to step into the role of acting town manager, Cantor said. In a statement, Ledwith said hes looking forward to serving as acting town manager. I am humbled that Mayor Cantor has put her trust in me, Ledwith said. I truly love this community and I look forward to this new challenge. SYDNEY (AP) New COVID-19 cases in Australias most populous state surged to a pandemic record Wednesday, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison met with state leaders to discuss preventative measures. Morrison emerged from the national cabinet meeting again rejecting lockdowns and mask mandates imposed by the federal government. He said policies on mask wearing were best left to state governments and to Australians who should follow commonsense behavioral measures. New South Wales state on Wednesday recorded 3,763 new cases, up 706 from Tuesday, though the number of omicron cases was not known because genomic sequencing is not routinely carried out there. State and territory leaders were expected to press Morrison to reduce the gap between second vaccine doses and booster shots. Morrison said any decision on reducing the gap from five to four months would be made by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization. Australia has been battling the omicron variant of COVID-19 for about four weeks and cases have been steadily rising in populous New South Wales and Victoria states. Victoria reported 1,503 cases on Wednesday, of which about 60 were reportedly omicron. Morrison said Australia is taking the highly transmissible omicron strain very seriously," adding that "what were dealing with is a much greater volume of cases. The cases themselves don't necessarily present the challenge, as we've always said. What really matters is how many people are experiencing serious illness and how many people are having to draw on the considerable resources of ICUs and our hospital system, he added. Morrison said state and territory leaders told him that despite the increase in cases they have not yet seen any significant impact on the hospital system. The federal government from Wednesday will pay doctors and pharmacists an additional $10 to administer booster shots, Morrison said. He said that mask wearing indoors is highly recommended whether it is mandated or not and that compliance with commonsense rules would ensure Australians celebrate Christmas with fewer disruptions. My message is to stay calm, get your booster, follow the commonsense behavioral measures as you're going into Christmas and we look forward to that, Morrison said. WASHINGTON (AP) Mitch McConnell is done with subtleties. The Senate Republican leader is putting his party's courtship of Joe Manchin on full public display after the West Virginia Democrat's fractious split with the White House over the presidents big social and environmental spending package. McConnell says Manchin feels like a man alone and if he were to switch parties, he would be joining a lot of folks who have similar views on a whole range of issues. Whether Manchin is open to McConnell's appeal he has consistently said he still sees himself as a Democrat is uncertain. But it is clear that if he were to switch it would fundamentally alter the balance of power in Washington as well as seriously threaten Joe Biden's legislative prospects for the rest of his presidency. McConnell dangled the prospect of Manchin retaining his prized Energy Committee chairmanship during an interview Wednesday and played up the West Virginian's growing distance from Democrats in his opposition to Biden's package. A flip by Manchin would give Republicans control of the Senate and effectively end any chance of Democrats being able to get legislation or nominations through on party-line votes. The rift escalated after Manchin said over the weekend that he couldn't vote for the social spending package that Democrats have pitched as their top domestic priority going into next year's elections. I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just cant. Ive tried everything humanly possible. I cant get there, Manchin told Fox News Sunday." That prompted a sharply worded response from White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who said Manchin had in person given Biden a written proposal that was the same size and scope as a framework for the bill that Democrats rallied behind in October and that he had agreed to continue talks. We will continue to press him to see if he will reverse his position yet again, to honor his prior commitments and be true to his word, Psaki said. The White House had basically called Manchin a liar, McConnell said in a radio appearance on the Hugh Hewitt Show. "It was astonishing. Usually when youve got a member who is a little bit out of sync with everybody else, you give them a lot of love. They did exactly the opposite," McConnell said. He said he's had conversations over the years with Manchin about his party affiliation. "If he were to join us, he would be joining a lot of folks who have similar views on a whole range of issues. One big obstacle to a party switch would be Manchins vote in February in favor of the impeachment of former President Donald Trump for his actions during the violent insurrection at the Capitol. West Virginia voted for Trump by more than 2-to-1, and Trump has called for defeating Republicans who voted for impeachment. But Manchin, the only Democrat in his state's congressional delegation, is popular back home. He was twice elected governor before his election to the Senate in 2010. He'll be up for re-election in 2024 should he decide to seek another term. West Virginia is still coal country, and Democrat Manchin is chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. If he were to switch parties, McConnell and the Republicans could choose a new chairman. Thats something we have talked to him about," McConnell said. "Obviously, I'm sure he enjoyed being a chair of the committee. It's important to West Virginia, and all of those things are things we have discussed. McConnell also addressed questions about Manchin in an interview late Wednesday on Fox News, saying he admired Manchin's stand on the social spending package. I think they will keep coming back to him. Ive suggested a good solution to his problem would be to come across the aisle and join us where he would be treated with respect," McConnell said. Manchin has long faced questions about his place in the Democratic Party, and the talk took on fresh urgency in October when a Mother Jones article said he had been telling associates he was seriously considering leaving the party. But six days after the article was published, while sitting down with the Economic Club in Washington, Manchin rejected the reports, saying I dont think the Rs would be any happier with me than Ds are right now. He added, So I dont know where in the hell I belong. The question has been posed to him repeatedly in the past few weeks, coming to a breaking point Monday morning, hours after he had publicly voiced his opposition to Bidens bill. I would like to hope that there are still Democrats that feel like I do," he said. Im fiscally responsible and socially compassionate. "Now, if theres no Democrats like that, then they have to push me wherever they want. Party switching in the Senate is rare but has been consequential. Republicans lost control of the Senate two decades ago when James Jeffords of Vermont quit the party to become an independent. Jeffords, upset with President George W. Bushs opposition to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, declared in May of 2001 that he would leave and caucus with the Democrats. McConnell said Jeffords had become very uncomfortable on our side." He said Republican lawmakers courted him because we were always fearful he would do exactly what he ended up doing. So, no, I mean, we certainly didn't do anything like the White House did to Joe Manchin the other day." While all this swirls, Biden is making clear that he believes he can still reach an agreement with the West Virginian on a social spending package. Senator Manchin and I are going to get something done," Biden declared at the White House on Tuesday. HONOLULU (AP) Hawaii health officials reported another 707 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases Tuesday, the fifth straight day of elevated infection numbers. Hawaii had a seven-day average of about 100 daily cases in early December. Now, after several days of high case counts, there are more than 5,600 active cases among Hawaii's 1.5 million residents, according to the state Department of Health. Health officials said there were at least 50 omicron variant coronavirus cases as of Monday. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said last week that early data suggests omicron is more transmissible than the delta variant. Hawaii Lt. Gov. Josh Green said he wants more testing and vaccination sites to be established. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that Green sent a memorandum to Gov. David Ige and other state officials saying Hawaii has enough federal funding to set up more vaccine booster and testing sites across the islands. It stands to reason that now were seeing the large omicron surge that we get as many people boosters as possible," Green said, adding that only 22% of vaccinated people have received boosters. Vaccinated U.S. travelers to the state are no longer required to take tests prior to their arrival. Anyone who is not vaccinated must be tested before departure to Hawaii or face a quarantine upon arrival. On Oahu, where the vast majority of the new cases are being reported, Mayor Rick Blangiardi said last week that officials had no plans to set up more coronavirus testing or vaccination sites before the holidays. Its really hard to do before Christmas. Its really a manpower issue, he said. Were just going to encourage people who are available to get their third shots to get them. Oahu has a test positivity rate of 9% and the statewide average is 7%. WASHINGTON (AP) The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection on Wednesday requested an interview with Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, one of former President Donald Trump's closest allies in Congress, as the committee closes in on members of its own chamber. In a letter to Jordan, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, Democratic chairman of the panel, said the panel wants the lawmaker to provide information for its investigation surrounding his communications with Trump on Jan. 6 and Trump's efforts to challenge the result of the 2020 election. We understand that you had at least one and possibly multiple communications with President Trump on January 6th, the letter reads. We would like to discuss each such communication with you in detail. The request is the second by the nine-member panel this week and launches a new phase for the lawmakers on the committee, who have so far resisted going after one of their own as they investigate the insurrection by supporters and his efforts to overturn the election. Jordan is a staunch supporter of the former president's false claims about voter fraud. The lawmaker brought those claims up during an October hearing on a motion to hold former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon in contempt for refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena. In that hearing, Jordan admitted once again that he spoke with Trump on the day of the attack. Of course, I talked to the president, Jordan told members of the Rules Committee, in response to questioning from the panels chairman, Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. I talked to him that day. Ive been clear about that. I dont recall the number of times, but its not about me. I know you want to make it about that." A request for comment from Jordan's office was not immediately returned. The panel is also seeking information regarding Jordan's meeting with Trump and members of his administration in November and December 2020, and in early January 2021, about strategies for overturning the results of the 2020 election. The letter goes on to say the committee is also interested in any discussions Jordan may have had during that time regarding the possibility of presidential pardons for people involved in any aspect of the Capitol attack or the planning for the two rallies that took place that day. Thompson writes that Jordan has already publicly signaled a willingness to cooperate with the panel's efforts to get answers about Jan. 6, citing the lawmaker's quote from that October hearing: I've said all along, I have nothing to hide. Ive been straightforward all along. On Monday, the committee sent a similar request to Republican Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, who the panel believes had an important role in efforts to install then-Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark as acting attorney general in late 2020. Perry rejected the committee's request Tuesday, calling the committee and its investigation illegitimate. In response, Tim Mulvey, a committee spokesperson, said that while the panel prefers to gather evidence from members cooperatively, it will pursue such information using other tools if necessary. The panel has already interviewed about 300 people as it seeks to create a comprehensive record of the Jan. 6 attack and the events leading up to it. Trump at the time was pushing false claims of widespread voter fraud and lobbying Vice President Mike Pence and Republican members of Congress to try to overturn the count at the Jan. 6 congressional certification. Election officials across the country, along with the courts, had repeatedly dismissed Trumps claims. The suburban Minneapolis police officer on trial for fatally shooting Daunte Wright has said she mistakenly used her gun when she was trying to grab a Taser during a chaotic attempt to arrest the Black motorist. Policing experts say that regardless of Kim Potter's intent, the fatal shooting was preceded by smaller mistakes or questionable decisions that added up to a dangerous situation as she was training a new officer. They also say the tragic outcome shows how important it is for veteran officers like her to have not just the savvy to train rookies, but the willingness to correct them instantly in risky situations even if it means the trainee might lose face. The number one priority isnt the long-term outcome of training an officer, its the short term of safety, said Brian Higgins, an adjunct professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the former chief of police and director of public safety for Bergen County, New Jersey. Knowing when to step in is a difficult decision sometimes, and Im sure many times field training officers look back and go Wow, I should have stepped in sooner. Potter, who is white, is charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April 11 killing of Wright, who was pulled over in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center for having expired license plate tags and an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. The jury began deliberating on Monday. Potter was training a newer officer, Anthony Luckey, that day, and she testified that if she had been alone, she most likely wouldn't have pulled over Wright, who was 20 years old. She said the air freshener was trivial and that many people were having difficulty renewing their tags at that stage of the pandemic. But Potter said Luckey wanted to make the stop and she allowed it because its important for trainees to have many encounters with the public. Policing experts agree that it's good for trainees to interact often with the public so that they learn the intangible skills the job requires. But using traffic violations as a way to check for more serious lawbreaking criticized by some as pretext stops has come under scrutiny, especially because some of these stops have led to the deaths of Black people in recent years. Carl Lafata, a professor of criminal justice at Minnesota State University in Mankato, said such stops can erode community trust if they're used too aggressively. The Wright stop could have been a chance for Potter to teach Luckey the art of the job," he said. "How do you do it in such a way that is safe, that is professional, that leaves that person with a good taste in their mouth? he asked. After Potter and Luckey discovered that Wright had an outstanding warrant on a weapons charge, body camera video recorded them making a plan to arrest Wright. Im just going to get him out and then cuff him up. I mean hes got a warrant, so Im going to get him cuffed up, Luckey said. That should have been a point at which the officers' level of caution went up, especially in the midst of field-training a new officer, Higgins said. Learning how to correctly handcuff and control someone is a basic but critical process for police officers. If a trainee struggles to the point of risking someone's safety, a field training officer should step in, he said. When an officer has made a decision to place someone under arrest, that's when you enter in many cases the real dangerous situation, he said. And that's why handcuffing and controlling the subject is critical, regardless of what the charge is. Ryan Getty, a professor at California State University at Sacramento who has specialized in developing police field training, said field training officers usually don't allow trainees to make arrests on their own until the latter half of their training program. Although Luckey had gone through field training programs at other police departments, he was in the second of four phases with the Brooklyn Center police force. Usually the (field training officer) takes over if its a violent arrest or warrant, Getty said. Luckey, Potter and the third officer who responded to the scene, then-Sgt. Mychal Johnson, all approached Wright's car, with Luckey taking the lead as Wright stood outside his car. As Luckey struggled to handcuff him, Potter tried to assist, placing her hand on Wrights arm. That move made sense to the police training experts, who said training officers will usually try to nonverbally take charge of an arrest where police lose control. When its clearly going south, then the (field training officer) needs to step in and take charge, Lafata said. But then Wright made a break for his car and got behind the wheel. Potter's former chief, Tim Gannon, testified that he saw no error by Potter in procedure. But he faulted Luckey for not moving Wright away from his open car door. What training tells us to do is to move him to the rear of the car away from the open door or close the door behind him, testified Gannon, who resigned two days after the shooting the same day Potter quit. Lafata and Higgins highlighted the same error. You want to avoid any sort of opportunity for the person to get back into the car and flee, said Lafata, who previously served as a state trooper in Michigan. When prosecutors questioned Potter about why she didn't step in at that point, she testified that she wouldnt do that to a rookie in front of a suspect. Gannon agreed in his testimony, calling it an action he would not have addressed until afterward. Higgins said a general good rule is to let a trainee officer work through his or her actions and afterward try to critique it. But if there is any concern having to do with safety, you have a responsibility to train them and keep them safe, he said. If her concern was that his actions were unsafe because he did not position the individual correctly during the arrest, she has to interject herself. Field training officers dont want to be the bad guy or girl, but ensuring someone is trained properly is critical in policing where the health and safety of everyone involved can be at stake, Higgins said. Once Wright jumped into his car, the situation became chaotic, with Potter pulling her handgun while yelling, Ill tase you! Ill tase you! Taser! Taser! Taser! Getty questioned whether Potter was even qualified to be a field training officer because she made the fatal error of grabbing her handgun instead of a Taser. When it comes to panic time, if they dont have that experience, they just go back to how they are trained, he said, adding that field training officers are supposed to be the best of the best officers. ___ Find the APs full coverage of the Daunte Wright case: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-daunte-wright ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkish authorities have arrested an American diplomat working for the U.S. Consulate in Lebanon for allegedly providing a fake passport to a Syrian man, Turkeys state-run news agency reported Wednesday. The Anadolu Agency said the suspect, identified by his initials D.J.K., was detained at Istanbul Airport on Nov. 11, and was later formally arrested on suspicion of selling the forged passport for $10,000. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The University of Utah says its racist-incident team is investigating separate reports of men dressed like the KKK in dorms and excrement smeared on a door of a Black students room. The reports came in the fall but drew attention Sunday night after a student questioned on Instagram why they had not been addressed, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Two former White House Chiefs of Staff will share their unique perspectives at the 2022 CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC). Reince Priebus, the first chief of staff to President Donald Trump, and Thomas Mack McLarty, chief of staff to President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1994, will participate in a moderated discussion and share their insiders view of the issues driving the current debate in Washington. The CUNA GAC is the biggest credit union advocacy event of the year. As a bipartisan organization, we believe its important to hear from influential voices across the political spectrum, said Todd Spiczenski, CUNA Chief Products and Services Officer. said Todd Spiczenski, CUNA Chief Products and Services Officer. This glimpse behind the curtain will benefit credit union advocates looking to maximize their impact in Washington. Priebus will share his opinions, triumphs, and failures from his tenure in the Trump White House, as well as his insights on the current political climate. A common mistake that many organizations make is thinking that their logo, their name, and their taglines are their brand. This isnt true. Your brand is what you stand for and how you stand out. Its the experience the market trusts you to deliver. If you simply take your logo and taglines and paste them everywhere, youve failed to truly activate your brand. The automobile industry has great examples of companies living their brand. Volvos brand promise is safety, Teslas is technology innovation, and Subarus is the rugged outdoors. These companies didnt just create a brand, they activated it in a way thats practical, functional, and emotional. It shapes the way they operate and innovate, and the products they develop. Volvo isnt going to make a car that doesnt pass safety tests, Tesla isnt going to make a car without driving assist and other innovations, and Subaru isnt going to make a car that doesnt feel at home on loose mountain roads. Now think about what brand activation means for your credit union. Imagine curating your members and employees in the same way Subaru curates customers who will only buy a Subaru. This is the key to building long-term value loyalty, retention, and engagement of both your members and staff. NIH Federal Credit Union is an excellent example of brand activation in the physical environment. This branch is about how you feel when you are in the space. The credit union had previously built branches that told you what it was about- we are a member of the bio-medical community. The branches were clean and functional, but they didnt make you feel any differently than any other nicely appointed branch facility. But with their recent branch transformation, they pivoted from this explicit association to healthcare to conveying a feeling of wellbeing. Green walls, natural materials, calming spaces, places where members feel at ease. This shift from telling to showing activated their brand and helps their market identify with the credit union at a deeper level. There are steps you can take to put this idea into practice, and they start with understanding what your brand actually is and what your credit union stands for. Talk to your stakeholders to discover your internal vision, business goals, and generally how you want to be perceived. Talk to existing members and develop an understanding of how they see you. Look at how you stack up to the competition. Is the brand youre building or refining truly differentiated in the market? Are you really giving members a reason to choose you? And finally, audit your brand to make sure its authentic and something that is embraced by not only members but your team, and that it aligns with your actions and value proposition. Learn more Want to learn more about activating your brand as part of holistic strategy to help your credit union compete in an increasingly digital world? Watch our video on how (and why!) to drive branch traffic in a digital world, and start a conversation with our team today! STORY LINK Pound Canadian Dollar Exchange Rate Subdued as Omicron Weighs on Pair Pound Canadian Dollar (GBP/CAD) Exchange Rate Muted as Omicron Stifles Growth Pound (GBP) Stumbles Following Disappointing Growth Figures Canadian Dollar (CAD) Boosted by Retail Sales but Capped by Oil Market GBP/CAD Exchange Rate Forecast: Will Canadian Growth Figures Boost Currency? Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The Pound Canadian Dollar (GBP/CAD) exchange rate dipped this morning following disappointing growth figures for the UK, but has since traded within a narrow range. The Omicron variant continues to place pressure on both currencies as well as oil prices driving movement in the Canadian Dollar (CAD).At time of writing the GPB/CAD exchange rate is at around $1.7149, virtually unchanged for this mornings opening figures.The Pound (GBP) dipped at the opening of this mornings session following disappointing growth data, but has since traded within a narrow range as the Omicron variant continues to weigh on the Sterling.Todays growth figures for the third quarter indicate that the UK economy grew slower than previously thought even before the impact of the Omicron variant was felt. The countrys economy grew by 1.1% in the third quarter under forecasts of 1.3% as supply issues continue to affect the building and manufacturing sectors.What little growth the UK saw was largely supported by the hospitality and arts sectors, as well a 2.7% boost to household spending as consumers returned to the shops. The impact of the Omicron variant has been felt most acutely in these sectors, and business leaders had repeatedly called on Chancellor Rishi Sunak earlier in the week to intervene. Following these calls, Sunak yesterday announced a 1bn bailout package for the hospitality sector.Whilst the package was warmly received by some and may have helped support the Pound, many felt that the Chancellor had not done nearly enough to support businesses during a crucial trading period. Ian Hoskins, who runs Liverpools Ma Pub Group, was one of those critical that the measures would not be enough:The point is that it costs me more to stay open than when we are closed and while I dont think anyone is expecting to have all lost Christmas sales reimbursed by the government, the 6k grant is a drop in the ocean at this time of year. Thats not being ungrateful thats the truth.Many businesses have accused the government of giving mixed messaging and implementing a lockdown by stealth, as guidance on social mixing has led to a sharp decline in bookings and footfall.The Canadian Dollar (CAD) was boosted overnight by optimistic retail sales figures, but has remained subdued as the oil markets remain uncertain in the face of the Omicron variant.Retail figures for October jumped well above forecasts of 1% to 1.6% as the countrys automotive industry continued its recovery after previous supply issues. Analysts were quick to point out however that tightening restrictions in response to the Omicron variant may see the economy take a turn for the worse.Andrew Grantham, CIBC senior economist, felt that the country would soon feel the impact of the Omicron variant:Even though these restrictions have focused more on bars, restaurants, gyms and other such services, rather than retailers at this stage, public concern regarding the recent outbreak is still likely to be disrupting footfall and driving more shopping activity online again.Ongoing uncertainty in the oil markets is likely to also continue to affect the commodity-tied Loonie as investors remain uncertain of demand in the face of tightening restrictions worldwide. The price of crude oil rose just 0.1% today to $71.24 a barrel.Looking to the week ahead, the UK is not set to see any further significant data releases. Its likely that Sterling will continue to see headwinds as the UK government responds to the Omicron variant.Canadas October growth figures are currently forecast to show a rise which could provide a boost to CAD. Much like this weeks retail sales figures however, it may provide little respite to the currency if analysts feel that a slowdown in the face of the Omicron variant is inevitable. 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: Forecasts Like all the patients in my Intensive Care Unit, the lady I saw this week was desperately ill. Coronavirus had ravaged her lungs, her blood pressure was plummeting and she required ventilation. It was touch and go. Just a few hours earlier, she'd managed to tell me, while struggling hard for each breath, her biggest regret; that she hadn't been vaccinated. A person walks past a coronavirus test centre in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire this Tuesday She is not alone that unvaccinated status is what marks out the vast majority of Covid patients in ICUs around the country right now. Suffering It was impossible not to feel sympathy for her. Mortal illness is a terrible thing to behold, even if, as an intensive care specialist of many years' standing, you have faced it day-in, day-out. But it is especially poignant when, as in this woman's case, you know the sheer pointlessness of her suffering. Had she had her jabs and as a fifty-something she would certainly have been offered two vaccinations and a booster by now she would very likely be living her life in the company of her loved ones and not fighting for her very survival. That is why my sympathy for her and all those like her is matched by frustration. Because her story is playing out hour after hour in critical-care wards across the land. People queue outside a vaccination centre in Edinburgh as the Covid booster vaccination programme is ramped up In an interview this week, Michael Bartley, a critical care matron at King's College Hospital in London, said '80 to 90 per cent' of Covid patients in the beds he was responsible for were unvaccinated. That statistic is echoed in the teaching hospital where I work in the South of England. Almost all of the Covid patients in my intensive care unit are unvaccinated. (At the height of the pandemic and before the vaccines, Covid patients occupied 90 per cent of beds in my unit.) They require round-the-clock care at enormous public expense every critical-care bed costs about 1,500 per day to run while putting immense pressure on the NHS in terms of cancelled surgeries and growing waiting lists. The impact of the backlog in NHS treatment a record waiting list of 5.7 million and counting has yet to play out fully. But I have no doubt that will eventually be shown to have led to tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths and protracted, painful illness. Almost two years into the pandemic, we urgently need to tackle this and to do that we need our critical-care beds for patients who are there unavoidably. Vaccinations have demonstrably weakened the link between coronavirus infection and serious illness and death. Yet too many people dismiss vaccination as an intervention they can do without or they believe the lies and malicious misinformation being peddled by anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theories on social media. They have blood on their hands, and their deluded followers not only risk their own lives, but are holding the country to ransom with the threat of further restrictions and a New Year lockdown with all the devastation that brings businesses and individuals. At the start of the pandemic, my hospital, like so many others, was a war zone. For weeks at a time, the number of patients requiring ventilation was triple our usual capacity, requiring us to adapt everything from post-surgery recovery wards to operating theatres in near-frenzied fashion. Despite our efforts, mortality rates doubled to about a third of those admitted, rather than the usual 15 per cent. I slept at the hospital often because there was simply no time to go home. My enduring memory of that time was emerging from a fitful sleep to see the nurses who'd been on night-shifts, their weary faces bearing the angry pressure marks of their PPE. They reminded me of Spitfire pilots returning from battle in World War II and, certainly, they were engaged in a daily life-or-death struggle. A great deal has changed since then, thank God. We have far better treatments and vastly improved knowledge, as well as the vaccines. And despite gloomy forecasts from government scientists, the current surge in people testing positive for Covid in the wake of the Omicron variant has not translated into hospital admissions. These have remained flat, more or less holding level since July. Of my current unvaccinated patients, some have pre-existing conditions and others do not. They span all ages, and many are only in their 30s and 40s, including people who were fit and healthy before they were infected. Heartbreak Some of them will die and I would not wish their final moments on anyone. A Covid death is terrible to see. Anyone who dies before their time represents an individual tragedy and leaves a legacy of heartbreak for their family. But in the unvaccinated, that tragedy is somehow even harder to bear. So many of those who are able to speak are desperate to share their regret at not getting vaccinated. 'I wish I could turn back the clock, doctor,' one said to me this week. A member of the medical staff at the Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast, which has been transformed into a vaccination centre In another case, the family of a patient who was being ventilated begged me to administer the vaccine. They did not realise that it was too late. And let me be blunt: while the Hippocratic Oath obliges me to do my level best for every non-vaccinated patient, it is difficult not to feel impotent fury at the impact their irresponsibility has had on my colleagues and everyone else. As doctors, we cannot choose who to treat. But the fact is every bed taken by an unvaccinated Covid patient could instead be occupied by someone who requires life-saving treatment or surgery and who no jab could help. While some unvaccinated individuals are merely ignorant, others are deeply selfish. Irrational Of course, in a free society, every adult has a right to refuse medical treatment, even if it could save their life, but it is clear to me that those who do refuse the vaccine should expect to face consequences. That's why, despite my instinctively liberal leanings, I firmly support vaccine passports. They are what's known in government as a 'nudge' a minor inconvenience and I am convinced they would lead to about 80 per cent of supposedly fervent anti-vaxxers queuing for their jabs. Experience dictates that as soon as you place a small obstacle in the way of someone holding on to their largely irrational beliefs, those beliefs very often melt away. There will always be the die-hard refuseniks of course, clinging to absurd conspiracy theories or grossly misguided notions of vaccination being a civil liberties issue. Some NHS staff, for example, are staunchly refusing to have a Covid jab but you never hear them complaining about the other mandatory vaccinations in the NHS, such as Hepatitis B. Here on the frontline, such beliefs ring hollow. Sadly, the lady I mentioned at the start of this article later died. Hers was another tragic and avoidable loss and her dying words should shame both those who reject the vaccines and the fools who perpetrate lies about their benefits. The writer is a senior Intensive Care Consultant at a hospital in the South of England. Surely it cannot have been the intention of those who fought so long and hard to take Britain out of the European Union to make Brexit Britain more like Europe. That would be too ridiculous for words. The plan was to strike out in a new and distinctive direction, free of Brusselss red tape and with an emphasis on entrepreneurial endeavour, less government and lower taxes. Yet on the eve of tomorrows first anniversary of a Brexit trade deal with the EU, Britain has never looked more European. The continental economies of Europe are notorious for saddling their workers not only with high income taxes, but onerous supplementary social charges in order to pay for generous health and welfare benefits. That is now our direction of travel too. From next April, National Insurance contributions (NICs) for both employers and employees will rise 1.25 per cent, supposedly to pay for social care and the always cash-thirsty NHS. Surely it cannot have been the intention of those who fought so long and hard to take Britain out of the European Union to make Brexit Britain more like Europe. Pictured: President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (centre right), President of the European Council Charles Michel (front R), French President Emmanuel Macron (L), Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili in Brussels on December 15 Frozen This means workers will pay NICs at a rate of 13.25 per cent and, given that the basic rate of income tax stands at 20 per cent, even those on modest incomes of, say, 25,000 a year, now face an effective marginal rate of tax of 33.25 per cent. Very European indeed. But it doesnt stop there. Income tax thresholds have been frozen which means many low-paid workers will start paying tax for the first time and those on only moderately decent incomes will drift into the 40 per cent tax bracket. Most European economies are also fond of levying high taxes on business, which might explain the EUs sclerotic economic performance for much of this century. For the past decade, even when we were inside the EU, Britain was going in the opposite direction, steadily cutting taxes on company profits. No longer. Incredibly, even though weve now left the EU, we are heading for European levels of corporation tax, which will rise from its current 19 per cent to 26 per cent by 2024. The upshot of all this is clear. The British tax burden is the highest in modern times. State spending now accounts for over 40 per cent of GDP. Taken together it means were heading towards a European-style high-tax, big-government economy. Its not exactly the Brexit we were promised. Of course, coping with Covid has been expensive. Pandemics, like major wars, increase the scope and size of government. But even when the pandemic fades, there is no reason to think that the state will shrink. Indeed, its remarkable how little weve taken advantage of what was meant to be a new freedom. Its one of the reasons that Lord Frost (pictured with Boris Johnson), the Governments tough and highly experienced Brexit negotiator, resigned last weekend Boris Johnsons Government is a cheerleader for net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and has made levelling up the poorer North with the richer South its core mission (especially now it has so many Northern MPs). Forcing us to go green and moving resources around the country will, by definition, require massive state intervention, and that spells yet higher taxes and bigger government. It doesnt get more European than that. Indeed, its remarkable how little weve taken advantage of what was meant to be a new freedom. Its one of the reasons that Lord Frost, the Governments tough and highly experienced Brexit negotiator, resigned last weekend. Probably the biggest Brexit win was using our new-found independence to approve and procure Covid vaccines and start their roll-out, without waiting for the EUs sluggish regulatory processes to grind into action. Weve also allowed Swiss shares to be traded on the London stock market (a practice banned by Brussels in 2019), ended VAT on womens sanitary products, reformed alcohol duties in line with the strength of the drink, moved falteringly towards establishing freeports, and introduced a points-based immigration system which treats EU and non-EU citizens alike. All of the above were possible because weve broken with Brussels. All worthwhile, no doubt. But hardly game-changing. In truth, the way to transform post-Brexit Britain is via regulatory reform. It is complicated, unglamorous and doesnt lend itself to politicians soundbites. But it is where the promise of Brexit lies. Lord Frost was preparing a report on which rule changes would make the biggest difference. Sadly, what momentum there was behind this initiative is now at risk with his departure. The EU styles itself as a regulatory superpower because the size of its market allows it to establish global rules and regulations for doing business. But its rules are dominated by whats known as the precautionary principle, which militates against risk-taking. This is Britains opportunity. We could start by scrapping the EUs onerous GDPR rules on digital privacy. If we had fewer, better regulations covering cutting-edge technologies such as gene therapy, cyber security, digital investment, artificial intelligence, robotics and medical advances areas in which we are already ahead of the EU then the chances of a genuine Brexit dividend become possible. Divorce It all appeared so much more straightforward five years ago during the Brexit referendum campaign. The Leavers made out it would all be so simple, when its been anything but. The Remainers claimed it would be a calamity, when it hasnt. I interviewed the main players on both sides of the argument for BBC TV. I dont remember the Leavers telling us wed need to pay a divorce bill of 40 billion. I remember George Osborne (then Chancellor) telling me on air that Airbus would likely up sticks and leave. Its still here, investing more than ever Nor did the Leavers have much to say about the peculiar position of Northern Ireland, which still bedevils Brexit to this day. They said a free trade deal with the EU would be a piece of cake, when it has proved to be painful, protracted and far less efficient than the single market. But Remainers got so much wrong, too. I remember George Osborne (then Chancellor) telling me on air that Airbus would likely up sticks and leave. Its still here, investing more than ever. The boss of the London Stock Exchange predicted the City of London would lose over 200,000 jobs. In fact, at most 7,500 jobs left for European financial centres, dwarfed by the hundreds of thousands of extra jobs created in finance since the referendum. We were told to expect recession and mass unemployment. Brexit caused neither. Unicorns That great guru of global banking, Jamie Dimon, the billionaire CEO of Americas biggest bank JP Morgan, forecast a new financial golden age for Frankfurt and Paris on the back of Londons misery. It never happened. And today nobody is hiring more people faster in London than JP Morgan. Around 29.4 billion of new investment has flowed into Britains high-tech industries this year, over twice as much as in 2020, twice as much as Germany and three times as much as France. Over one-third of all investment in European high-tech is now made in Britain, which boasts 116 unicorns (tech start-ups worth over $1 billion), more than France, Germany and Sweden combined. Only America and China have more. For those who want to bring their companies to market and raise capital, Britain is easily the largest market in Europe, again behind only America and China. Clearly Brexit has deterred none of this. It shows the promise that awaits if we ever get around to creating the sort of light-touch regulatory environment in which the technologies and entrepreneurs of tomorrow will feel welcome. If we fail, it will be because the current Johnson Government, despite being full of those who led the Brexit charge from the top down, in 2021 inexplicably rushed headlong in the wrong direction. Comments made by Chris Noth when playing a rapist in a 2016 indie film, saying 'there's always dirty little secrets in a lot of men' and 'the instinct to be a predator is firmly in the male psyche', have resurfaced in the wake of allegations of sexual assault made against the actor. The star, 67, famous for playing love interest Mr. Big in Sex And The City, was cast as a predatory New York lawyer in gritty drug drama White Girl. In one scene the character rapes a vulnerable young woman from behind after she passes out drunk. Social media users have drawn attention to the similarities between the scene and the recent allegations of rape made by two women, who both accused Noth of raping them from behind - one in 2004 and one in 2015. Noth vehemently denies the allegations and says the encounters were consensual. One Twitter user wrote: 'If you watch that harrowing scene and read his accusers' accounts, the similarities are hard to miss.' Others drew attention to press interviews Noth gave about the film at the time, including one with Esquire in which he said: 'I think [writer-director Elizabeth Wood] tapped into something, that there's always dirty little secrets in a lot of men, who, when given the opportunity, will go to a place they wouldn't even admit to themselves maybe, when it comes to sex.' He continued: 'There are a ton of predators out there, and the instinct to be a predator is firmly entrenched in the male psyche, I think. '...Given the opportunity human beings can go to a very ugly place. My main point is I think that no one can really know anyone, and there's a lot of different things that can happen to a person under certain circumstances.' Chris Noth was cast as a predatory New York lawyer in gritty drug drama White Girl. In one scene the character rapes a vulnerable young woman after she passes out drunk, pictured. The scene, and comments the actor made while promoting the film, have resurfaced While promoting White Girl, Noth, pictured on December 8, said 'there's always dirty little secrets in a lot of men' and 'the instinct to be a predator is firmly in the male psyche' Speaking in 2016, Noth explained he almost refused to play the bad guy in White Girl, admitting to Amny: 'I just thought it was too ugly.' Social media users have taken to Twitter in recent days to comment about Noth's appearance in the indie film, which follows a New York college freshman as she tries to get a drug dealer out of jail. American author Morgan Jerkins said on Twitter: 'One thing I can't get out of my head about the Chris Noth allegations: he plays a rapist in a movie called "White Girl." 'And if you watch that harrowing scene and read his accusers' accounts, the similarities are hard to miss.' 'The Chris Noth allegations are especially disturbing when recalling a certain scene from the movie White Girl,' another said. A third added: 'I feel like no one is mentioning that Chris Noth played a NYC attorney that raped an intoxicated young girl from behind in the indie film White Girl.' Last week, Noth was accused of rape by two women, who both shared details of their alleged assaults with The Hollywood Reporter - with one of the women saying she was just 22 when Noth, then 49, attacked her and left her needing stitches. The report led another woman to come forward and accuse Noth of groping her, while actress Zoe Lister-Jones recalled behavior that made her describe him as a 'predator'. On Monday evening, the actor's Sex and the City co-stars, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis, issued a statement about the accusations made against him, saying: 'We are deeply saddened to hear the allegations against Chris Noth. 'We support the women who have come forward and shared their painful experiences. We know it must be a very difficult thing to do and we commend them for it.' In White Girl (above), Noth plays a sleazy lawyer who takes advantage of a vulnerable woman. The role has been highlighted by social media users in the wake of recent rape allegations Reaction: Social media users have took to Twitter in recent days to comment about Noth's appearance in the indie film, which follows a New York college freshman as she tries to get a drug dealer out of jail Noth (pictured in White Girl), who has vehemently denied the allegations, played a sleazy New York lawyer in the director Elizabeth Wood's White Girl, who raped a woman while she was unconscious Noth's wife, Tara Wilson has yet to comment publicly on the allegations, however she was seen without her wedding ring on Monday when she was pictured for the first time since the accusations were published by The Hollywood Reporter. Exclusive DailyMail.com images show Wilson, 42, climbing into the back of an SUV outside the couple's Los Angeles home along with their younger son Keats. In the report, both accusers who went by pseudonyms Zoe, now 40, and Lily, now 31 claimed that Noth raped them from behind in front of a mirror. He has vehemently denied their allegations. The first attack allegedly took 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. Both women claimed that the recent publicity surrounding the Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That... 'stirred painful memories' of their encounters with Noth and 'triggered' them to go public with their claims. The first, Zoe, said she 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 claimed 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. Noth, pictured with his wife Tara Wilson this month, has denied the allegations against him Wilson, 42, was seen without her wedding ring on Monday when she was pictured for the first time since the allegations were made against her husband Wilson didn't appear to be wearing her wedding ring on Monday (left); she was last seen wearing it at the And Just Like That premiere on December 8 (right) 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, Noth began leaving 'flirty' messages on her voicemail which she was alerted to by her boss. Zoe claimed that she was raped by Noth in his West Hollywood apartment when she returned a book he had lent her. She said he 'kissed her' as soon as she walked through the door, then 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 that 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.' 'I had stitches. Two police officers came. I wouldnt say who it was,' she said, claiming that she feared she would 'not be believed' and could 'be fired' if she publicly accused Noth of rape. One woman claimed that the alleged attack took place in Noth's Greenwich Village apartment ( pictured) and that he raped her from behind, in front of a mirror Noth and Wilson (pictured in 2002) met while she was working as a bartender at New York jazz club The Cutting Room, which the actor owns 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. Lily said she was 'truly star-struck' when he began 'hitting on her' and ended up going with him to a restaurant. Afterward, Noth invited her back to his home to 'sample his collection of whiskeys' and says he began trying to 'make out with her' when they got there. '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 sexually assaulted her. She said 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 claimed 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 said. After the report was published, Zoe Lister-Jones (pictured) described Noth as a 'sexual predator'. She is not the Zoe making the allegation in the report In her Instagram story (pictured), Lister-Jones said she was 'relieved' by Big's death because she remembers him being 'consistently sexually inappropriate' with a female promoter After the alleged assault took place, Lily said 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. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Noth admitted that he had 'consensual encounters' with the two women, 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.' Though Officer Drake Madison of the LAPD initially told Deadline on Thursday that 'there is no investigation at this point' into the claims against Noth, an LAPD spokesperson later told People that they are 'looking into the nature of the report' and trying to figure out 'when, where or even if a report was filed.' Lister-Jones also recalled him sniffing her hair when she guest starred on Law and Order: Criminal Intent Lister-Jones concluded her statement by cursing out Noth's character on Sex and the City, claiming that he capitalized on the role to seduce women However, Officer Madison added: 'At this time, there's no record of a report being filed. Without a report, there is no investigation.' Late on Thursday, actress Zoe Lister-Jones also 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. '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 on Instagram. '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,' she went on, before detailing some of her experiences. Then a third woman accused Chris Noth of sexual assault for allegedly groping her at a Manhattan restaurant in 2010 when she was 18. The unnamed 30-year-old Canadian tech executive claimed Noth, then 55, groped her while she was working as a hostess at the Da Marino restaurant in Midtown, the Daily Beast first reported. Noth came in intoxicated, allegedly telling her, 'I love Canadian women' as he pressed against her. 'I remember how electrifying his hand, the hand I watched hold Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, felt grabbing me,' the accuser said. She claimed Noth then followed her into the back office and began kissing her and pressing her against a desk. She alleged that that he pulled down her tights and touched and clung onto her so strongly that after she managed to push and kick him away, her 'limbs hurt in the morning.' 'It felt as though I was the only person in the universe who could hear me saying no,' she told the outlet. Despite her protests, Noth allegedly carried on until she told him 'not here,' convincing him that they could carry on somewhere else. 'I haven't been able to shake the memory of how the kitchen staff looked at me as I emerged from the office with Chris Noth,' she said. Noths publicist told the Daily Beast that the actor 'denies this as ever happening and has no idea who this woman is.' The cold weather here to stay for awhile, and your coat will soon be on heavy rotation. To look like a fashion plate from head-to-toe (regardless of what lies beneath!), it's time to figure out which shoes to pair with your heavy outer layer. While on the streets of New York City, stars like Kim Kardashian and Olivia Palermo have proven that there's power in a great coat/shoe combo. Daily Mail has curated some failproof pairings below. Not only do these matchups provide ample sartorial inspiration for those looking to shop, they also serve as easy-to-copy formulas for styling what you already have in your closet. As stars like Kim Kardashian and Olivia Palermo have proven on the streets of New York City, there's power in a great coat/shoe combo COLOR PLAY: Shades in the same color family or ones that sit opposite on the color wheel make a bold statement While prepping for her highly anticipated appearance on Saturday Night Live, Kim was rocking a ton of edgy looks in the Big Apple. The billionaire mother-of-four was spotted leaving NBC studios wearing a massive oversized Balenciaga padded leather coat on top of a grey Yeezy x Gap sweatshirt. Playing with shades in the same color family, Kim teamed her burgundy coat with hot pink over-the-knee satin boots by Balenciaga. Opposing colors on the color wheel (i.e. purple and yellow or orange and blue) also make for an interesting and unexpected combination. Shades in the same color family or ones that sit opposite on the color wheel make a chic statement: Shop it: Matilda Coat by Guess, $348; guess.com. Crinkled glossed-leather slingback pumps by Bottega Veneta, $930; net-a-porter.com Making the streets her runway, Olivia Palermo's coat/shoe combo never disappoints - whether she's pairing a bold print with a pop of florescent or going all neutral. The Stedman Coat by Babaton, $348; aritzia.com. Amaya Chocolate Croc by Flor de Maria, $495; flordemariacollection.com Sheryl coat by Guess, $458; guess.com. Celine by SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker, $450; sjpbysarahjessicaparker.com NEUTRAL IS A NO BRAINER: Monochromatic pairings look effortlessly polished Olivia Palermo is the queen of street style. Between casual struts around her Dumbo neighborhood to attending numerous events and fashion parties, the 35-year-old entrepreneur continually brings her A-game. Making the streets her runway, Olivia's coat/shoe combo never disappoints - whether she's pairing a bold print with a pop of florescent or going all neutral. Traditionally, women match their shoes to their handbags. But by coordinating metallic brown booties to her camel coat, 25-year-old actress Hailee Steinfeld looked polished in her of-the-moment ensemble while in Midtown Manhattan. By coordinating her metallic brown booties to her camel coat, 25-year-old actress Hailee Steinfeld looked polished in her of-the-moment ensemble while in Midtown Manhattan Sage quilted padded faux leather coat by Stand Studio, $495; net-a-porter.com. Nash Leather Ankle Boot by Cougar, $170; cougarshoes.com Olivia Palermo is the queen of street style. Between casual struts around her Dumbo neighborhood to attending numerous events and fashion parties, the 35-year-old entrepreneur continually brings her A-game The Shauna Plaid Coat with Detachable Shearling Collar by Polorgeorgis, $1,000; pologeorgis.com. Lynden Dark Cognac by Steve Madden, $119.95; stevemadden.com The Rylan Leopard Printed Fur Trench Coat by Pologeorgis, $5,000; pologeorgis.com. Kate 100 leopard-print pony hair pumps by Christian Louboutin, $895; net-a-porter.com TURN IT UP A KNOTCH WITH PRINTS: A patterned coat or a printed shoe (or both!) packs a serious punch Donning a coat and a shoe in a bold pattern (i.e.leopard, plaid or floral) is sure to turn heads. Get the daring look right by keeping the rest of the look clean and simple with solid coordinating colors. To pair a solid shoe with a patterned coat (and vice versa), opt for a shade featured in the print to draw everything together. A disabled teen who has undergone 49 surgeries received 500 Christmas cards from strangers - after his mom put out a request on Facebook in an attempt to 'cheer him up.' Nicholas Black, 16, from Deland, Florida, has several severe medical conditions and has been forced to spend the festive season living in a hospice. This year, his mom, Elizabeth, 38, wanted to do something to put a smile on his face during the holiday season - so she asked for help on social media. She posted about his diagnosis in a few different Facebook groups and asked people send him some cards - and she was shocked by the response she got. Delighted Nicholas has now received hundreds of cards in the mail from all around the world - which has 'really brightened his day' and 'given him something to look forward to.' A disabled teen who has undergone 49 surgeries received 500 Christmas cards from strangers - after his mom put out a request on Facebook in an attempt to 'cheer him up' Nicholas Black, 16, from Deland, Florida, has several severe medical conditions and has been forced to spend the festive season living in a hospice. He is pictured in 2018 As a baby, he was diagnosed with scoliosis, hydrocephalus, syringomyelia, and Chiari malformation and now, he needs 24/7 care from doctors. He is pictured on Halloween in 2016 This year, his mom, Elizabeth, 38, wanted to do something to make him smile during the holiday season - so she asked for help on social media. They are pictured together in 2019 Elizabeth, a single stay-at-home mom, said it has been a 'wonderful' surprise for her son, and has 'put a big smile on his face' when he needs it most. She explained: 'Nicholas loves it when the postman brings him mail so I thought it would be cool to put our address out there to see what people send. 'He can get very down and its so difficult to watch him go through it and I hoped it would cheer him up. 'I never expected this many I expected hed get maybe three cards a day but he gets more than 30 cards to open each day! 'It has put a huge smile on his face it really brightens his day and gives him something to look forward to.' When he was a baby, Nicholas was diagnosed with scoliosis, hydrocephalus, syringomyelia, and Chiari malformation. The conditions mean he is unable to walk and has to have a constant supply of oxygen so he lives in a home hospice under 24/7 care of doctors and nurses. She posted about his diagnosis in a few different Facebook groups and asked people send him some cards - and she was shocked by the response she got. They are pictured in 2016 Nicholas has now received hundreds of cards from all around the world - which has 'really brightened his day' and 'given him something to look forward to' The teen has had 49 surgeries in his lifetime and can't go to school, so Elizabeth said he doesn't have many friends and often gets 'down. He is pictured in November 2020 Elizabeth said getting the mail in the morning has become 'something for him to look forward to every day' and has given him the boost he needed. He is pictured in 2018 The teen has had 49 surgeries in his lifetime and can't go to school, so Elizabeth said he doesn't have many friends and often gets 'down.' Besides the hundreds of cards, Nicholas has also received some gifts - like wrestling figurines - since he loves to watch the sport. They have come from all over - including the U.K., Puerto Rico, Italy, Australia, and Canada. Elizabeth said getting the mail in the morning has become 'something for him to look forward to every day' and has given him the boost he needed. 'We never expected this many people to want to send one but it's been wonderful. People really are amazing, I'm forever grateful,' she added. Cards can be sent to: Nicholas Black, 924 1/2 North Amelia Ave. Deland, Florida 32724. Princess Madeleine of Sweden has seemingly drawn inspiration from the Duchess of Cambridge by wearing a similar festive look to the British royal. The youngest of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia's children stepped out with her husband and three children to take part in an annual royal tradition which saw them receive the Royal Palace in Stockholm's official Christmas trees. Looking typically chic, Madeleine, 39, sported a black high-neck jumper featuring long arms, teamed with a red check midi skirt and thigh-high black boots. The festive outfit appeared to be almost identical to the one worn by Kate, 39, three years ago when she joined Prince William at a Christmas party celebrating military families whose loved ones were away for the holiday at Kensington Palace. Scroll down for video Princess Madeleine (pictured left) of Sweden has seemingly drawn inspiration from the Duchess of Cambridge (pictured right) by wearing a similar festive look to the British royal The youngest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia stepped out with her husband and three children to take part in an annual royal tradition which saw them receive the Royal Palace in Stockholm's official Christmas trees (pictured) Proving her fashion prowess, Madeleine's billowing skirt featured a bow tied around her waist to showcase her slender frame. Adding a touch of glitz to her look, she teamed her eye-catching outfit with a sparkling gold bangle and a silver watch. Madeleine, who is usually based in the US with her family, kept her wavy locks loose and added a smattering of glamorous makeup to her ensemble. Kate, meanwhile, teamed her tartan skirt by Emilia Wickstead with a button-down cardigan and matching black boots. Princess Madeleine is mother to Princess Leonore, seven, Prince Nicolas, six, and three-year-old Princess Adrienne. The festive outfit appeared to be almost identical to the one worn by Kate (pictured right), 39, three years ago when she joined Prince William at a Christmas party celebrating military families whose loved ones were away for the holiday at Kensington Palace Looking typically chic, Madeleine (pictured with her family), 39, sported a black high-neck jumper featuring long arms, teamed with a red check midi skirt and thigh-high black boots In October last year the Swedish royal palace announced that the princess's children were among the five grandchildren of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden to have their royal titles dropped. It is hoped the move will give them 'a greater opportunity to shape their own lives' according to Princess Madeleine. Following the official announcement, Princess Madeleine took to her Instagram page to state that the decision would give her children more control over their own lives. She posted a picture of herself with her three children next to a statement which read: 'This change has been planned for a long time. 'Chris and I think it is good that our children now have a greater opportunity to shape their own lives in the future as individuals.' Madeleine and Christopher moved their family to Florida in 2018. A psychologist has revealed a lesser-known secret to spotting a cheater. Instead of taking note of your partner's behaviours or facial expressions, Daniel Acon suggests analysing what your partner says. In a recent Instagram video, Mr Acon, from the US, said if your partner acts suspiciously and accuses you of cheating without any hard evidence, this could be a red flag they are unfaithful. But he started by saying: 'Disclaimer: this only works if you haven't broken their trust, otherwise, they might be justified in how they feel about you.' Scroll down for video Psychologist Daniel Acon (pictured) shared how to spot a cheater based on what they say 'If you're dating someone and they start accusing you of cheating or they're worried that you're talking to other people without any evidence, it usually means that they're cheating and talking to other people,' Acon says. 'They're just worried that you're doing the same thing.' He added how the psychological term for this behaviour is called 'projection' and said: 'People tend to project what's inside of them onto other people.' While many were 'mind blown' after watching the video, others disagreed with the tip. 'Not really. What if someone has anxiety and fear of abandonment,' one person wrote in the comments. 'What about the trauma of being cheated on?' another asked, to write Mr Acon responded with: 'Absolutely, I didn't say this was every single time.' A third added: 'I have a fear, not because I'm doing it myself but I'm scared to get hurt while I let my protection wall down.' 'If you're dating someone and they start accusing you of cheating or they're worried that you're talking to other people without any evidence, it usually means that they're cheating and talking to other people,' Acon says (stock image) It follows after Australian relationship expert Louanne Ward revealed the key signs to look out for that signal you might be the other woman or man. Relationship expert Louanne Ward (pictured) shared the most common signs that you may be an innocent bystander in a complicated love triangle 'For anyone who has been on the receiving end of an unfaithful partner there are often many unanswered questions,' Louanne told FEMAIL. 'And if you have ever been subject to a cheating partner it's likely that you have felt a deep rage and dislike for the third person who has caused such pain in your relationship. 'But what if the third person is oblivious? There's another side to every story. How do you know if the person who is chasing you is already taken and you're the other woman or man?' According to Louanne, there are two main scenarios in this situation: your partner loves the thrill of having multiple partners or your partner is leading a double life. 'People who are repeat offenders and are in relationships who have affairs are often seasoned professionals so it's hard to know at first if you are being perused by someone in a relationship,' Louanne said. 'Let's look at the scenario. You have finally met somebody they are everything you have been looking for but for some reason something just doesn't seem right. 'Listen to the warning bells and consult this check list. If its sounding familiar you could very well be involved with someone who is already in a relationship.' Thrilled shoppers have shown off their $200 Bell Tents from Kmart after scoring the in-demand budget buy on Black Friday. One woman has shared her luxury tent online, along with others who were lucky enough to nab the buy before it sold out in stores around the country; the tent is still flying off shelves within hours of a restock. The tent features spacious room with wide fly screen doors and can sleep up to eight people, making it perfect for glamping getaways. Thrilled shoppers have shown off their $200 Bell Tents from Kmart after scoring the in-demand budget buy on Black Friday. Kellie Bencic from Australia shared photos of her glamping set up which attracted instant attention online. 'So happy with the $200 bell tent. Heaps bigger than I expected, and bonus room over Christmas,' Kellie said online. Her glamping post received more than 1000 likes and hundreds of comments from keen travellers and aspiring glampers. Kellie Bencic from Australia shared photos of her glamping set up which attracted instant attention online. 'This looks awesome what a great setup, I'd love to be staying there,' a woman wrote on Facebook. 'Your tent looks absolutely fabulous, I bought myself one too and can't wait to use it,' another said. Mum Jayde shared the product news to the Kmart Inspired Homes Facebook group just in time for Black Friday shopping. The huge tent can comfortably fit eight people inside and has already caught the attention of hundreds on social media 'Kmart Australia coming through with the Black Friday goods,' Jayde shared online. Her social media post was 'liked' more than 1,100 times as many were encouraged to buy the tent themselves after learning the price. Kmart Australia has launched the bell tent for only $200 (pictured). Similar designs by alternative brand range from $499 up to $1500 Similar tent designs from alternative brands range can cost up to $499 to a whopping $1500 to buy and rent for occasions, thus making the Bell Tent a bargain. The popular $200 Kmart purchase did indeed sell out fast on Black Friday and according to the Kmart website is unavailable in WA, QLD and NT. Many are already enquiring with Kmart on when the popular Bell Tent will be back in stores. An Australian woman has gone viral on TikTok after sharing her decadent rocky road recipes for a perfect Christmas treat or gift. Celia Gercovich, from Ballarat, shared two videos showing her own recipe for her delicious version of rocky road with chocolate, red frog lollies, scotch fingers, marshmallows and TimTams that have collectively racked up more than 8million views. In her first video, Celia makes her four ingredient rocky road by mixing chopped up red frog lollies, marshmallows, and scotch finger biscuits with melted dairy milk chocolate. Scroll down for video Celia Gercovich, from Ballarat, shared two videos showing her own recipe for her delicious version of rocky road with chocolate, red frog lollies, scotch fingers, marshmallows and TimTams that have collectively racked up more than eight million views 'This is my version and it is delicious four ingredients and youve got the best slice ever,' the foodie said. She then puts it in a circular cake tray with baking paper on the bottom, drizzles over a bit more melted chocolate, presses the mixture down to get rid of gaps and smooth the top and places it in the fridge for a few hours to set. Celia's recipe took TikTok by storm gaining more than 3.1 million views in only a week so she made a second video in response, incorporating an extra ingredient viewers suggested. Celia chops up a Cadbury dairy milk bar to melt as well as raspberry or red frog lollies, scotch finger biscuits, TimTams and marshmallows, she then combines everything in a bowl, pours over melted chocolate and mixes so the chocolate coats the lollies and biscuits 'Someone in the comments mentioned about adding TimTams and I thought that's a great idea,' she starts the clip. Celia repeated the original recipe adding chopped up double-coated TimTams and sprinkled a few extra crumbs over the top before putting it in the fridge to set. 'I do chop everything up quite small because I feel like I like my rocky road so that when you have a bite of it youve got a little bit of everything,' she advised. She then puts it in a circular cake tray with baking paper on the bottom, drizzles over a bit more melted chocolate, presses the mixture down to get rid of gaps and smooth the top and places it in the fridge for a few hours to set Her follow-up video was even more successful with five million views and attracted hundreds of comments from people keen to try the rocky road and suggesting additional ingredients. 'I tried that and it turned out amazing I recommend everyone to try it,' one viewer said. 'Try honeycomb like violet crumble,' a second suggested. 'Dont be shy use hazelnut chocolate, you wont regret,' said a third. Recipe: Celia's Rocky Road Ingredients 1 x packet marshmallows 1 x packet raspberry lollies 7 x double coated TimTams 6 x Scotch finger biscuits 360g Cadbury dairy milk chocolate bar Method 1. Chop up marshmallows, raspberry lollies, scotch finger biscuits and six of the double coated TimTams into small pieces 2. Put the the chopped pieces into a bowl and mix 3. Chop up the dairy milk chocolate bar into smaller pieces, place in a bowl and melt in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds 4. Once the chocolate is melted, pour it into the bowl with the lollies and biscuits and mix to combine 5. Put some baking paper in the bottom of a cake tin or container, pour the mixture in 6. Press down with a spoon to get rid of gaps and smooth the top 7. Chop up your remaining TimTam into large crumbs to sprinkle over the slice and place it in the fridge for a few hours until fully set 8. Once the rocky road is set, take it out of the tray and cut into bite sized pieces Advertisement In another clip, Celia shows how she cuts up the set rock road slice into bite sized pieces. 'It doesn't have to be perfect rocky road doesn't look neat and tidy,' she said. The Ballarat woman also asked her followers what confectionary she should add to her recipe next with people suggesting Clinkers, Turkish delight, Maltesers and Oreos. What was once an out of tune vintage piano ridden with scuff marks has been transformed into an at-home bar with LED lights, a varnished counter and wine rack. DIY pro Julie, believed to be from the UK, impressed thousands after sharing before and after images online. While the project took three months to complete, she said it was completely 'worth it' and was thrilled with the impressive end result. Previously other creative DIY enthusiasts have upcycled old cabinets into cocktail bars, but none have attempted to do so with a piano. DIY pro Julie, believed to be from the UK, upcycled an old piano and turned it into a home bar While the project took three months to complete, she said it was completely 'worth it' and was thrilled with the end result (pictured) After acquiring the Grotrian Sternberg instrument, she watched a series of YouTube videos to understand how to dismantle the piano correctly. 'I would suggest to wear safety glasses and gloves as the wires are sharp and spring around everywhere when removing,' she said. Julie didn't reveal exactly how she transformed the piano into a bar, but it was no longer able to function as an instrument afterwards. One notable error Julia pointed out, which she's planning to fix, is how the new images of the piano keys were placed on backwards. With assistance from her partner, a glass rack was added under the top counter of the piano and the LED lights change to different colours. The finished look was outstanding and adds a point of difference compared to upcycled cabinets into similar wine bars. With assistance from her partner, a glass rack was added under the top counter of the piano and the LED lights change to different colours. The social media post was quickly flooded with words of praise and was 'liked' by more than 3,800 people. 'I was a bartender almost 30 years and this is awesome!!!' one person wrote. 'Excellent idea, time for a whiskey neat and some Miles Davis,' another added. A third said: 'Shut the front door! That's amazing! You would have no trouble selling that if you chose to.' Australia's very own 'skincare whisperer' who has been entrusted with famous faces like Miranda Kerr and Megan Gale has shared the affordable product she swears by for glowing and moisture-rich skin. Jocelyn Petroni, who opened her own salon in Sydney's eastern suburbs in 2016, is well-known for using designer products on her A-list clientele but she's finally found a budget beauty buy that's worth the hype. 'My choice of topical oil preparation to pamper and restore dry, dehydrated skin to a glowing state is Bio-Oil Dry Skin Gel,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Jocelyn Petroni, who opened her own salon in Sydney's eastern suburbs in 2016, is well-known for using designer products on her A-list clientele but she's finally found a budget beauty buy that's worth the hype 'My choice of topical oil preparation to pamper and restore dry, dehydrated skin to a glowing state is Bio-Oil Dry Skin Gel,' she told Daily Mail Australia 'The light-weight gel absorbs easily and deeply into the skin, creating a protective film to resist moisture loss. The Dry Skin Gel's unique gel-to-oil texture means that a little goes a long way with leaving my skin feeling hydrated.' At just $14.95 for 100ml of the gel it's a price point most Australian women would agree with for the sake of hydrated skin this summer. 'Having a good oil and water content in the skin means the skin is hydrated and nourished. This prevents premature ageing and keeps the skin protected as well as glowing from within,' she said. Bio-Oil is known for its ability to minimise the appearance of scars over time. The company recommends those looking to treat a scar apply the oil twice-daily in a circular motion. Another way to keep your epidermis in check is to feed your skin from the inside out, which Jocelyn does with the aid of Vida Glow (pictured with Rita Ora) At just $14.95 for 100ml of the gel it's a price point most Australian women would agree with for the sake of hydrated skin this summer Clinical trials show that the ointment has the power to improve the look and feel of stretch marks in two weeks and scars in eight weeks. It does so with powerhouse ingredients like vitamins A and E and chamomile extract, which work to both soothe and restore the damaged skin. Another way to keep your epidermis in check is to feed your skin from the inside out, which Jocelyn does with the aid of Vida Glow. 'Ingestible beauty products undeniably benefit the skin from a holistic approach,' she said. Jocelyn Petroni in her Woollahra salon 'Taking a hydrolysed marine collagen supplement like Vida Glow hydrates the entire body including skin, which increases the skin's resilience against ageing.' And if you're torn between buying certain beauty products, the mother and beauty expert always splurges on a serum over a cleansing wash. 'One of the most important steps in your skincare routine is your serum. Serums contain active ingredients in high concentrations, so using a serum is where you are going to see visible results. Save on cleanser, spend on serum,' she said. Foodie Leah Itsines has launch a new 'healthy' hot chocolate, claiming it helps to improve sleep quality and boost essential minerals in the body. The 26-year-old from Adelaide co-founded her latest business venture 'Yes Please Health' on October 11 and the 'Night Night' hot chocolate has quickly become the best-selling product. Priced at $39.95 for a 200g tub, each serve contains a mere 35 calories when made with water and is low in sugar compared to alternatives. In the past week alone the brand has sold 3000 tubs of the 'game changing' drink, with the brand completely selling out of the in-demand buy. Leah, who is the younger sister of fitness star Kayla Itsines, told FEMAIL the product is set to be restocked online on December 23. Australian foodie Leah Itsines (pictured) has launched a 'healthy' hot chocolate. Priced at $39.95 for a 200g tub, each serve contains a mere 35 calories when made with water and is low in sugar compared to alternatives The 26-year-old from Adelaide, Australia co-founded her latest business venture 'Yes Please Health' on October 11 and the hot chocolate has quickly become the best-selling product The powder, which can be mixed with hot water, cold water or your preferred milk of choice, is described by customers to taste like 'hot cocoa' rather than a sweet hot chocolate. The 'super delicious' drink is made with magnesium, passionflower and ziziphus to assist those who have difficulty falling asleep while also being perfect guilt-free snack to enjoy before bed. 'It's like a hot chocolate with benefits!' Leah said. The magnesium in particular is the key ingredient and vitamin known to contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. The product costs $39.95 for a 200g tub The product is also gluten free and Australian made with no artificial colours and is distributed from Adelaide. 'We come from a cooking background, so we are sticklers for our products not only performing as they should, but taste is one of the most important things,' she added. 'The best thing is, the brand is founded by real, everyday Aussies who understand firsthand the health issues that we and our community have - and have created products based on true wants and needs.' The powder, which can be mixed with hot water, cold water or your preferred milk of choice, is described by customers to taste like 'hot cocoa' rather than a sweet hot chocolate Leah launched the brand alongside her fiance Mitch, who both have a passion for health, good food and nutrition Leah launched the brand alongside her fiance Mitch, who both have a passion for health, good food and nutrition. They also co-own BARE guides - a healthy eating online platform helping people learn how to eat healthy through education, recipes and resources. 'We've always wanted to delve into physical products to be able to give our community more - so we decided to make a separate company,' she said. 'Our aim is to provide the community with products that make you feel good from the inside out.' Advertisement French fashion influencer Camille Charriere tied the knot in a seriously chic wedding in Paris. Camille, 34, who founded the blog Over the Rainbow in 2010, wed French film producer Francois Larpin in a small civil ceremony on December 10 before partying the night away with 180 friends at the historic Maxim's de Paris. The bride, who is from Paris but lives in London, turned heads in a sheer upcycled lace gown by American-British designer Harris Reed, which she wore over a pair of lace panties from La Perla. The couple stayed at the five-star Le Bristol hotel, the bride's mother entertained guests with a performance of Say A Little Prayer, and Mary Kate Olsen crashed the after-party, dancing with guests until the early hours, Vogue reported. Va-va-voom! Camille Charriere turned heads in a sheer upcycled lace gown by American-British designer Harris Reed, which she wore over a pair of lace panties from La Perla, pictured Man and wife: Camille, 34, one of the original style bloggers, wed French film producer Francois Larpin in a small civil ceremony on December 10 before partying the night away with 180 friends at the historic Maxim's de Paris Here come the girls! The bridal party, including Charlotte Tilbury's niece Bella, were given the theme the 'Roaring 2020s' and turned out in coordinated vintage-inspired outfits The happy couple: The elegant Camille and Francois at the opulent Maxim's on their wedding night Party on! Guests, including wedding crasher Mary Kate Olsen, let loose on the dancefloor until the early hours Celebrate! Camille and Francois party the night away in Paris with 180 family and friends Camille and Francois met in 2019 and became engaged on a holiday to Sicily last year. They had originally hoped to wed in Italy with all of their friends and family but scrapped the plan after rearranging the date twice due to Covid. Instead they decided on a smaller wedding in Paris, shortly before Christmas. 'It was a bit of a mission to get a date from the French administration, so we sent out our save the dates just two months ahead of the event,' she told Vogue. 'My reasoning was that with COVID things are so unpredictable, I would rather try to put this together in two months than risk spending another year on it only for it to be moved again. She added: 'We had originally planned something a lot smaller but our venue pulled out a month before the big day so we had to rush to Paris to visit other places. Bride and groom: Camille and Francois pose on a bed in their suite in Le Bristol, capturing their wedding looks Glam squad: Bride Camille with makeup artist Celia Burton and hairstylist Laurent Philippon before the evening celebrations Radiant: A beaming Camille shares a light-hearted moment with podcast co-host Monica de La Villardiere Big squeeze! Guests share an embrace with the bride - revealing her La Perla panties underneath her sheer lace dress Making their entrance: Camille arrived draped in an exquisite designer coat, while the groom was dashing in navy Seriously stylish: Sustainable fashion brand owner Emma Reynaud strikes a pose in a slinky black evening dress and glasses Party people! Charlotte Tilbury's niece Bella (second from left) and British model Jean Campbell (right) in their finest frocks Dark and moody: Guests Gaetan Petitcollot and Katia Bloch behind the bar at the historic Maxim's de Paris 'The only reason we had overlooked Maxims in the first place was because we thought it would be too big. But we truly could not have hoped for a more historical and special place to celebrate.' The couple wed at the town hall in the 6th Arrondissement, where Francois' late mother lived, before joining a small group for festive carols. Camille looked elegant in a twinkling top and skirt for the civil ceremony, which she paired with point toe pumps and faux 'snowflake petals' in her hair. Movers and shakers: Model Tom Abihdana and DJ Fiona Zanetti pose for a photo during dinner at Maxim's All glammed up: A group of guests pose for a photo at Maxim's de Paris, showing off their party finery Let me take a selfie! Chipi Menendez, left, and Julien Dufour pose for a photo in the mirror at Maxim's de Paris The bridal party, including Charlotte Tilbury's niece Bella, were given the theme the 'Roaring 2020s' and turned out in co-ordinated vintage-inspired outfits. Before the evening's celebrations, she changed into the Harris Reed creation, made with lace sourced from a Parisian couture atelier. Cocktails, speeches and a sit-down dinner followed and the night ended with dancing. Photos show Camille and her friends partying the night away. The bride added: 'Looking back, Im just so grateful we were able to get all our friends together.' BBC podcast presenter Deborah James, who has incurable cancer, has shared a post saying she hopes she can restart treatment soon after she marked five years since her diagnosis. 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. Posting on Instagram this month, she said she felt she was 'on a London hospital tour', and explained how the stent 'stopped working'. BBC podcast presenter Deborah James, who has incurable cancer, has shared a post saying she hopes she can restart treatment soon after she marked five years since her diagnosis 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. Yesterday she shared an upbeat post from hospital, above, but did not share more details 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.' 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'. '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 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 In a post yesterday, Deborah revealed she was back in hospital and received a PET scan. She added: 'Went nuclear! PET scan. Please be kind and tell me I can start treatment soon.' She did not share any more details. 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. Princess Beatrice's husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi has hinted that he is expanding his property development business into the Alps - months after it emerged Prince Andrew was being forced to sell his 17 million chalet. London-born Edo, 37, runs the property development and interior design firm Banda, which he started age 23. Its aim is to design homes for affluent clients in 'undervalued' parts of London, getting them value for money. However it now appears the Italian property developer is expanding to the Alps, after he shared several images on his Instagram page of snow backdrops alongside the words: 'Banda in the mountains.' It comes after reports in September that the Duke of York was close to selling his 17million Swiss chalet to settle a legal dispute with the former owner. Princess Beatrice's husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi has hinted that he is expanding his property development business into the Alps Edo's property business Banda has been based in London - however last night he shared several shots of snowy chalet buildings alongside the words: 'Banda in the mountains' Edo shared several snaps on his Instagram stories last night which showed an unidentified snowy wooden chalet with beautiful white mountains in the background. Text over the top of the images read: 'Banda Design Studio in the mountains.' The expansion abroad would mark the first time the property developer has worked internationally. He previously worked to develop residential properties for high-end clients in London. The move comes after reports in September that the Duke of York was close to selling his 17million Swiss chalet to settle a legal dispute with the former owner (pictured) The father-of-two posted several images of snowy mountains and tagged his development company Banda Property in the snaps (pictured) His mantra was challenged by property experts on social media, who argued that 'there is nothing undervalued in Notting Hill' - where one of Edo's latest projects was. They described the affluent in the west London district as 'a super prime residential destination'. Banda's Instagram page recently shared a series of images of a glamorous refurbishment in Leinster Square, on the cusp of Westbourne and Notting Hill. Edo holds directorships in a number of companies, some of them alongside his mother and his brother-in-law, Tod Yeomans. The French socialite Isabelle de Rouvre, 74, sued Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah, both 61, last year over 6.6million she claimed they still owed her Ahead of the 2016 London mayoral election, Edo wrote an article for Property Week urging the future mayor to insist on redevelopment projects in central London. Edo's apparent decision to expand into mountain property comes as his father-in-law Prince Andrew was set to sell his ski chalet in Verbier. The Duke of York is understood to have reached an agreement with Isabelle de Rouvre, 74, to drop proceedings with the imminent sale. The French socialite sued Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah, both 61, last year over 6.6million she claimed they still owed her. The Yorks bought the seven-bedroom Chalet Helora from Miss de Rouvre in 2014 for 16.6million, but she alleged they missed the final instalment on January 1, 2020. The Yorks became friends with Miss de Rouvre after regularly renting the chalet for holidays with their children, Beatrice and Eugenie (pictured) She took the case to the Swiss courts demanding the money for the property in Verbier, equipped with an indoor swimming pool which costs up to 22,000 a week to rent. But now that it is being sold for close to the asking price of 17.3million, she has agreed to drop proceedings, The Sunday Times reported. The Yorks intend to repay their debt once the sale goes through. It was first reported the chalet was for sale last year. A source said: The matter is close to being resolved to everybodys mutual satisfaction. The Yorks became friends with Miss de Rouvre after regularly renting the chalet for holidays with their children, Beatrice and Eugenie. Prince Andrew and his ex-wife bought it with a mortgage and private funding from the Queen as a long-term family investment, sources claimed. When the sale is complete, the duke will no longer own any property, it is believed. A woman from New York re-created the classic Christmas movie The Holiday, and flew all the way across the globe to switch houses with a stranger in London - leading her to find her very own Jude Law. A few weeks ago, Camille Wyand, 25, spotted an ad on Instagram advertising a home swap and was paired with Lizzie Frainier, an editor and travel writer from Tooting, south London. On December 6, she jetted around the world to the U.K. and settled into a week-long stay with three new roommates. Meanwhile, Lizzie prepared to move into Camille's one-bedroom apartment in the West Village in New York City, but didn't head to the Big Apple until two days later, giving the pair a chance to bond before the adventure began. A woman from New York re-created the Christmas movie The Holiday, and flew all the way across the globe to switch houses with a stranger in London A few weeks ago, Camille Wyand (right), 25, spotted a home swap ad on Instagram and was paired with Lizzie Frainier (left), an editor and travel writer from Tooting, south London On December 6, Camille jetted to the U.K. Meanwhile, Lizzie moved into her apartment in New York City. Camille is pictured in New York (left) and in London (right) The idea came from the 2006 flick The Holiday, which stars Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jack Black, and Jude Law. In it, two women - from England and from Hollywood - swap homes But things got interesting for both of them after they fell in love with local men in their new locations And although Camille didn't hook up with a neighbor or someone's brother, like Kate and Cameron did in the movie, she did have a fling while on holiday 'That night, we went to grab pizza and wine to get to know each other,' Camille recently told Jam Press. 'It felt like we had known each other for years because we got along so well and loved chatting with each other. We were instantly great friends.' In the 2006 flick The Holiday, which stars Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jack Black, and Jude Law, two women - one from a quiet English village and the other from star-studded Hollywood - decided to swap homes after they both admit they've been in a rut. But things start to turn around for both of them after they fell in love with local men in their new locations. And although Camille didn't hook up with a neighbor or someone's brother, like Kate and Cameron did in the movie, she did have a fling while on holiday. As part of the home swap, which was organized and paid for by the platform HomeExchange and the dating service Thursday, she was also set up with a dating profile. And that's how she met 28-year-old Paddy James. As part of the home swap, which was organized by HomeExchange and the dating service Thursday, she was also set up with a dating profile. And that's how she met Paddy James The 28-year-old technology consultant, who lives in Clapham, England, took Camille to a restaurant in central London, and the pair said they had a 'really good' first date Camille said they had 'great chemistry' and that they 'bonded over their love for travel.' She gushed: 'The conversation flowed so easily, and it went by way too fast' The technology consultant, who lives in Clapham, England, took Camille to a restaurant in central London, and the pair had a 'really good' first date. 'We decided to go on our date on the Thursday, I was really nervous but so excited, we had been texting and had great chemistry texting,' Camille, who works as a strategy consultant, said. 'It was really fun, we had a great time getting to know each other, hearing about his friends and life, sharing with him about mine, bonding over our love for travel and different travel stories. 'We also both work in consulting, which was a funny coincidence, but talked about shared experiences with that, the conversation flowed so easily, and it went by way too fast.' 'I saw Camille was flying over from the U.S. for a house swap and was intrigued by her story, I saw her profile on the Thursday app I sent her a message about going on a date,' Paddy explained to the outlet. 'The date was really good, sometimes first dates can be awkward but it felt very natural with Camille, it was really fun.' The pair arranged to go on their second date on December 12, the day before she had to fly back to the States, and they visited The White Horse - the pub that was featured in the movie Camille said her and her new beau even re-created one of the scenes of the movie The pair arranged to go on their second date on December 12 - the day before she had to fly back to the States and they visited The White Horse in Surrey, the pub that is featured in the movie. 'It was so much fun being in the pub, they have a spot where there's a picture of The Holiday movie poster hanging up and we got some pictures sitting under that, we even re-created the scene where Jude Law walks in and spots Cameron Diaz,' gushed Camille. Camille thinks her beau resembles Graham, the character played by Jude. 'I've had an amazing time here,' she said. 'Paddy kinda looks like Jude Law and overall he was really sweet and kind like the character, he is a great guy. 'I really thought we would just go on one date and it would be a funny story given the situation. I wasnt expecting to hit it off so well with him like we did.' Unfortunately, a long-term romance may be unlikely due to the 3,460-mile distance - but all hope is not lost. Both Paddy and Camille plan to travel to see each other again. She continued: 'I was so sad to leave, of course sad to leave Paddy, but I had also made some new friends while in London so was sad to leave them as well. I guess I will have to come back!' Paddy added: 'Of course, I would see her again its just a shame she is now 3,460-miles away. 'I have actually never been to New York, so it would be amazing to go. I need to start saving!' Camille recently shared her experience on TikTok, where it has blown up, and the internet is enthralled with their love story. Unfortunately, a long-term romance may be unlikely due to the 3,460-mile distance - but all hope is not lost. Both Paddy and Camille plan to travel to see each other again Paddy said: 'I have actually never been to New York, so it would be amazing to go. I need to start saving' Camille recently shared her experience on TikTok, where it has blown up, and the internet is enthralled with their love story The video has racked up over 1.1 million views so far and over 112,000 likes. One person said: 'YOU ARE LIVING MY DREAM. I wanna do his next year!' Someone else said: 'Im crying this is amazing please get married.' 'Oh he's CUTTTTTEEE,' another person added. Someone else wrote: 'WHATTTTT I LOVE THIS.' 'Oh youre KIDDING What a dream,' added another user. 'Im literally watching The Holiday right now,' wrote a fan of the movie. 'Wait stop, does he have a beautiful accent too? So happy to see real people finding joy with this idea!,' commented another viewer. Speaking about her The Holiday home swap, Camille added: 'Overall, this experience has been so amazing and one I will remember forever. 'I've gotten to meet such great people along the way. The responses I have gotten on my TikTok have been so sweet. 'I know there are other women that are starting to do swaps too and Im so Im excited to follow along on their journeys too!' When most of us think of champagne we visualise expensive bottles - but not anymore, with Aldi's 13.99 fizz becoming Britain's second-bestseller. The own-label, award-winning budget bubbly has become sought after in the UK and is second only to Moet & Chandon in sales. Veuve Monsigny has overthrown Lanson, one of France's most celebrated names and which is usually priced at around 35 a bottle, according to figures from the data firm IRI, reported The Guardian. Aldi's champagne was born almost ten years ago, in 2012, at the Philizot & Fils winery in the heart of Champagne, France. Aldi's 13.99 fizz (pictured left) has become sought after in the UK and is second only to Moet & Chandon (pictured right) in sales Veuve Monsigny has overthrown Lanson (pictured), one of France's most celebrated names and which is usually priced at around 35 a bottle, according to figures from the data firm IRI Lovingly produced by husband and wife duo Stephane and Virginie Philotz, Veuve Monsigny is matured for over 48 months that's two and a half years longer than the minimum requirement for Champagne, and more than 12 months longer than any other UK supermarket own brand Champagne. The budget price hides an award-winning product, with the fizz placing second in a national taste test of champagnes carried out by Good Housekeeping last year, just behind a 23.99 offering from Waitrose. Veuve Monsigny has also won a number of accolades over the years, including a bronze award at the International Wine Challenge. Britons spend around 400million a year on champagne but producers have been hit hard by production problems and delivery issues which mean costs have increased. The price of champagne went up by 8 per cent in the three months to September, according to Wine and Spirit Trade Association figures. Even Aldis Veuve Monsigny costs 1 more than last Christmas. Yet Aldi's champagne (pictured left) is not the only cheap bubbly to win plaudits. An annual champagne taste test by Which? placed Lidl's even cheaper Veuve Delattre Brut (pictured right), which is 12.19, above the Aldi product Research by Aldi previously showed the nation will enjoy approximately 480million glasses of bubbly this festive period, and Aldi itself has recorded record Champagne sales to date, now selling over 2miIIion bottles annually. Earlier this month, Aldi launched the 'UK's cheapest champagne bar' in the West End selling its Veuve Monsigny for just 2.33 a glass. Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, told FEMAIL: 'We are extremely proud of our award-winning Veuve Monsigny Champagne - it's up there with the best bubbles available, and we hope our Champagne and pop-up bar help spread some well-deserved cheer among the public this festive season.' Yet Aldi's champagne is not the only cheap bubbly to win plaudits. An annual champagne taste test by Which? placed Lidl's even cheaper Veuve Delattre Brut, which is 12.19, above the Aldi product. They praised the Lidl champagne for its 'subtle, complex aromas, fresh acidity and clean, fruity taste'. James Franco explained in a new interview this week that he has been 'examining' his past behavior and 'changing who I was' since several women accused him of sexual misconduct in 2018 allegations that led him to settle with two accusers for $2.2 million this summer. Franco, 43, broke his silence on SiriusXMs The Jess Cagle Podcast this week, saying that he has remained quiet all this time because he knew he 'needed to listen' and examine the 'behavior' and 'patterning' that he has been blind to. 'I've just been doing a lot of work. And I guess I'm pretty confident in saying like, four years, you know?' he said. 'I [was] completely blind to power dynamics or anything like that, but also completely blind to people's feelings,' he admitted, confirming that he did sleep with students at his acting school but thought it was 'cool' because it was 'consensual' and they were all adults.' The actor also revealed that while he has been sober and attending meetings for alcohol addiction, he also battled sex addiction for 20 years, cheating on 'everyone' he dated before his current girlfriend Isabel Pakzad, whom he has been with since November 2017. James Franco explained this week that he has been 'examining' his past behavior and 'changing who I was' since several women accused him of sexual misconduct in 2018 In January of 2018, five women told the Los Angeles Times that Franco had been sexually inappropriate or exploitative with them. One detailed how Franco removed plastic guards from actress' vulvas during a sex scene while simulating oral sex. Two of the women, Sarah Tither-Kaplan and Toni Gaal, sued Franco in 2019, claimed that he tried to 'create a pipeline of young women who were subjected to his personal and professional sexual exploitation in the name of education' while they attended his Studio 4 acting school. Franco settled for $2.2 million in July. At the time of the initial allegations, Franco made brief comments about 'taking responsibility' but insisted that what was being said about him was not 'accurate.' He has limited his public exposure since, until sitting down with the The Jess Cagle Podcast for an interview that will debut tomorrow, December 23. He told Cagle how he chose to 'pause' after the allegations came out. 'In 2018 there were some complaints about me and an article about me and at that moment I just thought I'm gonna be quiet,' he said. 'I'm gonna be, I'm gonna pause. Did not seem like the right time to say anything. There were people that were upset with me and I needed to listen. 'I've just been doing a lot of work. And I guess I'm pretty confident in saying like, four years, you know?' he said He confirmed that he did sleep with students at his acting school, but thought it was 'cool' because it was 'consensual' and they were all adults' 'There's a writer, Damon Young, and he talked about, you know, when something like this happens, the natural human instinct is to just make it stop. You just want to get out in front of it and whatever you have to do apologize, you know, get it done,' he went on. 'But what that doesn't do is allow you to do the work, and to look at what was underneath. Like, whatever you did, even if it was a gaff or you said something wrong or whatever, there's probably an iceberg underneath that of behavior, of patterning, of just being blind to yourself, that isn't gonna just be solved overnight. 'So I've just been doing a lot of work. And I guess I'm pretty confident in saying like, four years, you know?' he said. Franco also discussed how he's long been in recovery for substance abuse, but since 2016 has also been tackling his sex addiction. 'I was in recovery before, for substance abuse. And there were some issues that I had to deal with that were also related to addiction. And so I've really used my recovery background to kind of start examining this and changing who I was,' he said. '[Sex is] such a powerful drug. And I got hooked on it for 20 more years. 'And the insidious part of that is that I stayed sober from alcohol all that time. So, and I went to meetings all that time. I even tried to sponsor other people. And so in my head, it was like, "Oh, I'm sober. I'm living a spiritual life." Where on the side, I'm acting out now in all these other ways. And I couldn't see it.' Franco also admitted that he had been unfaithful to all of his girlfriends for years. 'I could never be faithful to anybody. So I cheated,' he said. 'I cheated on everyone before Isabel. Franco sad he has battled sex addiction and cheated on every girlfriend prior to his current girlfriend, Isabel Pakzad (pictured in 2019) 'People that I got together with or dated, I'd see them for a long time, years. It's just that I couldn't be present for any of them. And the behavior spun out to a point where it was like I was hurting everybody.' He recalled his sponsor chastising him for cheating, but telling him that if he's single, there's nothing wrong with sleeping around which Franco said he 'ran' with. '[My sponsor was] like, "Look, the cheating is dishonest. I don't think that's good for your sobriety, but if you're not dating someone and you wanna go and hook up, like whatever happens between two consenting adults is fine,"' Franco said. 'The problem was, I took that and I ran with it and used it as an excuse to just hook up all over the place. And it was like, well, we're being honest here. Right?' he said. But he admitted that he didn't think about the power dynamics at play when he pursued people he worked with, or those who attended his acting school. 'I [was] completely blind to power dynamics or anything like that, but also completely blind to people's feelings. I didn't wanna hurt people,' he said. 'I'll admit, I did sleep with students,' he said. 'Over the course of my teaching, I did sleep with students. And that was wrong. 'But, like I said, it's not why I started the school. And I wasn't the person who selected the people to be in the class. So it wasn't a master plan on my part, but yes, there were certain instances where, you know what, I was in a consensual thing with a student and I shouldn't have been. 'I suppose at the time my thing was, if it's consensual, OK. Of course I knew, I talked to other people, other teachers, yeah, it's probably not a cool thing. [But] at the time, I was not as clear-headed as I've said. So I guess it just comes down to my criteria: If this is consensual, it's cool. We're all adults,' he said. Sarah Tither-Kaplan (pictured above) was one of actresses who have come forward to publicly call Franco out for alleged sexually inappropriate and exploitative behavior The other student named in the lawsuit was Toni Gaal In the new interview, Franco also admitted that it was 'hurtful' when his longtime collaborator and costar Seth Rogen said that he had no plans to work with him in the future. Initially, when the allegations came out in 2018, Rogen told Vulture that he would continue to work with Franco. But in May, he publicly revised his position, telling Britain's Sunday Times that he would not. 'I also look back to that interview in 2018 where I comment that I would keep working with James, and the truth is that I have not and I do not plan to right now,' he said. Speaking on the podcast this week, Franco said he 'absolutely loves' Rogen, whom he worked with for 20 years but 'what he said is true, you know, we aren't working together right now and we don't have any plans to work together.' 'Of course it was hurtful, you know, in context, but I get it, you know, he had to answer for me cause I was silent,' he went on. 'He had to answer for me and I don't want that. And so that's why, it's one of the main reasons I wanted to talk to you today is I just, I don't want Seth or my brother or anyone to have to answer for me anymore.' The allegations against Franco came in January of 2018, when five women described misconduct to the Los Angeles Times. One of the women, Violet Paley, said she had a consensual relationship with the actor, but claimed that he once forced her into performing oral sex on her while they sat in his car. Franco also admitted that it was 'hurtful' when his longtime collaborator and costar Seth Rogen said that he had no plans to work with him in the future In May, Rogen said he has not worked with Franco recently has does not have a plan to do so right now The other four women were students at Studio 4, Franco's now-closed acting school, and claimed he asked women both on set and in class to perform topless or even completely nude. One of those students, Sarah Tither-Kaplan, claimed that while at Studio 4, she had enrolled in Francos Sex Scenes master class. In one short video for the class, she appeared topless. That video was then uploaded to Vimeo without her knowledge, she claimed. And a still from the video ended up on at least one adult website, according to Tither-Kaplan. 'Now, if you Google me, you can see me naked. Before Ive ever been on TV or before Ive ever had any real credits or before any of this of course I regret that. I dont want that,' she said. But landing a role in Franco's film The Long Home was a huge break for her that proved uncomfortable. While on set, Tither-Kaplan was asked if she would be willing to appear in a nude orgy scene, which she admittedly agreed to do because she saw her appearance in the film as a big break in her career. Tither-Kaplan appeared with several other women in the scene, and they each wore nothing but a piece of plastic known as a genital guard. She claimed that when it came time for Franco to simulate oral sex on the actresses, he removed the guard and continued to act out the scene with no barrier between his mouth and the women's vaginas. Her willingness to appear in the nude orgy shoot got Tither-Kaplan asked back to film another scene. This time, it was an unscripted bit that required her to be topless while wearing an animal skull and dancing around in a circle with other women. James Franco, pictured here in Los Angeles in November 2017, agreed to pay $2.23 million to resolve a sexual misconduct lawsuit One of the actresses declined to appear topless in the scene and was not asked back on set by Franco, according to Tither-Kaplan. 'I got it in my head pretty quickly that, OK, you dont say "no" to this guy,' she said of Franco. An actress who appeared alongside her in those two scenes confirmed Tither-Kaplan's account, while Franco's lawyer said: 'The allegations about the protective guards are not accurate.' The casting director on the film, Cynthia Huffman, also commented on the claims by saying she 'personally checked on all the actresses' during the shoot.' 'James is all about giving up and comers, actors and actresses and young filmmakers a break in this business,' said Huffman. 'I feel horrible that anyone was made to feel uncomfortable but we went to great lengths to make sure all the actresses in the nude scenes felt comfortable and safe.' Meanwhile, Paley said that Franco was a mentor who was helping her on a script she was working on back in 2016, which eventually led to a relationship between the two. It was at the start of that relationship when she claims Franco forced her into performing a sex act. 'I was talking to him, all of a sudden his penis was out,' said Paley. 'I got really nervous, and I said, "Can we do this later?" He was kind of nudging my head down, and I just didnt want him to hate me, so I did it.' She said that she was able to stop only when she claimed to see people approaching the car. Hilary Dusome and Natalie Chmiel said they became disenfranchised with Franco and his acting classes back in 2012 when they were selected to appear in what they were led to believe was a short art film. It was midway through the shoot, which took place at a strip club, when they claim Franco asked them if they would be willing to go topless. When none of the women volunteered, he allegedly stormed off the set. 'I felt like I was selected for something based on my hard work and my merit, and when I realized it was because I have nice [breasts], it was pretty clear that was not the case,' said Dusome. 'I don't think he started teaching with bad intentions, but he went down a bad path and damaged a lot of people in the process.' Chmiel echoed this, stating: 'He just took advantage of our eagerness to work and be a part of something bigger. We were all these up-and-coming actors who were so hopeful.' Franco's lawyer again denied these allegations. Franco later spoke on TV to Seth Meyers, stating: 'There are stories that need to get out. There are people that need to be heard. 'I have my own side of this story, but I believe in, you know, these people that have been underrepresented getting their stories out enough that I will, you know, hold back things that I could say just because I believe in it that much. 'And if I have to take a knock because I'm not going to, you know, try and, you know, actively refute things, then I will, because I believe in it that much.' Tither-Kaplan and Toni Gaal went on to sue Franco, as well as his partners in the school, Vince Jolivette and Jay Davis. They reached a settlement in July. Franco, Jolivette, and Davis said they 'continue to deny the allegations in the complaint' but 'they acknowledge that Plaintiffs have raised important issues,' according to a 'public statement' section in the settlement. 'And all parties strongly believe that now is a critical time to focus on addressing the mistreatment of women in Hollywood. All agree on the need to make sure that no one in the entertainment industry regardless of sex, race, religion, disability, ethnicity, background, gender or sexual orientation faces discrimination, harassment or prejudice of any kind.' Noth has since been fired from one TV gig and lost a $12 million deal to sell his tequila brand He has denied the allegations but he has admitted that he had 'consensual encounters' with the women Noth met Wilson when she was a bartender at a bar he owns in 2001 and they married in 2012; they share two children, Orion, 13, and Keats Another woman has since come forward to claim Noth assaulted her, while actress Zoe Lister-Jones called him a 'sexual predator' Last week, The Hollywood Reporter published allegations from two women who say that Noth raped them, with each sharing similar details of their assaults in 2004 and 2015 Wilson, 42, was seen putting the couple's younger son, 18-month-old Keats, into the back of an SUV before climbing into the car herself amid rumors that she and Noth will not spend the holidays together He kept his left hand firmly in his pocket during the outing - which came one day after his wife of nine years, Tara Wilson, was pictured without her wedding ring outside their home in Los Angeles The Sex and the City star wore a green beanie, a pair of khaki-colored trousers, and a black zip-up jacket Noth, 67, was seen stepping out for a walk near his summer home in Massachusetts on Wednesday Advertisement Chris Noth has doubled down on his vehement denial of allegations that he raped and sexually assaulted two women while expressing his 'hope' that he will spend Christmas with his wife and kids, as he stepped out near his home in the Berkshires, two days after she was pictured in Los Angeles without her wedding ring on. The 67-year-old actor emerged in Massachusetts on Wednesday, when he spoke with a photographer to once again deny sexual assault accusations from two women, who aired their allegations in an explosive report in The Hollywood Reporter last week. When asked for further comment on the matter, Noth simply said: 'You have my statement right? My statement is out, I rest by my statement, I'll now let the chips fall where they may. My statement is my statement, that's all I can give.' In his statement, Noth denied any accusations that he sexually assaulted two women - although he admitted to having 'consensual encounters' with them, both of which are understood to have taken place while he was in a relationship with his wife, Tara Wilson. After the photographer suggested that Noth is 'innocent until proven guilty', the actor replied: 'Well yeah, but you know that's the way it is', before saying he 'hopes' that he will get to spend the holidays with his wife of nine years and their two sons. He then flashed a smile and a peace sign at the camera, before walking off. He kept his wedding finger concealed in the pocket of his black jacket during the outing, which comes just two days after Wilson, 42, was pictured without her wedding ring as she emerged outside their home in Sherman Oaks, California, 2,800 miles away from where Noth was seen. Chris Noth has doubled down on his vehement denial of allegations that he raped and sexually assaulted two women while stepping out near his summer home in the Berkshires on Wednesday When asked for further comment on the matter, Noth, 67, simply said: 'You have my statement right? My statement is out, I rest by my statement, I'll now let the chips fall where they may. My statement is my statement, that's all I can give' The Sex and the City actor flashed a grin and a peace sign at the camera, having told a photographer that he 'hopes' he will spend Christmas with his wife of nine years, Tara Wilson, and their two sons Hours before Noth spoke to a photographer, he was seen sporting a grey beard and grinning for the cameras while strolling near the property The actor's cheerful outing comes less than a week after he was accused of rape by two women in an explosive report in The Hollywood Reporter Hours before he spoke to the photographer, Noth was pictured grinning for the cameras while stepping out for a walk near his summer home, having apparently fled New York City in the wake of the allegations being brought to light. Although Noth's outing comes less than a week after he was accused of rape by two different women on Thursday, the actor appeared to be in good spirits during his walk, when he was seen flashing a wide smile straight at the camera. The report - which featured allegations from two women using the pseudonyms Zoe, now 40, and Lily, now 31, who claim that Noth raped them in 2004 and 2015, respectively - is said to have left the actor's wife, Tara Wilson, devastated, with sources saying that she is 'very upset' and planning to spend Christmas away from her husband, with whom she shares two sons. Further speculation about the future of the couple's relationship was prompted this week when DailyMail.com published exclusive images of Wilson, 42, outside the family's home in Sherman Oaks, California, without her wedding ring on, nearly 3,000 miles away from the Berkshires property where her husband is currently staying. In the wake of The Hollywood Reporter article, on other woman has come forward to accuse Noth of groping her, while actress Zoe Lister-Jones recalled behavior that made her describe him as a 'predator'; he has since lost a planned $12 million deal to sell his tequila brand and was fired from the series The Equalizer. However, Noth appeared determined not to let any stress from the scandal show as he emerged from his summer home today with a smile on his face - although he broke his cheerful expressions at points during his walk, when he was seen looking lost in thought while staring down at the ground. Wilson was seen getting into an SUV outside the family's gated home in Sherman Oaks, and she did not appear to be wearing her wedding ring Noth met Wilson, with whom he shares two sons, in 2001 and they tied the knot in 2012. The two women who accused him of rape said that he attacked them in 2004 and 2015, respectively It has been reported that Noth's wife is not going to spend Christmas with him. She was seen in Los Angeles on Monday, nearly 3,000 miles away from the Massachusetts property where Noth is understood to be staying It is unclear whether Wilson is planning to travel to Massachusetts with her children to join Noth for the holiday, however sources claim that the couple may well spend Christmas apart, with one insider alleging to Page Six on Monday that the couple's marriage is 'hanging by a thread'. 'Tara is upset and things are hanging by a thread,' the source claimed. 'She just wants to protect the kids [Orion, 13, and Keats, 18 months]. That is her number one priority.' On Monday, Wilson was pictured outside of the family's gated Los Angeles home in blue leggings, a green puffer coat, and Ugg boots outside the home she shares with Noth. She did not seem to have a ring on her finger, though she was wearing a large rock at the And Just Like That premiere earlier this month. Apparently unaware of the camera, she looked tired as she held her phone in her hand and climbed into the car, after putting her youngest son into the backseat. Wilson and Noth share two children: Orion, 13, and Keats, 18 months. This is the first time that Wilson has been pictured since last Thursday, when The Hollywood Reporter published its report on the allegations. Noth has vehemently denied that he assaulted the women, but did admit to sexual relations with them, describing the incidents as 'consensual encounters.' Whether or not the incidents were rape or consensual, a source told The Sun that Wilson was caught unawares that he was having anything to do with other women. Noth's cheerful expression did break at certain points during his walk, when he was seen looking lost in thought Noth kept his own wedding finger concealed in the pocket of his black jacket when he stepped out for a walk Despite the furious scandal surrounding the rape allegations against him, Noth put on a brave face and even smiled at the cameras as he walked past The actor had a scruffy grey beard and wore a green beanie for his walk - which comes after a third woman spoke out to accuse him of groping her 'He may be non-monogamous, we have established that his wife didn't know,' the source said. 'If anything, he is guilty of that. She is in LA and is very upset she's not doing well. They planned to spend Christmas together but that is now unknown.' The source, a friend of Noth's, also insisted that the actor is 'no Weinstein' and that 'all his friends are sticking by him.' On Monday evening, the actor's Sex and the City co-stars, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis, issued a statement about the accusations made against him, saying: 'We are deeply saddened to hear the allegations against Chris Noth. 'We support the women who have come forward and shared their painful experiences. We know it must be a very difficult thing to do and we commend them for it.' Noth met Vancouver-born Wilson in 2001 when he was in his mid-40s and she was in her early 20s. Wilson was a bartender at the New York jazz club The Cutting Room, which Noth co-owns. In the wake of the allegations, Noth has lost a planned $12 million deal to sell his tequila brand and was fired from the series The Equalizer At one point he pointed towards the photographer, before breaking into an amused smile The star was last seen outside of his apartment on New York's Upper East Side, just hours after the allegations were published Noth may well be planning to spend the holidays at his home in Great Barrington, which he has owned for several years, however it is unclear whether his wife and children will join him The actor has not spoken out publicly since the allegations were published, however he gave a statement to The Hollywood Reporter in which he vehemently denied all accusations of assault They welcomed their first son in 2008, got engaged in 2009, and married in Hawaii in 2012, with then-four-year-old Orion serving as ring bearer. Their second son arrived in early 2020. It's unknown whether Wilson was made aware of the allegations against her husband before they were published. The Hollywood Reporter had reached out to Noth prior to publication, which would have given him at least some time to break the news. In the report, both of Noth's accusers who went by pseudonyms Zoe, now 40, and Lily, now 31 claimed that he raped them from behind in front of a mirror. The first attack allegedly took 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. Both women claimed that the recent publicity surrounding the Sex and the City reboot 'stirred painful memories' of their encounters with Noth and 'triggered' them to go public with their claims. The first, Zoe, said she 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 claimed 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. Wilson (pictured with Noth earlier this month) was seen climbing into an SUV outside their gated home in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles - almost 3,000 miles away from Noth's home in Massachusetts - on Monday Wilson was pictured in blue leggings, a green puffer coat, and Ugg boots outside the home she shares with Noth Wilson didn't appear to be wearing her wedding ring on Monday, though she did have it on earlier this month Wilson, 42, is reportedly 'very upset' and 'not doing well' since the report She was seen putting her younger son, Keats, into the backseat of the vehicle before climbing in herself At the time, Noth had been dating Wilson for three years. However, according to Zoe, Noth began leaving 'flirty' messages on her voicemail which she was alerted to by her boss. Zoe claimed that she was raped by Noth in his West Hollywood apartment when she returned a book he had lent her. She said he 'kissed her' as soon as she walked through the door, then 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 that 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.' '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. 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. Lily said she was 'truly star-struck' when he began 'hitting on her' and ended up going with him to a restaurant. Afterward, Noth invited her back to his home to 'sample his collection of whiskeys' and says he began trying to 'make out with her' when they got there. 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), 18 months, who was born in 2020 Noth met Vancouver-born Wilson in 2001 when he was in his mid-40s and she was in her early 20s. Wilson was a bartender at the New York jazz club The Cutting Room, which Noth co-owns The couple welcomed their first son in 2008, got engaged in 2009, and married in Hawaii in 2012. Their second son arrived in early 2020 (pictured in 2002) '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 said 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 claimed 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 said. After the alleged assault took place, Lily said 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. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Noth admitted that he had 'consensual encounters' with the two women, 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. Last Thursday, The Hollywood Reporter published explosive allegations against Noth (seen in Sex and the City reboot And Just Like that with co-star Sarah Jessica Parker), with two women claiming that he raped them One woman claimed that the alleged attack took place in Noth's Greenwich Village apartment ( pictured) and that he raped her from behind, in front of a mirror '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.' After the report was published, Zoe Lister-Jones described Noth was a 'sexual predator' Though Officer Drake Madison of the LAPD initially told Deadline on Thursday that 'there is no investigation at this point' into the claims against Noth, an LAPD spokesperson later told People that they are 'looking into the nature of the report' and trying to figure out 'when, where or even if a report was filed.' However, Officer Madison added: 'At this time, there's no record of a report being filed. Without a report, there is no investigation.' Late on Thursday, actress Zoe Lister-Jones also 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. '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 on Instagram. '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,' she went on, before detailing some of her experiences. Then a third woman accused Chris Noth of sexual assault for allegedly groping her at a Manhattan restaurant in 2010 when she was 18. In her Instagram story on Thursday, Lister-Jones said she was 'relieved' by Big's death because she remembers him being 'consistently sexually inappropriate' with a female promoter She also recalled him sniffing her hair when she guest starred on Law and Order: Criminal Intent 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 The unnamed 30-year-old Canadian tech executive claimed Noth, then 55, groped her while she was working as a hostess at the Da Marino restaurant in Midtown, the Daily Beast first reported. Noth came in intoxicated, allegedly telling her, 'I love Canadian women' as he pressed her against 'his erection.' 'I remember how electrifying his hand, the hand I watched hold Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, felt grabbing me,' Ava said. She claimed Noth then followed her into the back office and began kissing her and pressing her against a desk. She alleged that that he pulled down her tights and touched and clung onto her so strongly that after she managed to push and kick him away, her 'limbs hurt in the morning.' 'It felt as though I was the only person in the universe who could hear me saying no,' she told the outlet. She said the actor also felt her tampon and asked if she was at the end of her period before continuing to grope her. Despite Ava's protests, Noth allegedly carried on until she told him 'not here,' convincing him that they could carry on somewhere else. 'I haven't been able to shake the memory of how the kitchen staff looked at me as I emerged from the office with Chris Noth,' she said. Noths publicist told the Daily Beast that the actor 'denies this as ever happening and has no idea who this woman is.' Walgreens announced that it's limiting customers to purchases of four at-home COVID-19 test kits, due to an 'unprecedented increase in demand' in recent weeks. CVS is limiting purchases to six test kits per person, while Walmart is limiting customers to eight tests per person when ordering online. These announcements come as the Omicron variant fuels case increases across the country and families seek to safely gather for Christmas. In New York City, where case rates have more than doubled in the last week, people are waiting in hours-long lines to get tested. President Biden announced Tuesday that his administration is purchasing 500 million at-home rapid tests, to be distributed freely to Americans in an effort meet some of the demand - but the deliveries won't start until January. In New York City, people are waiting in hours-long lines to get tested for Covid while at-home rapid tests are in high demand. Pictured: A Covid testing line in Times Square, December 2021 Walmart, Walgreens, and CVS are all limiting purchases of at-home rapid tests as demand skyrockets in the latest Covid surge. Pictured: QuickVue at-home tests shown for sale at a CVS in Washington state, November 2021 The Omicron variant, now causing the majority of new Covid cases in the U.S. - with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that in now accounts for 73 percent of new cases - is pushing the country's surge into worrying territory. The U.S. is now reporting an average of 140,000 new cases a day, according to Johns Hopkins. That's a 50 percent increase from late November, when the nation reported about 90,000 new cases a day. These high case numbers are stretching the nation's testing infrastructure - especially in places like New York City, which has reported record cases in the past week. As Americans seek to gather safely with family and friends during this surge, demand has increased for at-home rapid tests. Unlike PCR tests, which must be done in a laboratory and can take days to provide results to patients, at-home rapid tests can be purchased at a pharmacy and done at home, with results available in minutes. Rapid tests typically identify antigens - proteins on the surface of the coronavirus - while PCR tests identify the virus' genetic material. PCR tests are more accurate and considered the gold standard, but rapid tests may still be very useful for identifying whether someone is infectious and capable for spreading the virus to others. In response to the demand, Walmart and major pharmacy chains are limiting the number of rapid test kits that people can buy. Walmart has set a limit of eight tests for an online order - meaning consumers can get four packages of the Abbott BinaxNow and other popular test kits, which include two tests each. Physical stores can set their own test purchase limits depending on their inventory limits, Walmart said. 'We do have strong inventory levels nationally in store,' Walmart said in a statement. 'However, inventory is more limited online depending on the zip code.' Similarly, Walgreens has limited both online and in-store purchases to four test kits per customer. 'Due to the incredible demand for at-home rapid testing, we put in effect a four item purchase limit on at-home COVID-19 testing products in our stores and digital properties,' Walgreens spokesperson Emily Hartwig-Mekstan told CNBC. Rapid test kits often contain two tests, as the tests are more accurate when patients test themselves multiple times. Pictured: Rapid test kits ready to be distributed, at a community center in Chelsea, Massachusetts, December 2021 Walgreens is continuing to 'work diligently with our supplier partners to best meet customer demands,' Hartwig-Mekstan said. This 'unprecedented increase in demand' for rapid at-home Covid tests began after Thanksgiving, Hartwig-Mekstan told CNBC. CVS has also limited sales of test kits to six per person. The pharmacy chain announced that products may be temporarily out of stock for online orders, as in-store inventory is CVS's priority. In New York City, demand for tests has skyrocketed, with local outlets reporting hours-long waits at testing sites across the city. 'Some New Yorkers said they spent over four hours in line,' local news site THE CITY reported. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio closed 20 brick-and-mortar testing sites recently, but has now pledged to reopen that same number of locations. 'We're going to keep expanding test capacity constantly as we fight Omicron,' de Blasio said at a press conference this week. The Biden administration seeks to address the situation in NYC and across the country by providing free at-home rapid tests to Americans who want them. President Biden announced on Tuesday that his administration will purchase 500 million at-home rapid tests. Americans will be able to order these tests from a government website at no cost. At the same time, the administration is setting up new federal testing sites to help states that need additional capacity. The first of these sites will be set up in NYC this week. The administration is also working to further accelerate rapid test production using the Defense Production Act. While the increased tests are a welcome measure for experts who have long said the Biden administration needs to make testing more accessible, the initial delivery of free at-home tests will start in January 2022 - after the holiday travel rush. Test production company Abbott Laboratories has also faced criticism for reportedly destroying test components over the summer, when Covid case numbers dropped. Abbott is currently making 50 million tests a month, and expects an increase to 70 million in January, according to CNBC. Dozens of FTSE 350 companies have an annual dividend yield of zero per cent whilst 30 have yields below 1 per cent, new analysis has found. Fund manager GraniteShares, which specialises in exchange-traded funds, said that 11 blue-chip FTSE 100 firms and 61 mid-cap FTSE 250 firms have no dividend yield whatsoever. It has also predicted that dividend payouts will still be lower than their pre-pandemic levels this year and only 'gradually recover' into 2023. Zero per cent: GraniteShares, which specialises in exchange-traded funds, said that 11 blue-chip FTSE 100 firms and 61 mid-cap FTSE 250 firms have no dividend yield whatsoever But as the UK has come out of the worst of the global health crisis, it noted that far fewer London-listed firms had reduced their dividend payments to shareholders in some form in 2021. In 2020, just over half of FTSE 100 businesses and more than 100 on the FTSE 250 either cut, suspended or cancelled their dividends, as did many more listed on junior shares indices. Some of the biggest names to cut dividends included Antofagasta, Standard Chartered and Shell, the latter of which cut its dividend for the first time in 75 years as oil prices collapsed into negative territory. This subsequently caused dividends to slide to their lowest levels since 2011. But, this year, one firm on the FTSE100, six on the FTSE 250, and five on the Small-Cap Index have reduced their dividends. GraniteShares believes the pressure on shareholder returns has boosted demand for UK retail investors using short trading and leverage strategies, such as its triple-leveraged long- and short-single stock exchange-traded products (ETPs). Its most popular stock with both long and short traders was Tesla, the share price of which took off considerably last year before declining in the early months of 2021, flatlining for a few months and then shooting up in value again. Weak rebound: The recovery in dividends this year is very welcome, but the expectation is that investors will have to wait for a full recovery,' said GraniteShares founder Will Rhind Its founder and chief executive Will Rhind said: 'The recovery in dividends this year is very welcome, but the expectation is that investors will have to wait for a full recovery with payouts still lower than they were in 2019. 'As investors look to replace these lost returns, many sophisticated ones have turned to using leverage and short investment strategies, which has fuelled strong growth in our single stock 3x long and 3x short ETPs.' GraniteShares' analysis come a few days after AJ Bell released new forecasts estimating total dividend payouts to substantially slow in 2022, growing by just 2 per cent to 83.7billion compared to an annual jump of 20billion this year. However, it suggested this could be a sign of enhanced 'dividend cover' - the ratio of a firm's net income divided by the dividend paid to shareholders. This can help firms strengthen their balance sheet and ensure more stable payouts to investors. The Manchester-based trading platform expects Glencore to disburse the largest increase in dividends of 1.48billion, with Shell and HSBC trailing far behind in second and third place with 575million and 453million rises, respectively. It also expects mining giant Rio Tinto to be the highest-paying stock next year, followed by Shell and British American Tobacco, something it admits 'may have ESG-oriented investors gnashing their teeth.' The UKs highest court has blocked Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from accessing 1.4billion of his countrys gold in the Bank of England vaults. In a judgement this week, the Supreme Court ruled that only Juan Guaido, who is recognised as Venezuelas legitimate leader by Britain and more than 50 other countries, could access the vital wealth. Maduro, who was re-elected in 2018 in controversial polls, said he needed the gold to help Venezuela fight Covid-19. Bullion ban: The Supreme Court this week blocked Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (pictured) from accessing 1.4bn of his country's gold But the Supreme Court said Maduro should not be recognised as president for any purpose. Maduro has been trying to pull the bullion, which is about 15 per cent of Venezuelas foreign currency reserves, out of the Bank of England since 2018. But the Bank refused to release it, as Venezuela has been hit with sanctions by countries over corruption, human rights violations and the suppression of democracy. The Bank of England is the second-largest keeper of gold in the world, and holds enough to cover the entire country in gold leaf. It only owns two bars itself the rest of the 400,000-odd bars worth more than 200billion are guarded on behalf of the UK Treasury and the central banks of other countries from India to Australia. For a time, the vaults below Threadneedle Street briefly contained two bars recovered from Nazi Germany by the Tripartite Gold Commission of Britain, the US and France. The Bank vaults have never been burgled, but in 1836 a sewer worker accidentally found his way in through a disused drain. He tipped the Bank off, mysteriously arranging to meet the directors one night in the vaults, and was rewarded with a gift of 800 for his honesty, which would now be worth more than 90,000. The FTSE 100 index closed up 0.61 per cent or 44.25 points to 7,341.66 this afternoon, while the FTSE 250 index closed up 1.14 per cent or 260.49 points to 23,080.79. Britain's economy grew more slowly than previously thought between July and September, with revised Office for National Statistics data showing growth of just 1.1 per cent compared to a preliminary estimate of 1.3 per cent. That was slower than the economy's 5.4 per cent bounce-back in the second quarter when many coronavirus restrictions were lifted. The Prudential Regulation Authority has imposed a 5.4million financial penalty on Metro Bank for failing to act with due skill, care and diligence in relation to the regulatory reporting of its capital position. Metro Bank was also found responsible for failings in its regulatory reporting governance, controls and investment in the period between 13 May 2016 and 23 January 2019. The UK's third-largest homebuilder Taylor Wimpey will drop contract terms that lock leaseholders into rents that double every 10 years, ending a year-long probe into the company by the Competition and Markets Authority. Britains competition watchdog described the resolution as a huge step forward for leaseholders, who have faced totally unwarranted obligations that lead to people being trapped in their homes, struggling to sell or obtain a mortgage. >If you are using our app or a third-party site click here to read Business Live The Financial Conduct Authority will consult on a redress scheme for the thousands of people who invested in the British Steel Pension Scheme. The 2017 scandal involved 7,700 BSPS members receiving advice to take their funds out of the pensions scheme, which they took and ended up losing 'significant sums of money as a result,' the National Audit Office said in a statement at the time. Earlier this year, MPs accused the FCA of being 'unfit for purpose' and blasted its apparent inability to help wronged consumers affected by the scandal. Consultation: The Financial Conduct Authority has announced it will consult on a redress scheme for people who invested in the British Steel Pension Scheme The consultation is expected to be launched in March 2022, and will require the FCA to gather evidence and engage with shareholders. The FCA outlined its expectation that firms which will have to repay former investors 'should retain assets and should not try to avoid their responsibilities.' It warned that it will take 'such action as it deems necessary if a firm attempts to avoid redress liabilities'. It has sent out a letter to bosses of the firms who gave pension transfer advice to BSPS members between 1 March 2017 to 31 March 2018. It said in a statement: 'Under a redress scheme, firms would be required to review advice they gave to BSPS members to transfer their pension. If the advice was unsuitable and resulted in a financial loss, the firm would be required to provide compensation.' Former BSPS members should continue to check whether they received unsuitable advice and find out how to complain via the FCA's dedicated web page. If the firm involved has gone out of business, those affected should consider making a claim with the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the FCA said. The FCA said any redress would be dependent on the investors BSPS transfer advice. The NAO launched an investigation into the FCA's handling of the scandal in October, and is aiming to publish its findings in spring 2022. It is estimated that around 47 per cent of steelworkers received 'unsuitable' pension transfer advice, prompting the FCA to call the debacle a 'highly exceptional case'. In August, the FCA slapped its first 1.3million fine on an adviser involved in the matter, describing him as 'seriously incompetent' in providing retirement savings transfer advice to BSPS members. After suffering through two national lockdowns and a pingdemic, the hospitality industry is once again in turmoil. The spread of Omicron has seen cancellations soar as families frantically try to reduce their risk of catching the virus ahead of Christmas. After weeks of pleas from business owners for extra financial support, Chancellor Rishi Sunak yesterday announced a 1 billion bailout for the hospitality industry. But is it too little, too late? In limbo: Michael Raphel, left, and Jay Rahman, right, are co-owners of JM Socials restaurant group Here Michael Raphel, 40, who co-owns a chain of six restaurants in Cheltenham and Oxford, tells Fiona Parker how Omicron has wreaked havoc on his business... Saturday, November 27 The first Omicron case has been confirmed in the UK. But my partner Jay and I do not know how worried we should be. It could be weeks before scientists decide whether or not it is a serious threat. However, there is already a ten-day isolation rule for anyone who comes into contact with an Omicron case. What if this leads to another pingdemic? Nearly half of our staff were off work in August and we had to shut our chicken restaurant for a fortnight. In a good week, our business, JM Socials, will turn over around 75,000, but we lost a third of our takings that month. Sunday, November 28 We had three restaurants open for takeaways during the first lockdown. So I am ordering 2,000 worth of boxes and packaging today to prepare for the worst. JM Socials has around 90 employees working across our restaurants and many are becoming anxious. Some are worried about the virus itself, while others are concerned about their jobs and hours. We furloughed 40 front-of-house staff and waiters earlier this year, but that scheme was closed in September. What happens if we need to send employees home again? Tuesday, November 30 Our restaurants are closed on Mondays and this morning our managers took cancellations for more than 40 individual diners. They are all sincere and apologetic. A third say they or a member of their group has tested positive. After weeks of pleas from business owners for extra financial support, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a 1bn bailout for the hospitality industry The rest just do not want to risk catching it. I understand why they feel like that and I value the safety of my staff and customers above everything else. But with each diner spending around 50, it is a big financial hit. Thursday, December 2 Every morning Jay and I meet with our operations managers. Today it is decided an email will be sent to all staff instructing them to wear face masks once again. It has to be done, but it is hard not to see this as a step backwards. I also know it isnt easy for the employees. Wearing a mask in a hot kitchen is far from comfortable and waiters who rely heavily on tips cannot smile at their customers. Fortunately, our wonderful workforce are all happy to comply. Saturday, December 4 Cancellations are coming thick and fast and it looks like we are now going to have to factor in plenty more for the weeks ahead. Since yesterday, bookings for 66 diners at Bhoomi, the South Asian restaurant in Cheltenham where I am based, have fallen through. That is going to amount to more than 3,300 in losses. Things are even worse at Prithvi, where Jay is based. His team has taken 55 cancellations and there are only 12 tables in the whole restaurant. We do fine dining at Prithvi and the average customer will spend around 100, so thats another 5,500 gone. Tuesday, December 7 A waiter at our restaurant Bao + BBQ tested positive today. He came in early before the others had arrived and took a lateral flow test. Fortunately, he has no symptoms and it doesnt look like he will be too poorly. Like previous staff who had to self-isolate, he will receive 96.35 a week in Statutory Sick Pay. It has been months since we have had a positive case in our team and I hope it is not the first of many. Staff who test positive and are forced to self-isolate receive 96.35 a week in Statutory Sick Pay Thursday, December 9 With so many cancellations, we cannot afford to keep our front-of-house team on 38 hours a week so they have been cut to 25 hours. As these employees are paid 12 an hour, they will be going home with 300 before tips, rather than 456 which is a big blow ahead of Christmas. It is not a decision we ever wanted to make, but it is essential to avoid cutting jobs. Last night the Prime Minister confirmed he was going ahead with Plan B restrictions and I am hoping this will lead to a drop in cases. However, it will almost certainly put more people off eating out in the short term. Friday, December 17 This is by far the worst day we have had for cancellations so far 131 diners in total. Our managers are usually busy taking calls from customers who want a spontaneous meal on a Friday night. But we have hardly welcomed any of these last-minute bookings tonight. I suppose it is now two days since Professor Chris Whitty told the nation to prioritise social interactions. I listened out for any announcement about help for business and there was none. But I was not feeling optimistic about this when the press conference began. Sunday, December 19 We have received fantastic news about our Bhoomi restaurant in Oxford it is going to be featured in the Michelin Guide. It has prompted a surge in bookings, which are very much welcomed. Today the papers are full of speculation about a future lockdown. A part of me hopes this will happen. If we could furlough staff and claim grants, a lockdown would be an improvement and help protect my staffs jobs. Monday, December 20 The wait is over, for now. The Prime Minister ruled out any immediate restrictions tonight. But that just means we are stuck in this no-mans land where the Government is not shutting us down but wont help us survive either. We still have energy and water bills, supplies to buy and of course wages to pay. If this carries on, we will have no choice but to cut even more hours. Tuesday, December 21 At last, the Chancellor has finally committed to some support. Of course I would welcome a 6,000 grant, but without knowing which restrictions will be brought in, it is difficult to say how much help this will be. If we go back to takeaway and outside dining only, our restaurants would suffer a considerable drop in income and I just dont know whether the grant will be enough to cover our payroll and overheads for the period. The No. 1 concern for us is to cover wages. Our staff will always be our priority. Hundreds of Kellogg's workers have finally ended an 11-week strike at cereal factories across four states after their union secured wage increases. The five-year contract ends the stalemate between the Frosties maker and its 1,400 factory workers in Michigan, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Tennessee that started in early October. At the height of the stand-off the cereal giant had even threatened to permanently replace strikers, drawing criticism from President Joe Biden. Highlights of the new agreement include: no two-tiered pay system, in which longer-tenured workers were paid more; no factory closures through October 2026, a 'significant' boost to the pension scheme and better pay across the board. BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN: Protesters outside the Kellogg's factory on the first day of the walkout on October 5 Workers walked out of the Battle Creek location, the site of Kellogg's headquarters, early on October 5 'This agreement makes gains and does not include any concessions,' said Anthony Shelton, president of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM). 'Our entire Union commends and thanks Kellogg's members. From picket line to picket line, Kellogg's union members stood strong and undeterred in this fight, inspiring generations of workers across the globe, who were energized by their tremendous show of bravery as they stood up to fight and never once backed down,' he added. Around 1,400 workers went on a strike since October 5 after their contracts expired, as negotiations over payment and benefits stalled amid a tightening labor market. Union workers complained about plans to move plants to Mexico, as well as reduced health care and retirement benefits, and cuts to holiday and vacation pay. Workers were pulling 12-hour shifts on a seven-day week schedule during the pandemic last year, the union said. 'It will be difficult to go back. There is a lot of tarnished relationships that we will work diligently to repair,' said Dan Osborn, president of the local union in Omaha, adding the employees would return to work on December 27. The labor strike saw Senator Bernie Sanders rally with the striking workers in Michigan, while it also triggered calls for a boycott of Kellogg's products by consumers on social media platforms Twitter and Reddit. 'Well deserved, Kellogg's workers! Also happy I can buy Cheez-its (sic) again,' a Twitter user said on Tuesday, while another tweeted: 'Froot Loops party!' Shares of the Eggo waffles maker declined 3 percent in late-morning trade. LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA: Workers protest under union president Kerry Williams in October MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE: Nearly 300 union workers were rallied by union president Rob Eafen in October Kelloggs workers arent the first food workers to strike during the pandemic. Earlier this summer, more than 600 workers at a Frito-Lay plant in Topeka, Kansas, walked off the job to protest working conditions during the pandemic, including forced overtime. That strike ended in July when workers ratified a new contract. Workers at Nabisco plants in five states went on strike in August to protest plans by Nabiscos parent, Mondelez International, to move some work to Mexico, among other issues, according to the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, which also represents the Kellogg's workers. That strike ended last month when workers ratified a new contract. On LinkedIn, Mekuli says: 'I tend to go after what I want and I don't stop until I get it. If I am to fail. I pick myself up and try again! Fellow officers say she shouldn't be disciplined as her superiors were the ones in the wrong Mekuli, who had worked as a real estate agent, only joined the force in February earning $42,500 a year Her father says she has been crying over the publicity last Thursday's party has garnered She grinded her backside against Lt. Nick McGarry and another, so far unidentified, man, also believed to be a cop Vera Mekuli, 26, is the rookie NYPD officer who gave lap dances to at least two men at her precinct's Christmas party, DailyMail.com can reveal This is the 'highly motivated' rookie cop whose raunchy lap dances at a New York Police Department Christmas party have thrown the department into turmoil. Glamorous Vera Mekuli, 26, gave at least two fellow officers a steamy time during the 44th precinct's party last week. Already Lt. Nick McGarry has been demoted to the transit bureau for allowing the junior officer to grind on him. But Mekuli might escape disciplinary action. 'She shouldn't be disciplined at all,' said one detective close to both her and McGarry. 'She shouldn't be disciplined at all. She's a rookie and was trying to get cool points,' said one detective who knows both her and Lt.